Linux

+1 for Fedora. I recommend Kinoite as it is very similar to windows and very hard to break due to it's "immutability".

Bazzite is very similar to Fedora Kinoite but made to be easy for gaming.

But all I know about Linux is 1: it's a cantankerous beast that can smell your fear and lack of computer skills and 2: that's apparently not true any more?

It is indeed not true anymore. In the year 2025 Linux is easier to use than Windows, and even not too tech savvy 60-year-olds manage just fine. Though you should know 'Linux' is not an operating system. When saying 'Linux', people most often refer to it as a family of operating systems. Many of which are incredibly user friendly and ready out of the box. And many of which aren't.

Will my ability to play games be significantly affected compared to Windows?

Short answer: no.

Long answer: only for a handful of online games, e.g. League. If using Steam, there's virtually nothing you have to do. Epic and GOG are easy to use, but theough third party launchers. Other storefronts/launchers are harder to set up, but all of them work. It should be noted Steam is the only platform with official Linux support. Here is a database of Steam games with info on Linux and Steam Deck compatibility.

Can I mod games as freely and as easily as I do on Windows?

Depends on the game. Overall definitely not 'as freely and as easily' as on Windows. For Steam Workshop games, it works just as it does on Windows. For the rest sometimes you need to do a little work, sometimes a lot. Bethesda titles seem to be the most problematic on Linux when it comes to modding.

If a program has no Linux version, is it unusable, or are there workarounds?

Most of the time it is fairly straightforward and works nicely. Some are particularly difficult to get working on Linux, e.g. MS Office, so you might as well forget that.

Can Linux run programs that rely on frameworks like .NET or other Windows-specific libraries?

Yes. There is software specifically for compatibility with Windows' libraries. While .NET framework you can simply install like you would on Windows. This is in fact needed in order to mod some games.

How do OS updates work in Linux? Is there a "Linux Update" program like what Windows has?

As mentioned at the start, Linux isn't a single OS, so it highly depends on the specific distribution (OS from the Linux family, in simple terms). Usually you just go to your app store and click on updates. Of course, there are other ways of updating the system and the choice is yours.

How does digital security work on Linux? Is it more vulnerable due to being open source? Is there integrated antivirus software, or will I have to source that myself?

Linux is extremely more secure than Windows. The whole 'open source leads to vulnerability' is a myth. There are antiviruses for Linux, but nobody uses them. There is barely any malware targetting Linux, and when you encounter it, most of the time you'll have to mess up and run it yourself giving it permissions. There are also more security-focused Linux distributions.

Are GPU drivers reliable on Linux?

Nvidia: not really.

AMD and Intel: yes, incredibly reliable.

For AMD and Intel you don't need any additional drivers, other than the generic drivers that come with the OS. They work perfectly and you can play games right away. For Nvidia you would have to go through the not-so-pleasant process of installing their drivers.

Can Linux (in the case of a misconfiguration or serious failure) potentially damage hardware?

No. This sounds like something somebody who's never used Linux would say on Reddit. While technically it is possible, just as it is possible on Windows, this is not something you will likely encounter at any point.

And also, what distro might be best for me?

Personally I'd go with Fedora. It's very easy to use. It looks nice too, kind of like MacOS. By default, that is, since you always have complete freedom to customize how your system looks. My gf, who doesn't know what a Shift key is, is able to use Fedora just fine. For both gaming and web browsing. This is how simple Linux has gotten in the last years.

Most people will probably recommend Linux Mint. Another great choice for beginners. The UI/UX is very similar to that of Windows. Personally it's not my favorite, but it's up to user preference. You definitely can't go wrong with it.

There is also Pop!_OS, which is similar to Fedora. However, it does include an ISO for systems with Nvidia GPUs, so you don't have to go through the trouble of installing the drivers.

I'd highly recommend trying one of these. If you like any of them, then just stick to it, and you'll have a great experience.

Will my ability to play games be significantly affected compared to Windows?

Most if not all single player games will work without an issue on steam thanks to its integration with proton, if you use something else you can use lutris to fill in the gaps there.

Can I mod games as freely and as easily as I do on Windows?

I see no reason why you can't. Hopefully someone else can elaborate on that as I haven't done that in forever.

If a program has no Linux version, is it unusable, or are there workarounds?

It can be unusable. There could be workarounds but that would depend on how dirty you want your hands to get. You can install windows on a docker container and use that to fill in the blanks if needed. There would also be some linux alternatives of some apps which would be worth investigating and learning.

Can Linux run programs that rely on frameworks like .NET or other Windows-specific libraries?

I think dot net has been open sourced but you can get dot net apps using Mono.

How do OS updates work in Linux? Is there a "Linux Update" program like what Windows has?

You use the package manager, which varies based on linux distro/flavor. It's your best friend and you'll get 90% of your apps that way too. Upgrading depends on whether you are using a stable distro which is like say windows 7 and you'll have to upgrade to windows 8 (omg lol) you'll have to follow the procedure of your distro, It's usually well documented and should be fairly easy if your sticking to the flavor of Linux you're using. If you're using a rolling distro/flavor then you'll just keep your packages up to date regularly via the package manager. Be warned sometimes you'll have 300+ packages to upgrade so if internet is spotty may not be your thing. But it's a great way to ensure you're getting the most out of your new exotic hardware.

How does digital security work on Linux? Is it more vulnerable due to being open source? Is there integrated antivirus software, or will I have to source that myself?

Use clamav, make it watch the home directory /home as that's where you as the user have the privilege to write data to. Never run as root unless you're going to be extra careful. Also don't run scripts you don't understand or aren't well maintained in a public repo (at that point you as a newbie would be relying on community to determine if something is good or bad think of it as the upvote and downvote system but with more transparency)

Are GPU drivers reliable on Linux?

Yes, even the nvidia drivers are reliable. Just a pain as you'll have to reinstall the kernel module, the component that integrates the driver into your new kernel, after you upgrade kernel versions. Kernel is the thing that does all the low level handling of your devices.

Can Linux (in the case of a misconfiguration or serious failure) potentially damage hardware?

Most hardwares/processors now are designed with failsafes to throttle when there's not enough cooling. Please elaborate a little on this. You can break software but I think hardware should not be. Hopefully someone can elaborate as well.

And also, what distro might be best for me?

Linux mint, it is well documented, doesn't have the snaps that Ubuntu is pushing, its user friendly. Similarly fedora. You can try one of those immutable distros which may give you a more stable experience as it rolls back to a stable state on an update failure.

Windows 11 isn't enshittified, it's just shit. You should consider learning what that word actually means rather than just parroting it like everyone else.

Hello there 1- It really depends on your build, distro and drivers being used. Some benchmarks show Ray tracing causes performance drop compared to Windows.

2- There are mod managers here and there but, honestly I don't mod so I don't know anything about it.

3- If a program doesn't have Linux version, there might be Linux alternative. Those alternatives sometimes might not be on par with their counterparts though. Adobe products are one bit example.

4- Applications developed with .NET may be built on Linux through Mono framework, as long as they are developed as portable. For native Windows programs, there is a compatibility layer named WINE, but it won't guarantee that every program will work. It may support games as well, but for games Proton is more preferred. Proton is Valve's official tool anyway.

5- Distributions' package managers will manage updates, either application updates or system updates. Most distros will also notify users about updates, however installing them is up to user's decision. Universal package managers like Flatpak are responsible their own updates.

6- Linux is way more secure than Windows for being what it is. Being an open source does not inherently mean that it's secure. But open source softwares are generally peer reviewed by public and they are often recommended fixes thus if there is any vulnerability, it's fixed more quickly. Antiviruses are not needed, not because there is not Linux viruses though. There is ClamAV anti-virus, also there are proprietary AV applications, if you still need. AV's are mostly ineffective in today's technology.

7- AMD drivers, for example way more reliable than their Windows ones. Nvidia also made a lot of progress in recent years, so yes. There might be still some issues, lack of features.

8- No, it cannot.

9- For a beginner, Linux Mint is and always has been best choice for start, in my opinion.

It's literally be just as simple as choosing a distro, preferably a just works one or something thats piss easy to install like Linux Mint, Fedora or OpenSuse.

Then you choose your Desktop Environment, from which you can choose either KDE Plasma, XFCE, GNOME or the new COSMIC desktop environment (still currently in beta so not recommended js yet) which you can choose when installing your distro or while choosing your distro. You can always change it once you've chosen.

KDE Plasma's infinitely customisable, yet also really user friendly, with a lot of incredible software included by default, including phone compatibility software similar to what you'll find in apple's ecosystem. XFCE's really lightweight and power efficient. GNOME's very macOS like by default, being a lot less customisable than KDE but really user friendly. They each have their own versions of software.

You should know what your distro's package manager is and how to use it, which is basically what you use to install updates and install and uninstall software. That's literally the only thing you'll need to use your terminal for, it's basically just a text based file manager which can run programs/software. That's basically it, just make sure to frequently update your system, they are voluntary unlike Windows updates and don't require reboots or crash your system, and you should be good.

Can I mod games as freely and as easily as I do on Windows?

For the most part, yes. I've modded Skyrim, with SKSE and haven't run into any mods I couldn't add. Satisfactory has linux support for mods through the community-built mod launcher, so I haven't had any problems there. If you are comfortable copying files around, sometimes editing text files, uncompressing files, and other like tasks then you'll be fine. The only troubles I have had are running trainers that run alongside the game and connect to the running executable. There is one of the Resident Evil 2 remake I wasn't able to get going. I think there are methods to do this, I just haven't looked into them in detail yet.

For most things involving games in Linux, you need to have a small amount of tweaking skills, and that's it. You might have to copy a launch string into the Steam launch setup, or you might need to download a tweaked copy of Proton to get something running well (Glorious Eggroll builds). If you have those skills or can learn them, you'll be fine. It's kind of fun, too. If you don't have those skills or want to learn them, you'll be restricted to not being able to get the best experience when running some games and there will be the occasional game in your backlog that won't run at all without it.

Not trying to scare anyone off, but that's been my experience with Linux gaming. I'm comfortable enough on Linux that it hasn't been a problem, but some people might find it more of a hurdle to get over.

Will my ability to play games be significantly affected compared to Windows?

Depends on the games you play. Because of things like DOSBOX and Wine, it is sometimes easier to get DOS and early Windows games running on Linux than it is Windows. Valve's Proton compatibility layer allows games written for Windows to Just Work^TM^ on Linux. My diet of nerdy factory building games and indie titles works perfectly well in Linux, my cousin who plays Bethesda and EA games ran into more irritations. The major compatibility barrier is competitive online multiplayer and anti-cheat systems. Many developers intentionally exclude Linux compatibility. The game runs fine, but you'll get banned for doing it.

Can I mod games as freely and as easily as I do on Windows?

Probably, depends on the game. I didn't have much of a problem modding Kerbal Space Program or Satisfactory, the communities offered mod managers that worked perfectly well.

If a program has no Linux version, is it unusable, or are there workarounds?

My suggestion would be to go full native if you can. Like, Adobe Photoshop isn't available on Linux, so instead of trying to make it work, give GIMP or Krita or one of several others a try. Increasingly, things like Slack are Electron apps, which basically run as a glorified web browser, so they're fairly easy to port to Linux and it's becoming increasingly typical to upload them to Flathub.

Can Linux run programs that rely on frameworks like .NET or other Windows-specific libraries?

Yes, through a compatibility program called Wine, which I've already mentioned. Though again I would recommend going for native applications than trying to use Windows software on Linux.

How do OS updates work in Linux? Is there a “Linux Update” program like what Windows has?

Short answer: Better than Windows does.

Different Linux distros will handle this slightly differently, but generally speaking your system will come with a thing called a package manager. It's basically an app store but everything in there is free. The package manager handles updates for the OS itself as well as the software you've installed, up to and including updating to the next version of the OS if applicable. In fact as I write this, my computer is asking if I want to upgrade to Fedora 42.

It's also not as onerous as Windows updates; most of the time it'll update software, you can use the rest of the system while that's happening, and it'll finish and it's fine. Sometimes it'll say "must restart computer for changes to take effect" but it won't force or nag you to do that. You can come to a stopping point in your work, then do a normal restart. None of that "Updating your computer 1 of 7..." it just does a normal boot in a normal amount of time.

How does digital security work on Linux? Is it more vulnerable due to being open source? Is there integrated antivirus software, or will I have to source that myself?

Linux has a system of permissions, a bit like how Windows will sometimes ask you to run things as Administrator. Linux has had that concept longer than Windows has, Linux will call it the Root or SuperUser.

Increasingly, sandboxed applications that run essentially in their own virtual machines are being used to limit what an application can access. Flatpak has a system of permissions not unlike Android, where you can say "No this app doesn't need camera access."

We get a lot of security from having a package manager we actually use. Linux users aren't in the habit of downloading random .exes from all over the internet. Software in the repos is vetted and signed. Don't run code you don't trust.

Few Linux systems come with built-in antivirus software. Conventional wisdom is it isn't needed. Antivirus software does exist for Linux, but it's often to detect Windows malware in server traffic. For an end user desktop it's not necessary.

Are GPU drivers reliable on Linux?

AMD publishes their drivers directly to the Linux kernel. My 7900GRE Just Works^TM^. Nvidia tends to be a bit more of a pain in the neck. Your system will likely come with the open source Nouveau drivers, which will run but possibly not very well, and you'll need to install proprietary drivers, which...the method you go about doing that varies from system to system.

Now, I had a hell of a time with the hybrid graphics on my laptop, but I think that's another story.

Oh, yet another story: on my GTX-1080 in my previous computer, I started to have an issue with a new monitor I bought. Turns out the card needed a firmware update or it wouldn't let the computer boot with a late model DisplayPort monitor attached. Not a driver update, a firmware update. Nvidia does not publish the tool to do that for use in Linux, so I ended up taking the GPU out and borrowing a Windows computer.

Can Linux (in the case of a misconfiguration or serious failure) potentially damage hardware?

I think I could use dd to wear out an NVMe SSD via excessive writing. But basically no. You're not going to flip a switch in a settings menu and hear a bang from your case.

And also, what distro might be best for me?

I would recommend trying several. A few of my favorites over the years have been Mint Cinnamon, Fedora KDE and Ubuntu Mate.

Will my ability to play games be significantly affected compared to Windows?

A lot of stuff runs with windows emulation as if it's native. It's the same method the steam deck uses and so Valve actively do work to keep it working. The main problem is games with heavy anti-cheat.

Can I mod games as freely and as easily as I do on Windows?

Generally, yes. I think so.

If a program has no Linux version, is it unusable, or are there workarounds?

See above.

Can Linux run programs that rely on frameworks like .NET or other Windows-specific libraries?

There's .NET libraries for Linux, but things have to be recompiled to use them.

How do OS updates work in Linux? Is there a "Linux Update" program like what Windows has?

The distribution maintainer will issue updates on a regular basis. Update procedure is different for different distros, but all have a push-button update scheme. It's pretty solid these days.

How does digital security work on Linux? Is it more vulnerable due to being open source? Is there integrated antivirus software, or will I have to source that myself?

Keep your system up to date with security updates, and you'll tend to be fine. Smaller user base tends to mean that there's far less malware. Antivirus isn't necessary.

Obviously phishing scams don't care what OS you're on, so mind what you click.

Are GPU drivers reliable on Linux?

AMD ones are very solid.

Nvidia ones can be a pain from what I hear, but I don't buy green.

Can Linux (in the case of a misconfiguration or serious failure) potentially damage hardware?

No.

That said... You can always wipe a disk when you install an OS.

And also, what distro might be best for me?

Download a few Live-USB images and try them out. You don't need to install them to get a desktop and a browser up. You can see if there's any compatibility issues with your hardware.

Whichever works for you, go with it.

My whole life with computers the fanbois du jour told me we had reached excellent usability. We’re talking GEOS, FVWM, the shit Sun and Digital Equipment Corp threw at us, up until Windows 10 and KDE or what have you: there will always come a point when you need or want to have a look under the hood. And there things can be alien, overly complex and very inconsistent and undocumented. That is the path every real user will walk one day, and it’s not pretty. Best of luck on your journeys!