Replies

re: Linux or OS.

Linux is no picnic. It is still a hobbyist production. I bought a Linux laptop last year. No manual or instructions. Dozens of ‘how to install’ videos online, but few ‘how to use’ or ‘how to do’ videos. It still operates from a command line. So far, it is more frustrating than Windows. It reminds me of Unix and MS-DOS from 30 years ago.

Linux is okay for basic web browsing, etc.

Considering that tens or hundreds of millions of people use various versions of Linux, it is astounding that you evidently don;t know a single person who uses it, who could tell you how easy it is to install and assist doing so.

For most people, getting a copy of Ubuntu Linux is quite easy (download from website using current Windows system and then install, or get a CD/DVD/USB with Linux operating system, or find a Linux Users Group meeting). Many of us would be happy to help.

There are tens of thousands of programs available for free download after installation, and there's nothing I do on windows that I can't do on Linux with the exception of various proprietary programs written for Windows and not for Apple/Linux/etc. But that's not a limitation of Apple or Linux!

Linux is no picnic. It is still a hobbyist production. I bought a Linux laptop last year. No manual or instructions. Dozens of ‘how to install’ videos online, but few ‘how to use’ or ‘how to do’ videos. It still operates from a command line. So far, it is more frustrating than Windows. It reminds me of Unix and MS-DOS from 30 years ago. Linux is okay for basic web browsing, etc.

Not sure what flavor of Linux you have or how old but most recent flavors of Linux have good GUI's so you don't have to run anything from a command line unless you want to. Like someone else pointed out Ubuntu works great out of the box but so does Mint. All you have to do is update them once in awhile and all updates for all programs and the OS come through one channel which makes it so much easier to update everything.

For people starting on Linux, I like to install the latest Long-Term-Service version of Lubuntu on their machines. It's just a lighter desktop version of Ubuntu that runs a similar desktop environment to Windows XP/7 so it's easier for people to transition to Linux. And like what someone else posted there are so many free programs to download that you can almost do anything in Linux that you can do in Windows. Once I've installed Lubuntu for family/friends, and they keep them updated, I rarely hear back from them and it's usually only minor issues.

CGato

My Linux Mint Cinnamon 18 IS a picnic. I’m really glad I quit MS products. This OS just works great out of the box.