Linux was never as user-friendly as macOS and Windows ... for the masses, at least. It was great for those (like myself) who enjoyed messing around for hours but attempting to convince others to give it a go over their favorite OS was a difficult task, largely due to all the annoyances that came with most Linux-based distros, including Ubuntu. It's a completely different story today with many of the leading Linux distros offering far superior experiences than years past. Things are on more of an even playing field with Windows. Although we're not quite there yet, here are some ways Linux is less infuriating.

6 Modern Linux desktops are gorgeous

Without tinkering a thing

Gone are the days when you needed to install various tweak packages to get the most from your Linux install. The latest versions of GNOME, KDE, and other desktop environments are gorgeous and user-friendly. Like macOS or Windows, you can install your favorite Linux distro and keep all settings as their defaults for a visually appealing experience. Simply personalization settings are usually available for controlling wallpapers, color palettes, and more, but this is optional and doesn't completely change the overall feel of the OS. Dark modes are usually available too.

5 Hardware support has vastly improved

Safely remove device

Although there's a general lack of official support from big brands on the software side, many accessories and components you can use to build a PC system just work. Sure, you may not be able to fine-tune specific components, such as an AIO liquid cooler with a display, but it'll still run as expected with Linux, thanks to either open-source drivers or limited manufacturer support. Thanks to standardization, many products unofficially support Linux, which means you're likely to encounter stuff that works rather than devices that don't show up on Linux at all. And usually, there's a workaround that one could attempt to remedy the situation, should it arise.

4 User-friendly package management

Especially on GNOME distros like Ubuntu

Using apt isn't difficult but many people simply don't wish to use the command line interface for anything. They've been spoiled by Microsoft's seamless GUI experience but this has improved in later distro versions running desktop environments such as GNOME. Ubuntu is a pack leader with its Snap package manager and official software store, letting anyone quickly search and download apps with the click of a button. Packages can be automatically updated through the GUI too, negating any need to visit the Terminal. I always recommend learning a few CLI commands, however, as it's fun.

3 Gaming is almost as good as Windows

Thank you, Valve

Proton could be considered dark magic. WINE was usually the go-to solution in attempting to get Windows games running on Linux, but this could be convoluted and messy. Enter Valve with Proton. Proton is a collection of tools to translate Windows-only games to Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX), which Linmux can understand. A Windows directory structure is provided, alongside system services, to allow games and their Windows dependencies to run. WINE is also used, but everything is neatly packed through Steam and there's nothing required from the user.

Simply click install through Steam as you typically would on Windows. Strangely, some games will even run better on Linux through Proton than natively on Windows, though your mileage will vary. Some games have issues and others don't run at all, but being able to load up Steam and launch most of your library without having to dual-boot Windows is incredible progress. ProtonDB is a fantastic resource for checking Windows Steam game compatibility.

2 Cross-distro software support

Available (almost) everywhere

Remember the days when you had to build some packages from source to enjoy using them? I do and this was down to different distros using separate package managers. That's no longer required thanks to solutions such as Flathub and Snap. Although they're not loved by some within the community, these package formats are designed to work on all Linux distributions, so you can enjoy the latest version of software your friend is using on a completely different Linux OS. And because Flathub and Snap run software containerized, the experience should be similar too.

1 Everything mostly works

Gone are the days of frequent crashes

My goodness did I encounter some serious problems back in the day with earlier versions of Ubuntu and other distros. Attempting to do just about anything slightly more advanced would risk causing irreparable system damage. Not anymore as the underlying Linux kernel and everything else that runs on top are far more stable and efficient. Even running the latest RX 7000 series AMD GPUs is no problem. It was only last year when things were still slightly glitchy with crashes and panics, but drivers have matured gloriously. Back in the day, we'd have to wait far longer.

There's still a long way to go

Manufacturers aren't taking Linux seriously, at least in the consumer space. Demand still isn't there and it's very reminiscent of Windows Phone. An excellent mobile OS is let down by a lack of apps. App developers didn't want to build anything for Microsoft's mobile platform because there wasn't a demand. No demand. No apps. No users. It's a vicious cycle and one that Linux has been navigating for decades. Not the app problem, but a general lack of official support from manufacturers. Good luck trying to control your NZXT AIO liquid cooler or manage your Corsair iCUE hardware without an official Linux app.