chore(docs): linux op-ed

docs/articles/linux-isnt-for-nerds-anymore.md

@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# Opinion: It's 2024 and Linux Isn't Just for Nerds Anymore
+
+Linux was once, and to some extent, still is, considered an operating system meant only for tech-savvy individuals and computer enthusiasts.
+But, the truth is, Linux is now more user-friendly and easy to use than ever, and there are plenty of reasons you might want to replace Windows
+with an alternative operating system.
+
+## The Rise of User-Friendly Linux Distributions
+
+An incredible amount of effort has gone towards making Linux easy to use for everyone, even beginners who aren't comfortable
+using the terminal or command line interfaces. Fedora, Mint, Manjaro, and Pop!\_OS (my personal go-to recommendation) are just a few
+of many examples of such distributions. Pop!\_OS comes with the Pop! Shop, a graphical software "store" (nearly all of the software there
+is free) from which you can install much of the software that basic users might need, without ever touching the command line.
+
+It's 2024 and today it's completely reasonable to use Linux without ever touching the terminal or any command line interface.
+
+## Gaming on Linux: A Massive Leap Forward
+
+In just the past few years, Valve's development of [Proton](https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton) has made incredible progress
+for making gaming on Linux incredibly seamless. Simply [enable Steam Play](https://steamcommunity.com/games/221410/announcements/detail/1696055855739350561)
+in the Steam client for Linux, and tens or hundreds of thousands of titles will "just work" on Linux.
+
+Anecdotally, I've been gaming on Linux exclusively, both on desktop and [Steam Deck](https://store.steampowered.com/steamdeck) (the world's greatest
+portable gaming device) for several years now, and I can probably count on one hand the number of games I wanted to play that I couldn't get working
+on Linux.
+
+## A Friendlier Alternative to Microsoft's Windows
+
+It seems like almost a weekly occurance now that I see some tech news article about a new place that Microsoft has managed to
+shove ads into the Windows interface; the [start menu](https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/24/24138949/microsoft-windows-11-start-menu-ads-recommendations-setting-disable),
+[system notifications](https://web.archive.org/web/20231118121625/https://old.reddit.com/r/assholedesign/comments/16opnfo/windows_11_gives_you_ads_as_notifications_in_the/),
+even _[full screen popup ads on your desktop!](https://www.extremetech.com/computing/microsoft-displaying-full-screen-windows-11-ads-in-windows-10)_
+
+With this knowledge, it will probably come as no surprise that Windows is spying on you in order to serve you these targeted ads; by default,
+Windows reports any time you launch an app to Microsoft via a "feature" called "Windows Activity History". In fact, there is so much of this
+type of spyware in Windows (what Microsoft calls "telemetry") that privacy tools like [NextDNS](https://nextdns.io/), a privacy and security
+enhancing DNS server, offer native Windows tracker blocking functionality.
+
+![NextDNS Windows Tracker Blocking](https://private-user-images.githubusercontent.com/8648891/325272446-fee6eda0-6380-4177-9c46-72f2c83cb9f4.png?jwt=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.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.nOAwvioiBn1Q_R5nfQSym9Z2NZ-UuZudqOlwBJkxxaE)
+
+The Free Software Foundation even has [a page dedicated to all the pieces of malware Microsoft has introduced as "features" to Windows over the years](https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/malware-microsoft.html).
+
+> "If you do want to clean your computer of malware, the first software to delete is Windows." - _The Free Software Foundation_
+
+Most Linux distrubutions, by contrast, give the user full freedom and control over their system; it doesn't abuse the user, doesn't spam them
+with ads on the desktop of their own computer, and doesn't share your app activity with Microsoft. It's important to note, however,
+that not all Linux distributions are created equal.
+
+For example, I highly recommend _against_ using Ubuntu, as the developer, Canonical,
+has lost user trust by behaving in a similar manner to Microsoft; the most infamous incident is a "feature" called
+[Amazon Lens](https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2012/11/how-to-install-a-dedicated-amazon-shopping-lens-in-ubuntu) that, by default,
+sends what you type into the system launcher (basically like Linux's version of the start menu) to Amazon. While I used to recommend
+Ubuntu as the best beginner-friendly Linux distribution, over the years I've changed my recommendation to [Pop!\_OS](https://pop.system76.com/).
+
+---
+
+It's clear that as we enter 2024 and beyond, Linux isn't just a niche operating system for nerds anymore.
+Today, there are plenty of beginner-friendly, very easy to use graphical Linux distributions to choose from
+to take back your freedom and privacy from Microsoft. You don't have to tolerate their abuse anymore; using Linux
+is easy, even for beginners.
+
+It's time to end your abusive relationship with Microsoft.