1 Year Linux Challenge

Oaken · March 2, 2015, 7:15am

For those looking to expand their computer literacy, Linux is a great platform to learn. As Wendell stated in his Level 1 Linux videos, in working with Linux you can feel the heartbeat of the system. Being open source you can know what your computer is doing. Gaming on Linux is becoming viable as more gamers are playing their games on Linux, see Steam HW Survey. This challenge is for those looking to give Linux a good try as a daily driver for a year. There are many emulation programs available to run the software you can’t do without, see Linux Software List, or even the possibility of running your software inside a Virtual Machine using VirtualBox, see Virtualbox: Word On Windows On Linux!.

Please note, as many here can attest, there will be times when you break your install. The best words of advice someone gave me was don’t be afraid to break Linux, that’s how you learn how to use it.

Good luck on your Linux adventure!

Participants

(Alphabetical)

TeckMonster - (Jan - 22 -2022) - Kubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu Touch

Completed (124)

1337sp34k3r - (July 14, 2015) - Ubuntu
501st - (November 2, 2015) - Arch Linux w/ KDE Plasma
5hk - (May 26, 2015) - Arch w/ XFCE
ansem_of_nexus - (Aug 12, 2016) - Fedora 27 w/Openbox
Ayakael - (April 1, 2015) - Debian
Baron - (Jan 1, 2015) - Mint
bent15 - (Mar 20, 2015)
BFalcon - (May 15, 2015) - Ubuntu Gnome
Biky - (Dec 2018) - Manjaro w/ KDE Plasma Wayland
BioBandit - (Mar 25, 2015) - Ubuntu (desktop) Puppy Linux (laptop)
blanger - (Mar 30, 2015) - Ubuntu
BlueKoda - (Mar 17, 2015) - Debian Wheezy - BLOG
bmars1 - (August 1, 2020) - Mint
biolinguist - (2012) - Mint
candfa - (Apr 6, 2015) - Ubuntu GNOME
cbl - (Feb 1, 2015) - Linux
chokesmaster - (Mar 15, 2015) - Mint
carramrod224 - (Apr 13, 2015) - Ubuntu GNOME
Critique - (Mar 20, 2015) - Arch
Cyberpunk-Computing - (Sep 10, 2019) - Fedora
dantheman180 - (Mar 20, 2015) - Manjaro
DastardlyMuffin - (Aug 13, 2016) - Ubuntu GNOME
dobby3698 - (Mar 13, 2015) - Ubuntu MATE
DreckingerDan - (March 30, 2015) - Ubuntu Gnome
Diablo1105 - (Mar 19, 2015) - Ubuntu GNOME
Earth_in_HD - (Mar 20, 2015) - Fedora
encailli - (Mar 20, 2015) - Ubuntu Gnome
ErikR - (Jul 2, 2015) - Mint Cinnamon
fcp3 - (Apr 9, 2015) - Ubuntu
flow - (Mar 17, 2015) - Mint and Ubuntu
FlameSilver (Jan 23 - 2017) Fedora
Fr33Th1nk3r - (Apr 30, 2015) - 14.04 Ubuntu
fredrich_nietze - (Aug 2015) - Linux
Fusky - (Mar 10, 2015) - Mint
hardboiledphil - (July 31, 2015) - Arch Linux
HDemon - (May 26, 2015) - Arch
Heimdallr - (April 18, 2015) - openSUSE (DT) && Ubuntu (LAP)
hiredgoons - (April 7, 2015) - Fedora
Huracan - (May 22, 2015) - Ubuntu
IAmEasterIsland - (Mar 16, 2015) - Debian
Ie0n - (Mar 17, 2015) - Kubuntu
imhigh.today - (June 2004) - (SimplyMEPIS)
iovadf1 - (July 29, 2015) - Debian
James_Gallier - (Mar 16, 2015) - Ubuntu
Jedediah_Williams - (Apr 28, 2015) - Arch
Jeol - (Mar 20, 2015) - Manjaro + OpenSUSE?Gentoo?
Jody - (Mar 9, 2015) - Debian (PC) + Ubuntu GNOME (Surface Pro)
KernelModeCommander - (Aug 13, 2016) - Debian
l0rdmidnight - (Jun 19, 2015) - Gentoo
Lafreux - (Mar 17, 2015) - Ubuntu
LazyVulpes - (Apr 20, 2015) - Ubuntu Gnome
leipero - (Feb 21, 2015) - Ubuntu MATE 15.04
Leooow - (2012) - Fedora 25
Leosky - (Mar 14, 2015) - Xubuntu
LinuxFoyYou - (Aug 2, 2015) - Antergos
LinuxMaster9 - (Mar 4, 2015) - OpenSuse (Laptop) + Mint w. Cinnamon (Desktop)
lolsmcfee - (May 30, 2015) - Ubuntu 14.10
m1kutheawesome - (May 9, 2015) - Debian 8.1
Mad_Hatter - (Aug 1, 2015) - Arch Linux
Marten - (Mar 16, 2015) - Ubuntu Gnome
Max_RTW - (… Ages …) - Linux?
meggerman - (Mar 30, 2015) - Mint
MichaelLindman - (2008) - Fedora
MisteryAngel - (Apr 18, 2015) - Ubuntu?
MrACRedwine - (Apr 5, 2015) - Ubuntu Gnome
MrSmiley - (Mar 25, 2015) - Ubuntu Gnome
NeilGuard - (Apr 2, 2015) - Ubuntu MATE and GNOME
nelsynels - (Aug 1, 2015) - Mint
netscaler - (Dec 1, 2014) - Debian w/ Openbox
Nexxsys - (May 22, 2015) - Ubuntu Mate and Gnome, Antegros
nfct - (Mar 11, 2015) - Ubuntu Gnome
nicca923 - (Apr 6, 2015) - Ubuntu
Noctis - (Mar 7, 2015) - Manjaro
Noburt - (May 26, 2015) - Ubuntu Gnome
Oaken - (Feb 9, 2015) - Ubuntu Gnome
oodsway - (Mar 26, 2015) - Ubuntu (KDE+GNOME)
Oper8tor - (Nov 1, 2014) - Gentoo + Xubuntu
Overdox - (Mar 24, 2015) -
paeschli - (Mar 13, 2015) - Lubuntu
pepsi - (Oct 16, 2021) - Debian 11
pgoodjohn - (Mar 17, 2015) - Tux Sampler
PixelPrimer - (Mar 20, 2015) - Ubuntu Gnome
Putzpie - (Apr 20, 2015) - Xubuntu
Polheim - (Feb 19, 2016) - Arch Linux
pyroserpent - (Sept 10, 2015) - Ubuntu
radapples - (Mar 19, 2015) - Arch & Ubuntu Gnome
Robahx - (May 25, 2015) - Ubuntu Gnome
robridinghood - (Aug 12, 2016) - openSuse Leap GNOME
scottym19342 - (Mar 30, 2015) - Ubuntu Gnome
Senzi - (Feb 4, 2015) - Manjaro GNOME3 PC+Laptop, Manjaro MATE HTPC
SEP - (2010) - literally whatever the hell I feel like, usually Debian based
skaterdude97 - (Mar 1, 2015) - Arch w/ i3
Smerrills - (Sept 8, 2017) - Ubuntu
Solstice11 - (July 1, 2015) - Arch Linux
Taco_Bell - (Jan 1, 2015) - OpenSUSE + Debian
takaharu - (Apr 7, 2015) - Ubuntu
techattack - (Apr 12, 2015) - Ubuntu
Terosterone - (Mar 24, 2015) - Mint
Thaumiel - (Mar 14, 2015) - Ubuntu
Thorinstone - (Mar 14, 2015) - Ubuntu Gnome
Timoral - (Apr 14, 2015) - Arch (GNOME)
totalbore - (June 2, 2015) - Ubuntu 15 Gnome 3
trooper_ish - (Jun 20th, 2016?) - Ubuntu Mate
tsk - (Feb 13, 2015) - Mint
Tuxflux - (August 19, 2020) - Manjaro/Arch Linux
Urworstnit3m3r - (Mar 17, 2015) - Ubuntu/Xubuntu
valtteri459 - (May 27, 2015) - Antergos (GDM, XFCE)
vegiesviper - (May 17, 2015) - Debian GNOME
Versed1 - (Apr 6, 2015) - Ubuntu GNOME
vieuxdats - (Mar 18, 2015) - Ubuntu Gnome
vilsol - (Apr 20, 2014) - Ubuntu
viralarchitect - (Mar 29, 2015) - Ubuntu
Vix - (Mar 4, 2015) - Debian w/ Mate
Walker_Quine - (Mar 20, 2015) - Ubuntu Mate
wasd - (June 1, 2015) - Debian and CentOS
WastelandSamurai - (Mar 4, 2015) - Fedora 20
Whizdumb - (Nov 21, 2018) - Mint Cinnamon
wkpsfbx - (Mar 6, 2015) - “TuxExplorer”
yankeerebel - (Apr 11, 2015) - Mint w/ KDE
zanginator - (Mar 7, 2015) - Arch Linux
Zippy_Parmesian - (May 31, 2015) - SUSE w/ KDE
redgek - (Aug 14, 2015) - Arch Linux
SudoSaibot - (September 17, 2016) Ubuntu Gnome
BedHedd - (Sep 12, 2017) - Arch Linux
HippyTree-( Dec 02,2017)-Elementary OS

Archive (Started over 3 years ago with no update)

Level 1 Linux Channel

Getting Started In Linux
Ep 00000001 - Why Learn Linux? Teksyndicate’s Intro / Why we’re so enamored with Linux!
Ep 00000010 - Grokking Linux - A very brief intro to some terms
Ep 00000011 - Virtualbox: Word On Windows On Linux!
Ep 00000100 - Fireside Chat: Install Ubuntu 14.10 Gnome & Useful Apps
Ep 00000101 - Easy: How To Set Up Your Own Surveillance System in Linux
Ep 00000110 - From Arch Linux Install to Steam Streaming on a $150 PC

@Logan Diary
Diary 00000001 - Logan’s Linux Log: The First Few Days With Linux

Level 1 Techs Community Forums

Welcome to Linux - by @XDroidie626
Explanation of Linux Directory Hierarchy - by @JacksGTinHD
Ubuntu Switching Desktop Environments - by R00tz31820
Linux Software List - by @meggerman
Working Windows Games on Play on Linux - by Bruger
A compendiary overview of Zypper {How To} {Click Me if you dont know why ZYPPER is}- by cynicrf

New User Friendly Distros

Fedora (GNOME3)
Manjaro
Mint (Cinnamon)
OpenSUSE (KDE)
Ubuntu based
(common)

Kubuntu (KDE)
Ubuntu (Unity)
Ubuntu GNOME (GNOME3)
Ubuntu Mate (GNOME2)
Xubuntu (XFCE)
→ complete list with pictures!

For a complete list: List of Linux distributions - Wikipedia

HELP!

(common issues)
Wifi Adapter Driver Compatibility - https://wikidevi.com/ (search for your model or module chipset)

NeilGuard · March 2, 2015, 7:35am

Not being a massive gamer, the switch to Linux is easy for me except for one game, I do play FIFA regularly so my main operating system on my living room computer is Windows 7. I still need some Windows applications, but I'm slowly switching to open source alternatives. Windows 7 is the last operating system I will buy, I may try the free upgrade to Windows 10 for the year then either roll back or switch to Linux on main computer.

I am currently running Ubuntu Mate on my Laptop, and I think I've settled on it, I've tried countless operating systems on my laptop, all have been Debian derivatives, except for short time periods on Arch/Manjaro, Fedora, OpenSUSE.

Good luck with your switch, I hope one day soon I'll be making the full switch myself.

anon59440203 · March 2, 2015, 7:35am

I actually use Windows and Linux (Manjaro) as daily drivers currently, with OSX as a every-couple-days driver. For whatever reason Steam keeps breaking in Manjaro and it's starting to bug the crap out of me, but overall I think it's perfectly fine for my uses. I've been using Manjaro for a few months already.

I use Windows on my desktop for the majority of gaming, all productivity, and schoolwork.
Manjaro is on my laptop for some schoolwork, light gaming, and whatever I don't feel like sitting in a chair for.
OSX is on my parents MacBook. I only use that if I need to look something up or show them something real quick. Used to use it because my desktop couldn't connect to the printer until I switched to 8.1. Manjaro still shits the bed when I try to connect to the printer, but I've given up on that.

MrSmiley · March 2, 2015, 7:42am

I'd wait a bit more until I get my PC completed, which probably doesn't happen this year, since there are no jobs that suit me here.

MrLinuxFish · March 2, 2015, 7:50am

Is it possible to easily run a virtual windows environment for the games which do not work on linux or through emulation (preferably with the least amount of latency and impact to performance)?

bradscoolio · March 2, 2015, 7:50am

Great to hear!

I made the switch to Linux, probably over 2 years ago now. Luckily, it hasn't posed any issues to me as I don't really play video games anymore, but just a general user it's been fantastic.
It's just so nice to be running a system whereby you're afforded the right to know all its internals, not knowing what happens when I click buttons always puts me off, so after some reading of documentation you can feel right at home.
I do recommend you read "The Linux Command Line: a complete introductory" that book helped me out with a lot of general use issues that I was having, and solved problems I did't know I had, as well as "How Linux Works: what every super user should know". These books solved a lot of mysteries to me that I'd been pondering about that I hadn't quite gotten around to researching (ie. What happens from pressing the power button till desktop?).
I have more Linux books that I ordered and want to read but with being in my final high-school year, I just can't spare the time :P

What I love best about Linux is that it gives you an appreciation for elegant design philosophy, once you've been using it for some time and become use to its strange concepts, etc. you begin to realize how logical these systems are implemented. Package management for example, getting all your shit from one place with a single command, tis a glorious thing.

Best of luck brosef :D

Oaken · March 2, 2015, 8:13am

Yea, any Wine derivative works. I've been using PlayOnLinux for LOL. A bit wonky and has some issues but it run fairly well.

Oaken · March 2, 2015, 8:14am

I'm working through "How Linux Works" right now. Highly recommended!

rockking · March 2, 2015, 8:30am

There is. Wendell says you have to jump through a bunch of hoops but honestly it wasn't all that difficult for me to get working. There was a thread in the Linux forum, title what if I want everything, or something like that.

wazuas · March 2, 2015, 9:57am

I would love to but I am afraid I wouldn't stay true to the challenge. I am curious though (again) So I might get a distro running on a machine and jump in from time to time.

I am curious and not to move off topic but what made you choose Xubuntu over Ubuntu or one of the other variants?

LinuxMaster9 · March 2, 2015, 10:04am

If I or someone can find a way to play Arma 3 in Linux with decent frames and quality, I will make the big switch. Arma 3 is the only game keeping me in Windows.

Gabmus · March 2, 2015, 10:21am

Yeah, Manjaro has many problems... If you want to try an arch based distribution that's clean and almost identical to arch, try Antergos. It's basically just pure arch, with an extra repo and a graphic installer. It's really awesome, I'm really loving it.

Sioclya · March 2, 2015, 10:46am

As somebody who has tried doing what you have committed to doing, I am quite interested in how you'll do. Keep us posted.

I ended up using a Windows PC and a Linux PC at the same time... also not using Ubuntu-based distros, as they have gigantic fuckoff problems with using the correct graphics drivers to make my multi-monitor system work (ended up with Fedora, quite like that). And from my experience with it, I would never recommend anybody use Manjaro, as it doesn't even allow you to use custom kernels, which is bullshit.

the193rd · March 2, 2015, 2:14pm

I am on Linux since 2010 and always used dualboot.
Windows is still my first choice when it comes to record music (better software, many VSTs I would miss, better hardwaresupport) - But I am planning to get involved in the Linux-recording community (mostly around ardour) within the year. :)
But with gaming I only boot to windows to play Mechwarrior Online. Most other Games I own are available through PlayOnLinux and Steam. This is a pretty neat development!

gnumber9 · March 2, 2015, 2:15pm

linux user since 99 and i still dual boot. i rarely boot into windows, but if i need bare metal, i got an ssd for that. also, if moving from windows it's a good idea, so you can confirm things in windows, like printing, networking, web sites, etc.

omegajimes · March 2, 2015, 2:32pm

I've been using various Linux distros since around 2004, but I've never made the complete switch. Every time I try, there are so many games that just don't work well that I play enough that I need a Windows boot.

I just can't have as enjoyable time playing on Linux as I can Windows. There are a bunch of games that are just a mess under Linux. Metro Redux, Guild Wars 2, a couple others.

That being said, give it a go! Not everyone plays the games I play, so you may be able to have a good experience. I wholly recommend you give it a go.

Tobu · March 2, 2015, 2:40pm

Sounds like a really cool project! I've not used Linux as much as i wanted because I mainly like the interface and functions that already are in windows 7. But i am thinking of doing a year or two with only Linux mint or xUbuntu and i think you inspire me to do it in the near future!

Goines · March 2, 2015, 2:42pm

I'll join in the but I have been using linux(only linux no dual booting) for two months I think maybe less I am on ubuntu I am thinking of jumping to Debian instead soon but hey I might just stay I don't know I wanna try OpenSuse as well but I quit like ubuntu ..

delatjua · March 2, 2015, 2:46pm

Linux user since 2001. Full user since 2002. Never went back. I do all my stuff in Linux. Have it installed in all my machines, including my gaming laptop, which I use for almost everything apart from gaming. Also, this is the only laptop in which I have Windows installed for gaming. In case I cant play a particular game in Linux. The best way to get rid of Windows dependency was to move away from it for good. I don't even have office or anything else besides games installed. So if I had the urge to go back when things got complicated, I just couldn't. At this point every time I'm on a Windows computer (maybe fixing my mom's computer or my sister's laptop) I get lost and frustrated at it so I hate it even more. :-)

Cheers.

Paul8491 · March 2, 2015, 2:52pm

Used a Linux distro for about a month and went back to windows because of compatibility reasons. Anyway, I'd dual boot to windows and linux after I make enough for a new build.