How It All Started

My computer journey started when I was 12 years old with a rather expensive personal computer for the time — it came with MS-DOS 5.0, both a 5¼” and a 3½” floppy drive, an 8MHz CPU, 640KB of RAM, and a whopping 20MB hard drive. I remember making that machine non-bootable on a regular basis and having to reinstall DOS almost every other day. Times were simpler back then.

My First Encounter with Linux

My first contact with Linux was in 2001, during the prime time of Windows XP. While XP was a significant improvement over its predecessors, mine was still crashing, hanging, and throwing Blue Screens of Death (BSODs) for no apparent reason. You may be able to relate. That was the moment I decided to give Linux a try.

Back then, Linux was not what it is today. It had a graphical interface, it was stable, reliable, and highly configurable — but many of the conveniences we take for granted in modern Linux systems were still missing. I was perfectly happy just having an email client that actually worked, a browser, and software that made my daily tasks easier. Not wanting to give up Windows entirely, I set up a dual-boot — Windows on one side, Linux on the other. At startup, I simply chose which one to boot into. That setup worked well for me for many years.

To be entirely honest, I mostly kept Windows around for the games. It became clear to me very quickly that everything I could do in Windows, I could also do in Linux — often better, faster, and without paying for proprietary software.

These days I’ve moved away from dual-boot entirely, but I still keep a Windows installation around as a virtual machine running on top of my Linux system — just in case.

Virtual Machines — The Best of Both Worlds

Virtual machines are a fantastic way to run another operating system on top of your natively installed one. Maybe there’s a specific program you use occasionally that still requires Windows. Maybe you want to keep it around for nostalgia, or simply as a safety net until you’re fully ready to say goodbye. Not a problem — we can turn your existing Windows installation into a virtual machine, or keep it as a dual-boot. The choice is yours.

What Exactly is Linux?

Many people think Linux is the operating system — technically speaking, it isn’t. Linux is the kernel: a small but critical piece of software that sits at the heart of every operating system. Windows, Linux, macOS, Unix — they all have one. The kernel loads at boot time and acts as the bridge between your computer’s hardware and the software you run.

The correct term for what most people call “Linux” is actually a Distribution (or “distro”). A distribution is a complete package of software that includes the kernel, a desktop environment (like GNOME, KDE, or XFCE), a package manager (where you get new software from — think Google Play Store or Apple App Store), and everything else the creators have bundled together.

Some well-known distributions include:

Curious to explore them all? Head over to DistroWatch.com for a comprehensive list of every available Linux distribution.

Which Distribution Is Right for You?

One of my favourite parts of this job is recommending the right distribution for each person. Having installed many different distros over the years, I can tell you that some are far more beginner-friendly than others. My personal favourite is Linux Mint — I’ve been running it on my laptops for several years and it’s what I recommend most often to people making the switch for the first time. That said, it’s not the only great option. Zorin OS, Ubuntu, Manjaro, and MX Linux are all excellent choices depending on your needs and comfort level.

Not sure which one is right for you? That’s exactly what I’m here for. I’ll listen to how you use your computer, what matters most to you, and recommend the distribution that fits you best.

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Ready to Make the Switch?

I’m looking forward to helping you discover Linux. Take a look at our services and let’s find the right path for you.