AGREED! When I first switched to Linux, I was trying so much to continue using some of my favorite Windows software, and was able to use some of it in Wine. But the apps I really wanted to run, I couldn't!
I then later discovered that Wine sucked, and that there was no point, it was never going to work for me no matter what I did. Once I accepted that, I went to look for other ways to achieve my software goals.
And that is when I discovered the software store. Ohhhhh boy did I find that extremely handy. Keep in mind, I was a Windows7 user previously, there was no such thing as the Microsoft store like you've all had in Windows10.
So, me having an old school experience, I knew that all software had to be searched for on the net, downloaded, and installed, all done via a manual process, nothing was at my fingertips.
Now yes, of course, lots of software you would buy in your local computer store, or online for Windows as well and install it yet. But there was nothing like the software store back then. Like I said, lots changed since I was on Windows 7, and even earlier distro's like Windows XP, and further on back.
I couldn't believe all the free software available from the Zorin Linux software store! I was like, no way! It took me some time to figure out what software was alternatives for Windows versions, software like Gimp and Kdenlive for example, but once I figured it out, it opened a new world to me.
And then, soon later, I discovered Synaptic Package Manager. Its like taking the software store, and upgrading it to 2.0 UNLIMITED POWER status! I also sware by the Synaptic Package Manager myself, I think it is the best.
Keep in mind I was still new to Linux at the time and didn't quite understand the whole repo thing. Its like, repo whats that, are the Linux God's going to repo my computer? I did not understand it until I learned terminal apt install.
You see, the terminal is fully capable of doing everything Synaptic Package Manager can. The thing that makes terminal PITA, is that you have to get the syntax correctly, and have no typo's, otherwise it will fail every time.
Sometimes however, I find that if I type something wrong in terminal but its close enough, terminal will spit out, hey, did you mean this? Well this is what you need to do to achieve that!
Well, once I started installing some software via terminal, I began to click the dots. I was like ok wait, so the reason I can install software like magic with a terminal code, software that I know is not currently on the computer at the moment, is because its coming from a repo.
But then I was like, well, hold on, but the repo is not on my machine right, otherwise my hard drive would be completely filled with who knows how many TB of software in the repo. Then I began connecting the next set of dots.
I was like, hold on, so when I add a sources list, is that a lot like taking a snapshot image of my hard drive? So a sources list repository PPA is like a snapshot, it tells my computer what software is available and where it is.
So that when I input an apt install command, it knows what server the software is stored on, goes to it, grabs it, and then installs it. Once I finished connecting the dots, I then realized how much better Linux was then Windows.
There is nothing like that high feeling that you feel, once you realize how much better software installation is on Linux over that of Windows, when you've been a Windows user for so many years of your life.
Then it makes you look back at Microsoft with that look on your face that says, ya Microsoft, did you know about this? Why in the flying monkey's circus, have you been making me work so dang hard to install software?
Anyways, thats my story, well, at least part of my story, in what I felt, switching to Linux my first few months in.
