I'd say so, too. I've seen at least 3 tech illiterate people (who gave it a chance) be really happy with Linux. You will probably face some annoyance at some point, as it is with everything. But I think Linux is a good choice. Get help installing it if you know someone who can. It's not that difficult but that would speed up the process. The most important thing is to save your data so you don't accidentally overwrite it.
this post was submitted on 10 Dec 2023
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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Your biggest tech challenge will likely be in installing linux. So take your time and work through a tutorial.
Linux is a fundamentally different OS from Windows. Some desktop environments resemble various Windows versions, while others are very different: they might be more Mac like, or more mobile like, or completely unfamiliar.
Installing programs is generally easier on linux because the default is to use the package manager (basically an app store) rather than downloading sketchy programs off websites that all want to update on their own schedule and all want to start when you boot the OS. Just search them, set updates to pop up weekly or whatever your preferred schedule is, and your package manager will do the rest.
Troubleshooting is harder for new users but easier for experienced users: it typically requires more work that can be daunting for casual users, but it lets you get much deeper into the OS to fix problems, where on Windows you might just be stuck waiting for a patch.
Compatibility is usually the biggest frustration, since many programs do not release a linux version, so you need to find alternatives or run them in a compatibility layer. Both of these solutions can sometimes cause problems getting the exact functionality you need, whereas if you’re using the natively supporting OS it may be smoother.
I'd say so - since you're coming in relatively cold you're probably not so used to Windows that you'd get frustrated with how Linux works compared to it, and if you're just using it for regular, everyday stuff like web browsing there's practically no difference.
Not really, to be honest.
I think Linux has come a long, long way. But unfortunately, "tech illiterate" has become much, much more illiterate.
It feels like Linux will forever be stuck in this 'just behind' mentality because companies like Apple and even Microsoft can funnel so many resources into making sure their distribution ;) is user-friendly.
That said, I think Microsoft sees the writing on the wall and is ducking out. Apple has no reason to. Their designers, unfortunately, are on point.
Except for most "tech illiterate" people, they just need a browser...
...which works identically in Linux and Windows. With the bonus of not running random exe files.
Uhh, no. Tech illiterate people might spend most of their time in a browser, but it's not all most of them need.
Thinking otherwise is just being out of touch with reality.
Linux and Windows are very similar, but they have some very important differences. My recommendation to you would be to install a VM and try to use Linux, if your computer can't handle a VM or you want a closer experience at running Linux, you can create a Live USB with a program called Rufus, it should even allow you to set some permanence so you don't have to redo everything every time you boot it. Running Linux from the USB will let you use the system without altering anything, and you'll have an install button that will have a graphical interface to install Linux on your system should you want to.
That depends. You could go the same path ChromeOS & SteamOS does and setup an immutable distribution.