I bought a laptop yesterday, it came pre-installed with Windows 11. I hate win 11 so I switched it down to Windows 10, but then started considering using Linux for total control over the laptop, but here’s the thing: I keep seeing memes about how complicated or fucky wucky Linux is to install and run. I love the idea of open source software and an operating system without any of the bullshit that comes with Windows, but most of the open source stuff I have is on my android and fairly easy to install. Installing and using Linux just feels like it’ll be a whole different beast that’ll eat up most of my time and I’m kind of intimidated by it.

TL;DR Linux scawy, how does a barely computer literate scrub like me who’s used nothing but windows since the dawn of their life get started with Linux?

  • Björn Tantau@swg-empire.de
    25·
    6 months ago

    Did you install Windows 10 yourself from scratch? If you managed to do that you should be able to handle most Linux installs as well. I would go so far to say that generally Linux is easier to install than Windows nowadays. Go with Mint or OpenSUSE or Ubuntu and you should be all right.

    If you have nvidia graphics that might give you trouble in the form of one extra package to install. If you have Intel or AMD graphics you shouldn’t expect any trouble at all.

    The biggest difference between Windows and Linux is that you generally don’t download apps and drivers from websites but use your package manager to install stuff. Similar to app stores on smartphones. And unless it’s nvidia all drivers are already built in.

    You can download live Linux images that boot directly from USB to try them out without installing. Often the live image is the same one you can then use to install Linux, if you want to.

    • fpslem@lemmy.world
      5·
      6 months ago

      Mint

      I definitely found Linux Mint the easiest version to switch to, coming from Windows. All the menus and icons were basically where I expected to find them. I couldn’t have cared less about Wayland support, I just wanted to do basic tasks and for my printer to work, and Mint did that out of the box.

    • boredsquirrel@slrpnk.net
      59·
      6 months ago

      Linux is easier to install than Windows nowadays.

      This.

      Go with Mint or OpenSUSE or Ubuntu

      Not this. Mint maybe, even though their Desktop looks dated and is not Wayland ready. But OpenSUSE is strange (what to use, Leap? Good luck with outdated packages; Tumbleweed? Well you are now rolling) and Ubuntu is basically dead.

      • TimeSquirrel@kbin.social
        121·
        6 months ago

        Ubuntu is basically dead

        It’s dead for hardcore nerds that care about such things as snaps and such. But in the corporate world, it’s very much alive. I literally just got done installing an Ubuntu-based NVR from Wisenet for a store’s CCTV system.