Just follow the handy dandy Microsoft guide to installing Linux learn.microsoft.com/en-us/linux/install
But seriously. Yes, it’s true that installing a new OS is a level of effort the average person is unlikely to want to put in. But they’re going to have to start because I believe the situation this Windows monopoly is causing is far worse than it appears on the surface.
It’s estimated that around half of PCs in the world won’t be able to run Windows 11 computerworld.com/…/more-than-half-of-pcs-cant-up…
Sure, a good chunk of those machines probably can’t even run Windows 10. They’ll still be on earlier versions of Windows, even going back as far as XP in some cases.
Because of the “latest Windows” benchmark PCs depreciate only slightly slower than bananas. Part of the reason I got into Linux as a young and poor nerd was because it could run on much older and significantly cheaper hardware. But most people and organisations aren’t going to bother trying to resell their computers for the measly sum they’d get when they bite the bullet and upgrade, adding millions of still perfectly usable machines to the ever building toxic soup of e-waste and using more resources than necessary when creating new Windows compatible devices.
On top of that those who are unable or unwilling to upgrade end up with an OS full of more holes than swiss cheese that diminishes cyber security for everyone.
At this point, not switching to Linux (which is really the only viable Windows alternative) and getting the longest lifespan possible out of your hardware in a safe way is frankly irresponsible.
SickPanda@lemmy.world 10 months ago
I’d consider myself a nerd but still prefer Windows.
Some years ago I was in a Vocational college for IT and I had to deal with Ubuntu, Debian and Opensuse. I hated every second of it. I also had to deal with iMacs but that’s another story.
cRazi_man@lemm.ee 10 months ago
I’m a computer nerd. I do tech support for everyone in the family. I keep trying Linux intermittently and end up uninstalling it and find I can’t use it as a daily driver. Although the day I will be able to use it is getting closer. The Steam Deck is helping with this. Also Chat GPT is great for finding solutions for things that either require trawling though tons of online forums or getting shamed for asking.
TexMexBazooka@lemm.ee 10 months ago
I use Linux frequently but mostly to run network services and automation- stuff that doesn’t require day to day interaction or has its own web gui.
As far as my desktop go to it’s windows because I can boot it up, install a bunch of shit I know will work out of the box, and start working. I could do that with Linux too but it would take quite a bit of effort to maintain.
Trainguyrom@reddthat.com 10 months ago
I currently run Linux on a secondary computer that I mainly use for streaming media while I work from home. Anything in the web browser is great in Linux, especially because I don’t feel the age of my several almost 10 year old computers on Linux the way I do on Windows.
For example, I’ve got an old laptop with a third gen mobile i5, back when 2 cores/4 threads was common on those. It was running Ubuntu for the longest time and it was pretty jarring how slow it was when I tossed windows on there because i thought the laptop was still fine performance-wise
SickPanda@lemmy.world 10 months ago
My opinion on Linux is that it’s (only) good for lightweight computing / mobile computing.
Such as Rasperry pis and Android devices.
Strobelt@lemmy.world 10 months ago
I had this same issue and what helped was go for a dual boot with windows and slowly learn how to customize things so that I can be as productive as before.
Also, steam electron helped a lot with this transition, as I didn’t have excuses to not change partitions between gaming and working/studying