I’m Switching Sides: Why I Dumped Windows 10 for Pop!_OS 20.04

After spending the last 2 years obsessing over improving my leadership skills, I've recently found myself falling back in love with the technical parts of my job. Between working out, training in MMA, my philanthropic efforts, maintaining my personal relationships, and just trying to be a functioning member of society, I had really put technical discovery at the bottom of my priority list. However, after some "light" encouragement from my friend, I decided it was time to make my way back to Linux, Pop!_OS, to be exact, as my primary desktop operating system. And before the Internet gets mad at me, yes, Linux is not an operating system.

Deciding to Ditch Windows

Deciding to dump Windows 10 as my primary operating system was the most challenging part of the entire process. Over the years, I had achieved nerdvana. Things just worked, and it all running required little effort. If I got a new headset, it would work. It wasn't a problem if I needed to install the latest official drivers and firmware. Generally, I was able to do most of my work on that bloated operating system, something I hadn't been able to do with Ubuntu before.

So why did I decide to transition back to Linux? The first and most professional-sounding reason was that my team had begun undertaking several Linux-heavy projects. Running Linux on my primary workstation would help expose me to the quirks I would only notice by having it as my daily operating system.

However, the more powerful reason was simply peer pressure. My team members had already dived in, and I didn't want to be left behind.

But now that I had decided to ditch Windows and go to Linux, why did I choose Pop!_OS as my distribution of choice?

Pop!_OS Pro #1: Familiar Function & Aesthetic

My early days of running Linux on my workstation began with Ubuntu. Over the years, I tried other non-Debian flavors and just never clicked with any of them, so I always used Ubuntu.

Thankfully, Pop!_OS is an Ubuntu derivative, so much of what I liked about the Canonical-developed flavor made its way into System76's Pop. Even those with no prior Linux experience will feel right at home due to its macOS feel.

Best of all, if you ever get stuck on an issue with Pop, you can change your search term to include "Ubuntu," and you'll likely find a resolution.

My favorite Pop!_OS included wallpaper by Kate Hazen

Pop!_OS Pro #2: No Bloat, Runs Lean

Although there's a ton to love about Ubuntu, it's become bloated like Windows. Thankfully, there's none of that with Pop. I've found that I have just the right apps pre-installed, and it's light on my compute resources.

Pop!_OS Pro #3: Things Just Work…For the Most Part

AFTER switching to Pop, I was pleasantly surprised to see that almost everything worked. Whether it was my USB webcam or my USB keyboard/mouse dongle, the things I used daily just worked, except my Bluetooth earbuds. But that's a story for a different day.

Pop also detected outdated firmware on my Lenovo products on its first boot. I decided to take my chances and install them. Thankfully, the machines rebooted without any issues.

My Verdict

I've been using Pop!_OS for about two months, and I'm happy with my decision. Although I've hit some bumps along the way, I've been able to resolve most of them within a day. In fact, I've been more productive and have grown fond of the interface. If you're looking for your next flavor of Linux, then Pop!_OS is the flavor for you.