I finally had to buy a new laptop. My old one was literally falling apart (hinges loose, chunks of the plastic case falling off). It was 7-8 years old and had served me well.
Ended up with Windows 11. It’s the worst piece of excrement ever.
Can’t do anything unless you get it from the MS app store. Can’t scan anymore with my old scanner printer (won’t allow drivers to install). Won’t allow me to use old laser printer (won’t allow drivers to install).
Nephew, who’s a whiz (works literally 80 hours per week in cyberland) fixed a few things but he purposely never uses Windows anymore and definitely not W11.
I knew I should have bought a Mac, but even they have some quirky limitations.
I’m using different distros of Linux more often.
Partly to learn some administration and command line.
Most are on Virtualbox a few are on old laptops that I got cheap here and there since they were old to some people.
Parrot, Rocky and Qubes I have recently acquired but not done much with yet.
Get an Intel Mac and still run Windows if you must. Some pretty powerful old Iron out there, get the best of both. Actually you get all three, if you want. Then there are also emulaters even for the new Apple Silicon.