De Windows a GNU/Linux

This is what everyday users usually find better, mostly the same, or not as good, when switching from Windows to GNU/Linux.

What is better in GNU/Linux

Ye llibre

Unlike Windows, GNU/Linux is free software – free as in freedom. Install it on all computers and make copies for your friends! You can even study it, transform it as you please, or build and sell your own distribution.

Programes

There are a wealth of free applications available at no cost under GNU/Linux. To edit professional documents, burn music CDs, rework photos, design a website, or organise music; there's no need for $200 software with restrictive licenses.

L'instalador incorporáu fai que seya increíblemente fácil alcontrar, instalar y desinstalar programes

Arriendes ye seguro: Pues escaecete del software con versiones de preba, o el peligrosu freeware que contamina la web.

Ensin molesties

Pa caltener el ordenador en forma col pasu del tiempu nun tien que ser necesario una llucha constante. Un añu dempués de la so instalación, GNU/Linux furrula tan rápido como'l primer día. Ya inclusu pue da-y vida al to vieyu ordenador.

Also, GNU/Linux lets you choose what you want and what you don't. If you had a hard time getting rid of Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, or adware and web browser toolbars, you'll find it refreshing.

Seguridá

Forget expensive and restrictive anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-anything and anti-everything. GNU/Linux is very, very secure.

It is often difficult for Windows users to believe that there are no spyware nor viruses under GNU/Linux – but it's true. Malicious programs have a hard time doing anything at all in a well-built system.

Los anovamientos regulares y cenciellos de GNU/Linux caltienen el sistema dafechamente a salvu.

Sofitu

GNU/Linux benefits from a great sense of community whose friendliness will surprise you. If you try to do something complicated but can't succeed, there are a lot of people around to help you out. Our "Más" page gives a few pointers.

The companies behind the main GNU/Linux distributions, such as Canonical and Red Hat, also provide expert commercial support.

What is mostly the same in GNU/Linux

Fundamentally, everyday users will find GNU/Linux similar in use to Windows or macOS.

Configuración xeneral

If you still believe GNU/Linux is controlled with code and command-line, you should update your views!

Just like Windows, GNU/Linux has to boot when you switch your computer on, and then you use programs in it to do different things. The taskbar and layout of applications will feel familiar to Windows or macOS users.

Navegación web y xeres comunes

Your daily habits won't need to change. Browsing the web is identical, and you can continue using your favorite browsers like Firefox, Google Chrome, or Microsoft Edge. Managing your photo and music collections is seamless, and navigating your files feels instantly familiar to anyone used to Windows Explorer.

Xuegos

Gaming on GNU/Linux has evolved significantly, shifting from a complex hobby to a smooth experience for most gamers, largely thanks to Valve's Proton technology (the same tech powering the Steam Deck). The vast majority of Windows games now run on GNU/Linux, often with performance that matches or exceeds Windows due to lower system bloat.

Sofitu de drivers

The vast majority of computers with standard hardware work immediately upon installation. Common peripherals such as USB drives, webcams, mice, and keyboards almost never present a problem and often require less setup than on Windows.

Graphics cards

GNU/Linux supports almost all graphics hardware, but the "out-of-the-box" experience depends on your manufacturer:

Integrated graphics (Intel & AMD): This covers the vast majority of laptops and office computers, and the experience is excellent. The drivers are open source and pre-installed in the system, meaning everything works immediately without any manual setup.
AMD: AMD is widely considered the best choice for Linux gamers who value Free Software. They provide official open source drivers built directly into the kernel, so you get full gaming performance immediately without needing to install third-party software.
NVIDIA: NVIDIA cards work well, but you have a choice to make depending on your needs. For basic desktop tasks, the default open source driver works perfectly fine. However, if you want to play modern games or use heavy 3D applications, you will need to install the official proprietary drivers to unlock the card's full performance.

WiFi and power management

For most modern laptops with standard internal components (like Intel WiFi cards), both networking and power saving modes work out-of-the-box.

However, issues can arise with obscure or low-end hardware due to driver limitations:

Cheap USB WiFi dongles: These often use obscure chipsets that lack official Linux support, requiring you to manually hunt for community drivers.
Waking from Sleep: If your laptop relies heavily on non-free drivers, you may occasionally find that Suspend/Hibernate is unreliable, or that the WiFi connection fails to reconnect immediately after waking up.

What is not as good in GNU/Linux

DVDs, Blu-rays, and restricted formats

Many multimedia formats are proprietary. To avoid patent and licensing issues, standard GNU/Linux distributions cannot pre-install the software needed to play encrypted physical media.

For DVDs, the solution is simple. Most modern distributions provide helper tools (such as libdvd-pkg on Debian and Ubuntu) that automatically download and install the necessary decryption library with a single command. Once installed, DVDs play just as they do on Windows.

Blu-rays are harder to play directly due to stricter, constantly updating encryption. Many GNU/Linux users prefer to "rip" the disc to a digital file using tools like MakeMKV rather than playing the disc directly.

Fortunately, physical media is becoming less common. Major streaming platforms like Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube work natively in standard GNU/Linux browsers (like Firefox, Chrome, and Edge) without any special configuration.

Conclusión

Whether you are going to enjoy GNU/Linux depends mostly on what you expect from it.

If you wish GNU/Linux to be just exactly like Windows, you will probably be disappointed. GNU/Linux is built by people who simply wish it to be different. In the free software community, members have different visions of what makes an ideal operating system. These differences lead to variety, which is what makes GNU/Linux so special and interesting.
La to llibertá importa. Milenta de persones en comunidaes y compañíes trabayen pa facer software sobro'l que tu puedas exercer la to llibertá. Usandob GNU/Linux ye la forma más cenciella de facelo.
¡Ye divertío! El nun tener qu'esmolecese de spyware, virus, activación de programes, programes qu'espiren, o alcontrar software que ye realmente llibre, fai que de la nada usar un ordenador seya una esperiencia agradable.

Esperamos que faigas aína la migración. Hai una gran comunidá esperándo-y y naide va a dicite "mércalu y rexístrate".