A Guide to Desktop Linux in 2025
A Guide to Desktop Linux in 2025
What Most of Your Penguin Friends Won't Tell You
About the Book
Perhaps you've heard of Linux before. Maybe you know it as that operating system for computer wizards with the cute penguin mascot. While that characterisation isn't completely wrong, Linux is not just for the computer wizards. So many more people, of all stripes, use it on their desktops than you might imagine.
If you're wondering if you'll fit in among this crowd, don't worry! Linux is for everyone. Whether you're an accountant or a visual novel fanatic, you can keep doing what you love on your computer with Linux.
Whether you're worried Windows no longer has your best interests at heart, or you're just plain curious, this guide will help you get up and running while avoiding all of the usual potholes and footguns along the way.
If you tried Linux a long time ago, you'll be glad to know all aspects of the desktop have only gotten better over time. You might not even recognise it!
It's not 1998 anymore. It's been over 30 years since Linux was first released, and the Linux Desktop has undergone seismic shifts in usability and capability over the years. This book is designed for the modern age and helps you take advantage of all the latest technology available for desktop Linux. Even if you've used Linux before, things have changed a lot in just the last few years.
That's not to say the Linux Desktop isn't as quirky as it has ever been, but the jankiness has been sanded off in many areas. There's plenty you can do on Linux, and yet it would be a lie to say there isn't a cost to that freedom most of your penguin friends aren't forthcoming about. This guide acknowledges the limitations of the Linux world and doesn't try to hide them from you.
In this book, you'll find chapters about:
- getting your new Linux distribution setup on your computer
- providing step-by-step guidance for installation, software compatibility,
- gaming, and productivity
- exploring the history of desktop Linux
- the bright yet uncertain future of Linux
Buy this book now and dip your toes into the weird and wonderful world of Desktop Linux. Just don't blame me when your house starts filling up with penguin plushies and red hats.
Causes Supported

Electronic Frontier Foundation
Defending your civil liberties in a digital world.
https://www.eff.org/Based in San Francisco, EFF is a donor-supported membership organization working to protect fundamental rights regardless of technology.
The Leanpub 60 Day 100% Happiness Guarantee
Within 60 days of purchase you can get a 100% refund on any Leanpub purchase, in two clicks.
Now, this is technically risky for us, since you'll have the book or course files either way. But we're so confident in our products and services, and in our authors and readers, that we're happy to offer a full money back guarantee for everything we sell.
You can only find out how good something is by trying it, and because of our 100% money back guarantee there's literally no risk to do so!
So, there's no reason not to click the Add to Cart button, is there?
See full terms...
Earn $8 on a $10 Purchase, and $16 on a $20 Purchase
We pay 80% royalties on purchases of $7.99 or more, and 80% royalties minus a 50 cent flat fee on purchases between $0.99 and $7.98. You earn $8 on a $10 sale, and $16 on a $20 sale. So, if we sell 5000 non-refunded copies of your book for $20, you'll earn $80,000.
(Yes, some authors have already earned much more than that on Leanpub.)
In fact, authors have earnedover $14 millionwriting, publishing and selling on Leanpub.
Learn more about writing on Leanpub
Free Updates. DRM Free.
If you buy a Leanpub book, you get free updates for as long as the author updates the book! Many authors use Leanpub to publish their books in-progress, while they are writing them. All readers get free updates, regardless of when they bought the book or how much they paid (including free).
Most Leanpub books are available in PDF (for computers) and EPUB (for phones, tablets and Kindle). The formats that a book includes are shown at the top right corner of this page.
Finally, Leanpub books don't have any DRM copy-protection nonsense, so you can easily read them on any supported device.
Learn more about Leanpub's ebook formats and where to read them