I have returned to using Linux, specifically Ubuntu 11.10, on my main laptop.
For the last couple of months I have been switching between Windows 7 and Linux but could not settle on one or the other for a number of reasons. Windows is “the standard” and most of the applications that I want use run on it with no problems. However it is a bit boring and and not so good for software development. I have also had many problems with long startup times and lots of disk thrashing.
I love to use Linux but some of my favorite applications are not available, specifically My Life Organised and Evernote. I have now solved the first by switching (again!) to Toodledo for my “Todo List” and Evernote is now usable with the web interface and the web clipping add-on for Firefox.
Part of the reason for deciding on Linux was reading an article (which I now can’t find to reference) about how you learn so much more by using Linux than you do by using Windows. I have found this to be the case myself. For example, I brought a QNAP NAS a couple of weeks ago and last night spent some time using the rsync man pages to setup a backup mechanism for the laptop. It was very satisfying to do this myself rather than “cutting and pasting” a solution from a post on the Internet.
So, at least for now, I am back to enjoying Linux 🙂