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.

  • TonyTonyChopperEnglish
    321·
    6 months ago

    On the other hand, this is an unpopular opinion on Lemmy

    • Brkdncr@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      124·
      6 months ago

      Which is why I posted it. I was honestly hoping to be proven wrong, but instead I got a lot of victim blaming. Even Linux users aren’t ready to accept mainstream people coming from Windows.

        • Brkdncr@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
          41·
          6 months ago

          A bunch of people telling me I did it wrong, or used the wrong distro, or that 90% of normal windows users will know how to troubleshoot software that isn’t installing right by going into terminal.

          The victim is either the typical normal user or me depending on these types of responses.

          • barsquid@lemmy.worldEnglish
            4·
            6 months ago

            There’s some merit to offering other distros to try for you, the individual. We’re all nerds, it’s a problem we want to help solve. (Bazzite is my recommendation if you’re up for another shot lol.)

            But in terms of “is Linux ready for the average user,” I think Mint is considered pretty widely to be a “just works” sort of distro. It’s certainly fair to use that experience as an example.

            • Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.worldEnglish
              2·
              5 months ago

              No distro “just works” until the whole platform can easily install software by double clicking. You need to be able to uninstall terminal 100% and still have a functioning OS.

              The kind of OS a drunk lizard man could sit on a mouse and still operate the OS with his butthole.

              THEN it just works.

          • Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.worldEnglish
            2·
            5 months ago

            90% of normal windows users will know how to troubleshoot software that isn’t installing right by going into terminal.

            I would have said "90% of windows users have no idea what a terminal is. If you told them to use terminal, they would ask “Oh no! Are you dying???”

      • mojo_raisin@lemmy.worldEnglish
        64·
        6 months ago

        Why do Windows users feel entitled to the free labor of others.

        I don’t think open source developers should feel obligated to chase after “normal users”, they should just make great software. Linux is arguably the most successful OS that has ever existed, if it’s not dominant in one specific shrinking sector is that the worst thing in the world?

        Linux (+ everything needed for a desktop) has been a great desktop system for 20+ years, most difficulties aren’t the fault of Linux, they’re the fault of vendors failing to support and/or Microsoft throwing up barriers to competition.

        • Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.worldEnglish
          11·
          5 months ago

          Linux is arguably the most successful OS that has ever existed

          …what??? If we’re talking about users using the desktop experience (so like, not systems where linux is the backend, but the user never experiences it), then Windows is the dominant OS platform. If for nothing else than people know how to use it because every business uses it.

          Second most used would be iOS.

          And then…with maybe less than 1% of users, would be linux. Nobody uses Linux, because nobody knows how the fuck to use it.

          Saying Linux is the most dominant OS platform for users is like saying Kwanzaa is the most celebrated religious holiday. I’m 40 years old. I’ve been in jobs where you meet new people every day. Probably have met thousands of people.

          I’ve met exactly ONE linux user. Well…I should say linux family. He was a 34 year old, who lived at his grandmothers house, because he lived with his dad, and his 62 year old dad still lived with his 93 year old mom. But, I only interacted with the family for 2-3 hours. I’m still not 100% sure the mom was actually alive. I briefly saw her move, but you could easily convince me it was a weekend at bernies situation.

          I cannot give an accurate number on how many windows users I’ve used. It’s far too high.