W11 vs Linux Mint

[KannikaP]

Been a Windows user for many years. I read on here about changing to Linux, Mint or Zorin. Tried it and wonder WHY am I trying to change, especially when the Zorin site has one which looks EXACTLY like Windows. Someone convince me please.

[topt]

4 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Tried it and wonder WHY am I trying to change,

If your only reason to try was because it was suggested on here then what were those reasons that resonated with you?

 

For me I had 2 old laptops running win 7 which I turned into dual boot with Mint because I had wanted to try for a long time and I have a thing about not wanting to "share" my data and knew I would have to buy a new machine in the near future.

 

That happened end of last year and I had to buy a new Win 10 machine and the only things stopping me from going to Linux as my main OS is laziness in having to relearn how to do lots of stuff (especially command line) which I am more comfortable with in Windoze and potentially using a VM for some non linux software. 

 

I am not trying to convince you either way. If you have no issues with the data slurping and forced changes then stay with Windows. I know of Zorin (not in detail) and my understanding is the whole point is to make it similar in look and feel to make it easier to migrate/use?

 

Also perhaps you should consider having this moved to the Linux forum where you may get some more insightful replies?

 

 

[Bruno123]

3 hours ago, topt said:

If your only reason to try was because it was suggested on here then what were those reasons that resonated with you?

 

For me I had 2 old laptops running win 7 which I turned into dual boot with Mint because I had wanted to try for a long time and I have a thing about not wanting to "share" my data and knew I would have to buy a new machine in the near future.

 

That happened end of last year and I had to buy a new Win 10 machine and the only things stopping me from going to Linux as my main OS is laziness in having to relearn how to do lots of stuff (especially command line) which I am more comfortable with in Windoze and potentially using a VM for some non linux software. 

 

I am not trying to convince you either way. If you have no issues with the data slurping and forced changes then stay with Windows. I know of Zorin (not in detail) and my understanding is the whole point is to make it similar in look and feel to make it easier to migrate/use?

 

Also perhaps you should consider having this moved to the Linux forum where you may get some more insightful replies?

 

 

 

If by 'data slurping' you mean Telemetry; block ém: https://wpd.app

[KannikaP]

9 hours ago, topt said:

If your only reason to try was because it was suggested on here then what were those reasons that resonated with you?

 

For me I had 2 old laptops running win 7 which I turned into dual boot with Mint because I had wanted to try for a long time and I have a thing about not wanting to "share" my data and knew I would have to buy a new machine in the near future.

 

That happened end of last year and I had to buy a new Win 10 machine and the only things stopping me from going to Linux as my main OS is laziness in having to relearn how to do lots of stuff (especially command line) which I am more comfortable with in Windoze and potentially using a VM for some non linux software. 

 

I am not trying to convince you either way. If you have no issues with the data slurping and forced changes then stay with Windows. I know of Zorin (not in detail) and my understanding is the whole point is to make it similar in look and feel to make it easier to migrate/use?

 

Also perhaps you should consider having this moved to the Linux forum where you may get some more insightful replies?

 

 

Thanks for this. I do note that one can run Linux as a virtual o/s on Windows, and vice versa. WHY?

One reason I 'messed around' with Linux was because I had F All else to do.

[topt]

2 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Thanks for this. I do note that one can run Linux as a virtual o/s on Windows, and vice versa. WHY?

Not sure why you would run Linux as a VM on Windows however some software which people may be wedded to on Windows is not available or a pita to run on Linux.

2 hours ago, KannikaP said:

One reason I 'messed around' with Linux was because I had F All else to do.

????

[topt]

8 hours ago, Bruno123 said:

 

If by 'data slurping' you mean Telemetry; block ém: https://wpd.app

Thanks but most of that I have done manually. 

Firewall is the one area I need to concentrate on but I think I need more granular control then the app offers but I will have a further look.

[OneMoreFarang]

That reminds me about discussions about the programming languages C# and VB some time ago. Most people discussed the functionality. What you can do with which language and how to do it. And often the answer was: You can do it with both languages.

 

And then I read an article comparing the culture of each language. Short: One language was used often by beginners and the other buy professionals, and lots of other "cultural" differences.

 

Now let's look at Windows and Linux. Technically it is possible to do lots of things, and basically everything that normal users do, on both platforms. But who uses them? And who supports them? Most normal users use Windows. It is easy to use and understand and there are millions of how to articles from total beginner level up to specialist.

Linux is a different animal. Like: What, you don't even know how to compile a kernel? And you don't even know what a kernel is? Now, how should I explain this to you...

 

In which of these groups do you feel more comfortable? For most of us the decision should be easy.

 

[Henryford]

I put Linux Mint on an older laptop but really it was too much effort to change things on the command line. Even just simple things like the screen resolution. So i will stick to windows.

[ozimoron]

4 minutes ago, Henryford said:

I put Linux Mint on an older laptop but really it was too much effort to change things on the command line. Even just simple things like the screen resolution. So i will stick to windows.

Did you try using the desktop UI to change the screen resolution?

[userabcd]

2 hours ago, Henryford said:

I put Linux Mint on an older laptop but really it was too much effort to change things on the command line. Even just simple things like the screen resolution. So i will stick to windows.

Don't specifically need the command line to change the screen res in linux.

[userabcd]

You could always try it out on a usb or you could install as dual boot ie zorin  and windows exist side by side.

 

Zorin is just an operating system which can be easily configured with a small learning curve.

 

The main advantage like most linux os is it is free.

 

Zorin claim this on their web page

Privacy-respecting.

We believe privacy is a fundamental human right. That's why Zorin OS doesn't collect personal data, so advertisers and governments can't spy on your activity. Zorin OS is Open Source, so anyone can audit its source code to verify its privacy.

[KannikaP]

16 minutes ago, userabcd said:

You could always try it out on a usb or you could install as dual boot ie zorin  and windows exist side by side.

 

Zorin is just an operating system which can be easily configured with a small learning curve.

 

The main advantage like most linux os is it is free.

 

Zorin claim this on their web page

Privacy-respecting.

We believe privacy is a fundamental human right. That's why Zorin OS doesn't collect personal data, so advertisers and governments can't spy on your activity. Zorin OS is Open Source, so anyone can audit its source code to verify its privacy.

Once you have Windows, it is then FREE. 

[fdsa]

Linux sucks hard. It is difficult to use, it has no drivers for many devices, it could not run many games, it has no usual apps like Microsoft Office or Adobe Photoshop and its "analog" apps are mediocre at best.

There is absolutely no point in using Linux on the home PC unless you are a programmer or a system administrator.

 

Also you should read this: https://itvision.altervista.org/why.linux.is.not.ready.for.the.desktop.current.html

[KannikaP]

16 minutes ago, fdsa said:

it has no usual apps like Microsoft Office

Libre Office comes with Linux.

[userabcd]

52 minutes ago, fdsa said:

Linux sucks hard. It is difficult to use, it has no drivers for many devices, it could not run many games, it has no usual apps like Microsoft Office or Adobe Photoshop and its "analog" apps are mediocre at best.

There is absolutely no point in using Linux on the home PC unless you are a programmer or a system administrator.

 

Also you should read this: https://itvision.altervista.org/why.linux.is.not.ready.for.the.desktop.current.html

For a photoshop type function there are photshop through wine, photopea, gimp etc...

 

For an office package can use office 365 through wine, libreoffice, WPS office etc...

 

Of course there are incompatibilities when files are created in linux or windows and trying to work between the 2 diff os. It is the same for example trying to use different cad products in windows and incompatibilities between diff cad systems cant translate all the data correctly.

 

Seems like that ref article is a negative linux bashing.

[fdsa]

1 hour ago, KannikaP said:

Libre Office comes with Linux.

1 hour ago, userabcd said:

For a photoshop type function there are photshop through wine, photopea, gimp etc...

>>>

1 hour ago, fdsa said:

and its "analog" apps are mediocre at best.

 

 

1 hour ago, userabcd said:

Of course there are incompatibilities when files are created in linux or windows and trying to work between the 2 diff os. It is the same for example trying to use different cad products in windows and incompatibilities between diff cad systems cant translate all the data correctly.

have you ever tried to edit Microsoft Office or Google Docs document in Libre/Open Office? If you edit something more complex than a single page letter then the incompatibilities becomes so significant that the only _really_ working solution for Linux is running a Windows virtual machine with Microsoft Office inside.

 

1 hour ago, userabcd said:

Seems like that ref article is a negative linux bashing.

If you used Linux for a long time you would know that everything in that article is true and correct.

[Lacessit]

4 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Linux is a different animal. Like: What, you don't even know how to compile a kernel? And you don't even know what a kernel is? Now, how should I explain this to you...

 

 

 

No, I don't know how to compile a kernel. I don't need to.

I gave up on Windows after they produced the abortion called Vista.

I am much less likely to get hacked in Linux Mint. I won't have my system hijacked by Microsoft as it attempts to plaster another patch on its vulnerabilities. Linux is polite enough to ask me first before it upgrades.

I do everything in LibreOffice that I would need to do in whatever gee-whiz fatware Microsoft has currently, and guess what - I don't have to pay a cent. I use free online software for compiling and editing videos.

Posted courtesy of Linux Mint, which has been my OS for a couple of years. Had Ubuntu prior to that.

[KannikaP]

1 hour ago, fdsa said:

so significant that the only _really_ working solution for Linux is running a Windows virtual machine with Microsoft Office inside.

Or stick with Windows. LOL

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

No, I don't know how to compile a kernel. I don't need to.

I gave up on Windows after they produced the abortion called Vista.

I am much less likely to get hacked in Linux Mint. I won't have my system hijacked by Microsoft as it attempts to plaster another patch on its vulnerabilities. Linux is polite enough to ask me first before it upgrades.

I do everything in LibreOffice that I would need to do in whatever gee-whiz fatware Microsoft has currently, and guess what - I don't have to pay a cent. I use free online software for compiling and editing videos.

Posted courtesy of Linux Mint, which has been my OS for a couple of years. Had Ubuntu prior to that.

Wonderful, you found your OS of choice. 

[ozimoron]

4 hours ago, fdsa said:

Linux sucks hard. It is difficult to use, it has no drivers for many devices, it could not run many games, it has no usual apps like Microsoft Office or Adobe Photoshop and its "analog" apps are mediocre at best.

There is absolutely no point in using Linux on the home PC unless you are a programmer or a system administrator.

 

Also you should read this: https://itvision.altervista.org/why.linux.is.not.ready.for.the.desktop.current.html

Programming and system administration is where the money is for professionals. Windows is mainly for home use. I do agree that support for analog apps is lacking like music, CAD, etc. Most don't use these anyway and the better apps run on Macs. Linux is way more secure than Windows. I haven't had a security issue in the 12 years that Ubuntu has been my main OS. If I ever get time away from coding and sysops I will move to nixos.

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, ozimoron said:

 

If I ever get time away from coding and sysops I will move to nixos.

Now you have me wondering what has happened to the English language.

[userabcd]

4 hours ago, fdsa said:

>>>

 

 

have you ever tried to edit Microsoft Office or Google Docs document in Libre/Open Office? If you edit something more complex than a single page letter then the incompatibilities becomes so significant that the only _really_ working solution for Linux is running a Windows virtual machine with Microsoft Office inside.

 

If you used Linux for a long time you would know that everything in that article is true and correct.

Use linux a lot over the last 10 to 12 years in business and privately, now using manjaro for the last 4 years. Yes there was some formatting to do but nothing that was impossible not to do or which took an excessive amount of time, its just simple office package, letters and spreadsheets and presentation.

[tgw]

Linux is fine for mainstream use such as:

- office applications (mainstream: word processing, calculation sheets, presentations)

- internet surfing

- email

- watching videos

- a few games run on linux too

 

Beyond mainstream use and a few specialized uses though, Linux won't work for most users who want a jack of all trades or want to use the computer for gaming or "prosumer" applications.

The cause for this is the lack of Linux versions of drivers and software.

 

Linux is also more difficult than Windows to bend into the right shape for specialized use, lacks some software, lacks many drivers, is complicated (kernels / distributions), and it has bugs. yes, many.

 

I am a Linux user, I use Ubuntu on my servers.

For my personal computers, I prefer Windows by far.

 

If I had to choose computers with a productivity suite for office staff, I would probably choose Linux.

[OneMoreFarang]

4 hours ago, ozimoron said:

Linux is way more secure than Windows. I haven't had a security issue in the 12 years that Ubuntu has been my main OS.

But Windows is also not as bad as some people think it is. I think I had the last malware with Windows XP before the firewall became part of Windows. Nothing since then. And I use it all the time.

If people let Windows do the automatic updates and if they pay a little attention not to click here and there and everywhere then Windows is 99% secure. 

[Lacessit]

5 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

If people let Windows do the automatic updates and if they pay a little attention not to click here and there and everywhere then Windows is 99% secure. 

Windows may have improved in security. Having said that, when I would boot up my laptop, and then sit around for anything up to twenty minutes while Windows faffed around applying updates and patches, it p$$$ed me off.

Usually, Linux Mint takes under a minute for updating. Just did one, 16 seconds.

[Lacessit]

8 hours ago, tgw said:

 and it has bugs. yes, many.

 

 

What bugs? Linux Mint has worked trouble-free for me since the pandemic started, or thereabouts. On a desktop AND a laptop, which is a bit more than good luck.

An answer in the English language would be appreciated.

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Windows may have improved in security. Having said that, when I would boot up my laptop, and then sit around for anything up to twenty minutes while Windows faffed around applying updates and patches, it p$$$ed me off.

Usually, Linux Mint takes under a minute for updating. Just did one, 16 seconds.

Windows takes a long time to update if it wasn't used for a long time.

I.e. over the years I had several notebooks which I used sometimes only every couple of months. With those notebooks it happened regularly that they used a long time, sometimes an hour or so, to update Windows and other programs when I opened them the first time.

That never happened on my desktop PC which I use all the time.

My "solution" for the seldom used notebooks: I open then the day before I want to actually use them to let Windows install whatever it wants to install. Then everything works fine the next day.

In my case this works most of the time because most of the time I know in advance when I will take those notebooks with me to a customer or on a trip.

[robblok]

3 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Windows may have improved in security. Having said that, when I would boot up my laptop, and then sit around for anything up to twenty minutes while Windows faffed around applying updates and patches, it p$$$ed me off.

Usually, Linux Mint takes under a minute for updating. Just did one, 16 seconds.

It kinda depends on your computer too and how often you use it. I don't often have windows updates. I just switched to win 11 still having to get used to it a bit but its super fast.

 

But I got a good computer, if you have a low spec computer go with linux. Windows just needs more power. If you got the power windows is super fast.

 

It also depends what you do with if some gaming windows rules, if you use it for work, windows rules. If you just use it for yourself and surf the net a bit, then linux wins if you got an old computer.

 

I got a good commercial (lifetime key for windows and I always have fast desktop computers) so why would I change.

 

It just really personal and depends on how you use your computer and the specs of your hardware.

[KannikaP]

3 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Windows may have improved in security. Having said that, when I would boot up my laptop, and then sit around for anything up to twenty minutes while Windows faffed around applying updates and patches, it p$$$ed me off.

Usually, Linux Mint takes under a minute for updating. Just did one, 16 seconds.

So turn your Windows PC on twenty minutes before you need to use it !     LOL

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, robblok said:

It kinda depends on your computer too and how often you use it. I don't often have windows updates. I just switched to win 11 still having to get used to it a bit but its super fast.

 

But I got a good computer, if you have a low spec computer go with linux. Windows just needs more power. If you got the power windows is super fast.

 

It also depends what you do with if some gaming windows rules, if you use it for work, windows rules. If you just use it for yourself and surf the net a bit, then linux wins if you got an old computer.

 

I got a good commercial (lifetime key for windows and I always have fast desktop computers) so why would I change.

 

It just really personal and depends on how you use your computer and the specs of your hardware.

My desktop is reasonably recent, did an upgrade 6 months ago when the SSD decided to go doolally. My laptop would be 8 or 9 years old.

I don't do any gaming at all, I prefer real life activity. I'm retired, so work is not an issue. Microsoft did a great marketing job to the vast majority of businesses, I'll give them that.

Linux does everything I want on both systems, like you why would I change? Horses for courses.