Jesus. Another one of these? Every freaking day. (Promise it’s different)
I personally like mint and pop!os for new users, but for this user I want to try something windows like with more sex appeal. I don’t want to have to touch this computer again. Proprietary software is not an issue/consideration. User is techier than most. What has your experience been with kbuntu? Pros/cons? Other suggestions?
Debian is always the forgotten choice. You can install kde at time of install. It’s stable and can be upgraded in the background automatically even between major versions. Doesn’t have snaps making hell for the user. For any apps they need the newest version of Flatpak is right there in Discover software center.
Kubuntu is excellent for the stability imo. Super sane and low-demand defaults make for a reliable/enjoyable experience
I only use gentoo now so I can’t offer suggestions other than maybe alpine for serversKubuntu is just really well polished. It works really well and stable nowadays. Only downside is snap.
Also have a look at Linux MX. Also very well polished and some really good tools.
Well there are no operating systems that you can install and forget, unless they never plan to go online with the machine. They all need updating which can be set automatically. The only problem is if it requires manual intervention, sometimes updates don’t go as planned, then a roll-back might be necessary. They could try an immutable linux distribution if they are worried about screwing up their installs or something. Fedora kinoite may be their thing, or Bazzite which is based on that.
Best I can offer is Hannah Montana linux
I used to recommend Ubuntu. Now that immutable distributions exist, I prefer to recommend openSUSE Aeon or Fedora Silverblue to new users. However, check this website before installing Linux.
I know I’ll get down voted for this, but from that site:
"Microsoft wants you to buy a new computer.
But what if you could make your current one fast and secure again?"
Kind of a sensationalized statement. I’ve upgraded tons of machines from 2015 and newer to windows 11 without issues. Sure, not all of them, but I’d say a majority of them, and the “upgrade” is free.
I guess I wanted to point out this piece isn’t as doom and gloom as it seems.
I think you underestimate how many computers that are in use today that can’t be updated to Windows 11.
I, and many others, have run Windows 10 on unsupported hardware. Difference is that Windows 10 didn’t care and Windows 11 actively try to stop you from doing so. So, what is this if not Microsoft now forcing people to buy new hardware, if they have unsupported hardware?
Edit: What where the CPUs on the 2015 computers you upgraded?
Edit: What where the CPUs on the 2015 computers you upgraded?
No idea, I touch so many computers in a day I don’t keep track. I just know the release dates of the machines and surprised how many from 2015-2020 were actually OK with installing windows 11.
I think you underestimate how many computers that are in use today that can’t be updated to Windows 11.
Nah, do you mean like those windows xp ones that banks use, or windows 7 ones that governments use, etc? Those are obviously in a category of their own.
So, what is this if not Microsoft now forcing people to buy new hardware, if they have unsupported hardware?
There’s an obvious answer to this, even if many may not like it, but switch. Switch to a Mac or install Linux on your machine. It’s generally a bad idea to stay in a relationship with someone who treats you poorly, so…
Nah, do you mean like those windows xp ones that banks use, or windows 7 ones that governments use, etc? Those are obviously in a category of their own.
No, I talk about lots of normal ordinary people that have computers that work perfectly fine, so why should they upgrade? A computer from 10 years ago runs Windows 10 easy, and would run 11 easy as well, if Microsoft let it.
Focus on the DE instead of the distro. There used to be one that has “windows look” as a goal.
I’m pretty sure that’s Zorin. I’ve never used it myself, but from what I’ve heard it might be a good choice for OP’s person.
Zorin is too walled off IMO. Too many features locked in Pro version.
The true Windows experience.
There is nothing locked outside Pro version that you can’t get by installing it manually :)
I wasn’t aware that there’s a paid version. Based on their website it does look like they have a lot of standard stuff locked behind Pro. Is it just like an additional repo or something? I’m also not too keen on the fact that the upgrade doesn’t carry over to the next major version.
Yeah the entire existence of any “pro” version of anything is cancer.
I disagree with you however I find it attrocious than when you upgrade (exemple from ZorinOS 16 to 17) if you own a Pro licence you have to buy a new licence (with a discount) and can’t “downgrade” to non-Pro (except from reinstalling it from scratch). I think the way the Pro is sold shouldn’t put upgrade behind a paywall.
Selling a (bloated) Pro version to bring cash isn’t necesseraly cancer it really depend on what you get and how you’re treated. And with ZorinOS I was somewhat disapointed…
It is can’t because this is how the door gets pushed open to making more and more paid versions of the operating system.
This invites more capitalistic practices into the “market”, and is what starts the downward trend.
I’m ok with selling software. But selling the OS at all just seems like a big step that should never be taken.
Selling a paid upgrade is kind of a gray area, but it should be an extra piece that gets installed separately, cross-compatible where possible, and shouldn’t affect your ability to upgrade versions for damn sure. I’ve never dealt with it directly, but if it’s like you said and you need to do a complete reinstall to upgrade versions but downgrade from pro to regular, then you’ve already detected the first tumor.
In my opinion OS is software, many people are working on it and I don’t think their work is worth 0$ (maybe Windows being the exception lol).
Get an immutable distro. You’ll never need to touch it again.
This may actually hinders new users because you can’t just change stuff on the system.
And no, not everything always work out of the box. Fedora & OpenSUSE codecs, I’m looking at you.