Why you should replace Windows 7 with Linux
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@potmeklecbohdan Re: My Chinese middle-section of my post.
LOL
Not sure how old you and other readers are. I'm older than some, younger than others, but suffice it to say that I was involved in the government and corporate level of the internet between, say, 1988 to 2000. I saw it both from the government security aspect and later from the corporate build-out and merger-frenzy to the Dot Com bust.
That's just some perspective of where I am coming from.
The intro dealt with my particular targeted need and uses for Linux as someone seeking a replacement for Windows 7 (which I still use and enjoy).
This post, however, is written from a machine running the Debian-based Q4OS/XPQ4 32bit. So, as a proof of concept, Debian works fine.
For that matter, I am still in the evaluation mode, and have been trying out many (mostly Ubuntu-based) distros.
Simply put, I am completely open-minded as to what my next OS shall be, but I have my druthers as to how that replacement ought to work. Thus, no need to argue (which is silly and unproductive). I just want something that works reliably, safely and is as user-friendly as possible.
Learning is why I am here.
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@Catweazle You are lucky my friend.
For some reason the last two MS updates have played havoc with my Win10 Home system (Windows 10 OS Version 1909 (Build 18363.900)
). Has only happened once before, when the update took 20 hours.
I think their "Home" OS is flaky. In the past I have always used the "Pro" versions and found them stable, even into their old age.
I do not have media to reload the OS so if this continues a migration to Linux may be in the works. -
@greybeard , same as I have, W10 64 1909 18363.900, last update last week (????). Maybe somthing wrong in your settings.
CPU AMD 8Gb
GPU AMD Radeon 2Gb -
@greybeard said in Why you should replace Windows 7 with Linux:
replace it with a n appropriate version of Linux
You will not be sorry.
You will have fun, you will find it exciting & challenging [in the best way]. You will learn a lot, you will see & do some things differently, other things just the same. You will have difficulties & problems, annoyances & frustrations, which will only stimulate you to greater heights, & enable increased satisfaction as you defeat them one by one. You will have a sense of wonderment that something so cool & excellent had been hidden from you for so long. You will shake your head in amazement that entirely different workflows are possible & available for you [optional, not mandatory] that you might not have even suspected were possible, when the universe falsely appeared only through Redmond eyes.
You might ultimately decide to stay where you are. Even if that's so, none of the preceding experiences will be negated for you. You still will have grown & expanded.
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@Steffie , but you also cannot condemn those who want to learn from their environment and not how to fight better with OS, where they simply want it to work for their purpose without further complications.
You have a car to travel and see the world, not to learn how to fix its breakdowns every little bit.
Each one has their priorities. Important only that you have them and that you learn from them. -
@Catweazle I don't think so as I haven't had too many issues before (except those I've mentioned). I do everything through the admin account so updates should be applied properly down through the two User accounts.
There have been a ton of complaints on the MS forums regarding the buggy updates and MS Edge...
Like IE, they say Edge is now an integral part of the OS (those of you in Europe, take note).Buggy updates for me were 2020/01 & 02 one security issue and one flash issue. Also a number of DorNet security issues from last year.
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@TalGarik I'm afraid some of us may somewhat disagree.
For example, before arthritis and I could use my hands, I did some wood carving as a hobby.
Over the years I have been gifted many tools. Not one could I use without a thorough examination, then sharpening if needed.
Two issues, (my) safety and performance.
Now baking bread, a totally different ball of wax... nothing better than a good home baked loaf of bread.
But may one still be just a little curious as to differing kinds and methods? -
I have been a longtime PC user, since operating systems were various flavours of DOS in fact! PC's were novel then, came in many different flavours with several different operating systems. Amateur programming was all the rage, mostly in BASIC, but gradually C and C++ took over and there was a great community of budding programmers publishing their programs for all to share.Then along came windows in all its variations - 3.0, 3.1 XP, 7, and so on. Apple too was hot on their heels (well, fairly hot). These two sounded the death nell of the amateur programmer and certainly the novelty has long worn off for me. Now I regard them (PC's) as just tools used, as one correspondent disparagingly put it, for shopping, accounts, record keeping and other such mundane tasks. What else can you do with a PC these days that is worth spending any time over? Fiddling around the OS? Come on! With those thoughts and getting thoroughly pissed off with Windows. I recently switched from windows 10 to Linux Mint (may change that to Ubuntu) and wish that I had done it sooner. And, at 83 yrs old had no problems! One thing I have noted that hasn't changed at all over the years, the, 'My PC/OS is better than anyone elses' syndrome!
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@agedone Welcome to the Vivaldi Community! Always good to hear from someone who's been around the block a few times
Good on you for making the switch to Linux - I guess it's more familiar anyway for those of us who grew up using the command line
the death nell of the amateur programmer
I guess you've not had a look at for instance Github or Sourceforge lately? I think the amateur programmer is very much alive and productive these days.
PS it's "death knell".
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I used Windows 10 to replace to Windows 7,as in my opinion,Windows 10 is more helpful to me than Linux.
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@Ayespy I have to wonder what you do to your Linux setups to bring them down. I can break a setup with the best of them just tinkering. Left alone Linux can last for years for me.
I'm writing this on Mint Linux 18.3 (KDE) that was last installed a couple of years ago. Same with two setups I have at home, and several more that I have installed for family and friends. I have Mint KDE running on computers used by children right up to 85 year old seniors. I always install the same versions so if they do have a problem, I can lead them to the fix over the phone. Generally speaking I very seldom need to do anything for anyone.
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@Joey21 In every case, what has broken Linux for me has been an update. Once an update makes a build unbootable, I have not figured out how to roll it back to a bootable state.
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@Ayespy - I've done that too. Frustrating. Seems as though there should be a CLI command to reset everything to "like new" (default) from the recovery menu. When the OS failed it is because I've tinkered with the Linux OS 'til I broke it.
I'll agree with others' comments. The average person (perhaps Americans mostly?) seems to be adverse to change or intellectually lazy. Rather than learn a tiny bit to avoid reoccurring computer issues such as viruses - they would rather beg people like me to fix it for them or pay me pizza money to repair their mistakes.
I don't work on computers these days b/c along the way the value of my spare time exceeded the value of the money people wanted to pay me. I still do favors of course. When someone has a repeating problem either it is time to learn what not to do to keep Win10 alive or its time to listen to my OS lecture. I steer people towards Linux, Apple and Chromebooks these days. Win10 is okay and we have it on our family computer (dual booting) for a few games but I consider it delicate and always subject to attack.
Our kids have used Mint Linux (KDE) from the start. Today they use all the OSs. They use open-source software for school work and personal projects. We want them to be able to be productive with computers and software in general - and not be the type of person who struggles when they need to use a different OS or browser or office suite.
Until the average person is more like our kids, Windows will likely remain at the top of the stack for no reason other than familiarity and the default OS that came on a new computer. I prefer "better tools" such as Vivaldi or Linux.
I think Win7 was the pinnacle of the Windows OS series so far. While Win10 might be better under the hood (faster and more secure than Win7), I see the rest of the OS as necessarily complicated. Too many layers for settings. The OS seems to get in the way of just getting things done.
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@Ayespy said in Why you should replace Windows 7 with Linux:
@Joey21 In every case, what has broken Linux for me has been an update. Once an update makes a build unbootable, I have not figured out how to roll it back to a bootable state.
Linux Mint has a program called Timeshift for this issue. It can be set up to perform timed back-ups, or you can manually create a system snapshot before you try to install something.
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@JohnConnorBear Perhaps there's "laziness," and then there's "laziness."
A carpenter who also practices as a blacksmith might consider a carpenter who simply buys a new hammer or screwdriver, or maybe even never replaces the handles - but simply buys new ones when they break or wear out, as being "lazy." Because, after all, everyone should have the skill and the will to forge, repair, and refashion their own tools.
Most users of tools, however, do not expect to forge them or repair them.
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Linux is cool - no question. But a lot of work to keep it up to date. If you are firm with your PC - try it. If you are "only a user", Windows is easier!
Btw: Win 10 is current not 7!
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@JohnConnorBear Then people who don't learn languages are also "lazy."
I think a degree of discomfort with the unfamiliar is a greater or lesser part of every human's nature. I'm not sure it equates to laziness.
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@JohnConnorBear , today I had an update on Windows 10, this in the W7 would have meant giving me my head against the keyboard and making myself a coffee and showering afterwards, while Windows is updating. In Windows 10 it was a procession like other times and does not take more than 2-3 minutes. So fast it wasn't even the Kubuntu I used.
For me an OS is a tool and there is very little time that I enjoy another UI than that of the browser, therefore it is quite indifferent what OS is under the window of Vivaldi or UR, which is Windows or Linux, what I want is that it works without having to worry about this.
Today all OSes are very valid and the differences are only personal preferences, none of them cover all needs and all have their pros and cons.
The only advantage I see on Linux is the variety that there is to suit any use and personal tastes, but none of them have the ease and convenience of use that Windows has, nor the availability of all kinds of applications even in the scope of OpenSource that Windows has. -
Or the "I do'nt know" solution: Dual Boot: https://www.howtogeek.com/187789/dual-booting-explained-how-you-can-have-multiple-operating-systems-on-your-computer/#:~:text=CloudSavvy
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@JohnConnorBear , that Windows by default has a habit of tuteling the user is nothing new, but it also allows to disable this custom (and telemetrics), which I usually do first on a new PC.
With this he will become an obedient lamb, fast and stable like a rock, without further headaches.
For me the comfort zone, as I said before, is the browser I use in 99% of the time on the PC, and this is the same on Windows, as on Linux.