OS Control
Your operating system is the foundation of everything. Every app you run, every file you save, every keystroke you type — it all passes through your OS. If your OS is spying on you, nothing else you do matters. You're building on quicksand.
Based on: PewDiePie's "I installed Linux (so should you)"
Why Your OS Matters
Think of your operating system like the walls and foundation of your house. You can install the fanciest locks (VPNs), put up the best curtains (privacy extensions), and hire a guard dog (antivirus) — but if the walls themselves have cameras built into them, you've already lost.
That's Windows. Microsoft's telemetry sends data about what you install, how you use your PC, what you search for, and — with Copilot and Recall — potentially screenshots of everything you do. You agreed to this in the Terms of Service that nobody reads. Windows also ships with ads in the Start Menu. Ads. In your operating system. The thing you paid money for.
PewDiePie put it simply: your OS should serve you, not spy on you. And so he switched to Linux — an open-source operating system where the code is public, there's no telemetry phoning home, no ads, no corporate overlord deciding what you can and can't install.
PewDiePie's Journey
He didn't go from Windows to Arch overnight. Nobody does. Here's the actual progression.
Windows (The Before Times)
Like most of us, PewDiePie used Windows for years. It worked. It ran his games. It ran Photoshop. He didn't think about it — which is exactly the point. Microsoft counts on you not thinking about it while they harvest your data and serve you ads in your own Start Menu.
Linux Mint (The Gateway)
His first Linux install was Linux Mint — the distro most people recommend for beginners, and for good reason. It looks like Windows, it works like Windows, and most things just work out of the box. This is now his daily desktop setup. He didn't abandon it for something "cooler" — he kept it because it works. That's the whole point.
Arch Linux + Hyprland (The Rabbit Hole)
Then he fell down the rabbit hole. On his laptop, he runs Arch Linux with Hyprland, a tiling window manager that looks like something out of a cyberpunk movie. This is the "ricing" setup — customizing every pixel of your desktop until it's uniquely yours. It's not necessary. It's not practical. It's incredibly fun. And once you learn it, you'll never go back to dragging windows around.
Arch on Steam Deck
Even his Steam Deck runs Arch (well, SteamOS is Arch-based). The point is: once you switch, it starts spreading to everything. Linux on the desktop, Linux on the laptop, Linux on the gaming handheld. The ecosystem makes sense once you're in it.
Distros: What Are They?
"Distro" is short for "distribution." Linux isn't one operating system — it's a kernel (the engine) that hundreds of different teams have built different operating systems on top of. Each one is called a distro. Think of it like this: Linux is the engine, and distros are different car models built around that engine.
Some are built for beginners, some for servers, some for security, and some for people who want to configure every single pixel on their screen. The beautiful part is you choose.
Linux Mint
Start here. Looks like Windows, feels like Windows, but without the spyware. Comes with everything pre-installed. Your grandma could use it (seriously). This is what PewDiePie uses on his main desktop.
Ubuntu / Pop!_OS
The other popular beginner choices. Ubuntu has the biggest community, so every problem you encounter has already been solved on a forum somewhere. Pop!_OS is great for gaming and Nvidia GPUs.
Arch Linux
You install everything yourself, piece by piece. You'll learn more about how a computer works in one Arch install than in years of using Windows. It's painful. It's beautiful. It's what PewDiePie runs on his laptop.
Desktop Environments vs. Tiling WMs
Once you pick a distro, you pick how your desktop looks and behaves. There are two philosophies here, and PewDiePie went through both.
Desktop Environments
Traditional desktops with a taskbar, system tray, and floating windows you drag around. Examples: Cinnamon (Linux Mint's default), GNOME, KDE Plasma.
Pros: Familiar. Works like Windows/Mac. Point and click everything. No config files to edit.
Cons: Uses more system resources. Less keyboard-driven. Some people find them boring (though KDE Plasma is insanely customizable).
Best for: People who want Linux without learning new habits.
Tiling Window Managers
Windows automatically tile and fill the screen. Everything is controlled by keyboard shortcuts. No taskbar, no system tray (unless you add one). Examples: Hyprland (what PewDiePie uses), i3, Sway.
Pros: Blazing fast. Uses almost no resources. Once you learn the keybinds, you'll never touch a mouse. Looks incredible when riced.
Cons: Steep learning curve. You configure everything in text files. You will break things. First week is painful.
Best for: People who want full control and don't mind the learning curve.
Honest Downsides
We promised honesty. Here's what sucks about switching to Linux.
Photoshop Alternatives Are... Not Great
GIMP exists. PhotoGIMP (a mod that makes GIMP look like Photoshop) exists. They're functional. They're also clunky, unintuitive, and will make you miss Photoshop daily if you're a serious user. Krita is good for digital art but it's not a Photoshop replacement. If Photoshop is your livelihood, this is a real problem. Some people run it in a VM or use Wine — results vary.
Anti-Cheat Games Don't Work
Valorant, Fortnite, Destiny 2, and many other online games with kernel-level anti-cheat simply refuse to run on Linux. Steam Deck and Proton have made huge progress for single-player games (most just work), but competitive multiplayer with anti-cheat is still a wall. If you play these games daily, you'll need a dual-boot setup or a Windows VM for gaming.
The Adobe Unsubscription Tax
Want to cancel Adobe Creative Cloud? That'll be roughly $65 in early termination fees. Adobe locks you into annual contracts disguised as monthly subscriptions. You'll pay this "freedom tax" on your way out the door. It's infuriating, it's by design, and it's worth paying to get out.
The Learning Curve Is Real
You will spend time in the terminal. Things will break and you'll have to fix them by reading forum posts. Your first week will involve a lot of Googling. This gets better fast, but the first few days can feel like learning to drive again.
Ready to Switch?
Start with Linux Mint. Seriously. Don't let anyone tell you to start with Arch. Get comfortable, then go deeper.
Guide: Install Linux
Step-by-step guide to installing Linux Mint. From downloading the ISO to your first boot. Written for people who've never touched a terminal.
Guide: Rice Your Desktop
Fell down the rabbit hole? Good. Here's how to set up a tiling window manager, customize your bar, terminal, and make your desktop look like it belongs in a cyberpunk movie.