As the Windows 10 EOL date is close I was wondering what fellow Linux users thoughts about it are.
Are you helping open minded people making the switch to Linux? If yes, which distro are you using? Are you using resources like endof10.org?
Or are you using the the opportunity to get your hands on some cheap hardware for your homelab? Are you keeping an eye on special websites or just ebay (or your local equivalent)? Are you talking with local companies to get the hardware directly from them?
Or are you just observing and enjoy your peace of mind because you switched already to Linux before?
Whatever it is, we are very interested to hear your stories concering this interesting time.
Or are you just observing and enjoy your peace of mind because you switched already to Linux before?
Yes, that. As far as my circle of friends and acquaintances who are running Win10 are concerned, I’ve made the effort to advise them to switch to something newer for security reasons. They will probably switch to Windows 11, but that is their concern.
Switched to Mint over a year ago from win 10 on my desktop and my wives laptop, we both love it. It was fresh, user friendly and familiar in the same time. To be fair we are pretty much average users without any specialized needs, other than gaming.
Later this year I built a new gaming pc 100% with Linux in mind. I am running Bazzite on it and it works absolutely amazing. Bazzite is currently my favourite distro. Im not a distro hopper or a big tinkerer myself, don’t have time for experimenting, so not planning to switch. It just works perfectly.
Never had Win10 in the first place. I did upgrade from 7 to 11 using the same product key. I would gladly run Linux but have yet to understand why no Debian live media would ever boot on my main laptop
Probably secure boot, if you deactivate it in the BIOS it should work, maybe
I’ve been using Linux for about 25 years. I completely stopped using Windows at home more than a decade ago.
I do some volunteer work for an organisation that refurbishes old computers and gives them to people who can’t afford one. For the time being we’re using Rufus to bypass TPM and other hardware requirements so we can install Windows 11 on everything.
We’re willing to install Linux for people who want it, but unfortunately I haven’t seen that happen yet. Most of our customers have no idea what an OS is. A lot of people also need Windows for education or work. There’s a free course available that teaches how to use a computer and of course that is also Windows-only.
We helped one of our colleagues to install Mint on his old laptop, though.
My grandfather asked me about Linux, but unfortunately, he’s still using Photoshop for now.
Get him to check out Krita. It has Photoshop style binds but they’re missing a few things gs you’ll have to set… But depending on what he does with Photoshop and how adaptable he is, it could be a viable solution.
The EoL doesn’t affect me. I use Linux and Mac. My work pc is windows 10 but that’s their problem.
My roommate refuses to move on. I flat out gave him an old surface pro X with win11 and a spacious new SSD. I offered to migrate him to fedora and teach him how to use it. I offered to help him pick out a new pc if he wants. No, he’ll just keep waiting 20 minutes for his old crusty Dell to boot up, then another 10 to load chrome. For updates, he said he’ll just download hacks as people post them online.
All his shit is on its own VLAN now.
I moved to mint about a year ago since my hardware is too old to run 11. I’m glad I made the switch and wish I had done it sooner. I’m never going back 😁
Macbook/Linux user here: People (And organisations/governments) who are reasonably skilled with technology will understand that on hardware which can’t use windows 11, and is stuck with windows 10 without security updates need an alternative operating system. When institutions switch to linux, they will likely contribute to the opensource project, and overall bring the user base numbers up, which will make more software developers add support for linux.
But while this should happen, it might work in microsoft’s favour, (Like when Netflix stopped password sharing) meaning people, who are used to windows will just buy new windows 11 machines, overall increasing microsoft’s company value. Microsoft also supports the Israel military during the genocide, and Bill Gates personally supports Trump and had close ties with Epstein, so it would be best if the general public does an accident, or purposeful boycott. Personally I buy secondhand stuff and put linux on it, if you want new stuff either buy a mac, or buy one of those new linux machines from Lenovo?
I am a chicken, I could not make the switch for the home desktop and work computer, so I just downgraded to Windows 11. There are some financial apps that needs switching, damn.
Maybe I could convince people to let me use Linux at work…
I hosted an endof10.org event at my local public library. Advertised like crazy, posting flyers around town, posting online, etc. I had over 30 USB installers ready to go with Debian 13. I was worried that I was advertising too much and wouldn’t have room for everyone.
Only 2 people showed up, and neither were prepared to go through with an install. In a town with well over 70k people and a major university, I expected more.
Now I’m thinking an event like this would only be viable in a major metropolitan area.
In my circle of friends and family, I only knew of one person who was faced with the Windows 10 dilemma, and he chose to purchase new hardware (granted he’s nearly 80 years old).
Yeah nobody in real life really cares about this. Anyone techie enough has already replaced their system and runs Win11, or has already switched to Linux themselves.
Anyone not techie enough doesn’t care and will continue using Win10 (or just follow the Windows nagging and buy a new PC from Best Buy).
Yeah…and I think there’s also a chunk of the non-techie population who are getting by with just their phones now.
Why Debian? Why not Mint?
No offense, but this question is what is holding many people back that would otherwise be on the fence or ready to go.
If there were just Mac / Windows / Linux, it would be an easy sell.
But we have Mac / Windows / two million Linux flavors.
It does not matter which one you pick, it is bound to cause questions or issues. And once you’ve chosen a Linux flavor, someone asks you why you chose that desktop and not foobar9000 instead which everyone knows runs much better on your Linux flavor anyway.
I honestly think that Linux’ biggest enemy is Linux. Sure, choice is good, but this is too much. Way too much.
Unfortunately the average person doesn’t care about this stuff. Good on you for putting on the time and effort though.
Installed bazzite on my son’s gaming laptop, it works perfectly well and he really likes the ricing.
Good for him!
The bazaar on bazzite is really convenient for the non-power user
I used windows 10 on my gaming PC for many years. I “upgraded” to 11, and it felt bad. The UI/ux was tolerable, but between the AI features and everything requiring a Microsoft account, it got on my nerves quickly.
I literally just wanted to upgrade the firmware on my Xbox one controller (so it’d work in Linux…) and that forced a login. At that point I logged in, upgraded my controller, formatted as ext4, and now I rarely look back.
Every once in a while a game will crash or not be playable on Linux, but I’d trade that for being in control of the hardware I’ve spent thousands on over the years.
Very happy with bazzite on my htpc and a kde based distro on my main computer. I pop over to my MacBook for casual computing, but for the real stuff I’ll never use windows again (barring being forced by future employers)
Linux on all of my main machines, so I’m grabbing the popcorn. Got LTSC for all the remaining Windows use cases: VMs, beater laptop for Windows-only stuff, and a couple of computers from family.
Most of my friends replace their computers quite frequently, so they’re living blissfully unaware on Windows 11 or MacOS. The ones who do have older laptops tend to be tech-savvy enough to have figured out LTSC or Linux themselves. On one occasion, a good friend of mine had an old iMac that wasn’t getting updates anymore, so I installed Debian and themed XFCE to look like MacOS, taught them the basics, and they were impressed with the result.
As for family, they’re usually very happy with the Linux Mint Debian Edition that I install for them, but some I know just won’t use the computer if it doesn’t have their familiar Windows-specific software, so I get them started with LTSC.
I frankly have an excess of unused hardware that’s piling up, which won’t be helped by my access to a good source of e-waste. Old computers have already been trickling in, but I’m excited to see what’s next now that the Oct 14 date has come.
I switched to Linux about a year ago. I was a windows power user and now I’m a Linux noob, but couldn’t be happier.
I hate to say it, but there’s still reasoning to have Windows. I use a VM with ameliorated windows running for the few things I can’t get away from.
For others, I tell them my story. Most people I talk to won’t or can’t make the switch, which I’m respectful of. To those that would benefit, I recommend at the minimum O&O Shutup but highly recommend ameliorated. This has been more welcomed.
People won’t care until they have a reason to care. I’ll still be around when they do.
but there’s still reasoning to have Windows
For sure. There’s a lot of software that’s built for Windows only. I have some Garmin aviation software that only works on Windows or Mac. It’s pretty shit software, but I have to use it, and since I can do windows in a VM, that’s what I use. Similarly, there’s another bit of software I use all the time that’s only built for iPad. So I have an iPad for that app. There’s not always a choice.
Transitioned my moms computer to Windows 11, 11 months go. Pretty easy. Her computer was originally for Windows 7 and is still fully supported. Her computer will always be Windows as I’m not local and other people have to be able to support her too. It is also what she knows. I love Linux but it is not for everyone.
Feel you. If you are tech savvy you can debloat Windows for them and get rid of recall and the online accounts.
It’s a once-off operation if you’re willing to go the LTSC route. Microsoft likes to undo all your hard work debloating Windows with the semi-annual major updates on non-LTSC editions.
That’s become increasingly difficult.
There are some good tools to create stripped ISOs and to adjust running installations.
You can strip ISOs of some bloat but you cannot strip M$ out of it , tho. And there’s always a chance an update adds it back in.
I had outlook appear back on one of my laptops after an update. I had removed it ages ago. Some services do the same.
So, are you going to limit updates too? That’ll make it vulnerable.
My point is, it’s just going to be cat and mouse game with “cleaning or stripping” Windows.
See, I run a stripped Windows for playing games that don’t run under linux. I update it regularly and nothing intrusive was re-added by updates. The other systems I use are linux and macOS, with each OS having its purpose.
In acknowledge that Linux is not intrusive and that you have to have PiHoles and other DNS sinkholes for a basic protection, which is hard for regular people. But in the end you have to look at peoples needs and if somebody insists he needs Windows, and you are knowledgeable in IT stuff, make it as secure and clutter free as possible.
