Life and Linux
In late 2023, I read that Microsoft would end support for Windows 10 in October 2025. Normally, that would just mean a routine upgrade. But this time, it wasn’t so simple. My perfectly good computers weren’t supported by Windows 11.
Perfectly good devices, suddenly declared obsolete. What was Microsoft thinking?
Instead of surrendering to forced obsolescence, I started looking for alternatives. That search led me into the world of Linux. At first, I was skeptical. Could an open-source operating system really replace what I’d relied on for decades? I watched videos, read articles, and finally installed Linux on a single laptop, just to see if it was viable.
Long story short: I never looked back. Today, every device in our home runs one of several Linux operating systems.
But that’s not the whole story. Not by a long shot.
What began as a practical decision became something deeper. Linux wasn’t just an escape from big tech’s control. It was a doorway to healing, introspection, and freedom. In unexpected ways, it has been almost a spiritual journey.
Over time, I realized that what I was really reclaiming wasn’t just old hardware, but something more personal:
Agency: I wasn’t locked into someone else’s system of rules. I could rebuild on my own terms.
Resilience: Every time I broke a system and had to start over, I learned. The command line became a place to practice patience and persistence.
Growth: What started as a reaction to events outside of my control turned into a journey based on curiosity and a desire to learn.
In my first video, Life, Linux and Resilience, I talk about how the command line itself became more than a technical tool. It became a metaphor for resilience and a reminder that progress is an ongoing process, not a final destination.
This post is part of that larger story. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing pieces of this journey; not as how-to guides, but as reflections on how technology can become a mirror for self-discovery and personal growth.
If technology can frustrate us, maybe it can also teach us. That’s the journey I invite you to share, here in these posts, and in the videos that follow.
About the Author
Rod Price has spent his career in human services, supporting mental health and addiction recovery, and teaching courses on human behavior. A lifelong seeker of meaning through music, reflection, and quiet insight, he created Quiet Frontier as a space for thoughtful conversation in a noisy world.