Why Not Linux?

Posted on by Peter Smith

We advocate for Linux because of the freedom and performance it offers, but we also believe in being realistic. For some, the transition is seamless. For others, it requires a significant shift in how they work.

Before you make the jump, here are the primary hurdles you may face.

1. The Creative Suite (Adobe)

If your livelihood depends on the Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects), Linux will be a challenge. Adobe does not currently support Linux.

  • The Alternatives: You have powerful options like GIMP (Photo editing), Krita (Digital painting), and DaVinci Resolve (Professional video editing).

  • The Drawback: These are professional-grade tools, but they aren’t clones. Your “muscle memory” will fail you at first. You’ll have to relearn your shortcuts and workflows from scratch.

2. Microsoft Office and Compatibility

While most of the world has moved to web-based tools like Google Docs, many industries still rely on the desktop versions of Excel and Word.

  • The Alternatives: LibreOffice and OnlyOffice are the gold standards on Linux. They are free, fast, and respect your privacy.

  • The Drawback: While they can open .docx and .xlsx files, complex formatting or advanced Excel macros don’t always translate 100% perfectly. If you share complex documents back and forth with Windows users all day, you may encounter minor layout frustrations.

3. The “Translation” vs. “Teleportation” Layer

When a Windows app isn’t available on Linux, you have two modern ways to handle it:

  • WINE (The Translator): This attempts to translate Windows “language” into Linux “language” in real-time.

    • Pros: Very fast and uses almost no extra RAM.

    • Cons: It’s hit-or-miss. Some apps (like newer Photoshop versions or Office 365) often crash or refuse to install because the “translation” isn’t perfect yet.

  • WinBoat / WinApps (The Teleporter): These are the new heavy hitters. Instead of translating the app, WinBoat runs a tiny, invisible version of Windows in the background (using a container/VM) and “teleports” just the app window onto your Linux desktop.

    • Pros: Near 100% compatibility. If it runs on Windows, it runs here—including the full Adobe suite and Microsoft Office. It looks and feels like a native Linux app.

    • Cons: Because it’s running a “mini Windows” in the background, it requires more RAM and disk space than WINE. You’ll want at least 8GB or 16GB of RAM to use this comfortably.

4. A Different Way of Thinking

On Windows or Mac, you are a “user” in a walled garden. On Linux, you are the owner. This comes with a specific trade-off:

  • Learning Curve: You might occasionally need to use the terminal (command line).

  • Workflow Shifts: You have to be willing to find new ways to do old things.

  • Hardware Tweaking: While 99% of hardware works “out of the box,” specialized gear like high-end RGB controllers or specific industry hardware might require 15 minutes of setup rather than 15 seconds.

The Verdict: Is it worth it?

Linux isn’t for the person who wants their computer to be a locked-down appliance they never have to think about.

However, if you are willing to alter your workflow and embrace tools like WinBoat, the rewards are immense. You gain a system that doesn’t spy on you, doesn’t force updates, and respects your hardware.

If you’re ready to learn, the water is fine. If you can’t live without a very specific piece of corporate software and aren’t willing to use a “teleporter” like WinBoat, you might want to keep a small Windows partition—just in case.