Key Takeaways
  • Ubuntu’s window-snapping feature is similar to Windows, making multitasking efficient.
  • The Ubuntu Software Center is comparable to the Microsoft Store, with easy app installation.
  • Ubuntu feels like a blend of macOS and Windows, offering a customizable dock and menu bar.


My everyday operating system is Windows 11, and I occasionally dip in and use macOS and ChromeOS. As a tech and how-to writer, enjoying other operating systems is the responsible thing to do, and not just one all the time. Yet one OS that I’ve always been reluctant to use is Linux. I was always “afraid” of it, thinking it was too technical and nothing like Windows or macOS, but recently, I spent a good week with it as my daily operating system for the first time.



More specifically, I chose the daily driver Ubuntu 23.04 on a low-powered Geekmon mini PC with an Intel Celeron Processor and 8GB of RAM. Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distros, and after a week of using it, I can see why. I learned a lot and saw a lot of comparisons between Windows, macOS, and the other operating systems that I’ve come to know and love.


1 I love the window-snapping feature


It’s a lot like Windows


One thing I do a lot on Windows is snap my open windows side by side. I do this so I can multitask efficiently. Little did I know that Ubuntu has a similar feature. Using the same keyboard shortcut I have on Windows (Superkey left, right, up, and down), I can move my windows around the screen efficiently using my keyboard or just drag the window far to the right or the left to stack it. Not even macOS has this feature by default. What’s even better is that, just like on Windows, Ubuntu shows a neat little translucent animation showing where Windows can go. It’s a small thing, but talk about neat!


2 The Ubuntu Software Center is cool


Just like the Microsoft Store


One misconception many people (including myself) have about Ubuntu and Linux is that there are not many great apps you can try out compared to Windows. Downloading those apps is tricky since you’ll have to use the terminal. Well, I quickly discovered that isn’t necessarily true. Just like on Windows and the Microsoft Store, I could find, update, and install apps through the Ubuntu Software Center. I found my favorites, like Telegram, Slack, and even an archive manager. Additional apps like Microsoft Edge were also available for me to install manually as a . DEB file, which just involves double-clicking to install, like an EXE.


3 It feels like a blend between macOS and Windows


Yes, to the almighty dock


I love using macOS because of the dock and the menu bar at the top of the screen. It’s nifty to have my favorite apps within reach at the bottom of the screen, and a menu bar at the top with the date and time, and even my active notifications. Windows, meanwhile, has a nifty start Menu in the center of the screen and a Start Button to get to where I need.

Ubuntu blends both of those and seems like a combination of the experience with macOS and Windows. I can move the dock to the bottom of the screen (just like it is in macOS), keep my favorite apps pinned there, and even see all my apps with the Show Apps button as if I pressed the Start Button on Windows. There are many other ways to customize Ubuntu too if I want, but even these basics are fine for someone like me.

If I needed help with something, a thread was there for it



I’m not too technical when it comes to Linux, and I’m slowly learning the ropes. But one thing that I figured out is that there’s a lot of community support around Linux. If I ever run into an issue doing something in the terminal, like mounting drives, there’s a guide in the Ubuntu Forums for that. It makes sense, too, since Linux is open source and built around the community, but it is a familiar feeling. It’s like this with Windows since Microsoft has the Microsoft Community.


5 My work is web-based


And I could use Microsoft Edge

Coming from Windows, the browser I use every day is Microsoft Edge. While Firefox is bundled in with Ubuntu, it is possible to install alternate browsers just like on Windows. Chrome is available for those who might be familiar with ChromeOS, and Microsoft Edge is available for those like me who come from Windows. My work is web-based and is often tied to these browsers, so even though my operating system is different when switching to Linux, it doesn’t matter much. The OS can still host the web browsers I need the most since my work is all online-based.


I might just stick around


I’ve only had a week with Ubuntu, but I already love it. It might take a lot to get me to switch over from Windows full-time, but Ubuntu is growing on me. It has a nice user interface, is home to a lot of great apps, works great with Chrome and Firefox, and is backed by a huge community. It might not be ChromeOS, Windows or macOS, but it sure is a lot like it, for me at least.


** (Disclaimer: This video content is intended for educational and informational purposes only) **

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