Windows 10 EoL is fast approaching, so I thought I’d give Linux a try on some equipment that won’t be able to upgrade to Windows 11. I wanted to see if I will be able to recommend an option to anyone that asks me what they should do with their old PC.
Many years ago I switched to Gentoo Linux to get through collage. I was very anti-MS at the time. I also currently interact with Linux systems regularly although they don’t have a DE and aren’t for general workstation use.
Ubuntu: easy install. Working desktop. Had issues with getting GPU drivers. App Store had apps that would install but not work. The App Store itself kept failing to update itself with an error that it was still running. It couldn’t clear this hurdle after a reboot so I finally killed the process and manually updated from terminal. Overall, can’t recommend this to a normal user.
Mint: easy install. Switching to nvidia drivers worked without issue. App Store had issues with installing some apps due to missing dependencies that it couldn’t install. Some popular apps would install but wouldn’t run. Shutting the laptop closed results in a prompt to shutdown, but never really shuts off. Update process asks me to pick a fast source (why can’t it do this itself?)
Both: installing apps outside of their respective stores is an adventure in terminal instead of a GUI double-click. Secure boot issues. Constant prompt for password instead of a simple PIN or other form of identity verification.
Search results for basic operations require understanding that what works for Ubuntu might not work for Mint.
While I personally could work with either, I don’t see Linux taking any market share from MS or Apple when windows 10 is retired.
I wish it wasn’t true.
Also, let’s pretend it’s operator error. What should the typical user do? Reach out to a family friend that works in Linux?
Just thinking about my extended family, I can pick out 3 people that know windows, one that knows osx, and I would be the only one that knows anything about Linux. I suspect this is the norm.
do you not know how many linux support forums there are?? you can normally just search the issue and linux at the end and it will most the time get you there in the first page (outside of google that is).
Answers that say "paste this in your terminal" should not be used by people that don't know what they are doing. Even if 99% of those solutions work, we should not learn non-it people to make a habit of pasting random shit in their terminal.
So actually there are almost no answers for Linux for non IT people.
I will agree on this. learning to use man pages, and just even looking up the pastes is something you need to do else you are running the risk reformatting your drive or even getting a tool that was good in 2018 but had a maintainer change and now its normally avoided. But you should be doing that with tools even on windows and most people fail the check there as well. It was part of computers just being the greatest thing ever and shoved into everyones home in a cow printed box.