Of course we all know about Linux, about its many distributions and desktop environments and we all ask the same question: Can we use Linux OS on our daily driver laptops or desktops? The answer is a big YES and I’m actually so glad that nowadays this is possible and very easy to achieve.
The main advantage of using Linux over Windows is that you don’t have to buy a license to use your PC.
Free software has become a real alternative to paid software and everything you need is served to you in a way that is not just easy but it is also secure and fun. Even Microsoft got engaged in this great thing called free and open source software by making some of its apps available to the Linux ecosystem.
When and how should you use a Linux distribution as your daily driver OS?
If you have a small business that does not require much technology to manage it, or if you have an online business like a blog or a small shop to handle, then a Linux distro is great for running that business.
As I mentioned, the most important thing is that you don’t have to buy a Windows license, having also the flexibility of using free software like LibreOffice for editing documents or creating reports. Apps like GIMP, Inkscape or OpenShot are great for photo and video editing and if you are using chat apps a lot, most of them are available for Linux too or you can use the web version of them.
Why Linux Mint and not other Linux distro like Ubuntu or Debian?
Coming from Windows or Mac OS to a Linux distribution might be a big deal for a user. Both of these operating systems are well maintained and they come with everything you need to get started and to be productive.
On the other hand, Linux, as a free OS, offers a lot of tools for productivity but there is always a gap between Linux apps and Windows or Mac OS apps. For example there are no official Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Acrobat reader apps for Linux, but you can use alternatives for them as Gimp or PDF Document Viewer.
There is a replacement app almost for anything on Linux and that makes it useful and easy to use, not to mention that all of these are free apps on a free OS.
Why do we recommend Linux Mint?
For any user that comes from Windows or Mac OS to the Linux ecosystem we recommend using Linux Mint. This Linux distribution with the Cinnamon desktop environment is the closest to the modern Windows interface. This way, new users will adapt faster to their new operating system interface, being able to easily find almost everything they need to set up and to get started.
The Cinnamon desktop environment has a modern look and a lot of options for customizing the system exactly the way you want it.
What to do after Linux Mint installation?
After you successfully installed Linux Mint on your laptop or computer, the first thing to do is to take a look at how the desktop looks and if it is familiar to what you were used to. Mostly all the things look like Windows, so if there is nothing you need to set up, you can start using Linux Mint for working on your projects. Here is how to do that:
Install Google Chrome browser if you are using it for work.
I recommend using Google products for writing activities. They are very easy to set up and use and they also offer a lot of tools for free like Google Drive, Google Docs and Google Chat. You can simply install Google Chrome on any Linux distribution from the official website.
Use the Linux Mint app called Web Apps to install apps as PWA.
This app is one of the best apps available on Linux Mint. It is easy to use, the apps are easy to install and they are also organized in the Linux Mint start menu. You can customize the app icon just the way you want and you can add a shortcut to the desktop or on the taskbar.
Install Microsoft Edge browser if you are a Microsoft apps user or if you have a work account.
After installing the Edge browser, you can add your account and sync everything you have in your account. This way, you can stay updated with your emails, you can work on the projects you started on another computer and you can edit any files you have in Microsoft OneDrive.
Install apps you need from the Linux Mint store.
If you are a content creator, you surely need some apps to publish your articles to the web. For image editing you can use Gimp which is a free image editor like Adobe Photoshop. Videos can be edited using free software like Shotcut or Open Shot. Remember that all of these apps are free, so you don’t need to worry about any limitations and you don’t need any license to use them.
Now that you have your projects up and running on your Linux Mint computer, you can easily customize the feel and look so it is closer to what you like.
Customize Linux Mint just the way you want
After setting up your environment so you can start working, it is time to make Linux Mint to look and feel just the way you want.
To do that, access the themes app on Linux Mint simply by clicking on the start menu and start typing Themes in the search box. Open the app and start customizing the system just how you want it. You can choose how your mouse cursor looks, you can set the applications window decorations or you can choose a new look for your icons by choosing the icon package you like. Also you can customize the way your taskbar looks by choosing what themes you like the most for your desktop experience.
What I like most about Linux vs. Windows?
The most important thing for me when using an Operating System is the stability and the user experience. I must admit that Windows has almost everything when it comes to those things mentioned above but what Windows offers is sometimes not good enough, at least for me.
When I say that, I don’t mean the app ecosystem, which obviously is way ahead of Linux. What I want to say is that sometimes Windows OS feels like that OS that does only what it wants, when it wants. That is the case of Windows Updates that sometimes are very annoying and most of the time the computer restarts by itself to complete the installation.
Also installing Windows updates is not a very nice experience since the CPU fan starts spinning making the most annoying sound. This is not the case in any Linux distro as the updates are quietly downloaded in the background without making use of CPU resources and you can install them whenever you want. This way the system will not restart by itself and you can complete your tasks without any interruption from the OS.