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.
MacOS.
It’s the middle ground between windows and Linux imo.
It’s unix-y enough to give you tons of flexibility with the terminal. Homebrew is one of the better package management systems out there. Iterm2 is the best terminal emulator I’ve used.
You get access to most popular software still and the hardware is unmatched.
It’s more expensive and less flexible in terms of OS customization though and you basically can’t game on it. I think there are some good tiling window managers for it though.
You’re right but the ask we’re going to see next year is “what do I do with my old laptop/desktop now that it won’t run windows?” And after my experience with 3 distros the answer is “recycle it and buy a new one”
But for those people that want to try something with the laptop they were just going to throw out anyway, or now they have two desktops after buying an upgrade, and they are willing to tinker with something new, why not? The issues you came across with Mint seem to have a very minor impact to me in the context of running a web browser, word processing, and video streaming. A later comment seemed to place PopOS in the same category. For a casual user, who isn’t needing to install a bunch of different apps, isn’t that fine?
Most people don’t see a tinkering with an old laptop as fun.
For the casual user the issues I encountered are not acceptable.
Maybe “tinker” is too strong for what I meant to convey, but even switching from Windows 10 to Windows 11 would involve some level of re-learning and tinkering to get things how they like. Unfortunately, they are being forced one way or another, and that’s on Microsoft.
99% of Apple’s customers, or the general populace, have no intention of ever installing another OS on their Apple product. Most of them wouldn’t even know it was possible, or care.