Frequently Asked Questions
While thinking about starting to use (GNU/)Linux, many questions can come into one's mind. In this section, some specific questions beginners usually ask will be answered.
Isn't using Linux very hard?
When Linux was emerging, it was more like an academic project rather than a project for the public interest. In those times, Linux wasn't as widespread as today and many people needed to actually load their drivers and write the configuration manually by themselves in order to use their computer. (GNU/)Linux distrubitions wasn't as polished as today, so some knowledge about UNIX-like systems was needed in order to use (GNU/)Linux. Many devices and software didn't have support (GNU/)Linux back then, so people needed to use other operating systems in order to get their tasks done. (GNU/)Linux has improved a lot since the time it was first released but the public opinion about it hasn't changed since that times. Even though (GNU/)Linux needs a little bit more knowledge to use, the learning curve has got flatter over time and many people can easily use (GNU/)Linux without needing to deal with manually editing files or the terminal. Although (GNU/)Linux needs a little bit more knowledge to use, using Linux isn't harder than using any other mainstream operating system.
Do I really need to deal with the terminal?
Even though the terminal is a crucial part of (GNU/)Linux, you can have a seamless (GNU/)Linux experience without using the terminal. Many distributions have utilities that replace the command-line utilities all together. But you will eventually have to use the terminal (as same as the other operating systems), so it would be better to learn about the terminal. The terminal also improves the efficiency of some tasks, so it's a good idea to learn more about the terminal.
Why would I use Linux when it doesn't support X?/Doesn't Linux have minimal application support?
While there are some programs which don't support Linux, the application support of (GNU/)Linux has significantly increased over time. Many applications and games have native Linux versions of them and even if there isn't any native Linux version, compability layers do a nice job on running non-native programs on (GNU/)Linux. At the worst case, you can always dual-boot or use a virtual machine to use that program if absolutely needed. There are many free and open source alternatives of proprietary programs too, you can have a brief look at them.
I want to try Linux but I don't want to delete my main operating system. What can I do?
You can always use dual-boot or a virtual machine to try out (GNU/)Linux. If you are worrying about hardware compability, you can simply boot a live instance from an installation medium (such as an USB drive or a network location) and test if there is any problem with the drivers. A quick internet search can also help you to figure out.
Which distribution I should use? / Which distribution is the best?
It is a complex topic, so the next section will be left for this topic.