Why you should dump Apple and Windows and move to Linux

Moving to Linux With No Regrets

Why my computer now feels faster, calmer and more mine

After nearly thirty years of using mainstream computers — first Windows, then nineteen years with Apple — I have finally moved to Linux.

Not just to experiment.
Not just on an old spare machine.

Properly. And I have no regrets.

Part of the decision was practical. Part of it was ethical. I have become increasingly uneasy about handing so much of my digital life to a few giant technology companies, especially when privacy, politics and personal values feel more connected than ever.

So I wanted something different. Linux has given me that.

It Feels Fast Again

The first thing I noticed was speed.

My computer feels lighter, quicker and more responsive. Apps open quickly. The system starts cleanly. Nothing feels as if it is dragging a heavy suitcase behind it.

Linux does not constantly try to sell me something, push me into a subscription, or run mysterious extras in the background.

It just works.

No Bloat, No Nagging

There are no unwanted games.
No forced cloud services.
No endless prompts.
No operating system behaving like an overexcited sales assistant.

That is one of the quiet joys of Linux.

Your computer feels like your computer again.

More Control, Less Noise

Linux gives you choice.

You can keep it simple, or customise it deeply. You can make it look traditional, modern, plain or beautiful.

For me, the biggest benefit is focus.

Modern technology often tries too hard to impress us: too many menus, notifications, widgets, pop-ups, animations and “helpful” AI features.

Linux can be wonderfully calm.

It lets me write, browse, organise, edit photos and videos and manage my daily life without constantly demanding attention.

My Two Favourite Versions

So far, I have been most drawn to two versions of Linux.

Linux Mint is the sensible, friendly one. It is clean, stable, easy to understand and ideal for people coming from Windows or Apple. It feels mature and reassuring.

Arch Linux, or Arch-based systems, are for people who enjoy more control. Arch is more flexible, more technical and more personal. It gives you the feeling that you have built your computer around yourself, rather than squeezed yourself into someone else’s design.

For most ordinary users, I would start with Mint.

For curious tinkerers, Arch is fascinating. EndeavourOS is a great-looking compromise.

The One Real Downside

Apple still does one thing brilliantly: everything works together.

Phone, watch, laptop, notes, reminders, music, photos, messages — all beautifully joined up.

Linux is different.

You may need one app for notes, another for tasks, another for file sharing, another for music.

That can feel less seamless.

But it also gives you more variety and less lock-in. You are not trapped inside one company’s idea of how your digital life should look.

A Surprising Kind of Freedom

Moving to Linux has reminded me what computers used to feel like.

Fast.
Useful.
Personal.
Under my control.

It may not be for everyone. If you want everything polished, connected and effortless, Apple is still very good.

But if you want a computer that feels lighter, quieter, cheaper, faster and more truly yours, Linux is well worth considering.

For me, it has not felt like going backwards.

It has felt like stepping free.

Simply. Better. Living.

“The most dangerous phrase in the language is: ‘We’ve always done it this way.’”
— Grace Hopper