Another thing to consider with Linux that will feel counter-intuitive to new Linux users, is: don’t buy the newest models of hardware. Linux drivers are created differently than Linux. Sometimes it can take a while for drivers to appear in the kernel for hardware. Buying a previous year’s hardware will not only be cheaper, but will likely be much better supported by Linux as well. Let someone else pay for the R&D costs of the newest equipment—the previous year’s model will still be a performance boost compared to your old equipment, and it will work better too.
The next big thing is to fully commit to Linux on that particular machine. Avoiding parallel installs with Linux & Windows also solves a big chunk of beginner problems. If you need Windows, use a separate machine for it.
There are may ways to get hardware working. Experienced Linux users can safely disregard my advice above, because they will have the experience to work around these roadblocks. But even though I wouldn’t consider myself a beginner anymore, I still follow my own advice. Too many people new to Linux take whatever old hardware they have, and expect it to work flawlessly, without fully considering the level of compatibility of the hardware.
Having a good hardware foundation is essential to having a problem-free Linux experience.
