Going back to Linux on desktop, finally
Following a definitely-not-on-a-whim purchase of a new GPU, I decided it was time to fold back into the Linux ecosystem after a couple years off. This time I feel like I've got a better understanding of how computing should work for me. My drives are wiped, begrudging Linux + Windows (audible groan) dual boot is set up, we're back.
Last time I was daily driving Arch, i3wm, and an NVIDIA GPU. I was at the point where I couldn't really bring myself to look at more config files, code, or sysadmin stuff after a full day of work also looking at config files and code. This was definitely self-inflicted, I could have totally not used Arch... and bought an AMD GPU... but that wasn't fun at the time and prices were "fine". Tinkering and ricing was a bit of a hobby, and I think I'd just had enough. I applied a fuck it adjustment and went all in on Apple, it's cliche but it sure as shit just works.
Fast-forward... 3-4 years(?), I've installed Fedora Workstation 44 after picking up a Sapphire Pulse 9070 XT. It's a significant departure from my reflex choice of plain Arch + NVIDIA. I'm surprised I didn't follow the herd and go into CachyOS either (I intend to game on Fedora, I foresee Cachy as another tinker-hell Arch flavour), I think I've been scarred a little too much from Arch... Fedora seems like a good middle-ground, and it gives me enough batteries to be productive and get out of the way. Gnome 50 looks fantastic, though it will be a learning curve to get the hang of this. Nothing is asking me to sign in, things aren't installed silently in the background, and all my hardware just works (mostly thanks to the AMD GPU honestly). It's so calming to be back on Linux, there is no bullshit here. I shouldn't have left for so long.