Migrating from Windows 10 to Linux?

[bjdhjy888]

Man, finally I managed to overwrite my windows 10 with ubuntu.
Initially, ubuntu won't shutdown or restart, until I googled the solution and fixed it.
Now, I've got linux(ubuntu), what do I do next with it?!?
 
they told me programmers gotta use it, not Windows.

[NiHaoMike]

If you want to program, either install an IDE (I recommend PlatformIO for embedded if your target platform is supported) or go the old fashioned way using Makefiles created with the text editor of your choice.

[xrunner]

Now, I've got linux(ubuntu), what do I do next with it?!?

Install applications beyond what it already has!

Use apt-get or install the GUI Synaptic Package Manager and get busy. 

[rstofer]

Put a link to Google on your menu bar because, with Linux, Google will be your best friend.
We just had a couple of lengthy threads on this topic so there is no point in repeating the pros and cons in yet another thread.

What do you WANT to do with Linux?  How is Linux going to help you do that?

I like to use Linux for various programming projects.  I use 'gedit' as the text editor and the rest is done with Makefiles and the command line.

[CatalinaWOW]

What did you do in Windows?  That should guide you to the programs you need to find and load for Linux.  The bad news is that my experience is that a lot of personal retraining will be required because there are not identical replacements in most cases.  Even where there are functional equivalents the user interface will be different.

[MarkF]

they told me programmers gotta use it, not Windows.

That's a lot of BS.
I have written many programs on both Windows and Red Hat Linux.
The last place I worked also started using "Qt" so that ALL their programs ran on both platforms.

[jh15]

I got into PCLinuxOS in 2007

Friendly and reliable.

Not too many grouchy folks in the help forums.

My best thing is every program before being in the synaptic list of programs (guess w10 store tries to call its repository of applications),

is that every new program before being available is well tested and debugged.

I'd be glad to help, but more user than geek friendly. Wife and friends asked me to install years ago. rarely need help.

[BravoV]

Initially, ubuntu won't shutdown or restart, until I googled the solution and fixed it.

Maintain a second working machine either its pc/laptop/smartphone that can browse the internet, to find how to fix things, just in case you're kicked out of the GUI, if something went wrong at boot-up "AND" you don't have any idea what to do using just the command prompt to fix things.

If not, you will be doomed. 

[Ampera]

I've been using Linux for a while now, and I have this advice for you.

Learn it.

Linux is an incredibly powerful tool, but people like to hate it because they don't want to learn it, or think it will just work for them.

Yes, Google will be your best friend, because it's a sophisticated tool, with lots of facets and configuration options. If you don't want this, Linux may not be for you.

Linux does give a ton of advantages to working with your computer. It has an excellent ability to interact with a considerable number of computer systems, with well refined tools for using various different filesystems, network protocols, and non-native programs. It also has its own native solutions, often with a wide variety to choose from, that bring new ideas and efficiencies you may like.

Unlike Windows, you can literally change anything in Linux. What you're actually running is an operating system called GNU, which defines a specific set of environments and tools to take the Linux kernel, and make it unix-like. What this also means is you can swap out almost everything with different solutions if you don't like what you have now. Window managers (your desktop environment) are an excellent example of this, with dozens of different ways to interact with your computer that are quite often incredibly easy to swap out and experiment with. My favourite is Window Maker.

It's also incredibly easy to fix. The highly modular single filesystem (directory tree) design, along with the good ol' Unix "everything is a file" architecture means that there's very little abstraction besides what you choose to use to get down to the nitty gritty of the system's services.

Programs are also often very easy to install, with most modern distributions having very simple package management tools that means taking out any of the components is as easy as issuing a command to remove that program.

You may note that I say easy here, and that's because I define easy as not hard to do when you know how. I could go on forever all of the unique and specific benefits Linux offers people, but the best way to learn what those are is by experimenting yourself. When I started using Linux, I installed Arch Linux as dual boot, and took what I considered vacations to it, as I learned and tried to immerse myself in it. I soon found that Windows was only there for very minor uses, and was more a burden to keep around than it was worth. You may find this, or may find otherwise. There are plenty of people who run hybrid OS environments. I myself relegate Windows to older PCs I have as a hobby, and I use FreeBSD Unix on all of my servers.

tl;dr here being, experiment, run wild. Try to tear your machine apart, and see every problem as a challenge to overcome that will improve /you/ as an individual by solving it. Try other distros, window managers, tools. Experiment, and the more you do, the more you'll find Linux not so intimidating, and as natural as Windows is. Or at least that's how it was for me.

[SiliconWizard]

Now, I've got linux(ubuntu), what do I do next with it?!?
 

OK, so you look like the kind of persons that *do* before they think.

"Now, I've thrown away my house keys. What do I do next?"

Sorry, I'm just teasing.

they told me programmers gotta use it, not Windows.

Oh, so does that mean that you switched to Linux just because you were told so?

[FreddieChopin]

Now, I've got linux(ubuntu), what do I do next with it?!?

Run LinuxCNC on it to control a 3D printer. Print a toilet seat then smooth it with beeswax so that any pieces of fecal matter that miss the bowl don't get stuck between print layers.

[edy]

Use Linux for whatever you can... and if an app is not available either program it yourself or run Wine or use Windows on a virtual machine if you must. I personally use the Ubuntu Studio variant of Ubuntu, it comes with a lot of useful productivity software pre-installed and runs a fairly lightweight desktop environment. I suggest you look at other recent threads here in this section as someone already mentioned, there are a lot of discussions already. Be prepared to learn a lot and make copious notes for yourself (I write a whole bunch of text files full of instructions to myself for the future, or copy and paste commands and example scripts). You will need to refer to these in the future especially if you ever want to set up other similar systems or if your own system needs to be set up again. Much easier than to have to find everything all over again!