Hey everyone! I'm feeling pretty fed up with Windows lately because of their privacy issues and all the bloatware. I'm thinking about making the switch to Linux and I have a bunch of questions that might help me decide. I mostly game (not big on multiplayer), browse the web, watch movies using Stremio, and do programming with VSCode and Godot on my Ryzen 5 with an RTX 3080Ti, 2TB storage, and 64GB of RAM.
1. I'm currently using Bitdefender antivirus but I've heard it doesn't work on Linux. What are the actual risks of getting malware on Linux, especially considering I sometimes download torrents?
2. Can I run non-Steam games with Proton? I've picked up a few games that I'm worried about running on Linux.
3. I've been formatting my PC every year to clear the junk. Is that still necessary on Linux? Can I create a backup of my customizations to restore if something goes wrong?
4. I like Wallpaper Engine for live wallpapers, but I heard it doesn't work on Linux. Are there any alternatives?
I'm stuck between Linux Mint and Arch. I've used Mint before but wasn't too keen on the interface. I hear Arch is super customizable, but I'm not a fan of spending a lot of time in the command line. I've heard EndeavourOS is a good middle-ground, though. What do you think?
3 Answers
If customization is your main concern, there are plenty of distros that allow for a lot of tweaking without getting too technical. For example, you might find success with Pop!_OS or even Nobara, as they have strong gaming support while still being user-friendly. You definitely won’t lack options with KDE—it's very adaptable and can look beautiful with the right tweaks. Don’t stress too much about finding the perfect fit; experimenting is part of the fun!
When it comes to malware on Linux, it's really not a huge concern like it is on Windows. You'll face risks mainly if you run questionable scripts or use sudo carelessly. Torrents can be safe as long as you know what you’re downloading—the same rules apply as with Windows. Overall, the Linux malware scene is pretty quiet. As for gaming, Steam works great, and with tools like Lutris, you can run pretty much any game, whether it's from Steam or not. Just best to avoid games with heavy anti-cheat systems like Valorant.
For backups, look into tools like Timeshift for system snapshots or Btrfs for snapshot capabilities. They work super well for restoring when things go sideways. And there are options for live wallpapers, like MPV Paper that you can use to customize your desktop in a fun way. And hey, you can stop the yearly formatting; Linux handles bloat much better!
Thanks! I didn't know about MPV Paper—sounds pretty cool. I'll definitely look into Timeshift too!
Just to clarify, the Linux experience is quite different from Windows. Most Linux users don't rely heavily on antivirus software; it's considered overkill for most situations. Also, the user interface is driven by desktop environments, and you can choose or switch these pretty easily depending on the distro. Look into KDE, Gnome, or Cinnamon; they all offer groovy customization. For games, some distros have better built-in support for your favorite environments out of the box, like Debian or Fedora.
Got it! I’m looking for something that supports both strong gaming and customization, thanks for the input!
Thanks for the suggestions! I’ll take a look at Nobara and Pop!_OS. Sounds promising!