At that point, I didn't really think much about operating systems. Windows was just the thing I used on my laptop.

Then I joined a cybersecurity course.

How I Was Introduced to Linux

In cybersecurity, we mostly used Kali Linux. That was actually my first proper introduction to Linux and the open-source world.

Before that, I had seen Linux here and there, but I never really understood it. I had mostly heard about it in college, seen people using it for projects, or seen it in computer labs.

But when I started using Kali myself, I actually liked it.

I liked the way it worked. I liked the UI. I liked the idea that I could actually control the environment I was working in.

Still, I stayed with Windows.

There was also a basic mentality I had at that time:

"I can't switch."

So I continued using Windows.

Then My Laptop Started Struggling

After some time, I started developing more projects and doing heavier work on my laptop.

And my laptop started to struggle.

It became slower and slower, especially after major Windows updates.

But one thing that frustrated me even more was OneDrive.

I didn't want every file I was working with to constantly be pushed towards cloud storage. I wanted my files to simply be on my computer.

That was one of the things that really started bothering me.

There were also background services, telemetry, ads, and other things running that I didn't really need.

At some point, I thought:

I need to try Linux properly on my own machine.

My First Linux Experiment

I decided to dual boot Kali Linux with Windows.

Yes, it was risky.

And yes, I did it anyway.

Initially, everything worked fine.

Then Windows decided to do its thing.

After a Windows update, my GRUB bootloader got overwritten and I lost access to Kali Linux.

I had to manually fix it.

And this happened multiple times. I think I went through this two to four times.

For me, this was one of the moments where I started realizing that I didn't really want to keep fighting with my operating system.

To be clear, I don't consider this a Linux problem. The issue happened after Windows updates overwrote the bootloader.

So gradually I started looking for another Linux distribution.

From Kali to Fedora

The problem was that I didn't know much about Linux distributions.

Kali was basically my introduction to Linux, so I didn't know what I should actually use as my everyday operating system.

I started searching online, reading forums, watching videos and looking at what other Linux users were using.

Eventually, I found Fedora.

Fedora looked like a good balance for what I wanted.

I wanted something stable, secure and modern. Security is also something I personally care about a lot.

So I decided to switch.

And honestly, the beginning wasn't great.

The Scary Black Terminal

Before actually using Linux, whenever I watched Linux tutorials on YouTube, I always saw people using the terminal.

And I would be like:

"Look at those mad people who are using the terminal."

I couldn't understand what they were typing.

sudo this.

dnf that.

Some random command that looked like it came from another planet.

I thought I would never be comfortable with it.

But I didn't actually need to start with the terminal.

I installed GNOME and started using Linux mostly through the GUI.

GNOME felt simple and familiar enough for me. It wasn't trying to throw a hundred customization options at me immediately.

I liked that.

For me, stability and having a structured environment are more important than having endless customization options.

So in the beginning, I was mostly a GUI user.

I rarely used the terminal, except for simple things.

Then something slowly changed.

Linux Became My Development Environment

As I started developing more projects, I began to notice something.

I actually preferred developing on Linux.

For me, Linux started feeling almost like heaven for development.

Git works naturally.

There are many development tools that run natively.

There are IDEs and developer tools that feel much better to me on Linux.

Some of the same IDEs that felt heavy or laggy on Windows felt perfectly fine on my Linux installation.

And one of the biggest things I noticed was the environment itself.

I didn't have to deal with a lot of unnecessary background stuff while working.

When I'm developing, I want my laptop to focus on what I'm actually doing.

That workflow suited me much better.

And as a CS student, that matters a lot because I spend a lot of time writing code, running tools, building projects and experimenting with different things.

From GUI to Terminal

The funny thing is that I started Linux because I wanted to avoid the terminal.

Now I mostly use the terminal.

It took me around two or three months to become properly comfortable with Linux.

After that, my workflow gradually became more keyboard-driven.

Now I actually find the terminal easier for many things.

Installing something, moving files, checking something, running development tools, using Git, managing projects — a lot of things can be done without constantly moving between different windows.

I'm not saying everyone needs to use the terminal.

Actually, one thing Linux taught me is the opposite.

If you're a GUI person, you can use Linux.

If you're a terminal person, you can use Linux.

You don't have to be some command-line expert before installing Linux.

You can start with the GUI and slowly learn the terminal when you need it.

That's exactly what I did.

Linux Isn't Only for "Experts"

Before I switched, I had this idea that Linux was something used by highly skilled developers, cybersecurity people, system administrators, or people at the top of the technical pyramid.

After actually using it, I realized that isn't really true.

Linux can be used by normal users too.

You can use a desktop environment like GNOME and just use your computer normally.

You can use KDE Plasma if you want a lot of customization.

You can use other desktop environments and window managers if you want something completely different.

There are so many choices.

For example, someone who wants maximum customization can go very deep into things like Hyprland and window manager setups.

Someone like me, who prefers a relatively stable and structured environment, can simply use GNOME.

And someone who wants a lot of customization without having to configure everything through files can use KDE Plasma.

That's one of the things I like about Linux.

There isn't one way to use it.

Freedom Is Probably the Biggest Thing

The biggest thing Linux gave me wasn't actually performance.

It was the feeling of having control over my own computer.

For me, an operating system should give the user freedom.

I should be able to decide how my computer works and how my environment looks.

I don't think Windows is completely non-customizable. Of course it can be customized.

But there is a limit.

When you look at Linux, the amount of choice is much larger.

Different distributions.

Different desktop environments.

Different window managers.

Different shells.

Different ways of managing software.

You can build an environment around how you want to work.

That's something I really appreciate.

The Community Helped Me a Lot

Another thing I didn't expect when I started using Linux was how much the community would help.

As a beginner, I had a lot of problems.

Sometimes something wouldn't work.

Sometimes I didn't understand why something happened.

Sometimes I would get some completely confusing error message.

But there was almost always someone who had faced the same problem before.

Forums, GitHub issues, Reddit, documentation and other Linux communities helped me many times.

There should always be some random guy who has a solution for the problem.

And honestly, that has been one of the best parts of using Linux.

You learn from other people, and eventually you start solving problems yourself.

Would I Switch Back?

As a CS student and developer, I don't regret switching from Windows to Linux.

Actually, it is probably one of the best decisions I have made for my computer usage.

I started as someone who was afraid of the terminal.

I started with the GUI.

Then I learned the terminal.

Now my workflow is mostly keyboard-driven and terminal-based.

I started with Kali because of cybersecurity.

I moved to Fedora because I wanted something suitable for everyday use.

And somewhere along the way, Linux stopped being something I was "trying".

It became my normal operating system.

I also like being part of an open-source community rather than depending completely on software that I don't have much control over.

For me, Linux is not just about being a developer or knowing a bunch of terminal commands.

It's about having a choice.

And that's probably the biggest reason I don't see myself going back to Windows anytime soon.