GNU/Linux and open source have changed my life

A week after the anniversary of 30 years of Linux, I felt it was only right to share my story with GNU/Linux and how it has changed my life.

Can an operating system really impact someone’s life?

Spoiler: YES!

🚀 The Journey with the Penguin#

My journey with GNU/Linux has been (and still is) one of those unforgettable adventures: full of challenges and rewards. If I had to sum it up in one sentence: hitting your head but with enthusiasm.

First Contact#

My first contact was way back (or not so long ago) in 2008, when I was 15.

I was using the classic Windows. At that age, I already enjoyed creating software. I had the need to feed my curiosity and unleash my creativity.

One day, during my online adventures, I came across a page titled Why switch to Linux (You can check it via a Wayback Machine snapshot).

It immediately sparked my curiosity, and I started digging deeper. I went to Ubuntu’s website and downloaded the ISO. It was Ubuntu 08.10 (someone said Bbuntu?!?). Initially, it was a so-called BdS (Bloodbath), I couldn’t understand much, but curiosity pushed me forward (thanks to documentation, websites, and a lot of trial and error).

Distro Hopping and Twists#

The more I explored, the more I realized that besides Ubuntu, there was a whole world of “Distributions.”

That’s how I started the almost semi-infinite “distro hopping.”

Wait, this is a Debian!?!#

I landed on Debian. The usual bloodbaths, things not working, repos to enable, and other strange stuff. I started with stable, then testing, and finally Sid. I loved the project’s philosophy: “The universal operating system” (fully embracing the pure free software philosophy).

Anyone got hats?#

Since I was still in the distro hopping loop, I tried Fedora. Nice distro, things worked pretty well out-of-the-box, and having up-to-date software thrilled me. Initially, I was a bit wary of rpm and the yum package manager (coming from deb-based distributions).

Becoming an archer takes time (and patience)#

Later, thanks to a dear friend I met at a Linux Day, I tried ArchLinux. That’s where the quantum leap happened—the most beautiful bloodbath I could ever experience.
Its philosophy and “do it yourself” approach taught me a lot. In short: I use Arch, I have no life (but it was fun). I recommend everyone try it at least once—it changes you inside. Becoming an archer is hard (but fun).
I really appreciated the documentation and AUR, impossible to find in other distributions.

What do I use now?#

For a few years, I’ve been using openSUSE Tumbleweed alongside Fedora, a rolling distro that combines Fedora’s features (rpm-based) with ArchLinux’s (rolling release). I plan to write a post to explain why openSUSE TW impressed me.

✨ How has it changed my life?#

GNU/Linux has given me opportunities!

Opportunities#

It allowed me to:

discover the world of free/libre software, opensource, opendata, copyleft, and hacker culture.
deepen knowledge in software development, system architecture, networking, and various tools I probably wouldn’t have explored without GNU/Linux.
develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills thanks to technical challenges of the system.
work in IT (knowing GNU/Linux and everything around it is essential).
develop awareness about cybersecurity.
meet new people and communities.
HAVE A LOT OF FUN.

ℹ️ Conclusions#

All of this has undeniably changed me. I could say that without GNU/Linux and everything around it, I would be a different person today, with different passions and ways of thinking.

I can’t repay what it gave me, but I feel compelled to share the recognition I have for it.

Probably GNU/Linux is not for everyone—it has only 2% desktop usage—but I don’t care. What matters to me is the value each individual can bring to the community.

Here are some links for further reading:

Finally, here’s a fun parody video by SUSE about the legendary Linus Torvalds (and our community).