A lot of people come to Linux because they think it's magic, but they also make a lot of mistakes. Here are some things you want to avoid if you want to get the most out of Linux.
Thinking Linux is just a replacement for Windows
A lot of new users come to Linux because they dislike aspects of Windows. That's fine, but trying to recreate the old Windows experience is a fool's errand. Unix-like systems, including Linux, are their own thing, and the sooner you realize this, the more you'll be able to get out of them.
The Unix philosophy is one reason that Linux is the way it is. Historically, everything is a (plain text) file. This makes Linux easy to program for and one reason that you shouldadd Linux in some form to your mix of software if you're even halfway serious about coding.
Trying to use Linux as a replacement for Windows is only going to lead to frustration.
Thinking Linux is all or nothing
If you're just starting out in Linux, you might be tempted to think you should do everything in it. I think that's a laudable goal, especially if you're using Linux for its strengths in networking and programming. If you're learning to code, the best environment to do so is Linux. Many servers also run Linux, including the vast majority of web servers, so knowledge of Linux will help if you're seriously thinking of pursuing a career in IT.
If you still find yourself dipping into Windows viadual booting,WSL, orvirtual machines, you shouldn't feel guilty about doing so. Linux seems unique in the community's efforts toward interoperability. You can have the powerful software environment of Linux while still being able to run your favorite games or other software, no matter the method.
Configuring and breaking everything
A major contrast between Windows and Linux is the way the latter exposes the system's inner workings to sophisticated users through configuration files that can be examined with a standard text editor. Unfortunately, this also leads less-experienced users to break their new systems by getting overly aggressive with tinkering.
This might still be an important rite of passage in Linux. Some lessons might have to be learned the hard way. Tweaking can seem like touching a hot stove. I made my share of mistakes in my early experiences with Linux, mainly through trying to compile my own kernels (something that was a necessity in the early years of Linuxbut less so now). It was a fun experiment, and I was ecstatic when my custom kernel finally booted.
While you should feel free to experiment with Linux, keep in mind that there's often only so much you can do. A lot of perceived performance improvements can be just that, perceived. There might be a placebo effect to a lot of tweaks. In any case, you should back up important files, especially system configuration files.
Getting into pointless fights
Fanboyism seems irritating for any technology, including smartphones and video game consoles. These kinds of fights also come to Linux. It might be magnified with Linux because it has a self-conscious ideology of free and open source software that seems to inspire a moralizing attitude in some of its users.
Another reason might be due to the wide choice it offers users. While there's only one version of Windows, there are many distros of Linux to choose from. This is enough of a barrier for many potential users, but there is also a wide array of desktop environments, text editors, utilities, and so on. They're different from each other, and the choice of one tool is often a statement on how you like to work and your sense of taste. With the anonymity that online discussion offers, it's no surprise that things can get heated.
I have my reasons for using certain programs. Vim is my editor of choice partly because it was the first "classic" Unix editor (even though Vim originated on the Amiga) I used, and I'm still the most familiar with it. I alsoprefer my editor to just be an editor. Other people will have their reasons for doing things the way they want to do them on their machines. You can spell out your reasons, but give other people the same grace to make their own decisions. That's the beauty of Linux and other Unix-like systems. You can tailor your environment the way you want it.
Going it alone
The best thing about Linux is its community support. If you're having an issue, chances are someone else has dealt with the same thing and has worked out a solution. Since the source code is open, developers can fix issues quickly. You don't have to tear your hair out on some problem trying to fix it yourself.
This support also extends offline. When I was getting started in Linux, in-person user groups were a bigger deal than they are now. Then and now, it's fun to meet other people using this weird operating system. Once a month, I would hop on a BART train and head out to San Francisco's Chinatown to eat Chinese food and hear talks from prominent Linux developers at theBay Area Linux Users Group (BALUG). I have a lot of fond memories of those days.
Not having fun with it
Maybe you're learning Linux because you're looking to boost your job prospects, or you're taking a course, or maybe you think you have to because you're a developer. While these are good reasons, it's going to be hard to stick with Linux if you're not enjoying it. More people use Linux and other Unix systems because they're fun to play with than they might want to admit.
The best way to learn about Linux is to use it. A lot of apparently aimless wandering of the directory tree or reading manual pages of unfamiliar commands will pay off in the long run. This is what's made me a fluent Linux command line user over the years. You can do it too.
It's easy to make mistakes when you're first getting acquainted with Linux. Fortunately, when you're aware of them, you can also avoid them.
