Linux, the kernel designed and built by Linus Torvalds, is the bearer of the World, with its capacity and availability on web servers. Haven’t looked at it, but probably even Microsoft’s official website is hosted on a Linux server too. So, Linux is the initial part of the web, programming and stuff. Yet, people started using Linux more than usual; as daily driver and gaming. Especially after Microsoft’s Recall program (even though it is stored locally), people were skeptical on Microsoft products and they ditched it.

But, it looks like people try to use Linux to postpone productive duties. But is it really productive? I’ve seen a lot of people who are using Chrome, Word etc. productivity tools that can be runned in any decent computer (like an i3, and 8 GB ram computer), they also use Linux under the name of productivity. But nobody talks about the problem of the ricing and trying out. While Linux community try to find best ricing to be more productive, someone on a regular Windows 11 can basically get the job done.

The Rabbit Hole#

Linux is not one thing. That’s the best part and the worst part. You start innocent:

• “I’ll just install it.”
• “I’ll just set up my drivers.”
• “I’ll just pick a distro.”

Then suddenly you’re in a situation where you know the difference between 11 window managers you never needed, and you’re arguing with strangers about whether you should use Wayland or X11 like it’s a life philosophy. And the biggest trap is: it feels productive. Because you’re “improving your system.” You’re “optimizing your workflow.” You’re “removing bloat.” You’re “learning.” But what actually happened?

• You spent 6 hours to save 0.6 seconds on opening a terminal.
• You broke something that worked yesterday.
• You wrote 200 lines of config to avoid clicking one button.
• You made a beautiful desktop… to open the same browser and the same docs again.

This is why ricing is dangerous: it’s productivity postponing. It’s “work-adjacent” activity that looks like progress, tastes like progress, and produces almost nothing. The output is not a finished essay, not a shipped project, not a submitted assignment. The output is a screenshot of your desktop. And don’t get me wrong: ricing is fun. It’s literally a hobby. But calling it productivity is like calling “cleaning your keyboard with a toothbrush” a business strategy.

“Privacy Matter”, Really?#

I get it. Privacy matters. But we need to be honest about something: Most people don’t have a privacy strategy. They have a privacy aesthetic. Because if you’re saying “I switched to Linux for privacy” but:

• you use banks,
• you use a phone that tracks location all day,
• you use Google services like Gmail,
• you use Apple devices,
• you log into apps with real identity,
• you live in cities with cameras,
• you have government records everywhere.

…then privacy is not a Linux install away. Privacy is not a checkbox. It’s not “Windows bad, Linux good.” It’s threat model + habits + trade-offs. Also: Linux doesn’t auto-delete tracking from the internet. Your browser can still track you. Websites still fingerprint you. Your accounts still exist. Your data still sits in systems that aren’t yours. So the real question isn’t “Is Linux private?” It’s: What are you actually trying to protect, from whom, and at what cost? If you can’t answer that, “privacy” becomes a vibe you use to justify tinkering. And the funniest part is: many people who scream privacy still carry their whole life in:

• one email account,
• one phone,
• one cloud,
• one messaging app,
• and 40 services connected to it.

So yes. Privacy matters. But “I installed Linux” is not privacy. It’s step zero at best.

What to Do?#

Here’s the sane way to look at it. Use Linux when you actually need Linux (servers, dev environments, specific tooling), you have an old laptop and want to revive it, you’re learning for a reason (career, skills, school), you want a stable minimal setup and you can stop yourself from tweaking it every night. And if you use Linux as a daily driver, do this:

1. Pick one distro and stop browsing. “Distro hopping” is just procrastination with better branding.
2. Pick one desktop environment and stop redesigning your whole personality weekly.
3. Timebox customization. Example: one evening per month. Not every evening.
4. Keep one default workflow. If it works, don’t touch it.
5. Treat ricing like gaming. Fun? Sure. Productivity? No.

Because Linux can be productive. But only if you stop treating the OS like the main project of your life.

Windows is enough.#

For most people, Windows is enough, like, genuinely. If what you do is writing, researching, spreadsheets, presentations, browsing, emails, meetings, or coding, Windows can do it, and it usually does it with less friction for mainstream tools. People love to act like using Windows means you’re “less technical,” but no, it just means you value output over setup. Windows 11 is basically installing app, opening app and doing task, while Linux can be installing app, fixing dependency, fixing repo, fixing audio, and it’s midnight. Sure, Linux can be smooth too, but often only after you already did the part where it wasn’t. So if your goal is productivity, the harsh truth is the boring option is often the productive option.

Conclusion#

Linux is powerful. Linux is important. Linux is everywhere. Even Microsoft has a Linux distro. But for a lot of people, Linux is also a perfect productivity escape hatch:

• It gives you infinite things to tweak.
• It makes you feel like you’re improving your life.
• It turns your workflow into a never-ending “setup phase.”

If you need Linux, use it and respect it. If you’re using Linux mainly to avoid doing your actual work, at least be honest: you didn’t install an OS. You installed a distraction with extra steps. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is:

• stop tweaking,
• open the boring tool,
• and finish the thing.