Linux is for Nerds

I was watching one of my favorite video bloggers on YouTube the other day and he stated that Linux is for nerds. Well, that got me thinking, is Linux really for nerds? I know that my passion for computers and technology has been reignited since I transitioned over to Linux. I did not enjoy/like using Windows 10. Windows 10 was not fun, and it was more of a chore to take care of that operating system. There was always something wrong with it, something that didn’t work quite correctly. Microsoft was continually trying to add new features, features that you never really wanted, instead of trying to make their operating system more stable.

In my pursuit to find out if Linux was for nerds, I decided to ask my wife if she thought I was a nerd. And panic immediately set it, she was rolling all over on the floor. I thought something terrible had happened to Nancy, but as I bent down to see what was wrong, I noticed she was rolling on the floor, hysterically laughing and crying out, “Are you joking?” I was now faced with a perplexing dilemma, should I admit that I was probably a nerd, or should I take the political route. After all, she didn’t really  come out and say I was a nerd. After taking a very short look at our politicians and their ‘truth’ telling , I decided I had to be true to myself and admit – I am probably a nerd.

My bout of self-discovery really didn’t answer the question, is Linux for nerds? I needed to  look at what makes Linux different from other operating systems. 

• Most computer manufacturers do not sell computers preinstalled with Linux, but that is beginning to change.
• Linux started out as an operating system used for servers not computer desktops.
• Linux, when used as a server operating system does not utilize a graphical user interface, instead commands are typed into a terminal to send instructions to the operating system.
• Linux as a desktop operating system began to be actively developed after Linux had been established as a server operating system. 
• Linux is community driven, it relies on community input and that same community is there to give help to other users. 

Looking at the above points, you can see that if you are a ‘nerd’ you will probably love Linux, but that does not mean that you have to be a nerd to use Linux. There are many different distributions of Linux. Some are strictly for nerds, while others can be installed and used by those who consider themselves to be non-techie. As an example, there are automobile drivers that when they see a red or amber light come on in the dash, they will immediately take their car into the shop. There are also those drivers who look and read the information that is being displayed and see if it is something that they can take care of (ie. low tire pressure). If you are in the first group, Linux probably isn't for you. If you are in the second group, willing to take the time and look at it, you will probably do well with Linux.

I have found that the programs that you normally use will determine whether you should use Linux. If you require any Adobe products or Microsoft Office, you should probably stay on the operating system that you are presently using. If you are a hard-core gamer then you will need to use Windows. Windows is the operating system that almost all games are developed for.

To answer the question, is Linux for nerds? I will have to admit, you don’t have to be a nerd, but it does help. There are some distributions that are very user-friendly and you will almost always use their graphical interface, just like you do on Windows or Mac OS.  My wife’s computer is on Pop!_OS. Yes, I set it up for her. No, I didn’t force her to use it, I’ve been married too long to know better than to do that. She says she likes it, because it just works! I will leave it up to you to decide if Linux is or is not for nerds.

Mask Wearing Guidelines