Linux is everywhere. It's on the majority of servers, powers the Steam Deck handheld gaming device, and is slowly creeping up the desktop OS charts (and no, 2025 won't be the year of Linux). It's a fantastic operating system that isn't an OS. It's great at gaming even though many developers don't support it. Linux can revive older hardware where Windows 11 fails to even boot. There are still some myths surrounding Linux that need busting, however. Whether you believe Linux to be unfriendly to beginners, bad for gaming, terrible for creative use, or doesn't have any apps (R.I.P., Windows Phone), I'm here to debunk some of these notions.

7 Linux is an OS like macOS or Windows

A common misconception with Linux is that it's similarly packaged as Microsoft's Windows or Apple's macOS. That's not 100% accurate as Linux is merely the kernel and subsequent software. It's not the GUI you'd often see with Linux distributions. Distributions (or "distro" for short), such as Linux Mint, Fedora, or Ubuntu, are Linux-based operating systems similar to Windows and macOS. They all use the underlying Linux kernel and other technologies, but package together different components, such as a desktop environment, to provide a better overall experience for those less tech-savvy.

That said, Linux is often used to describe not only the kernel, but everything else running atop it. It's why you'd see people refer to their favorite distro as simply "Linux". Interestingly, the Free Software Foundation even recommends "GNU/Linux" instead of Linux to represent the contributions and importance of GNU software. GNU originally came first, launching in 1983, but Linux has transformed into a formidable open-source foundation for powerful software to be built. Most servers running online services are Linux-based. Even Valve's Steam Deck runs Steam OS, which itself is based on the Arch Linux distro.

6 Software support is still awful on Linux

Modern distros, such as Ubuntu, Fedora, and openSUSE have access to more than 100,000 packages collectively. Though not all software will run across Linux distros, Snap, and other distribution platforms are attempting to alleviate this issue to improve software support across the board. While you may not find official support for Microsoft's Office 365 (even though Microsoft does enjoy telling the world how much it loves Linux) or Adobe Creative Cloud, there are ways to run the software through emulation or virtual instances. The incredibly talented open-source community even has alternative solutions available.

Three software I needed for work were Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Adobe Photoshop. Microsoft Office was replaced by LibreOffice and Mozilla Thunderbird, and GIMP is an incredible alternative to Adobe's Photoshop. There's also Darktable, which is fantastic for handling RAW images taken from photography equipment. Should you require software to achieve something, there's likely an option or two available through one of the repositories. If the worst-case scenario hits whereby you cannot locate any viable solution, there are always virtual machines or the ability to dual-boot the PC.

5 Linux doesn't get infected

When it comes to viruses and malware, it's usually Windows that's featured in headlines, but Linux gets its fair share of infections too. There's plenty of ransomware hitting turnkey NAS enclosures, all running some Linux-based OS. Then there's the XZ Utils backdoor, which allowed malicious party execution capabilities on an affected Linux system through SSH when in the procession of a specific Ed448 private key. Interestingly, it was a Microsoft employee who discovered the vulnerability. It was immediately patched, but this shows how Linux can also be affected by bad actors.

It's also a side effect of more people starting to use Linux on their systems. The more popular the OS becomes outside of running servers and other infrastructure, the more opportunities arise for these parties with unsuspecting victims. Luckily, if you're smart about using your PC, Linux is incredibly secure. You've got tight user permissions, isolation and containerization, locked root access, and more. Being open-source, much of the code can be analyzed by just about anyone with access, which allows for vulnerabilities to be detected and quickly patched.

4 Gaming on Linux is terrible

Linux is a viable OS for gaming. I would go as far as to say it's the better choice if you do not play games with specific software requirements (such as MMOs or anti-cheat). Being a leaner operating system, Linux-based distros should provide additional resources for running all your favorite games, especially when Valve has worked some serious magic with its Proton development. The Steam library of games is colossal; almost everyone has a Steam account, which can be managed on Linux and most Windows-only games will run without issues through Proton.

Before Proton, WINE was the go-to solution in attempting to get Windows games (and software) running on Linux, but this could be convoluted and messy. Proton essentially packages WINE and other software to translate Windows-only games to Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX), which Linmux can understand. It even provides a Windows directory structure, alongside system services, to allow games and their Windows dependencies to run. All you need to do is install a supported game as normal and click play. The Steam Deck, running Linux, is a large part of this success story.

3 Linux isn't as stable as macOS or Windows

Linux is incredibly stable and is relied upon to run incredibly complex systems, such as web servers and database machines. When browsing websites, streaming media, or playing online games, there's a good chance you're passing through countless Linux-powered devices. This makes the underlying code excellent for running a desktop OS since it's reliable, safe, and secure. Many distributions offer server and desktop versions, including Ubuntu, so you can imagine it like running Windows at home instead of Windows Server.

While you may come across unsupported hardware when using Linux, you won't encounter issues relating to software instability. Modern distros are rock-solid, as are all the packages and dependencies they rely on. Having much of it open-source for community verification and development allows for improvements and quick bug fixes to be implemented.

2 Linux is difficult for beginners to use

Linux has many user-friendly distributions available. Ubuntu or Linux Mint are often regarded as the best distros for beginners. If you're new to Linux and will be moving from Windows, Linux Mint offers a similar GUI and other features to make the transition less daunting. But Linux isn't as terrifying as it used to be. You likely won't need to visit the command line interface (CLI), though I always recommend you do so since it's awesome being able to fire up commands like Elliot from Mr Robot. But if you simply wish to use Linux for websites, some software, and running games, you're good to go.

Steam can be installed using a .deb file (think of it like a .exe on Windows). Modern distros have expansive GUIs with some gorgeous visuals rivaling macOS and Windows. There are even software stores where you can easily download and manage thousands of open-source packages. Linux does things a little differently to macOS and Windows and while you will have to learn about all the differences between these operating systems, there are plenty of online guides available here at XDA and the Linux community is as friendly as ever.

1 Linux shouldn't be used daily

There is still a conception that Linux shouldn't be used daily on a desktop or laptop PC. As someone who uses Linux on their primary PCs, both desktop and laptop, I have a bone to pick with this myth. There are countless distros available, some designed for specific usage. If you're into creative software and working with data, pop!OS may be the better choice. If you're starting and want an easy time, perhaps Ubuntu may be the flavor for you. Then there's RetroArch for gaming. The best part is the choice isn't set in stone as all distros can be customized to your liking, just like Windows.

Linux, having slightly lower resource requirements, can even revive old PC hardware. Windows 11 won't run on everything and that means e-waste. But fire up a bootable Linux installer and you could breathe some life into old hardware and even use it for some cool home lab projects. Proxmox is based on Debian and powered by Linux. Linux is perfectly suitable for daily use, whether you're writing code with Visual Studio, working image magic through GIMP, creating videos with Kdenlive, or gaming on Steam.