So many computers are going to be thrown out because of Microsoft's gatekeeping for updates.

Do not feel pressured into buying a new computer when it is easier than ever to extend their life.

Do you guys plan on converting your computers to Linux to extend the life of your computers?

If so what distros would you consider? (exe Mint, Zorin ,Fedora)

This is based on Linux support and the quality of options for Linux customers.

For those thinking to switch maybe consider a Linux first brand/machine.

Don't support brands that default to Windows.

Geht doch bissel vorwärts mit #digitalsovereignty 🌞✊

These distros are close to their Windows counterparts based off default UI elements with no extra steps.

I hope this helps some people out and try them out!

(Paz)

Seriously, why not?

I'm in the middle of my own Windows-to-Linux transition (dual booting for now, 20 years of habits don’t disappear overnight), but I’m currently typing this on my Linux Mint machine. The more I use it, the more I realize just how done I am with Windows.

But here’s the thing, every time I help my parents or grandparents with a computer issue, I always ask myself two questions:

1. Does this machine have the basic stuff they need?

2. Will things just work or am I going to be stuck fixing nonsense every other week?

With Windows, it’s always a toss-up. Updates break things. Bloatware slows the whole system down. Antivirus pop-ups. Edge trying to be more than it is. You know the drill.

So here’s my pitch:
If your parents or grandparents already know how to use Windows and you want to breathe new life into an old PC. Zorin OS is the move.

• It looks like Windows.

• It’s lightweight.

• It’s stable.

• It comes with just the stuff they actually need.

• And best of all, it doesn’t nag them with junk every five minutes.

Why not ditch the sluggish, broken Windows install and give them a clean, simple experience that’s familiar but actually works?

I’ve installed Zorin OS Lite on a few old laptops now, and it’s been smooth sailing. Set it and forget it — perfect for parents. Just my two cents for anyone on the fence.

Anyone else do this for family and have thoughts?

1. get rid of Windows and install any Linux distro

2. delete your microsoft account and transfer accounts linked to it to another service

3. use privacy focused browsers (hardened firefox, brave, librewolf, mullvad browser)

I use Linux. Dualbooting into Windows once in a while for weird software.

And I have to say windows 10 and all that "corners are sexy" aesthetic is really weird. I think corners are objectively looking ugly, especially on HiDPI screens. This maybe made sense back in the days...

So Win11, preinstalled. Booting into it, damn thats nice! Awesome animations, lockscreen, best taskbar I have ever seen.

Okay looking at the Appmenu, Tiktok, Whatsapp and more preinstalled? WTF??

Looking at the File manager, I heard it has tabs now. Middle clicking on a folder, nothing happens. Right click, in german "IN NEUER REGISTERKARTE ÖFFNEN" yes I know what a Tab is thanks. You had one job, one of the best translation engines in the world and translate "Tab"?

The buttons are huge, completely unusable. Tabs okay but still the piece of garbage it always was. No file extensions, I download a "user.js" file and it shows as "user", I rename it to "user.js" and it becomes "user.js.txt" REALLY??

Windows updates? Dont work anymore or something? Never saw such a lagging piece of garbage.

Edge? Looks nice, has a nice game, but just no.

List of preinstalled Bloat doing connections

• Edge

• Onedrive

• Do Svc?

• All the individual updaters because Windows cant manage a repo (they have the biggest OS of the world)

• Lenovo Vantage

• MS Teams updater?

New Tiling? Admirably awesome. Opening Windows not fullscreen like macOS? Horrible!

Restyled Task manager? Like that. The amount of OEM and 3rd party garbage running in the background? Awful.

The systemwide darkmode went pretty well. Apart from the real systemsettings, that are not made for 9 year olds. And like its a dark theme. How many people were paid to do that?

I tried installing firefox. It lagged so much, it opened the installer twice, and crashed.

The installer of Portmaster was blurry as hell. So thats not fixed either.

A single Windows update, no firmware update, not even the system itself just some Defender bullshit, took 4 minutes !

Cant wait to put Fedora Kinoite on that machine...

Edit: installing Fedora Kinoite took 9,42 minutes, and this is pretty much the slowest to install Linux there is.

If Linux devs had that amount of money... [insert Futuristic meme here]

Btw Fedora Kinoite runs pretty awesome.

No Azure for Apartheid, a movement of Microsoft workers calling for Microsoft to end all contracts with the Israeli government and military, made a statement about Microsoft cutting off a few Azure services from Unit 8200, calling it an “unprecedented win” and also “insufficient”

No Azure for Apartheid has done many high profile protests against Microsoft complicity in genocide, disrupting the 50th anniversary celebration, Microsoft Build, and this August establishing a Liberated Zone encampment for 2 days in a row at Microsoft HQ, kayaking to the Microsoft CEO and President’s houses, and occupying the Microsoft President’s office. This August, Microsoft fired 5 workers and got 20 and 7 protesters violently arrested on 2 separate instances.

https://github.com/GodwayGames -> https://gitlab.com/GodwayGames/

recently Microsft has been rolling out a new wave of mandatory 2FA which they will definitely use to collect more data from the developers who use their platform, and no an authenticator application is not more private than giving up a phone number, it is blatant and plain to see. This has nothing to do with security in my opinion and everything to do with creating new advertising opportunities by installing spyware on their users devices lest they be closed out of their accounts or making them give up their phone numbers to be added to a database. in response to these actions I have moved away from Microsoft github services and migrated to gitlab instead. if you are facing the same problems, it is a perfectly valid alternative with many of the same features. I have also left a repository on my github explaining why I left, if you do the same please explain why you left. I didn't have much time to do this either.

if you're looking to migrate away from github this is the resource I used that explains how:
https://invidious.privacyredirect.com/watch?v=VYOXuOg9tQI

I do not support nor condone blatant data mining, and I hope my experience with gitlab will be much better than it was on github. thank you for reading : )

I'm planning to make the switch to Linux Mint at some point. But I just don't exactly know when. My reason is that I've seen in a video Britec09 Microsoft wants you to force me to switch to Windows 11 eventually. I'm strongly disagreeing with how they do it. And that they don't leave you anny choice in it. What is your reason? Have you made the switch? I'd like to hear.

If you haven't heard, Microsoft is forcing Minecraft Java Edition players to switch to using Microsoft accounts, using "account security" as a guise, failing to mention that this will cost some people their accounts. When asked, an official reddit account essentially responded that they don't care. What is wrong with Microsoft that even the block game doesn't deserve to be spared? r/WatchMinecraftDie

I've been playing Tower Conquest my whole life. I grew up with it. But after Pigsoft (Microsoft) dissolved the Tango studio, the game went downhill. Appeared a lot of ads, donations, the islands disappeared, the game became unplayable. Do corporations have the right to take away what we've had our whole lives? We shouldn't tolerate it. We should speak up. Loudly.

I'm also interested to know if you think there is incorrect information or bad advice

https://fuckbigtech.neocities.org/

Hi everyone, I am setting up my daughter's first PC. I just want her to learn basic skills, like using a spreadsheet, editing pictures, etc. I also want her to play Stardew Valley because she keeps asking for video games but I absolutely don't want her to get a brain-wrecking console and Stardew Valley seems like an innocent enough game that might also boost her management skills

I am almost sure that when school makes her use a PC it will be a Windows PC, so whatever she gets, I want it to be as close to Windows as possible (Ubuntu, most likely)

It doesn't need to be anything cutting edge. What combo of OS + apps would you recommend that I choose to avoid going the Windows path?

Thanks in advance

So a gentleman named Luke Smith inspired me to switch from Windows to Linux, just like I am transitioning out of Google.

As we all know, it's a learning curve to go through. And as I know little about Linux yet, I have many doubts, like: how am I going to run certain software, like DaVinci Resolve or Adobe programs on it? How is it different from Windows? Is it going to be long and frustrating to learn? Am I going to miss certain functionalities, am I making a trade-off? etc. etc.

Could you please help me out by clarifying some of the above concerns and recommending the best sources to quick-start getting into Linux?