Newbie here! Salutations! ^-^

FarbodAzima

Hey Everyone! 

I'm very new to Linux and I started it like 3 days ago. I'm running Elementary OS Loki and my specs are as followed:

GTX780Ti, Intel i7-3770k, 32GB RAM, 250GB SSD (Linux) and 500GB SSD (Windows10) with 4TB (Storage)

I came into Linux with the mindset of "I'm bored... I wana learn something New today... Let's try Linux!" and I expected the OS to be different but I had no idea it was going to be THAT different on my first day. One thing I took noticed when I started was the fact that unlike Windows and OSX operating systems. where you install them and you get a stable, out-of-the-box experience in terms of the User Interface, Linux OS is NOT designed that way at all. In fact the entire Operating System with Linux incuding features and it's User Interface is 100% modular!!! Every feature and every part of the UI is essentially a different program which can be removed/replaced with another! Now I see what they mean by "Totally customizable" lol...  It took me like an hour to figure this out and when I did boy did I get excited!! You see on Windows I use 3rd party programs to modify my UI but on Linux I can just remove parts of the UI and install a new program that replaced it which is so much COOLER! 

The thing I liked about Elementary OS Loki is that it's very minimum but not too minimum. In terms of software there isn't much when you first install, but it isn't so bare-bone that you gotta start from scratch with the terminal. The first thing I did after my first hour is to browse/install new software from the App Center. Then I learned how to uninstall them from the App center! That was awesome and all but what about programs that are not in the App Center? Then I learned about PPAs and Terminal.. At first I thought PPA's where just plugins but after a few more hours of research from trail/error I came to the conclusion that PPA's are just Exe like from Windows! Woah now things became easier! I learned that there are other software I needed to install new programs using PPA method and so I installed GDebi package installer and boy I loved it!!! I installed Skype, Steam, and such, it was fun! I also discovered you cannot uninstall them from the app center, so I learned how to uninstall software and install software from the terminal. When I first used the terminal to install a program, (I copy/pasted of course from the web as I was reading How-To's), Oh my gosh! Seeing all those mumble-jumble codes flying by on my terminal and at the end where it says "Program succesfully installed" gave me the butterflies! I felt like a genuis or some kinda hacker or coder (Which I know I'm not) but it felt so Good! I enjoyed the terminal just because it made me feel smart when I know I'm not since anyone can copy/paste shit in it from the internet. But then I had some issues later for some reason where now my apps won't install or uninstall. Something went wrong with my OS...

I created a new project in using Libre Officer Writer called "Trouble Shoot" and gave the function of each code a name like "Apps Don't Install" and under it I copy/pasted a code/solution I found that worked to keep track of it for next time in case the issue occured again. The codes where as followed:

sudo dpkg --configure -a 
sudo apt update

This is where I fell in LOVE with the terminal! I can easily install/uninstall software, I can easily fix an issue, all from the terminal by copy/pasting codes I found on the internet and seeing them work without hiccups. I mean damn it feels so nice and simple and easy to use. No wonder people use the terminal all the time! As a newbie I really appreciated it and the support the distro I was using had. The fact that Linux is 100% Modular OS, every UI is it's own software that can be replace with another is so freakin cool! I customized my Elementary OS Loki to look and feel like half OSX and Ubuntu and made it Pokemon themed! It's so pretty and beautiful, in fact the user interface and theme looks nicer than Windows and Mac combined! 

All this was my first day experience on Linux and I gotta say, it was a FUN experience that's for sure! I'm probably bias when I say this but I feel like Elementary OS Loki is the best distro for newbies like me who want to learn Linux but at the same time want some fimiliar feel of OSX and Windows. (Even though this is the only distro I played on. Not like I can compare them from experience, I just youtube the distros and see which one I want to start with first so I just figured this one looked more at home while learning what Linux is all about)

My 2nd day of using Linux I learned how to make Windows10 boot up first as primary default over Ubuntu from the grub boot loader. The grub boot loader would take 10 seconds to boot to the default OS and so I learned how to make it boot faster and decreased it from 10 seconds to 2 seconds which gave me enough time to switch to Elementary OS Loki if I wanted to boot on it. It worked out well! Then I decided to learn more about the apps in the app store just for fun and of course organize my files that I saved and such! (At this point I feel like I got a decent grasp of Linux and the terminals and I wanted to spend more time on the programs itself that was offered in Linux). As a creative professional I use alot of software on Windows and I know crossover and wine can let me run those programs on Linux too but to me Linux is just a hobby to toy around with and I wanted to learn about the best exclusive Linux apps that linux had to offer. I also installed my video driver on that day and it was super easy. Again the terminal is like a magic trick, it works so well and FAST TOO! Love it! 

On my 3rd day, (Today), after learning so much from the Linux community on other websites, and saved so many codes that are so useful for future reference, I decided it was finally time to join the Linux community and here I am today, writing this article on my experience and giving you all my greetings from California! (I havn't done anything else today, and yes I am writing this on my Elementary OS Loki distro!) 

Thank you all for the wonderful support! As a casual Newb to the Linux world, I had a lot of fun and I will continue to have more fun with this experience. I enjoyed the process of learning it, figuring it out, and solving issues! Yes, I had issues because I lacked the knowledge on how Linux worked when I first started two days ago but now I have less issues because I have gotten a lot of knowledge from each and every one of you out there! So Thank you! The reason why it didn't take too long to learn Linux was because YOU guys made it  THAT EASY for some dumb Newb like ME to Learn and to have this kind of AMAZING First Time Experience!!!  Love you all for That! And Thank you again! 

saqman2060

Great story. I am happy you found Linux to be fun and exciting. Most users of Linux like the system because it puts control in the hands of the user. It is ours to make how we want, no permissions required.

As good as this story is, it is better to post this as a blog for the general public to read. The forum is a techincal helpdesk. To submit a blog, click on the community tab, and click "blog". Submit your blog and one of the site admins will determin if it will be approved. Take care.

FarbodAzima

Oh right! 

I just realized this does sound more like a blog than an introduction. I will definantly copy/paste this into a blog.

saqman2060

Your introduction should be at least a paragraph long, just who you are, and why you use linux. Overall, you seemed to have found your niche and I am eager to see how you progress. 

FarbodAzima

As I mentioned on my post, I'm a creative professional who uses Windows as primary OS and the reason why I decided to try Linux was because I was bored and wanted to learn something new and here I am. As for what kind of software I use: Adobe CS6 suite, Movie Magic Budgeting / Scheduling, Final Draft, Microsoft Office, and such. 

I love computers, I enjoy building them and customizing user interfaces! I enjoy learning new things, specially when it comes to computers as a hobby of mine. My first computer I have ever made is the same computer I am using right now, a Hackintosh that runs Windows10 and OSX. I really wanted to see what Linux offered because a friend told me I would like it since I'm into designing UI as a form of art. (Even though I use 3rd party programs from Stardock to make those changes on Windows10). Other than that I'm not sure what else to say. Feel free to ask me any questions if you have.

saqman2060

That is perfect. Glad to have you and welcome,

mjkaadri

I love Linux, it makes me more productive and secure.