I run XP12 on two PCs. The one in my 2nd home is my old PC (i7-6700K, 16GB RAM, GTX 1080) that I used before in my 1st home with W10 and P3D5. However I scrapped it because it was becoming too slow for me. So I installed Linux Mint and XP12 and use it with great satifaction in my 2nd home. I selected Linux Mint because it is said that Mint makes it easy for people coming from the Windows world like me.

 

In my 1st home the PC is much newer  (Ryzen 5900X, 32GB RAM, GTX 4070TI) and it used to be my W10 PC for P3D5 and MSFS2020. I installed a second M2 1TB and put Linux Mint at it together with XP12. On the old W10 partition there is now only XP12 and MSFS2020 installed. P3D5 was deleted by me.

This gives me the opportunity to compare XP12 under Linux Mint and under W10, depending which OS I select when booting. Under Linux XP12 is much faster and smoother with the result that I virtually only use XP12 under Linux Mint, especially when flying online at IVAO or Vatsim. Only from time to time I change to XP12 under W10 but virtually only to keep that installtion up to date.

On both XP12 installations (Mint and W10) here the following addons are installed. Toliss A321, A339 and FJS Q4XP, Better Pushpack, Simple Ground Equipent & Services, AutoDGS, AviTab, OpenGate and openSAM to mention the most used ones. Scenerywise the commercial addons for EGLL, EDDH, EDDS, EDDB as well as LSZH. All are working fine under W10 as well as Linux Mint.

 

 

The idea that Windows 11 is worse than Windows 10 is a myth. I haven't noticed any improvements or deterioration in the migration.

As I said before, I have always been a home user of FreeBSD and, to a lesser extent, Linux. I have worked almost my entire professional life with Oracle's Sun, and honestly, I have never had any problems with Windows.

Everyone should use whatever suits them best or whatever they like best, but I always recommend dual booting at home because, honestly, if you can choose, you can have the best of what each operating system has to offer.

 

12 hours ago, Aglos77 said:

The idea that Windows 11 is worse than Windows 10 is a myth. I haven't noticed any improvements or deterioration in the migration.

We had to revert back to windows 10 twice after windows 11 installed itself on the only windows machine (rog laptop) we have left, because it broke basic things. (Dont remember exactly what, but it basically went why doesnt x work any more, why doesnt y work any more, why doesnt z work any more - ok I'll take a look, because windows 11)

That laptop is scheduled to be upgraded to a top of the line 16" macbook pro in early February.

I believe some users also opt for Linux or MacOS to auto-restrict their access to other simulation platforms 🙂

That way they have to stick to X-Plane  🤪

I note the mine is better than yours syndrome starting to creep in - WIN v Linux. Put my prejudices up straight up about why Linux - simple WIN10 meant end of life for the installation in terms of support etc etc and MS then saying your PC is not suitable for WIN11. Having spent many dollars getting a very nice and reliable rig built (to my specs by the way) less than 2 years ago (To be able to run XP easily by the way) and then to be confronted with a gun at your head buy a new one or your done was not on my agenda when I could swap to a Linux system. Now If I was an MSFS or P3D user that may have been a real problem - but I am not so it was easy in that regard. That Linux compatibility was one reason I moved to XP anyway and while I really liked  P3D (it was used in the aviation professional training industry I was in before retiring)  it just did not do it anymore on a home based stand alone PC. I was glad to see the back of LM as well! and as for MSFS well the killer for me was simple, my internet connectivity and being reliant on a wireless system with Telco providers whose lack on support and interest in keeping rural folk happy is legendary in Australia so just could not run the deluxe streaming model that MS was offering with MSFS simple.  

Is Linux trouble free - yes if I am using it as a PC and not for flight simming, it runs all the software or apps I need or want and I have always appreciated its inbuilt security architecture. LInux's biggest drawback for probably a huge number of PC users was it was not GUI friendly in other words not bloated up over decades with software running GUI Windows interfaces. Terminal is just the same as CMD in Windows excepting a hell lot more complicated in some aspects but unbelievably efficient in others. To work it you basically have to learn the language of Linux and that I would appreciated is a major ask or no go for a lot of people. 

And yes it does run XP very well indeed with noticeable improvements in lots of areas not just FPS and load times. Is it better than MS well for me it is because it has given my PC a new lease of life and I can expect many many years of PC use at no extra cost. Sure quite a few probs getting stuff up and running but I recall similar probs with WIn10 when I first began to use that OS. (I still have a windows machine but it is a 15 year old HP desktop still running WIN 7 and chugs along without complaining as and when required). 

On 12/27/2025 at 8:57 PM, coastaldriver said:

...my understanding is the dual boot systems never seem to perform well.

Not true or you're confusing dual booting with virtual machines. "Dual booting" just means you get to switch tracks at boot in the bootloader (GRUB or whatever) between OS #1, OS #2 etc. Nothing more, nothing less. Each OS gets all the hardware access its drivers can provide.

 

On 12/27/2025 at 9:10 PM, coastaldriver said:

But I think there are some VR issues as well. 

OpenXR does not really work, but the route via SteamVR works just fine.

 

On 12/27/2025 at 9:26 PM, SayAgain said:

...and really of no benefit specific to XP.

Yes, there is. Loading times are measurably and reproducibly faster on Linux (at least with the ext4 filesystem).

Have got most if not all of my addons up and running in Linux. Only losses so far are older Carenado models (Not linux compatible) and a few XP12 addons that were private work. 

The only issues I have encountered which is frustrating is getting the AFL 350 King Air - installed - it is not the model which is Linux compatible but the installer process is diabolical and the help and instructions are so convoluted and arcane as to be useless. 

The only surprise and a negative has been the performance hit of a couple of the Thranda models - whereas say the Toliss airbuses will run nicely without issues at max sliders (and at 50 FPS) , the Thranda F33 Bonanza is an incredible VRAM hogm dropping the FPS down to the 30s but in so doing it is so bad it will only function (checking settings showed lurid warnings about the texture slider being too high for my system)  if I reset the texture slider to half then it is is sort of ok but I guess it is the textures and their size and number - just kills the GPU. 

FlywithLua does some weird stuff - moving what were perfectly good scripts to quarantine but then letting me unquarantine them and run them again which they do - go figure on that one!

Anyhow that is all worth mentioning at the moment - except for ORBX got their FTX Central operating as per their instructions and advice in fact it did its stuff very well however on the ORBX side of things it is locked out of half of my account for some reason best known to ORBX nor does it see the files I have already so see what they come up with oh and their support and help process is a bust via the web and just generates error messages - guess it is Xmas and nobody is home!

After 3 to 4 days of this stuff (diabolical installer problems mostly or getting the products unlocked. Seems every one has their favourite any piracy script (seen about 4 or 5 varieties so far)to get models activated and unlocked! The stuff you notice with Linux! Time to actually enjoy it again - oh and LittleNavMap works like a charm and their help for Linux via a clear and concise web page entry is the gold standard. LR need to do some work here me thinks or their help stuff for Linux is stuck in XP11 world.

Edited December 30, 2025Dec 30 by coastaldriver

Update - latest kernel and OS w LinuxMint Cinnamon. XP on second drive - Linux installtion. No issues at all even in beta mode. Little NavMap, Live Traffic Avitab FWLua, SGES and CIVA INS all operational and functional. No scenery issues encountered - default or addon. Linux runs consistently faster with about 60% FPS increase. Graphics are basically at max settings on a NVIDIA RTX 2070 Super. AA some are not so good but that is in the model no XP textures are good - AA not an issue crisp and defined. Summary - got a stable fast sim experience - thats all you want!

Only issue is a couple of payware models were not Linux compatible, Installers continue to be problematic - AFL is complete bust for me - the installer is not fit for purpose. A few pre linux amateur or freeware models were lost - just not Linux compatible and too buggy even in Windows, specifically FlyingTak - who did some great but unfinished classic aeroplanes. The Shensee B720B is a standout a real good model. 

Minor note for Linux folk found a program that does in Linux what XOrganiser did for XP in a Win environement. Requires PYthon scripts and not so user friendly - when I get the Python to do its thing let people know, Looks promising - just some terminal work now required, 

@coastaldriver, was it easy to find drivers for the hardware controllers you use?

Headtracking is something I haven't been using but sometime ago I purchased a software, available thorugh Steam:

Beam Eye Tracker: Beam Eye Tracker - Turn Your Webcam Into An Eye Tracker

Wonder if this one works in Linux?

I never tried again Little Nav Map after an initial test when it was first released some years ago. Are you using it for flight planning? Do you keep you AIRAC up 2 date and if yes, how in Linux since AFAIK the Navigraph apps don't work there?

I'm following your experience with enthusiasm 🙂

The Hotstart CL650 I guess will work, while the Citation 525 is compatible only(?) with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS 

Edited January 14Jan 14 by jcomm

1 hour ago, jcomm said:

@coastaldriver, was it easy to find drivers for the hardware controllers you use?

Headtracking is something I haven't been using but sometime ago I purchased a software, available thorugh Steam:

Beam Eye Tracker: Beam Eye Tracker - Turn Your Webcam Into An Eye Tracker

Wonder if this one works in Linux?

I never tried again Little Nav Map after an initial test when it was first released some years ago. Are you using it for flight planning? Do you keep you AIRAC up 2 date and if yes, how in Linux since AFAIK the Navigraph apps don't work there?

I'm following your experience with enthusiasm 🙂

The Hotstart CL650 I guess will work, while the Citation 525 is compatible only(?) with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS 

JComm - Linux mint manages the issue of drivers well. You get a very comprehensive kernel anyway with a lot of powerful applications. There is not the range of NVIDIA drivers for Linux - they update them not much so I am using a general 580 driver that the system found. It has a great package management system.

I am assured the hardware side is quite solvablle but not so point and click as per MS. I do not use those programs so it does worry me - I restrict myself to a simple joystick and the keyboard - find it quite comfortable. 

I have always used LittleNavMap - probably 6 years plus - with FSX P3D and then XP - it works very well and the linux instructions at the developers website will sort it all out correctly. Refreshingly good how to and installation advice. Works well and connects to the sim via a plugin. The AIRAC is dated to a point but it will pull up any procedure you can think of for any part of the world work it into a flight plan and export it into XP12 for use in the FMS. Tracks flights real time well and has real time weather in text form Plus winds etc so you can find current metars forecast winds. I use nothing else it has all the IAPs and I have a collection of approach plates from around the world - I do not need everything for everywhere - just where I more routinely go then I have all the links to the relevant real world AIP ENR and IAPs so I can find a pdf formatted plate or diagram no worries. Never used Navigraph for that reason - Little Nav Map does it all. If you put in a performance table for the relevant type (you build a library of Dash 8, B707, B747 DC3 etc you get my drift) It will then use the performance data and prepare a custom flight plan with fuel caculations and flight profiles TOP TOD etc. I make the odd donation to the developer its worth it because really it is a totally free or GPL license as well. Works with Linux XP no issues. 

Sometimes you need to resort to terminal. Believe it or not this is where I found LLM AI very useful to get around any strange problems - after all this is a different OS and you can pose a what do I need or how do I do that and AI comes up with a reasonably accurate outline of what you need to do and what you might need to get along with the required terminal syntax. Seems quite good at this sort of programming compilation - which is a surprise - the general LLM is riddled with assumptions and inaccuracy - it does not have access to the world's libraries and every single book or paper on the planet - never will, so it will be biased to the stupid!  It is also mathematically inaccurate and is poorly regarded by mathematicians - in other words it struggles with algebra and calculus at a basic level. Number of serious economists describe what it produces as hallucinatory - made up! 

Cannot comment on the Hotstart CL650 or the Citation 525. I do not have either - the developer should have whether it is Linux compatible listed in the specifications - I would be surprised if they are not. Not really interested in the med twin jets or business class. I have the Lear 35A and the Citation X if I have the urge - much prefer things with propellers - the tubes remind me of work - appreciate them but not interested in the routine of airline ops. 

19 hours ago, coastaldriver said:

just not Linux compatible and too buggy even in Windows, specifically FlyingTak

Not sure what you're doing wrong on your system there, because his models work just fine on mine and they're as close to a barebones X-Plane aircraft experience as it gets (not even an xlua plugin IIRC).

 

11 hours ago, jcomm said:

Headtracking is something I haven't been using but sometime ago I purchased a software, available thorugh Steam:

Beam Eye Tracker: Beam Eye Tracker - Turn Your Webcam Into An Eye Tracker

Wonder if this one works in Linux?

Why spend money? 

https://github.com/opentrack/opentrack/releases costs 0€ and can be used with any webcam.

 

11 hours ago, jcomm said:

I never tried again Little Nav Map after an initial test when it was first released some years ago. Are you using it for flight planning? Do you keep you AIRAC up 2 date and if yes, how in Linux since AFAIK the Navigraph apps don't work there?

The Navigraph Manager runs fine with WINE on Linux, alsthough I exclusively use it for AIRAC updates and not charts.

With the inclusion of multi-core the performance difference between Windows and Linux isn't as great as it once was, if you're just moving to Linux now, you missed out on the large benefit that's now gone with multi-core.

Having to jump through hoops to get third party items working with Linux isn't worth the trip to the new operating system.

No intentions to prosletize on this thread - merely a quick account of my computing journey out of MS systems to Linux. The reason i went for XP12 in the first place was because of that fact, LR supported 3 OS; Macs, Windows and Linux. People who are happy with Windows 10 or 11 fill your boots. It knocks me out of the MSFS world but I dropped that sim ages ago. Now bedded in at 12.4 with betas and it is running trouble free - I am happy with XP12 as much as Linux. XP12 is a great flight simulator and just improves incrementally and steadily. 

Think you will find the multi-core business is a Linux strong point - not diminished - it is the hub and spoke architecture of Linux that makes it work so effortlessly. 

I considered migrating a few times, both to Linux and MacOS, but I believe the true reason behind it was me trying to force myself to use just X-Plane, or at most Aerofly FS and X-Plane, and feel free from "having to use" other platforms 🙂

Moving to Linux has a problem for me, tied to the fact that at work it's the most used OS, and I have to deal with all flavours of Linux every week, and I really hate it I confess....

 

That is my long term decision: to migrate just to one and only OS, to make my main machine just MacOS, yeah I know, I should break my bank account for that and use only one sim: less is more, some may say and I agree, anyway to each their own. And if you see, how much would you spend in a 5090 or 5080, high end processor not to mention RAM and the other needed stuff? Thousands! how much cost a Mac Studio M4 max 64gb 1tb with all the cores you can choose? less! and is just a little box! not the big and heavy toaster I have hahaha! And wait a few months... the Mac Studio M5 can be around the corner.