I Didn't Go Back to Windows After 6 Months on Linux Mint 22... Here's Why

[QueerDuck]

This fellow's experiences and the path he followed closely mirror mine. I enjoyed this video and thought that I'd share it with you all.

After six months of using Linux Mint as my only operating system…
I expected to go back to Windows at some point.

But I didn’t.

And that decision wasn’t based on hype, frustration, or bias — it came from real, everyday use.

In this video, I’m not just talking about switching anymore.
I’m talking about staying.

What actually makes Linux Mint good enough to replace Windows in the long run?
What changes in your workflow when Linux becomes normal?
And more importantly… what stops you from going back?

This is a follow-up to my original Linux-only challenge, but this time the perspective is different.
Less experimenting. More clarity.

I’ll break down what Linux does better than Windows after long-term use, what still feels like a compromise, how stability holds up over time, and whether Windows still has a place for me anymore.

If you’re on the edge about switching — or wondering if Linux is just a phase — this will give you a grounded answer.

No hype. Just experience.

[PSPS]

1. Wake me when AutoCAD will run on it.

[Goonch]

3. Install LibreCAD ( An Open Source CAD Tool ) In Linux Mint (Ubuntu)

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[PSPS]

10. LibreCAD is more of a hobby program, certainly nothing like AutoCAD

[Goonch]

11. BricsCAD

BricsCAD runs on Linux Mint 22 (based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS), offering a familiar DWG-based CAD experience, though users report minor issues with printing and UI performance . The software provides a 30-day trial for Linux and works well for 2D drafting and 3D modeling on Cinnnamon . For optimal performance, set your graphics card to "Power Mode" to prevent freezes .

[PSPS]

15. Way too cumbersome especially when working with peers on projects

The fact is that Linux is just too limited to be a serious substitute for Windows in a modern business environment. Sure, I wish it weren't so, but that's the reality today. Only when major business software publishers like Autodesk begin porting their products to Linux is such a change a reasonable consideration.

[LPBBEAR]

16. You're wrong and right.

Its not that Linux is "just too limited", that's where you're wrong. "When major business software publishers like Autodesk begin porting their products to Linux" is where you're right. That is gradually happening as more software becomes cross platform. Maybe a user is currently dependent upon a specific software which keeps them using a copy of Windows. Run Windows in Virtualbox, run a dual boot, use a KVM switch. Plenty of methods to avoid being completely locked into Windows for one or two applications.
Most users don't need software like Autodesk and can quite easily migrate to Linux for everyday use. If software publishers like Autodesk don't currently have a Linux version its their fault, not the fault of Linux.

[QueerDuck]

5. I hear ya! My "emergency Windows" box is for things that have no equivalent...

... that easy to learn and that my "muscle memory" can adjust to. (CorelDraw... I'm looking at you!)

My easy-peazy CAD is simply "Tinkercad" that I use to... well... TINKER with little projects for my 3d printer. I've experimented with Blender for my simple projects... but it's just MORE power than I need.

[Goonch]

2. ;-{) Made the switch to Linux Mint ...

about 5 years ago. LOVE IT!
https://linuxiac.com/linux-mint-22-3-zena-now-available-for-download/
Linux Mint 22.3 “Zena” is now available for download, as the status has been changed from “Being tested” to “Approved for stable release,” and the installation ISOs are now being synchronized across the mirrors.

[QueerDuck]

6. I have an 8 year old Dell laptop that was SO SLOW with windows 10 Pro...

... but with Linux mint, my vintage Dell Latitude E7470 is a ZIPPY and responsive little computer that I love to travel with.

[QueerDuck]

7. My journey is just 2 years old now. I'm very pleased...

... and it seems like every day I hear MORE bad news for Microsoft and how linux desktops (and "clones" like Mint or Zorin) are really spearheading that switch by reducing the friction points. Buy putting things in familiar locations with familiar functions, people feel a bit more at home and less intimidated.

[usonian]

4. My brother, the least computer-savvy person, got tired of windows breaking his device drivers with each patch

He ended up with a Linux desktop, sold and supported by Dell (online only) and after some beginner questions, hasn't asked for help in years.

It does everything he needs (being Joe Average User) reliably and smoothly.

And he's almost as old as I am.

[Tim S]

8. I've been using Linux since 1992. Anything else feels like handcuffs.

I started with DOS in ‘86, Windows in ‘89, MacOS (System 6) and UNIX in 1990. Linux is like a set of Tinker Toys for me. With it, I can do everything I need and never have to pay for software (but I have donated to development teams from time to time, FWIW)

Edit to add: I use Devuan Linux most often (it’s Debian without that horrid systemd that angers old timers like me)

[Tetrachloride]

9. link ?

[QueerDuck]

12. Sure thing!

You can find it here: https://linuxmint.com. I’ve been using it for a while now and love how clean and reliable it is --- no forced updates or bloatware, just a solid system that respects your privacy.

You can run it from a USB stick first to try it out without changing a single file on your hard drive. It's the best way for people to see if their Wi-Fi and printers work before making the jump.

[Tetrachloride]

13. :)

sorry
my meaning was a link to the video so that i can forward it

[QueerDuck]

14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?vMAcaK8UFay4