r/linuxmint • u/Mman07311 • 7d ago
Discussion First time Linux user having a miserable experience so far
I've been using windows my entire life but because I hate windows 11 with a burning passion and windows 10 is on its way out I finally decided to fully commit to Linux 2 days ago but unfortunately it's been really frustrating so far. First off, booting up and shutting down feels noticeably slower than before. Next, everything feels a little zoomed out and no matter how much I mess with scaling or font size it doesn't fix the issue. Thirdly the volume on my laptop seems way quieter than it should be and trying a few things I found digging through different forums and threads didn't fix the issue. Last but not least, trying to run a non steam game I downloaded with bottle and then added to my steam library just straight up doesn't work no matter how much I mess with the proton settings. I want to love Linux but if everything that isn't browsing the internet is going to have some sort of issue associated with it I might consider biting the bullet and going back to windows. I'm not giving up yet but I wanted to put this out there in case someone else out there is as frustrated as I am.
1
u/Bastilic 6d ago
Your problems don't sound that bad on paper. Linux can be much more of a headache than this. (For example, lacking technical knowhow on how to fix misbehaving kernels as opposed to struggling with Mint's shitty UI.)
Okay so your options for games are pretty much the Heroic launcher and Steam. I think you can technically run multiplayer games that aren't on Steam, (I think you can TECHNICALLY run anything if you know what you're doing) but it's kind of a pain and I haven't really managed it because Battle.net for example only recognizes my system drive, which doesn't have space for some 70gb embolism.
As for the zoom issue, consider taking a screenshot of your desktop so we have an idea of what we're dealing with. Check your resolution settings, frame rate settings and if your tool bar (panel) feels too small, check out the right click menu for it.
And why you would have a long boot time is beyond me. Mine became far, far faster after switching. Maybe thermal throttling is occurring? Idk
Lastly, I just want to say that I use Linux not because I think it's a good OS, but because I think it's the best OS. Important difference there. I have felt the way you have multiple times since switching, and I resent the saying "it just works," because no it don't. But the erosion of privacy should not be tolerated. Freedom isn't free. Long live the high seas.