Just upgraded to Windows10

[worn thumbs]

I'll try to give a brief description of how to go about trying Linux.There are lots of variations and I would recommend one of the following;Linux Mint,PC Linux and maybe Ubuntu if you are willing to use a "start" panel at the top of the screen instead of the bottom.There are lots of different distibutions-known as Distros-and if you take a look at http://www.distrowatch.com you can see the top 100 or so. Sadly a few of them attract the type of enthusiast who seems to enjoy making them inaccessible to those without comprehensive coding knowledge and who patronise the less digitally inclined when they ask for help.Those I have mentioned are quite easy to adapt to if Windows is your preferred environment.There is a vast range of free software to run on the popular distros,some of which is also available for Windows,the very capable GIMP (Gnu Image Manipulation Program) being one and it has about all the features of Photoshop for image editing and a zero cost.Dropbox is there for cloud storage,Freecad for 3D parametric modelling and if your tastes run to CNC machine building there is a specific distro for controlling them-LinuxCNC.
For those I advocated,they can be tried as a live installation.That means you don't alter the configuration of your computer when you run them and when you switch off it reverts to normal,if thats what you want.The way you go about it is to download the .iso image and save it to a known location.Then you either burn it to a blank DVD or usb memory stick.If this defeats you then you probably shouldn't go any further.

Once you have a DVD or memory stick with the .iso image you can put it in the correct place on your computer and switch on.There is a chance that you may have to change the boot order and you may see that F2,F12 or some other key will give access to the BIOS where you can adjust things to make your chosen device the first location to seek bootable media.You will have to prod the key that confirms your adjustment and resume the boot sequence.There should be a set of alternatives listed on screen and you scroll to the one that will allow a live installation.A bit later -could be half a minute or five minutes depending on the computer's anatomy-you should have an operating system to explore.Take a look around and delve into the different sections of the menu to see what has been included.Some of the programs will have names you have never heard of so why not open a few and see what they are intended for?You ought to be able to do some web browsing even if the browser isn't one you have used before.When you have seen enough or when bedtime lurches into view you can shut down and if you follow the on screen instructions the computer will be unchanged.Repeat for a few days until it becomes familiar and maybe try a different distrnly when you are sure that a change has to be made should you commit to an installation.Don't forget to keep a backup of important stuff at all times and check that your absolutely vital stuff is compatible.The only reason I have kept my Windows 7 box is that my Garmin sat nav can only be updated within Windows.I haven't found any other significant obstacles.

 

[AES]

VERY helpful "w t", and thanks for taking all that trouble.

I'm "mulling on".

 

[Trainee neophyte]

...
For anyone who wants an insight into this, here is an article written by a fair minded Linux user:

https://itvision.altervista.org/why.lin ... rrent.html

From the article you linked:

If you get an impression that Linux sucks - you are largely wrong. For a limited or/and non-professional use Linux indeed shines as a desktop OS - when you run it you can be sure that you are malware free. You can safely install and uninstall software without fearing that your system will break up. At the same time innate Windows problems (listed at the beginning of the article) are almost impossible to fix unless Microsoft starts from scratch - Linux problems are indeed approachable. What's more, Linux, unlike Windows 10, doesn't collect data on you and doesn't send it anywhere.

There are some issues with Linux, I agree, but they appear to be trivial compared to MS Windows. I think Linux is actually safer for a minimally techy user - you have to have root privileges to actually break things, unlike in Windows, where the user can cause havoc unfettered by any security.

Is Linux the best operating system ever? Probably not. Is it good enough? For most people, absolutely. Is it secure, private, free of malware and not using you as a profit centre? Yes. Apple and Microsoft can not make that claim.

Everyone is different. Everyone has their own way of doing things. Writing off Linux just because it has a few eccentric distros created for the hands-on programmer seems unfair.

My advice to anyone is burn Linux Mint to a cd or memory stick, and boot a live version(i.e. don't install it on your machine, but run it directly from the install disk). If you like what you see, keep it. If it is an impossible, chaotic mess, throw the cd away and move on. Just remember to test all your hardware, because not everything is supported (printers can have issues!)

 

[Irish Rover]

The most important quote is from AES above:

I on the other hand am by no stretch of the imagination a geek - quite the contrary. In fact I think it's fair to say that if you put me into a "class" of people learning how to operate a "normal domestic computer" for the first time, all with no previous experience at all, I would definitely be the densest and slowest learner in the whole group! And furthermore, beyond learning what is absolutely necessary to get a working computer capable of doing the stuff I want it to do, I would have no interest in learning anything more either!

And from your post:
not everything is supported (printers can have issues!)

What is more basic to a computer user than a working printer?


Linux is fine if you have the will and the mental wherewithal to adjust to it. It is not a mainstream operating system like Windows & MacOS.

As it is 20 years old next year and it is still a niche product, I doubt it will ever become mainstream.

 

[AES]

Many thanks to "IR" and "Tn".

Still mulling (but I DO have a 1 meg USB memory stick to hand)!

P.S. AND it's currently empty!!!!!!!

 

[Irish Rover]

Here you go then, fill your boots:

https://www.accella.net/knowledgebase/c ... table-usb/

 

[AES]

Still "hovering" - a bit "like a big girl with 'er draws torn" (as my old man used to say).

IF I do try it (on my present "working more or less OK" Win 7 lap top) and I can't get back to where I am now if needed, you DO realise that wherever you are, I'll find you and come back from the dead to haunt you, don't you?

 

[Irish Rover]

Not me chum. My advice to you is to steer well clear of Linux

 

[Jake]

And BTW, I have no objection at all to buying some sort of anti-virus software on a regular monthly/yearly basis, plus a firewall I guess, whether the "linuxy thing" really needs it or not.

Unless you have particularly risky habits, a big advantage of W10 is that Windows Defender is good enough so AV comes in the package.

 

[worn thumbs]

Many thanks to "IR" and "Tn".

Still mulling (but I DO have a 1 meg USB memory stick to hand)!

P.S. AND it's currently empty!!!!!!!

If you have a 1 meg memory stick it must be really rare.You realistically need 4Gb and the instructions for Linux Mint 12 are pretty ancient but still essentially true.I am using Linux Mint 19.3 these days and it occupies 2.1 Gb on the memory stick I installed from.
If you prefer a bootable DVD,they can be had for comparatively little https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Linux-Mint-1 ... SwmHBeJ45N . Just remember to run as a live installation.It isn't anything like the command line based days of the past,unless you want it to be.

Its worth noting that last year a survey was done to find the operating system used by the 500 most powerful computers in the world.Can you guess haw many were running Linux?








All of them!

 

[Irish Rover]

"Its worth noting that last year a survey was done to find the operating system used by the 500 most powerful computers in the world.Can you guess haw many were running Linux?"

Why is that worth noting? They are all servers and Linux runs them extremely well but how does it relate to AES and his laptop?

 

[AES]

No sorry mate that was a "typo/thinko", my mistake! It's a 1 Gig stick, I THINK USB 2 not USB3.

Would that be big enough?

 

[Rich C]

"Its worth noting that last year a survey was done to find the operating system used by the 500 most powerful computers in the world.Can you guess haw many were running Linux?"

Why is that worth noting? They are all servers and Linux runs them extremely well but how does it relate to AES and his laptop?

Next you'll be telling me you don't drive an f1 car to the shops.

 

[Bod]

Well I don't quite know how I did it, but my Lexmark x1270 printer, is now working on W10.
Asking Google "how to change screen resolution" led me to "Compatibility" where W10 could be made to work with programmes designed for XP or later.
Suddenly the Lexmark installation wizard appeared. In for a penny, in for a pound, I let it run.
Lo and Be hold the printer now works!

Bod

 

[RAF]

https://rufus.ie/

Just dropping this here, since it's much faster and simpler than UNetbootin.

Personally, in your case, I'd buy a 16Gb USB-stick and try the latest Linux Mint in that. Someone wrote that photo manipulation and creating documents are difficult on Linux. I disagree.
Besides, you can spend your money on wood or tools instead.

Play with it a few hours and make up your own mind.

 

[Robbo3]

I have just upgraded a desktop & a laptop from Windows 7 to Windows 10 for free. Although I backed up the documents, all the programmes & all the documents remained unchanged. The only hiccup was some hours later when 365 Onecare popped up & said it needed upgrading because it was no longer compatible (I left it on at the owners request but afterwards removed it an enabled Windows Defender).
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/softwar ... /windows10
Click on the + Using the tool to upgrade this PC to Windows 10

Andy, if you really want to try Linux as an operating system, I'll send you a DVD with the latest Linux Mint.
Pop it into your PC/laptop DVD drive & it should boot you into Linux.
You will get a GUI (Graphical User Interface - pronounced Gee You Eye not gooey) not dissimilar to Windows. The start menu will include a host of built in programmes, which for most home users, will be all they ever need.

Running from the live DVD is called a session & no information or changes will be saved when the session is closed.
There is an icon on the desktop to install Linux on the hard drive but beware because it's so easy to overwrite Windows.

It's handy to have a second means of connecting to the internet so that you can look up things that stump you as you go along EG how to find the boot menu (not bios, although you can change the boot order there) if the DVD doesn't boot of it's own accord.

 

[AES]

Thanks for all the very helpful inputs guys.

Still "hesitating at the edge of this pool" (!) but meantime have found a couple of 8 Gig (not Meg!) USB memory sticks.

I'll be back on this thread later, meantime, thanks for the offer Robbo, "we'll see", but I really do appreciate your offer of help.

 

[worn thumbs]

It looks like either an 8Gb memory stick or the offer of a DVD could get you going.Or you could stay with Windows.A live session would give you a chance to try the alternative with no change to the existing computer configuration,unless you choose to make one.A quick search might enable you to link up with a local LUG (Linux User Group) who could talk you through what needs to be done.

If you were to be driving an F1 car to the shops,unless it was a Renault,you would be relying on aerodynamics developed on a Linux machine.Renault have long had a Microsoft partnership.

 

[Robbo3]

The point of running a session is that you can do no damage as nothing is saved.
Conversely, any work you do has to be saved externally or it will be lost when the session closes.
Running a session is the ideal way to try a different operating system without having to worry.
Because it's not permanent you can run a new session whenever you like, for as long or as little as you like.

 

[AES]

Thanks Robbo.