As the Windows 10 EOL date is close I was wondering what fellow Linux users thoughts about it are.
Are you helping open minded people making the switch to Linux? If yes, which distro are you using? Are you using resources like endof10.org?
Or are you using the the opportunity to get your hands on some cheap hardware for your homelab? Are you keeping an eye on special websites or just ebay (or your local equivalent)? Are you talking with local companies to get the hardware directly from them?
Or are you just observing and enjoy your peace of mind because you switched already to Linux before?
Whatever it is, we are very interested to hear your stories concering this interesting time.
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I’ve been using Linux and macOS since 2020. I shifted my main PC from Windows 10 back in April of 2020 right as lockdowns were hitting my locale, when I discovered how much Linux gaming had improved. I was curious to see if I could make it work for myself.
At that time, I had been interested in using Linux more frequently than on random old computers that I had lying around, but my opinions on Microsoft’s and Windows’ “quirks” were… less advanced. At that time I was unconcerned about Windows telemetry and advertising, but it also wasn’t as bad then.
It took me about a week to get everything set up and ready to go and to get settled. At first, I didn’t know if it’d end up sticking. Well, it did. I started with Ubuntu, and quickly went after Pop!_OS. I used that for a while, and eventually shifted to Garuda where I still am today.
Windows 10 end of life has almost no impact on me. My mindset has shifted dramatically since I first started using Linux on my main PC. When I used to not be bothered by Windows’ telemetry I find myself strongly off-put by it. Even macOS, which some say isn’t as bad as Windows puts me off and I’d rather not use it. Having had to set up Windows 10 for someone about a year back, I saw how much worse it got. It was insufferable.
Right now, my brother and sister in law still use Windows 10. They don’t see the problem with that. My brother specifically says he’ll just keep using Windows 10, because he “doesn’t have anything important” on it (I mentioned his Steam account has linked payment info). He’s also told me that he’d rather use Windows 11 (which he hates) than give Linux a try, a stance I don’t understand. It’s clear he doesn’t really understand the situation, and he doesn’t realize that Linux is not necessarily the difficult and unfriendly OS he thinks it is.
I’d rather him use Windows 11 than Windows 10, despite how awful I know it to be. At least there’s somewhat lower risk of nasty compromise there. I also know that he does play at least a couple games with anti-cheat that explicitly block Linux, so that introduces some complexity. But, I’m done preaching. I know how it makes me look, and I’ve tried in the past to change his mind but he’s unwilling to do so, so at this point the only way he’s going to learn is for something really bad to happen. Maybe his computer gets hit by ransomeware that took advantage of an unpatched vulnerability. That might be what it takes to finally make him do something.
I hate that it’s like this. I’ve tried to tell him about the risks. He doesn’t understand the full scale of it, and he dismisses me when I try to explain it to him. But at this point, what can I do besides say “I warned you” when something goes wrong?
Only helping those who are interested and are willing to debug things. Otherwise, windows 11 or macos it is
This might push me over the edge to trying home linux. I use RHEL at work all the time. I just want to still be able to use Steam and Runescape.
Believe it not, Steam even works on RHEL if you use Flatpak.
But you are probably going to want to go for something a bit more current. Fedora or Bazzite may work for you as they use the same core layout and userland as RHEL. Fedora is the test bed for the ideas that go into CentOS that becomes RHEL.
My windows 10 EOL story is boring, I have been running Desktop Linux for 20 years and it just works
Or are you just observing and enjoy your peace of mind because you switched already to Linux before?
Yes, that. As far as my circle of friends and acquaintances who are running Win10 are concerned, I’ve made the effort to advise them to switch to something newer for security reasons. They will probably switch to Windows 11, but that is their concern.
Switched to Mint over a year ago from win 10 on my desktop and my wives laptop, we both love it. It was fresh, user friendly and familiar in the same time. To be fair we are pretty much average users without any specialized needs, other than gaming.
Later this year I built a new gaming pc 100% with Linux in mind. I am running Bazzite on it and it works absolutely amazing. Bazzite is currently my favourite distro. Im not a distro hopper or a big tinkerer myself, don’t have time for experimenting, so not planning to switch. It just works perfectly.
I’ve been using Linux for about 25 years. I completely stopped using Windows at home more than a decade ago.
I do some volunteer work for an organisation that refurbishes old computers and gives them to people who can’t afford one. For the time being we’re using Rufus to bypass TPM and other hardware requirements so we can install Windows 11 on everything.
We’re willing to install Linux for people who want it, but unfortunately I haven’t seen that happen yet. Most of our customers have no idea what an OS is. A lot of people also need Windows for education or work. There’s a free course available that teaches how to use a computer and of course that is also Windows-only.
We helped one of our colleagues to install Mint on his old laptop, though.
For the time being we’re using Rufus to bypass TPM and other hardware requirements so we can install Windows 11 on everything.
Heads up, Microsoft has stated that they do not support machines that don’t meet requirements and that those machines may stop receiving security updates at any time.
The EoL doesn’t affect me. I use Linux and Mac. My work pc is windows 10 but that’s their problem.
My roommate refuses to move on. I flat out gave him an old surface pro X with win11 and a spacious new SSD. I offered to migrate him to fedora and teach him how to use it. I offered to help him pick out a new pc if he wants. No, he’ll just keep waiting 20 minutes for his old crusty Dell to boot up, then another 10 to load chrome. For updates, he said he’ll just download hacks as people post them online.
All his shit is on its own VLAN now.
My grandfather asked me about Linux, but unfortunately, he’s still using Photoshop for now.
Get him to check out Krita. It has Photoshop style binds but they’re missing a few things gs you’ll have to set… But depending on what he does with Photoshop and how adaptable he is, it could be a viable solution.
Mostly, he uses Photoshop for printing, though, and I don’t know if Krita has as powerful a printing dialog.
That I’m not sure… I’ve never used it to print.
Never had Win10 in the first place. I did upgrade from 7 to 11 using the same product key. I would gladly run Linux but have yet to understand why no Debian live media would ever boot on my main laptop
Probably secure boot, if you deactivate it in the BIOS it should work, maybe
I hosted an endof10.org event at my local public library. Advertised like crazy, posting flyers around town, posting online, etc. I had over 30 USB installers ready to go with Debian 13. I was worried that I was advertising too much and wouldn’t have room for everyone.
Only 2 people showed up, and neither were prepared to go through with an install. In a town with well over 70k people and a major university, I expected more.
Now I’m thinking an event like this would only be viable in a major metropolitan area.
In my circle of friends and family, I only knew of one person who was faced with the Windows 10 dilemma, and he chose to purchase new hardware (granted he’s nearly 80 years old).
The crazy thing is that Windows 11 may feel more foreign than Linux Mint would have. It depends what he uses his computer for. My guess is the web and maybe printing.
Yeah nobody in real life really cares about this. Anyone techie enough has already replaced their system and runs Win11, or has already switched to Linux themselves.
Anyone not techie enough doesn’t care and will continue using Win10 (or just follow the Windows nagging and buy a new PC from Best Buy).
Yeah…and I think there’s also a chunk of the non-techie population who are getting by with just their phones now.
Unfortunately the average person doesn’t care about this stuff. Good on you for putting on the time and effort though.
Why Debian? Why not Mint?
No offense, but this question is what is holding many people back that would otherwise be on the fence or ready to go.
If there were just Mac / Windows / Linux, it would be an easy sell.
But we have Mac / Windows / two million Linux flavors.
It does not matter which one you pick, it is bound to cause questions or issues. And once you’ve chosen a Linux flavor, someone asks you why you chose that desktop and not foobar9000 instead which everyone knows runs much better on your Linux flavor anyway.
I honestly think that Linux’ biggest enemy is Linux. Sure, choice is good, but this is too much. Way too much.
Installed bazzite on my son’s gaming laptop, it works perfectly well and he really likes the ricing.
Good for him!
The bazaar on bazzite is really convenient for the non-power user
Macbook/Linux user here: People (And organisations/governments) who are reasonably skilled with technology will understand that on hardware which can’t use windows 11, and is stuck with windows 10 without security updates need an alternative operating system. When institutions switch to linux, they will likely contribute to the opensource project, and overall bring the user base numbers up, which will make more software developers add support for linux.
But while this should happen, it might work in microsoft’s favour, (Like when Netflix stopped password sharing) meaning people, who are used to windows will just buy new windows 11 machines, overall increasing microsoft’s company value. Microsoft also supports the Israel military during the genocide, and Bill Gates personally supports Trump and had close ties with Epstein, so it would be best if the general public does an accident, or purposeful boycott. Personally I buy secondhand stuff and put linux on it, if you want new stuff either buy a mac, or buy one of those new linux machines from Lenovo?
I moved to mint about a year ago since my hardware is too old to run 11. I’m glad I made the switch and wish I had done it sooner. I’m never going back 😁
Transitioned my moms computer to Windows 11, 11 months go. Pretty easy. Her computer was originally for Windows 7 and is still fully supported. Her computer will always be Windows as I’m not local and other people have to be able to support her too. It is also what she knows. I love Linux but it is not for everyone.
Feel you. If you are tech savvy you can debloat Windows for them and get rid of recall and the online accounts.
It’s a once-off operation if you’re willing to go the LTSC route. Microsoft likes to undo all your hard work debloating Windows with the semi-annual major updates on non-LTSC editions.
That’s become increasingly difficult.
There are some good tools to create stripped ISOs and to adjust running installations.
You can strip ISOs of some bloat but you cannot strip M$ out of it , tho. And there’s always a chance an update adds it back in.
I had outlook appear back on one of my laptops after an update. I had removed it ages ago. Some services do the same.
So, are you going to limit updates too? That’ll make it vulnerable.
My point is, it’s just going to be cat and mouse game with “cleaning or stripping” Windows.
See, I run a stripped Windows for playing games that don’t run under linux. I update it regularly and nothing intrusive was re-added by updates. The other systems I use are linux and macOS, with each OS having its purpose.
In acknowledge that Linux is not intrusive and that you have to have PiHoles and other DNS sinkholes for a basic protection, which is hard for regular people. But in the end you have to look at peoples needs and if somebody insists he needs Windows, and you are knowledgeable in IT stuff, make it as secure and clutter free as possible.
