I'm Using Linux in My Spare Time Now

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Style Pass

2024-10-02 16:00:03

I’ve always been a console gamer, avoiding gaming PCs because I didn’t want to deal with tweaking graphical settings or, more importantly, Windows. However, when I got into sim racing during the COVID lockdowns, I had no choice but to build a proper gaming PC. The drivers for my sim racing hardware were only supported on PC, and the selection of racing games was significantly better.

Unsurprisingly, returning to Windows was as frustrating as I remembered. Almost immediately, I was reminded of why I’d avoided it for so long. Microsoft may have made some cosmetic UI updates, but beneath the surface, it’s still the same bloated, flawed system. They’ve added new “features” like AI integrations, but relics like Aero-themed apps still linger. The new Settings app looks fine and has adopted Microsoft’s “Fluent Design Language”, but Microsoft being Microsoft, kept the outdated Control Panel from the Vista era, which opens up for advanced settings that the new app doesn’t cover yet. The UI simply isn’t consistent and feels like a zoo. Ads in the start menu and being forced to use a Microsoft account felt like too much. This inconsistency is something I’m not used to with Apple. Apple tends to cut ties with old software quickly, and macOS feels far more cohesive and polished by comparison.

Frustrated, I decided to try something different and installed Fedora 40 with GNOME 46 as my desktop environment. Why Fedora? After researching, I wanted an OS that was clean, up-to-date, and free from bloatware or intrusive tracking. I didn’t want to waste hours configuring settings—this is my gaming rig, after all. I needed something stable, easy to set up, and low maintenance.