It was stable on Windows - crashes were very rare once you had the 4GB patch installed, but I’ll have to get back to you after a few hours with Linux. Theres been a few new mods that really challenge what the game can do, and one of those caused a crash with my testing, but it seems that was a once off so far.
They’re definitely worth giving a shot, though I hear they have a different feel to the earlier games (one that isn’t entirely just due to the graphical jump). 4 was where I started and I found it immediately intoxicating, though it definitely took me awhile to get the hang of it.
It’s a nice entry point into the Linux world so far. There were a few hiccups in the transition, but they actually help with the learning process.
I can’t imagine life without NAM. That being said it’s such a big mod that it’s often overwhelming for new players. There is NAM lite for memory which gives you the fixes without having a new player drown in a multitude of new features and puzzle pieces.