A Guide to Desktop Linux in 2025: What Most of Your Penguin Friends Won't Tell You

James North

Sep 2025 · Evolve Global Publishing

About this ebook

Perhaps you've heard of Linux before. Maybe you know it as that operating system for computer wizards with the cute penguin mascot. While that characterisation isn't completely *wrong*, Linux is not just for the computer wizards. So many more people, of all stripes, use it on their desktops than you might imagine.

If you're wondering if you'll fit in among this crowd, don't worry! Linux is for everyone. Whether you're an accountant or a visual novel fanatic, you can keep doing what you love on your computer with Linux.

Whether you're worried Windows no longer has your best interests at heart, or you're just plain curious, this guide will help you get up and running while avoiding all of the usual potholes and footguns along the way.

It's not 1998 anymore. It's been over 30 years since Linux was first released, and the Linux Desktop has undergone seismic shifts in usability and capability. This book is designed for the modern age and helps you take advantage of all the latest technology available for desktop Linux. Even if you've used Linux before, things have changed *a lot* in just the last few years.

That's not to say the Linux Desktop isn't as quirky as it has ever been, but the jankiness has been sanded off in many areas. There's plenty you can do on Linux, and yet it would be a lie to say there isn't a cost to that freedom most of your penguin friends aren't forthcoming about. This guide acknowledges the limitations of the Linux world and doesn't try to hide them from you.

In this book, you'll find chapters about:

- getting your new Linux distribution setup on your computer

- providing step-by-step guidance for installation, software compatibility, gaming, and productivity

- exploring the history of desktop Linux

- the bright yet uncertain future of Linux

Buy this book now and dip your toes into the weird and wonderful world of Desktop Linux. Just don’t blame me when your house starts filling up with penguin plushies and red hats.

About the author

James North started using Linux on his desktop in 2020, becoming concerned about the privacy he was giving up by using Windows. It wasn't an easy transition, but James' curiosity kept him on the path to learning how to use Linux, and along the way, he learned far more about computers in general.

James is the lead UI designer for Evolvepreneur.app, and has become responsible for administering some of the servers for the company thanks to his knowledge of Linux.

He occasionally posts his writing to his blog, which is hosted at jamesnorth.net

He hosts a wiki about visual novels at wiki.vncompat.org

His free software tools including mkshousetsu and feedhook can be found on SourceHut: https://sr.ht/~jamnor/