Getting rid of Windows (going to Linux really)
- Thread starter Luc
- Start date
I've been using Windows for over 30 years. I hate Windows 11, but too old to change. I asked my son-in-law who works IT about Ubuntu vs Mint. Here was his response:
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (long term support) and enable automatic
software updates. It has a larger user base and isn't any harder to use than
Mint.
Mint is derived from Ubuntu which is derived from Debian. They're mostly the
same thing under the hood; just differ in what's preconfigured. There's
nothing in Mint that wouldn't run in Ubuntu also.
Both of them let you boot from a USB stick to try it out without installing:
https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/try-ubuntu-before-you-install
(Same instructions for Mint, just use the Mint ISO)
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (long term support) and enable automatic
software updates. It has a larger user base and isn't any harder to use than
Mint.
Mint is derived from Ubuntu which is derived from Debian. They're mostly the
same thing under the hood; just differ in what's preconfigured. There's
nothing in Mint that wouldn't run in Ubuntu also.
Both of them let you boot from a USB stick to try it out without installing:
https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/try-ubuntu-before-you-install
(Same instructions for Mint, just use the Mint ISO)
I love Kubuntu (KDE + ubuntu). It's probably my favorite OS/UX setup of anything I've ever used. I use a mac laptop + linux servers for work but miss having a linux desktop or laptop at home for fun. Not sure how a current version of Kubuntu would run on your system but KDE is pretty customizable, so you could probably turn a lot of the fancier but resource-consuming options off.
I run my business on Ubuntu. No complaints. It is the only one that works for me with Interactive Brokers Trader Workstation.
@Luc , this is what you should do to test your switch and everything else. Boot from the USB and see if everything works. Personally, I'd go with Mint. I don't run Mint, Debian, or Ubuntu. But I do run the Cinnamon desktop on my system. And Cinnamon is the desktop that comes with Mint. And I like using Cinnamon over other desktops I tried.
Go with the Timex Sinclair....
Play Pong like no tomorrow!
BFX
Play Pong like no tomorrow!
BFX
How old is the machine, is it 64bit? Does it have any Nvidia or AMD hardware in it?
If it’s a pretty barebones Intel machine I’d put LinuxLite on it. It’s Debian-based (or maybe Ubuntu which is based on Debian anyway but it’s really bloated and slow by default). Linux lite is really lightweight, and very clean and pretty looking.
If it’s a pretty barebones Intel machine I’d put LinuxLite on it. It’s Debian-based (or maybe Ubuntu which is based on Debian anyway but it’s really bloated and slow by default). Linux lite is really lightweight, and very clean and pretty looking.
- Thread starter
- #28
I'm running on my main computer (not the one that's collecting dust) with the USB stick right now. Linux Mint Cinnamon. I found a USB stick that I could use for the boot and it works well. The default font is different but that's something that I can easily fix.@Luc , this is what you should do to test your switch and everything else. Boot from the USB and see if everything works. Personally, I'd go with Mint. I don't run Mint, Debian, or Ubuntu. But I do run the Cinnamon desktop on my system. And Cinnamon is the desktop that comes with Mint. And I like using Cinnamon over other desktops I tried.
The software manager seems fairly easy to use.
I also saw a few tutorials on how to install a few software (when I move to the non-USB version, the installed version I should say). It's nice to be able to try a demo before you pick.
I posted what the sticker said on the old computer earlier in the thread:
Acer Aspire Ax3990-ES10P. It ran with Windows 7 64-bit, Intel i3 processor 2120. Intel HD graphics. 6gb ddr3 memory, 1.5tb hd (not ssd)
From my understanding, Cinnamon might be difficult with 6gb or ram. I will give it a go but so far, it's nice.
I wouldn't worry about the RAM. I've tried many distros with many desktop environments on 4 GB, Mint Cinnamon included, and didn't notice any problems or performance issues.
Just make sure to dust off the other box and test it to make sure everything works from the jump drive. Test everything -- the keyboard, sound, internet ... anything you can think of. If it all works then you should be able to install the system without problems.
The Major is an old hand w/linux, having used it both on servers, desktops, notebooks, and sub-notebooks.
Here's another vote for Linux Lite, a very good distro that is both lightweight- meaning that it'll likely run far better on your old computer than Windows - and Ubuntu-based - meaning that there's plenty of support for it, Ubuntu being a very popular distro. As follows:
Linux Lite 7.0 might be the best lightweight Linux distro on the market
If you're looking for an easy-to-use Linux distribution to revive aging or slow hardware, Linux Lite is hard to beat.
www.zdnet.com
-MO
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Cinnamon is a stunning desktop, but it might not be the best choice for a situation in which resources may be questionable. That's why the Major recommended Linux Lite.
Cinnamon's minimum resources:
- Processor: 64 bit CPU (single core) with 2 GHz speed or better
- 2GB of RAM (4GB recommended)
- 20GB of disk space (100GB recommended)
- High definition graphics card and monitor
- Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor.
- Memory: 768 MB RAM.
- Storage: 8 GB or larger storage device.
- VGA capable of 1024×768 screen resolution
The more, the better for both these distros, especially w/memory. The Major has never heard someone say "darn, I should've spent less money on RAM."
=MO
I have been running Linux for a few decades and have used a variety of distros and desktop environments.
The nice part of Linux as you can find distros that work with minimal hardware so you can reuse machines that will not run the latest version of Windows. You can run Mint and other distros in 'live' mode to see if they will work with your hardware.
You can also load more than one desktop environment for a Linux installation so you can see which environment works best for you. You can customize it to your hearts content swapping out window managers and other parts.
I currently like Linux Mint Mate edition.
Distrowatch is a good site to learn about different distros.
The nice part of Linux as you can find distros that work with minimal hardware so you can reuse machines that will not run the latest version of Windows. You can run Mint and other distros in 'live' mode to see if they will work with your hardware.
You can also load more than one desktop environment for a Linux installation so you can see which environment works best for you. You can customize it to your hearts content swapping out window managers and other parts.
I currently like Linux Mint Mate edition.
Distrowatch is a good site to learn about different distros.
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My 1st computer!!
Same! The Major was stylin' w/the 16 kb - yes, you read that correctly, 16 kilobytes was a HUGE amount of RAM in the late '70s - but never could manage to load a program he'd written from the tape to which he'd saved it. That' s a plain ol' audio cassette tape.
NOT remembering it fondly,
-MO
I still remember my Tandy Color Computer 2 that I had to boot up with a DOS 5.25" floppy disk. Then once it had booted, you could swap to a different disk to actually load a program. I mostly used it for school papers (printed using a dot matrix printer), for playing around with writing DOS-based programs, and for playing a few games. I remember playing a lot of Color Baseball (a baseball video game where the players looked like stick figure!). Good times.
- Thread starter
- #37
I will plug the old computer (I called him Dusty) this week-end to have a go with the USB stick. I will probably download 2 to 3 more Linux iso files of different distributions (I believe you kids are calling them distro?) and see which ISO/version/style/distro I prefer.
I've been watching a lot of tutorials on how it runs, how it compares, what can run, etc. So far, I believe my ticket to run all my stuff, if it's not native to Linux, will be to use the Android emulator and run Android apps. The rest looks similar enough for me to survive.
I found my old Ubuntu thread (not the USB stick). I did not write which Ubuntu it was... Who knew that it took me over 10 years to decide on this... I don't like change too much and it shows!
I've been watching a lot of tutorials on how it runs, how it compares, what can run, etc. So far, I believe my ticket to run all my stuff, if it's not native to Linux, will be to use the Android emulator and run Android apps. The rest looks similar enough for me to survive.
I found my old Ubuntu thread (not the USB stick). I did not write which Ubuntu it was... Who knew that it took me over 10 years to decide on this... I don't like change too much and it shows!
I was once told by a prof that he bumped my paper up a grade for having it laser printed…said he was going bugeyed after reading 30 other papers in dot matrix.
Don't take it personally, but the Major members when people used to refer to the owners of computers like the Color Computer 2 as being "Tandycapped."
Yes, the Major is that flippin' old,
-MO
See & raise.
Ask the other extreme, the Major's handwriting is so epically, insanely horrible that a professor in college actually handed back an exam paper & asked him to type it up and print it, even with a dot matrix printer, and resubmit it.
Bear in mind that this was LITERALLY just after the Major had submitted his paper. On the day of the exam.Yes, the Major's handwriting is that well-nigh incomprehensible.
What kind of really, our discussion has gone far afield from Luke's original request of a good Linux distro to install on an old computer. The Major's
-MO would do his best to wrap up our suggestions.
