linuxmemes

So first caveat, I work in the IT industry. I'm admittedly used to slightly more complicated life experience but for home use, I value the "It just works" environment.

That out of the way. I switched over from full time Windows 11 to Pop!_OS. A Linux distribution built pretty much to be a "It just works" experience. Pop has been amazing so far. I've gotten almost all of my main games on windows to run without issue. And for those I can't I keep a much smaller windows installation. It's been stable, clean and I have not had to touch anything complicated at all while using the OS.

Installing is fairly easy. If you're really unsure or not enthusiastic the Live CD is a great way to actually try out Linux without ever needing to commit. A Live CD itself is just a USB stick that you can boot from instead of your normal hard drive. Meaning you never have to touch Windows to make changes to it to try a Linux distribution out.

My take on why you would want Linux is fairly simple. You own it. Not just in that it's something you buy. Because in most cases you don't. But in that once it is on your system, you legitimately own everything on the file. You can change it, customize it. Remove things, you are free to do with your copy of Linux as you please. And even encouraged to. In a way Linux based operating systems make your computer personal again.