Gaming on Linux has never been more approachable

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Windows fatigue and “agentic” AI features

  • Many commenters say Windows has become adware-like and user-hostile: forced restarts, opaque errors, telemetry, upsells, and now screenshotting / “agentic” AI.
  • The new AI “agent workspace” is described as a sandboxed Windows instance with its own account that can manipulate apps/files on the user’s behalf. People see some potential but big risks around credentials, browser cookies, and authorization granularity.
  • Some still like Windows 10/11 (especially with tools like O&O Shutup, PowerToys, WSL) and say it “just works” more than Linux, especially for peripherals and anti‑cheat games.

Linux appeal, nostalgia, and everyday use

  • Several long‑time users recall early Ubuntu/Compiz as “cozy” and freeing; others describe recent switches from Win8.1/10/11 as making computing fun again.
  • For general desktop use (web, documents, dev), people report Linux as stable and low‑maintenance once set up, especially on AMD hardware.
  • Some had bad experiences with drivers (notably Nvidia, audio/pipewire), Wayland transitions, and certain laptops; they bounced back to Windows or plan “yet another try.”

Gaming on Linux: where it shines and where it breaks

  • Strong consensus that Valve/Proton/Steam Deck fundamentally changed Linux gaming: many Windows titles (including modern AAA) “just work,” often with equal or better performance; old Windows games sometimes run more reliably than on current Windows.
  • Bazzite, SteamOS‑likes, and Nobara are praised as console‑like, low‑maintenance options; others argue beginners should prefer mainstream distros (Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora) and avoid flashy Arch‑based “gaming” spins like CachyOS.
  • Big remaining blocker: kernel‑level anti‑cheat (Apex, Valorant, many EA/CoD/FPS, some racing sims). These often don’t run on Linux, in VMs, or via cloud streaming. Debate centers on whether kernel anti‑cheat is acceptable at all and how it could ever fit Linux’s security model.
  • Native Linux ports are paradoxically less reliable than running the Windows build via Proton; “Win32 as the most stable Linux ABI” is a recurring joke.

Office, ecosystem lock‑in, and non‑game software

  • MS Office (especially Excel+VBA) is repeatedly cited as the main reason parents and some professionals can’t leave Windows. LibreOffice/OnlyOffice/Office Online cover many cases but not heavy VBA or perfect compatibility.
  • Other ecosystem gaps mentioned: proprietary IM clients, some CAD/PCB tools, music production setups, WMR/VR stacks, certain peripherals, Dropbox “smart sync,” etc.

Support, troubleshooting, and LLMs

  • Official Windows/Adobe/etc forums are widely criticized as useless, engagement‑driven, and scripted (“run sfc /scannow; reinstall”).
  • Linux communities are perceived as more technically competent, though still prone to “have you tried X?” noise.
  • Multiple people now lean on LLMs to interpret logs, navigate fragmented docs, and even co‑author NixOS configs and custom tools, claiming this significantly lowers the Linux learning curve.