How difficult is it to install Linux? Whats the learning curve once its installed?
Interesting question. It's actually a multi-part question.
Do you want to entirely replace your Windows? Simple as pie. Stick a USB stick in and boot up. Choose "Install" and off you go
Install Linux along Windows? More difficult, but the operative word is "more." Gotta figure out free space on the drive, etc.
Install Linux on a separate drive? Easier than option 2 above.
Whats the learning curve once its installed?
It can be really easy to use. Modern distros can be entirely GUI like Windows. You have the option of using the command line, but it is not required.
You can start out using the GUI, and learn the command line at your own pace, if you want. Again, it's not required. If you can point and click, you can run Linux.
“How difficult is it to install Linux? Whats the learning curve once its installed?”
“Mint Cinnamon” is the go to for a first time user. I have been using Linux for ten years now and have test driven just about all of the best major players. It operates almost like Windows 7. If you have used Win 7 you will be able to fly right away.
1. First download and install a program called “Rufus”.
It is the top option: rufus-4.11.exe
2. Download the Mint Cinnamon .iso file from the Mint site. The “James Madison University” Mirror source is known to be a clean download.
https://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=322
3. Insert a USB stick that is empty or that you do not mind being wiped clean of current data.
4. Start Rufus and go select the Mint .iso from your downloads. It should autodetect the USB stick as the destination for the .iso to be installed. The default settings in Rufus are all fine. Just answer yes to any options it asks and then select create.
5. When done close Rufus and power your computer off.
Now here is where the only challenge can arise. You now have to make the computer boot from that external Linux stick. There should be no problems doing this. But on some computers Windows has locked out the ability to see that external Operation System and so it will not boot from it. So there is a process of elimination that has to be done sometimes. But 9 times out of 10 the following does indeed work...
6. With the Linux stick inserted power on your Computer, stay right there and be ready to hit the key that will give you your boot options for that computer make. When the Manufacturer’s logo comes up tap that key. Depending on make it might be the Esc key. F2 key, F9 key, or on a Dell it is the F12/Star key. Select the USB as the boot option.
7. Be patient because the screen may go Black a few times as the Linux boots up. And from a stick it is a bit slower to do this.
8. If it does not boot from the stick as it should then there will need to be some configuration in the bios that needs to be done. That can be addressed later as a separate issue.
But it should Boot for you if you did everything above step by step. Now you will be in Linux and running from off the stick completely isolated from your internal drive and Windows. It should auto detect your internet connection and you will have to put in your password to access your internet source. Bottom right in the same place it is in Windows 7.
It will tell you when it makes the connection. Then you can use the Firefox browser to access the net if you like and check out all the stuff it comes with and what can be done with it. Basically you are in test drive mode. But nothing can be downloaded, installed, and while you can make temporary changes they will be forgotten and it will go back to default when you shut down.
Run it for awhile from off the stick when you have extra time and check it out, Go explore and discover what the apps are and what they do, go look at the System Settings and how they work. Then after you feel comfortable with it then you can install it if you like. There are two options, wipe the drive completely and install only the Linux, or you can install it “Along Side” (Dual Boot) the existing windows and have both. The installer will do all of the partitioning and disk work for you during the install. So no need to worry about complicated partitioning and disk preparation first, it does it all for you. Just take your time and read the options well as you step through it.
Grok will walk you through it, step by step.
Whats the learning curve once its installed?
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Me: The Firefox is that little picture there.
Her: OK
Me: Your recipes are this picture then the picture that says “Recipes”.
Her: OK
I ran across this website. It is a pretty good starter reference for Linux Mint.
Easy Linux Tips Project
https://easylinuxtipsproject.blogspot.com/
the hardest part is getting it onto a thumb drive- which really isn’t that hard-
During install however, you will want to choose either to install beside windows, or to wipe the HD and install as sole os-
Once you get it onto a thumb drive- you can try it out without installing it- just make sure you don’t click ‘install’ at any time- it will run from the thumb drive- though it will be slower-
You might like to install Linux Mint on a Win computer and have the option to run either, every time you boot up.
Down load Linux Mint into a temporary file in Win10. Now right click the downloaded file and select “Make an ISO bootable device.” Save to a thumb drive. Turn off LT and restart with the thumb drive inserted. When it first lights up, go into boot device sequence, (usually F12). Select USB as the first device to boot. Press enter and Linux will start, in about a minute, and ask if you want to run Linux from the thumb drive or install next to Win10. I suggest you install next to Win10, so when you start the LT, you will get the option to run either Win or Linux. Win will not be changed at all.
Once installed I suggest you turn off WIFI in Win. Just use Win to do things that don’t require the net. Use Linux Mint as your everyday computer. After about a week you will thank me.
In Mint you can still see the Win files and run most of them.You can even run .doc and old Works WDB.wdb files in Libre, which is installed with Mint.
Linux is void of all the windows junk that you hate.