For the past few months, I've been using Linux seriously for the first time in my life. My only other foray was a decade ago, when I tried Ubuntu for about two days and then decided to go back. Now, I've actually forgotten that I even have Windows installed on my dual boot, as I've fallen in love with Fedora KDE.

Some features really surprise me about Linux. And when I try to discuss them with my friends and coworkers who have used Linux distros for decades longer than I have, they laugh and tell me that Linux has always had those features. I imagine it's like listening to someone who's shocked that Windows comes with, well, windows. So, here are some things that I never got during my years as a Windows fanboy, which I now appreciate having with my Linux distro, which is also old hat for Linux vets.

3 Demos of operating systems

Microsoft isn't a fan of free samples

This feature is the one that inspired me to write this article in the first place. Our resident Linux enthusiast and 3D Benchy wrangler, Jeff Butts, DMed me about my article when I tried out Linux Mint as a Windows fanboy. It was my gateway into Linux, and while I'd eventually migrate to Fedora KDE, Linux Mint taught me that these distros aren't as complicated or intimidating as they may initially seem.

Jeff had a laugh about my shock that Linux distros had demos. "They’ve been around in Linux for a while," he told me. However, it was surprising to me because the concept of trying out an operating system was foreign. Windows is pretty sparse with its "demos;" the only one I can really think of is the 10-day grace period after you upgrade from Windows 10 to 11 that lets you revert to how things were. After your 10 days are up, that's it; it's Windows 11 time, baby.

Linux does things a lot differently. Not sure if you'll gel with a distro? Copy it to a USB stick and boot from it. Your PC will load a "demo version" of the distro for you to explore. Yes, it'll be slow due to the USB data transfer rates, and you can't save stuff on it, but it's more than enough to give you a taster of how the distro works. Don't like it? Turn off your PC and scrub the USB. Take a liking to it? Access the installation tool in the demo version and get it onto your system. Easy as that.

2 Officially supported desktop environments

A fresh lick of paint with none of the hassle

I also really adore Linux's desktop environments. If you're not sure what they are, they're entire suites that change how your desktop looks and feels. You can install a few and cycle through them on your login screen, which is great if you just want to test them out or you want to use specific environments for specific tasks.

I also want to mention that when I say "desktop environments," I don't mean something like Windows' themes, which change the color of your system menus, and that's about it. We're talking about picking between two environments that look entirely different from one another, to the point where it's easy to believe they're actually different distros. Desktop environments are really powerful, and while you can crowbar apps into Windows to give your OS a makeover, it's so nice to have them officially supported and embraced by the Linux community.

1 An automatic backup of previous versions after each system update

An easy way to return if things go wrong

Now, I'll admit that I'm not sure if every Linux distro does this, but I do know that Fedora definitely does, and it's honestly such a nice feature. When you update Fedora, your system won't erase the kernel you're upgrading from. Instead, the system will hold onto it for another two more updates before erasing it. You can see your past versions of Fedora pop up in the GRUB boot system every time you turn on your PC, and booting into them is as simple as scrolling down and selecting them.

The idea is that, if an update breaks something, you can always boot into a previous kernel where everything worked fine. It's leaps and bounds ahead of Microsoft's solution for a dud Windows update, which is to get people to uninstall the update manually. Having the option to revert back to an older kernel is such a nice failsafe to have on hand in case an update borks something up.

I've missed out on so many years of freedom and convenience

While it's disappointing that I've missed out on these excellent features for so long, I take solace in the fact that, at the very least, I eventually discovered them. There is an alternate timeline where I remain a Windows fanboy for life, and I never experience the joy of installing a new desktop environment and booting into what looks and feels like a brand-new operating system, and I'm just glad I'm not in that one. Now, if you'll excuse me, I want to demo some distros.