There are several times in my life when I thought I was doing alright until I upgraded something, and then I wondered how I ever survived without it. For example, going dual-monitor meant I couldn't go back to using one screen, and Bitwarden stopped me from relying on browser password managers.

However, none of them felt quite as odd as when I broke a three-decade streak and moved from Windows to Linux for the first time. Suddenly, all of the things that I had gotten used to with Windows, I didn't have to put up with anymore with Fedora. As such, it made me realize how much Windows really hindered my workflow, and how my Fedora Kinoite installation fixes that.

Fedora doesn't pester me to update as Windows does

I can use my OS as I like

One thing that became immediately apparent when I moved to Fedora (and Linux in general) is how much control I have over my operating system's updates. Not only could I update my OS whenever I wanted to without any pestering, but if I really wanted to, I could install an LTS distro and bring the updates down to a glacial crawl. Of course, I didn't do that because I love getting all the exciting new goodies ASAP, which is why I stuck with Fedora; however, the option was there for me if I wanted to take it.

Suddenly, all those years of tolerating Windows deciding when I should update and forcing them upon my PC when I didn't want them felt really bad. Especially given how Windows updates have been pretty unstable lately.

Fedora Kinoite adds an atomic design and immutability to the mix

Two amazing pieces of tech that Windows doesn't have by default

During my experimentation with Linux distros, I ended up stumbling upon the atomic versions of Fedora. These are special versions of Fedora that have an 'all-or-nothing' mentality when it comes to updates. When it tries to apply an update, it will either complete all the updates or apply none of them if even one thing doesn't go right. The goal is to prevent the OS from completing half an update before hitting an error, leaving you with some updated files and some outdated ones.

Not only that, but Fedora Kinoite is immutable. This means nothing is allowed to edit the system files, including you. When your PC wants to update the system files, it can't reach in and tweak the one file that needs tweaking; instead, it downloads the changes and keeps them in another image, which it then swaps to on reboot. This sounds like a pain on paper, but it does mean that there's no "Updating, please wait" screen when I reboot; it just swaps the image and is as fast as a regular reboot. Also, because nothing can edit my files, it prevents "system rot" by keeping the files pristine.

I really adore the atomic and immutable design of Fedora Kinoite, and while I have heard there are third-party applications that can achieve something similar on Windows, the truth is, I don't think Microsoft will ever implement the tech on Windows, if not for at least a few more years yet.

Fedora feels like, you know, an operating system

And not a product

Finally, the one thing I really love about Fedora Kinoite is how it feels like I'm using an operating system, and not a product. These days, when I think about Windows, I think of the Reddit post above, which prioritized advertising a product over bringing up the actual terminal. Fedora, on the other hand, has zero advertising and feels like it was made for me and not the revenue I can bring in. Of course, you can say that for any Linux distro out there, but Fedora Kinoite specifically hits a few key notes that I really resonate with.

Compared to Microsoft Windows, Fedora handles monetisation a little differently. With Windows, everyone pays for a license, including individuals. For Fedora, the operating system is given out for free and receives all the shiny new updates first. Fedora users get stuck in, install it on their devices, and stress test things for bugs.

Once the OS has reached a stable-enough state, it can move to CentOS Stream, where it gets tested even further to make it stable enough for corporate use. Once it's tested enough there, it becomes a part of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), which the sponsors of Fedora, Red Hat, can then sell to companies for big bucks. And because Fedora and CentOS Stream users have already gone over everything with a fine-tooth comb, companies can rely on the rock-solid RHEL to get the job done without issue.

It's a relationship that I really appreciate and prefer over Windows. Instead of charging the user to use the OS, we're instead given all the shiny new toys early and told to give them a test spin. Our daily use then helps shape RHEL, which Red Hat can then sell to companies to make money, which in turn lets them invest more in the OS, which means more cool things in Fedora. And that also means I don't see ads, monetisation tactics, or paywalled features on the OS.

Also, Fedora Kinoite's desktop environment, KDE Plasma, has been spoiling me rotten versus Windows. It gives me a ton of customization options, comes with really good tools right out of the box, and the only monetization tactic it uses is a single pop-up that appears once a year in December to advertise the annual fundraiser.

Fedora taught me what I didn't like about Windows, even if I didn't know it before

You know the phrase "you don't know how good you had it until it's gone"? Well, turns out the reverse is true. I didn't realise how badly I had it with Windows until I tried Fedora Kinoite. And now that I'm here, I can't go back.