the best time to switch was a decade ago. the next best time is right now.
seriously its free and you can try it out from an usb stick. the process of trying it is made as frictionless as possible.
this post was submitted on 29 Mar 2025
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I switched to Mint a few weeks ago. There was no particular reason at that time, just all the general discontent with Microsoft built up since they released Windows 8, but things like this make me glad I did. Also glad that I've mostly not had any issues with the switch. Proton and wine are amazing.
Fedora and GNOME, just works ๐๐ป๐๐ป ... tried KDE with several distros (like the customisableness), but it always gives me lots of trouble
Gnome just works... until it doesn't. I prefer KDE, as it's a lot more flexible.
Different folks, different strokes. Luckily there is choice.
Cinnamon better
Fuck this shit
Use a domain account. Problem solved. Whoever uses a win-acc doesn't care for Linux anyway and will never see this thread.
Rufus
Its another nail in the coffin.
I'd still warn that a lot of people will not switch to linux anytime soon. There is a lot of fear about "command line" (for example) even though some distros (mint, ubuntu, popos etc) are pretty much turn key.
If you can help a less technically savy family member or friend change that would already be a good movement. But a lot of people still rely on MSOffice products (for example)
Some additional options might be using a burner outlook account.
Or, if you need to run some windows apps, a VM is always an option.
99% of Windows users never install Windows anyway, and wouldn't be using the bypass anyway. They just buy a laptop and Windows is there.
A good replacement for people who canโt get away from MS Office might be OnlyOffice. Looks like MS Office, uses the same file types and is free of charge albeit not open source.
But the point where youโd have to set up a VM for someone whoโs not technically inclined is probably not the point for them to switch to Linux.
Also, I think the problem with Linuxโ reliance on terminal commands is less that itโs not possible to avoid them โ a lot of distros, like the ones youโve named are indeed very easy to use without โ itโs that if you try to look up a tutorial for anything, it will be using the terminal.
For example, if I search on DDG for something as simple as โhow to update Ubuntuโ, only the fourth entry mentions that thereโs a gui updater. The rest tell you to use apt via the terminal. Itโs not wrong of course but thatโs not what my mum would want to see. And even with searches like โhow to install vlc media player on mintโ, while the first result does include how to do it via the gui, itโs the last of four options explained in the article. The first three use the terminal again.
Stuff like that happens a lot in the Linux world. And that obviously breeds the conception of Linuxโ complete reliance on the terminal to function properly. The community oftentimes is not very newbie friendly, if said newbie doesnโt want to jump in the deep end.
OnlyOffice is Russian tho, and tries to hide it with a Latvian front.
OnlyOffice is a good bridge yes. But a lot of people have trouble switching softwares. Older people don't really want to "relearn" a new software even if its just MSword to OnlyOffice.
I do fully agree with you though.
The reputation of the terminal usage alone is enough to put a lot of people off.
I also think a lot of people confuse the terminal with actual programming (which is a fair point if you are not tech savvy). Then they think "I don't know how to program so I can't use this".
Linux communities can also be a bit elitist as you said. Which is a shame. I've heard people bash windows users only to then be toxic with the classic "How do you not know this?" when they ask basic questions.
Back in the days when I was switching to Linux, then Ubuntu, I've always found the discussions in the German ubuntuusers.de forum respectful and helpful, along with their Wiki. Yet, I don't know whether that's the case for the official Ubuntu forums though.
Exactly. I'm too scared of making the jump and screwing up in the process.
There's very little you can screw up tbh.
On a desktop its easier but even most laptops it will be a breeze.
Just make sure you backup all your data on a harddrive or on a cloud (preferably a privacy respecting one ;)).
Even in the unlikely case that you do screw up. You can always go back to windows!
My procedure was usually to simply buy a new hard drive when changing distros or from Windows to Linux.
Then one always has a fully functional backup.
2025 is the year of the Linux desktop!
Better late than never.
Windows people, "KDE" might be a flavor of linux you like.
I would, though sadly the games I like to play don't run well on linux yet
Denuvo?
No. Just compatibility. Such as star citizen
You can run SC on Linux. Apparently the performance can be even better than windows with a lightweight window manager: https://github.com/starcitizen-lug/knowledge-base/wiki
Oh?
Then I might actually have a look.
Thx!
No worries I hope it works out for you. GLHF!
Play store vibes