In May of this year, I made the switch from Windows 10 to Linux Mint. It was my first proper foray into open-source operating systems, and I really liked what I saw. However, I also understood that a huge range of distros was available to me, so I started to explore.

I eventually settled on Fedora KDE, because I really like the KDE Plasma environment, and Fedora was one of the more stable distributions I used (or, at least, the one that tolerated my tinkering the best). And while I had originally dual-booted Windows 10 with Fedora to test out Linux, I keep forgetting I even have Microsoft's OS installed these days.

KDE Plasma does the Windows taskbar better than Windows

Lots of options to pick from

I really, really like the taskbar in Fedora KDE. It's part of the KDE Plasma side of the distro, so technically, you don't have to run Fedora to get it. Anything that comes pre-installed with KDE Plasma, or lets you install it, will do just fine.

It's utterly bizarre to use a taskbar that you can actually customize to your heart's content, especially once you've gotten so used to the limited options Microsoft gives you. In KDE Plasma, you can add as many widgets as you'd like to it and turn it into a hub of information and tools. On the other hand, you can strip widgets off of it for a more minimalist look if that's more your thing, including just getting rid of the Application Launcher (KDE's version of the Start button) if you want.

What I find particularly wild is that most of the widgets you can add to your desktop can also be squished onto the taskbar. You could, if you really wanted to, add a tiny analogue clock to your taskbar like it's some kind of miniature watch. Personally, I prefer the default hour:minute format, but if you want a teeny-tiny clock face on your taskbar, knock yourself out.

Almost every app I use on Windows 10 is also on Linux

I got pretty lucky with the Linux compatibility lottery

One of the main pieces of advice I give people moving to Linux is to double-check if the apps you use daily will still work. If it doesn't, there's usually an alternative app. However, sometimes there is no feasible alternative, and it's best to stay on Windows for the time being.

Fortunately for myself, I didn't have that problem. All my daily drivers, such as Chrome, Discord, and Slack, all work on Linux. Not only do they run fine, they're also included in the handy Flatpak catalog that comes with Fedora, so you don't even need to visit the app's website to download and install them.

For gaming, I use the Shadow cloud service. While it does support Linux, it only has an official package for Debian-based distros. Fortunately, the community got together and created a guide for getting the Debian version converted to a Fedora-friendly version using an "alien" command in the terminal. And while Shadow didn't work perfectly out of the box, all I had to do was follow more guides, and I got it working just like it does on Windows.

Unfortunately, making the swap did leave one app on the wayside. My beloved ShareX, which I used to capture screenshots and record videos for years, doesn't have an official Linux variant. Fortunately, alternatives are available, including ShareX clones and the default Fedora screenshot tool, which is remarkably powerful.

Fedora KDE actually feels like it's my operating system

I don't have to jump hoops to use it

Decades of using Windows taught me that my operating system wasn't really mine. If Windows wants to restart, it'll pester you. If it wants to enable a feature, it'll give you two options: "Yes," and "Remind me in three days." And if you want to continue using Windows 10 after October 2025, you will either have to comply with Microsoft's requirements or forgo security updates.

So, imagine my surprise when I ran my first update on Fedora and it informed me that, although the updates would be installed on the next restart or shutdown, I could continue using the operating system if I wanted to. No countdowns. No nag boxes. Just a little message telling me that it's ready to go when I am, and not the other way around.

The lack of any nagging has been a real relief, to the point where using Windows feels like a chore. And because of that, I hardly think about using Windows 10 on my PC anymore. Doesn't even cross my mind.

Fedora KDE is the perfect fit for me

While I probably won't end up erasing my Windows 10 partition and going full Fedora, I don't see myself returning to Microsoft's domain any time soon. In fact, Fedora KDE has made things so comfortable for me, I keep forgetting I even dual-boot.