Upgrade to Linux

www.upgradetolinux.com /install-linux/

Resources to test, install, and run your first instances of Linux and open source software.

28 comments

I highly discourage dual booting as a novice.
Back when I dual booted I had so many issues and things to look out for not to break the system, and distro hopping is difficult etc.. just get rid of windows
try Ubuntu, Mint, or Pop!_OS.
Mint and pop are basically ubuntu. For the end user, especially a beginner, there's 0 difference between them.
- Dual-booting is fine if you have more than one drive.
  
  This, even still, with only one drive, I've done it before as a novice, if you rtfm you'll be fine. Otherwise yeah, just put it on a second drive
- I ran dual boot for years with zero issues. Just partition the drive or use two different ones.
- Mint and pop are basically ubuntu
  Which makes Ubuntu basically Debian right? So just install that!
  For a user coming from Windows I recommend Mint Cinnamon as it will give them the best, most familiar experience. Yes a newbie could find and install Ubuntu Cinnamon but the default ISO on the downloads page will saddle them with Gnome.
- Dual booting is fine if you are using 2 Linux OSes.
  If one partition has windows installed an update can hijack the Linux partition or remove the grub.
  
  Old news. I updated Winblows and nothing happened to systemd-boot.
  
  I hate it, basically I have to force myself when I boot into windows to physically disconnect the RJ45 from the back, so it doesn't replace the boot entries thru an update.
- Mint and pop are basically ubuntu.
  Big difference: Pop, at least, does not push Canonical's proprietary "Snap" nonsense. You can use it if you really want, but it's not installed by default. No snapd on my system, thanks.
  
  Mint is also strongly against Snap. The plurality of Mint's users guide is "Why Snaps are disabled by default."
  
  Fair point, but that probably wouldn't be a "big difference" for a first time user.
- If you have to dual boot, give Windows a separate disk.
- For the end user, especially a beginner, there's 0 difference between them.
  Shouldn't be the other way around? Beginners usually won't want to install DE's or other stuff by hand:
  Linux Mint offers a Windows-like experience with cinnamon out of the box, and has several stuff setup by default like system snapshots and media codecs.
  Pop!_OS is really appealing visually and very comfortable to use and setup.
  Ubuntu, well, is Ubuntu. I'm not diving into it.

Literally just install it on a spare machine or drive. No need to overthink it.
- For someone who has never used Linux it can be very daunting, especially if they have never installed an os.
  
  If you can't even install an os by reading documentation using linux is just going to frustrate you.

This is nice but there are already tons of "how/why to start using Linux" websites. Not sure if we need another one.

I still keep my old Windows disk as a second boot option. Might finally wipe it at some point.
- I was scared to install Linux as a daily driver at first. Then Windows Update screwed up my install and I said "Screw it, I'm not installing Windows again". Basically Windows took the decision to uninstall it for me :)
  
  I'll probably just keep a Win10 VM if need be.

28 comments