Pulling the plug on expired Operating Systems

Eggcorn

@User5765 When you put it that way, you have a point: The computer manufacturer should have given you a straightforward way to switch to an OS that will continue to get security updates. By not doing that, they're arguably renting a computer to you instead of selling one.

That said, it is your responsibility to properly back up your files! It's something you should be doing regularly, not just something you do when it's time to update the OS.

Ayespy

@TravellinBob So, Bob, You can't find a blow-by-blow comparison of Windows and Linux because there are over 100 Linuxes and only one Windows.

So here is what I can tell you from my own experience with a (very) few Linux distros:

If Microsoft burned down tomorrow, I would adopt Linux in a heartbeat, never look back, and dedicate myself to the learning curve. And that's the thing - the learning curve.

As of now, however, that's much less of an issue than it once was. Reason being, you and I have been learning Windows for 30 years or better, but at the same time, Windows (and to a lesser degree, Linux) has been learning us. MS has iteratively changed Windows to adapt to human nature, intuitions, motor control systems and nervous system, as least insofar as they can understand such things, but at the same time, so has Linux. And as people are people the world over, the traits of the two kinds of systems, graphical user interfaces, color pallettes, keyboard and mouse usage, etc. have tended to converge in the two systems. Windows is (a little) like Linux now, and Linux is (a lot) more like Windows now. Hence, the culture shock of moving from one to the other is getting to be pretty much minimal.

One does have to learn some different command structures, operative habits, update expectations, but it's not at all traumatic. The trick is, to find a system which is not jarringly different from Windows, which contains a fair amount of third-party software so that online content like audio and video can still be consumed. etc., and documents in familiar formats can also be opened, edited, saved, etc.

For these purposes, I have tried some lesser-known Linux distros that claimed to be comfortably familiar for Windows users, and found that they were anything but. But after some poking around I found I could be quite happy with Linux Mint or ArchLinux Manjaro Cinnamon, the latter being all the more attractive because its default browser is Vivaldi. So its authors work extra hard to coordinate insofar as practicable with the Vivaldi crew to keep the system and the browser humming along smoothly with each other. Further, Manjaro is more resource-thrifty than Mint in my experience, and snappier on more meager hardware.

But there are some caveats. There are some kinds of software whose authors simply never bothered to build anything that would work in Linux - like Quickbooks for instance. It only works on Windows and Mac. Also of course, there are none of those MS Office apps that work on Linux. LibreOffice does of course, and so does my preference, Softmaker Free Office (which is a ton lighter and faster than LibreOffice and actually more format-compatible with the MS stuff). You also have to find substitutes for things like Photoshop or any Corel software (like paintshop) etc., etc.

Long story short, there's just no reason NOT to use Linux unless you have some PARTICULAR software or content that has no Linux-friendly version, that you simply must use for reasons known only to you. I could literally fire up the Linux box to my left here and do all my work and keep all my clients happy for a week or better. Never miss a beat. But when I had to update my books or send invoices, I would have to slide back over to this machine and open Quickbooks. Cuz there's no version that works on Linux.

But then, there literally is NO Linux distro that spies on you. So that's pretty kewl.

And of course Chrome OS basically doesn't work at all for many purposes unless you are wired into the Borg via the internet, because it lacks the resources to support a full suite of actual working software. So, no.

So I am sure I haven't anticipated all your questions, and I'm a Linux noob myself so there's much I don't know. But as old-and-set-in-my-ways (pushing 70) as I am, and as plugged-in to Windows as I've had to be, if I ever retire, I'm probably going to shift my focus to Linux, learn it in earnest, and be skillful with it before I take my last breath.

Catweazle

@Ayespy , I quite agree with this observation, apart from some details, such as the language used in the commands in Windows and Linux (necessary use in Windows very little and in Linux also less and less), extensions of some files and their handling, something easier in Windows.....

A current distro does not require a learning curve that can be defined as such (I at least did not have any problems in the past with Kubuntu, with which I immediately felt quite comfortable).

In any case, currently 99% of our use of the PC is online, where the environment is the one offered by the browser and where the OS is irrelevant, it is also irrelevant for the use of graphic applications, editors, office apps, games, etc. (of this there are also more and more of the latest generation for Linux).

In summary, the user does not have to worry about difficulties regarding a change from Windows to Linux based on certain differences at the level of system management, since how many times is it necessary to tinker with the UI and the functionalities of an OS, once configured and with the apps that are needed?

ingolftopf

@Ayespy
Thank you for this detailed article.
I found it very informative.
I copied some of it and will come back to it later.

TravellinBob

@Ayespy Thanks! That's possibly the best response I've ever had to any questions, theoretical or otherwise, about Linux (and that's with all due respect to others who've been good enough to contribute their time and opinions).

We're in the same age bracket, so no doubt have many similar difficulties and concerns about all this modern stuff - I remain a fountain pen and nice paper for letters man, myself, and it's annoying when people still respond to me by email!

Anyhow, you've given me something to chew on, so thanks for that!

Alxender

This post is deleted!

Catweazle

@Ayespy , GnuCash?

mossman

@Hadden89 said in Pulling the plug on expired Operating Systems:

@ingolftopf Q4OS is nice, ~~even if I'm a bit sad it doesn't offer tweaked xfce variant~~
It does, I just have selected it. Now I'm with an overbloated plasma desktop with konqueror and vivaldi is not in the featured apps
Well if the UEFI boot is not dead - or if Win11 won't the destroy the dual boot - I'll switch to my beloved xfce and keep this side os with me ^^

Vivaldi might not be featured app, but go to Vivaldi.com and it will download and install just fine in Q4OS.

Catweazle

@mossman , until now Vivaldi is only the default browser in Manjaro and FerenOS. Maybe in the future are more distros which do this, anyway it's not a problem to install Vivaldi in almost all distros.

Panino

Aaaaah... will have to buy a SSD and more RAM for my father computer to unfortunately update to Windows 10.

ingolftopf

@Panino
Or use Linux.

Catweazle

@Panino , a SSD anyway is fine, but W10 don't need much more min sys specs than W7

Processor:

1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster compatible processor or System on a Chip (SoC)

RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit

Hard drive size:

32GB or larger hard disk

Graphics card:

Compatible with DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver

Display: 800x600

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-specifications

Zalex108

Despite the "Official Specs Paper",
Does anyone install W7/10/11/....
Just to run the OS?

People use Apps on Top, and now they use much more resources than before.
The OS too.

Been using W10 for a while time ago on the laptop but went back to W7 since has less unnecessary things and its performance it's better.

LTSC or Lite versions work better as for low end computers as to avoid annoyances for people.

Recently knew about some W10/11 Lite versions, Mini10, WinterOS and there's another, they are focused for LowEnd and to Gamers, would help to some people.

Not tested myself but seems they work fine.

Panino

@Catweazle said in Pulling the plug on expired Operating Systems:

@Panino , a SSD anyway is fine, but W10 don't need much more min sys specs than W7

Processor:

1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster compatible processor or System on a Chip (SoC)

RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit

Hard drive size:

32GB or larger hard disk

Graphics card:

Compatible with DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver

Display: 800x600

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-specifications

This is nonsense... these specs.
Try using Windows 10 on a system like that.

But I was thinking about putting a SSD there anyway (duplicating the disk). Well, there's the money, what lacks now is more will to finally let go of Windows 7.

Catweazle

@Panino , yes you can without problems, there are even small netbooks and tablets working with W10. The only thing which maybe don't work in these is the Windows Store (which no one in their right mind uses anyway), because need a bigger resolution than the OS.
A niece of mine has a 12 year old PC with 4Gb RAM 32 bits and has switched to W10 with no problems, runs reasonably fast, despite the old HD, with an SSD it surely works perfectly.

TalGarik

@ingolftopf said in Pulling the plug on expired Operating Systems:

@Panino
Or use Linux.

there is no better choice unless you need some proprietary software, I miss Fedora so much

Zalex108

@Catweazle

X86 Will be the next
Probably soon

I manage a 2Gb Ram with W7, since Presto RIP, no one runs as flawlessly, neither Vivaldi since the Cr engine. ://

mib2berlin

@Zalex108
Hi, the next is Windows 10, 2025.
What I not understand often is you can buy a used PC or school PS´s for 20-40 €, why you keep your old hardware as long as possible?

Cheers, mib

Zalex108

@mib2berlin

Yes,
I mean x32 versions will be deprecated.
Some Linux versions already did it.

That 2Gb PC is not used that much to replace it.
20/40€?

And works?

I'll check what's on a shop which sells Companies computers, just for an overall idea, time ago wasn't powerful nor as cheap.

I run with a i5 2k 6Gb, works fine despite I set up everything as a Low End to keep it lightweight.

Zalex108

One of them

https://www.ofertaspc.com/13-portatiles_reacondicionados