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I've used other operating system and to be honest, some of them were pretty good. However, the newest of the most popular one - Windows 10 - spies on you.
Linux doesn't. Even Ubuntu _asks_ for technical information on install - that's it. You can refuse. Or you can use Mint or one of the other flavors of Linux like Xubuntu.
I know it's scary - change is scary. It's different - different can be scary. I know Windows programs don't run on Linux - there's *usually* a replacement that does. There's some technical stuff to deal with - it's okay! You'll learn.
Best advice? Don't use your main machine.
Take that old XP machine out of the closet or buy one at a garage sale or even... gasp... Craig's list. Does it still boot? You're in business!* Learn on a machine that's not you're main rig. That's what I did years ago. Download a distro, burn to a DVD for older machines or a USB stick for newer ones. Google for the machine's BIOS settings so you can boot to DVD or USB and go play.
Most distros will guide you through everything. Pick your language, time zone, where you want to install it, name the user, machine, password - and let it crank.
It fails? Try another distro! I had Xubuntu (my favorite) fail on one machine but Mint worked fine. Mint totally fell over on another but Xubuntu ran fine... er, the second try.
Yes, you will need to deal with a new desktop. Remember Windows 3.11? 95/98? XP/Vista? WINDOWS 8? All had different desktops you had to learn. Office suite? Installed. Firefox? Installed! Want more software? There's usually a Software Center icon or menu option.
Software reviews are available. Google is your friend... or Duck Duck Go if you don't want to be tracked.
Modern games? That takes a little effort and a program called WINE. Roller Coaster Tycoon works fine. Fortnight? Forget it.
Oh dear... am I preaching again?
-m
*from my experience most older computers are abandoned with their hard drives either fail or the OS gets corrupted. Drives are easy to replace. RAM updates are easy. The machines are usually dusty and dirty inside - so a can of compressed air is a good thing to have.
Linux doesn't. Even Ubuntu _asks_ for technical information on install - that's it. You can refuse. Or you can use Mint or one of the other flavors of Linux like Xubuntu.
I know it's scary - change is scary. It's different - different can be scary. I know Windows programs don't run on Linux - there's *usually* a replacement that does. There's some technical stuff to deal with - it's okay! You'll learn.
Best advice? Don't use your main machine.
Take that old XP machine out of the closet or buy one at a garage sale or even... gasp... Craig's list. Does it still boot? You're in business!* Learn on a machine that's not you're main rig. That's what I did years ago. Download a distro, burn to a DVD for older machines or a USB stick for newer ones. Google for the machine's BIOS settings so you can boot to DVD or USB and go play.
Most distros will guide you through everything. Pick your language, time zone, where you want to install it, name the user, machine, password - and let it crank.
It fails? Try another distro! I had Xubuntu (my favorite) fail on one machine but Mint worked fine. Mint totally fell over on another but Xubuntu ran fine... er, the second try.
Yes, you will need to deal with a new desktop. Remember Windows 3.11? 95/98? XP/Vista? WINDOWS 8? All had different desktops you had to learn. Office suite? Installed. Firefox? Installed! Want more software? There's usually a Software Center icon or menu option.
Software reviews are available. Google is your friend... or Duck Duck Go if you don't want to be tracked.
Modern games? That takes a little effort and a program called WINE. Roller Coaster Tycoon works fine. Fortnight? Forget it.
Oh dear... am I preaching again?
-m
*from my experience most older computers are abandoned with their hard drives either fail or the OS gets corrupted. Drives are easy to replace. RAM updates are easy. The machines are usually dusty and dirty inside - so a can of compressed air is a good thing to have.
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