Why did I fall in love with Linux?

From a Broken Fan to a Free World

It all started with a piece of hardware. Not a programming book, not a classroom, not even a love for technology—a piece of hardware. I was just a 9-year-old kid with a second-hand computer and a busted CPU fan.

Every time I turned the system on, it survived ten to fifteen minutes before shutting itself off. I replaced the fan over and over, but the problem stayed. I honestly don’t know what was going through my mind at that age, but somehow I convinced myself that maybe the operating system was the problem. So I installed one of the early versions of OpenSUSE—without having the slightest idea what Linux even was.

After wrestling with the install, something strange happened: after ten minutes, the PC didn’t shut down. Fifteen minutes… then twenty-five… Half an hour.

Did it actually fix the problem? No. But the computer now ran thirty minutes instead of ten. And for a 9-year-old, that was a win. But something more important happened that day—a moment that introduced me to Linux and unknowingly set me on a path that would change my whole life.

Stories That Pulled Me Back to Linux

Years later, as a teenager, I started reading hacker stories. And they all had one thing in common: those mysterious people breaking into servers around the world were all Linux users. A dark terminal, fast typing, and a smirk of satisfaction.

I wanted to be like them. So I installed Linux again. And this time, the magic actually happened.

I realized I felt more at home. Coding felt easier. I could tweak anything I wanted. I didn’t feel like a user anymore—I felt like the owner. The OS wasn’t bossing me around; it was doing exactly what I told it to do.

A Freedom You Have To Feel

Linux isn’t just a tool for me—it’s a feeling.

When I’m on Windows, I don’t even feel like opening the terminal. First thing I install on Windows is WSL, just to bring back a small piece of that freedom.

But when I’m on Linux, I can finally breathe. Not oxygen—freedom. That “ahhh yes… I’m in control again” kind of breath.

I choose what gets installed, what doesn’t, how the system boots. I’m in the middle of everything. That’s real freedom—not a slogan, not marketing. Real, because you feel your choices matter, and the very fact that you can choose changes everything.

Linux: A Harsh but Kind Teacher

Linux is like learning a foreign language other than English. English is everywhere, so learning it is easier. But learning German or Spanish with zero background? That’s harder—and sometimes painful.

Linux is like that.

Every time I wanted to configure something, I had to learn. Read articles, edit config files, search forums, study documentation. And all of that made me smarter.

When I wanted to switch from VS Code to Neovim, I had to learn a bit of Lua to configure it. When I needed to deploy a project on a VPS, my comfort with Linux commands made it smooth and painless.

Everything in Linux sends you on a learning journey. And every time, I came back stronger, smarter, and even more attached to this free world.

The Terminal: Fear or Power?

For many people, the terminal is a scary black box. For me, it’s a loyal, trustworthy friend.

In the terminal, you understand the system, shape it, control it. It’s pure transparency and pure power. Nothing is hidden. Everything is right there for you to see. That’s what real control feels like.

My Favorite Distro: Arch

I’ve tried them all: Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Manjaro… But only one stayed with me: Arch Linux.

Why? Because with Arch, I’ve built my digital home from the ground up. I chose every package, every service, every tiny piece—even the color of my terminal. It’s like building a house brick by brick with your own hands. And nothing feels cooler than that.

Fedora? Respectable and ahead of its time. Ubuntu? No thanks.

The Hack That Kept Me in Linux

One of my first real hacking experiences happened on Kali. I picked up a simple tool, targeted my neighbor’s Wi-Fi, and after 6–7 hours… I cracked it.

It felt good—not because of free Wi-Fi—but because I realized I could understand a system, break it down, and achieve something through logic and persistence. Right then, I knew Linux would be a big part of my life.

Me and the Linux Community

For years I’ve felt like part of the Linux community. Here, people teach each other, help each other, and defend the freedom of software. I’ve always tried to share that feeling with others—telling them to try it, test it, learn it. Because once you taste it, you never want to leave.

Linux Isn’t Just a Tool. It’s a Philosophy.

Linux is, in a way, a fair dictatorship. Sure, it has strict rules—kernels have rules. But unlike giants like Microsoft, Apple, and the universally hated Google, Linux isn’t trying to control you. Its goal is freedom. On Linux, you are the real owner.

That’s what matters to me—not just open source, but responsibility, ownership, understanding.

And if someone says, “Dude just drop Linux already”?

I’d tell them:

For everyday simple stuff, sure, Windows is easier. But for someone who wants to understand the digital world behind the scenes, someone who wants control, someone who wants to learn and grow—

GNU/Linux isn’t just a tool. It’s the necessary choice.

This was my story—how I became a Linux person. Not just as an operating system, but as a friend, a teacher, and a world I genuinely love.

A world I always return to, because it teaches me something new every single time.