Do’s & Don’ts
These aren’t any new rules you need to follow exclusively for Linux; they’re just basic things that apply to every OS.
Do's:
Ask for help in your distro’s community: If you run into some issues and can’t find a solution for them, you should try asking in the distro’s subreddit or forums. Almost all communities will gladly help you if you provide the relevant details about your issues. Just avoid asking ‘How do I fix this?’ with no clear indication of what the issue is, that’s annoying. Just provide relevant details like a log.
Use the terminal: For someone who hasn’t used a terminal before, it might seem a bit scary or overwhelming at first, but it really isn’t. You don’t have to memorize everything or force yourself to use it, just start with something basic like updating the system or editing a file. Often, the terminal allows you to do things faster and more efficiently. As you get more comfortable, just start learning new commands.
Read the documentation. If you want to know how to install or configure certain apps but don’t know how, you should read the distro’s wiki. Often, it will have a detailed explanation of what to do, how to do it, and even troubleshooting steps. If you can’t find it on your distro’s wiki, try searching for it on the Arch Wiki. Even though it’s for Arch, most of the information applies to other distros as well, except for Arch specific stuff. The Arch Wiki is possibly the best wiki out there.
Have a backup: This one’s pretty self-explanatory. Every OS can break, so just have a backup in case things go south, so you have something to restore.
Keep your system updated: Update your system, as updates often contain bug fixes and improvements, so it’s a good idea to keep it updated. Linux won’t force you to update every time, you can choose when to update, but I wouldn’t recommend delaying it for more than a week. Also, most updates won’t require a reboot, so you can let it update while you do something else.
Don'ts:
Don’t expect it to be Windows. Linux is not Windows, so don’t expect it to be Windows. Treat it as a new learning experience. Things work much differently on Linux compared to Windows.
Don’t blindly copy commands. Just don’t run random commands from the internet without understanding what they do. Linux has few guardrails, so you might end up nuking your entire system or installing malware. While malware on Linux desktops is rare compared to Windows, it’s not impossible to get.
Don’t panic when things break. Things will break sometimes. Panicking won’t help. If you have a backup, you can restore your system to the previous working state.
Don’t ignore updates. Skipping updates can leave your system vulnerable to bugs and security issues. Regularly update your system and installed applications
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