Reddit, which hosts the r/linux subreddit, is a for-profit company driven by growth and engagement, like other numerous other platforms in the corporate members. I imagine this is precisely the kind of tension that prompted OP to ask the question (but I’d happily let them clarify).

I’m arguing that discussion on r/linux if you are working for one of those corporations and want to discuss technical questions is not incoherent.

If you are though interested in Linux for the moral and ethical aspect then it is in direct conflict with the moral and ethical decisions that such platform took and keep to this day. Consequently using r/linux is a problem in one case, not in the other.

Does it make sense?

Trivial on Debian, see https://wiki.debian.org/NvidiaGraphicsDrivers

Source : been gaming nearly daily on Debian with 2080ti for years now. Sometimes also tinkering with local AI via containers.

I’m not sure where you get the “corporate conspiracy” part. Is anybody in 2025 still not understand that platforms do everything they can for their users to consume any content available there constantly in order to sell more advertising because that’s one of the most profitable business model? Isn’t that public knowledge? If it’s not public knowledge are you implying it is “secret” despite those very corporations precisely publicly (at least during shareholders meetings) claiming that their strategy is simultaneously user base growth AND user engagement? If so wouldn’t that be more ignorance that conspiracy?

Anyway, that’s not even my point, rather I was trying to say that it seems OP is interested in Linux for the ethical aspect whereas the corporations listed there are, by definition and by their legal mandate of being for-profit companies, participating in order to improve their bottom line.

Please let me know if I misunderstood your point and/or if I’m still unclear.

Ah nice, I was aware of the remote ML instance option but I didn’t know it was optional, i.e. if it’s there rely on it, if not still work. I thought it was either do ML locally ALL the time or do ML remotely all the time.

Is it just an optional ML endpoint on the NAS instance pointing to the ML only container on the more powerful machine on the same LAN?

Reminds me that now that all my data is processed (in particular the heavy ML part) I should move the resulting container data to my (much less powerful but always on) NAS.

Look at corporate members at https://www.linuxfoundation.org/about/members

There is a difference between Linux, the kernel, as a tool and free software the ideology. A lot of contributors to Linux are there for the money. They contribute resources, including money but also usually staff, without caring for abstract concepts like “freedom”, or they might even actively (arguably) work against it when they are strategically establishing walled gardens and exclusive stores.

So… I’m not saying that’s OK but I believe by confusing the ideology with the tool used for profit by gigantic corporations we are being unrealistic.

Honestly it is going to take you longer to read all answers here than try yourself!

Get an extra HD, even a slow external one if you must, put Linux on it, install Steam and some games, try, decide for yourself.

Overall yes you can work and play on Linux comfortably, I’ve been doing it for year. No you don’t need to be an expert to use Linux BUT it can be an amazing empowering moment to actually learn how a computer work BECAUSE you are free to do whatever you want with it. Just back up your data first THEN go nuts. Break stuff and learn, it’s even more fun than gaming.