"The Sims 4" was the last thing tethering me to Windows. When I bought a physical copy (DVD) of the game and tried installing it on Fedora Linux via Wine, I found that it worked perfectly. My other option was a digital download using the "EA App," which _doesn't work on Linux AT ALL,_ because EA doesn't like Linux. Anyway, now that I can play "The Sims 4" on Fedora, I can proudly say I have kicked Windows to the curb for good, and I am NEVER looking back.
I've been using MX Linux for five years and its rock stable & very reliable. I consider myself just a general user and I just use my laptop for web browsing & banking and at times using Krita for art works.
Hi Brian. I am glad that you are doing Linux videos as well as one on Windows. I admire that you are supporting users who are still with what is a failing operating system. Which is Windows 11 and Microsoft are not doing anything to make that easier for users. I think there is going to come a time when it may be no other option but to switch to Linux because of the problems Microsoft are creating. So new users coming from Windows will need to get used to Linux and learn how to use it. That's not hard to do as there are many distros that are set up for new users, in mind. Linux Mint is one of them and as you say there are many others. I am an ex-Windows user. I used to use Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 8 as well as Windows Vista, but I changed to Linux 2 years ago. When Microsoft stopped support for Windows 7 and 8. The Linux I went to was Linux Mint which I had also used before in the past. This time I switched to it permanently and made the break away from Windows. I am now on Linux full time and I think I have adapted very well to it. There are some things that you may have to give up when you switch to Linux but not much. I never used Adobe Photoshop on Windows because you have to pay for it and I never did any gaming. I was running Windows 7 on a netbook so I couldn't anyway. So the only thing I had to give up was Windows Movie Maker but I found Openshot Video Editor which is very much like Windows Movie Maker. Well not exactly the same but it does the job. I now use Debian and since I have been on Linux I have not had any of the problems I used to have with Windows 8. So it is the right move I think. So long as you can accept that Linux is not exactly like Windows and won't run all of the Windows apps you will be fine. There are Linux versions of most of the software such as web browsers and media players and office suites. So you won't be missing very much.
The easy answer to this question is Mint if you're a Windows user, you disagree with the 24H2 update, you're currently being threatened with a death timer on Windows 10, and you want to stay smart because you're a beginner. Also Mint 22's coming out pretty soon, and it has some cool features like context menu customization. However, no matter which one you choose, it's the best idea to download something like Virtualbox and train yourself to use the distro as a virtual machine first. Because no matter which distro you choose, it's going to be VERY different to what you're used to. Even if you use Mint. Also, please make sure to take the proper steps to make sure you don't accidentally nuke your hard drive, especially while partitioning.
If you come from windows to Linux then choose kde as desktop environment. Personally I am using Fedora with kde Personally I would avoid Ubuntu they force to use snap.
Thanks, another helpful video. I jumped off the Windows boat about three years ago and have tried Mint LMDE, Pop and Zorin but have settled on Debian. If you are wanting to jump ship 1. Google your laptop make and model to see if it can run Linux. 2. Google to see if Linux runs the software you use or need to use all the time and Google Linux alternatives. 3. RUclips how to install the distro you want on your machine. 4. Go and enjoy Linux. You wonder why you didn't do it years ago. 5. You can run Windows in a virtual machine and install programs if you need to. I do this for one program that I use daily.
You should make more learning videos about linux,mainly starting out of making sure the bluetooth ,email, fixes, or more important issues besides gaming that we need to use computer for,so we can try to get away from microsoft drama and problems
Thank you, Brian! 🙏🏼 I've read a bit about Mint and I'm actually thinking about putting a brand new build together just to run Linux on (whichever distro I ultimately decide to go with), in order to 'get my feet wet' and learn it by working with it. (Wish me luck and thanks again! 🍀)
@@Britec09 You're quite welcome, Brian! Your videos are very helpful. When I saw this particular one pop up on my channel earlier, I immediately thought, _"He's read my mind, he has!"_ 😊
I did that back in 2013, overspecced it a bit for the time (16GB RAM, 128GB SSD + 2x2TB HDDs for RAID1) and it's what I'm still using now. If you go for the latest hardware you will have to carefully choose a distro that has bleeding edge kernel support but if you choose hardware that's a little back from the bleeding edge you should be just fine. At the moment AMD and Intel graphics cards have better support in Linux than nVidia as nVidia haven't been as supportive as the others up until now. There seems to be a bit of a problem with some Intel 13/14th gen processors unrelated to Linux. Gamer's Nexus has more detail on what this is if you care to check. Ryzen support seems to be very good in Linux. You may be aware of all these matters but I mention them for the benefit of others that may read your comment.
@@dingokidneys Yeah, I'm _all over_ the news about Intel's current debacle, as I currently have four of their CPUs (two 12th gen and two 13th gen) sitting on the shelf (awaiting upcoming builds), as well as a 13th gen i9 in my current daily driver. (I haven't had any issues at all with the latter. 🤞🏼)
Nice one Brian and yes I have used Linux Mint "Cinnamon" in the past in fact I still have it installed on a secondary drive in my old Sandy Bridge build, and reckon it is in my mind the best Linux OS. So if anyone who has an old computer and cannot afford to replace the old one then views this video I can thoroughly recommend that distro. The only thing that at times puts me off about the Linux distros and I have tried quite a few - is getting the hang of using the sudo command prompt and the frequent need to update the apps one has installed. Having said that the Linux system is of course free and easy to use once one gets used to the way one navigates the system. I must add that I do not game, which might be a hindrance for those who do.
Thank you Brian for a very informative video. I have Windows 10 and 11 dual booted on a couple machine and I have trying Linux Mint on my daughters old machine. I'm a gamer at heart and was pleasantly surprised to find Minecraft is working on Linux Mint and is working quite well. I agree totally I'm finding Linux Mint a very good choice.
This is great.. How have I never heard of it? I've been on distrosea for hours now; digging through all the choices. I still say Garuda is one of the best distros on there.. and MX. I still can't quite nail down what I'm going to use, but man: What a sit3.. very cool.
Hi Brian, thanks for the Linux video. Oh yes, there are many great Linux distros out there, and I've tried many different ones over the years. I agree with you; Linux Mint is easy for first-time users to get started with, and I would also recommend it. Then you have three variants of Linux Mint: Cinnamon Edition: it's full of new features and looks very nice. Xfce Edition: it's more of a lightweight version, so it's great if you have a computer that's really old, so that version doesn't require as many system resources. Mate Edition: it's a classic Linux Mint version. Oh yes, there are great choices out there for people who want to leave Windows 11, but I agree with you, switching to Linux can be a bit tricky depending on what programs you use and so on. But absolutely Brian as you say and I say, if you only surf the internet, watch videos, and pay for things and shop online, Linux works perfectly. Then I think when Windows 10 ends its support on October 14, 2025, and people don't want to pay for extended support, give Linux a chance. You can still use your old computer for a while longer, and that's good too, so we reduce electronic waste. Then I would also really recommend ChromeOS Flex it works great maybe it doesn't work on really old computers. But I have tried it on my Asus computer from 2016 and it worked perfectl. Google OS Flex is very fast and it requires minimal maintenance so it's basically when you turn on the computer just start surfing right away. So it's nice and you don't have to spend time on a lot of maintenance. Take care Brian and have a lovely day and thanks for your many great videos.
I agree to your suggestions Brian about Mint and Zorin OS. Those 2 will be the easy way to go as a Windows user. As a Linux user in some time you have to use the terminal. I think that Mint will be the best choise to searh for help on the internet. Mint has been here a long time and a lot of information can be found on the internet and forum. Installing HP printers can in some of the distros be a little tricky, but can be done.
Printers are just problematic. Full stop. Windows, Linux, anything really. The battles I've had with printers on Windows ... I've found Brother printers to be very good though, particularly if attached via network rather than USB. They comply better with industry standards so they just work on Linux and require a bit less wrangling on Windows.
While I think a site like this is a great idea to get a feel for different distros, unfortunately it's no substitute for making a USB and trying it on your own hardware. While Linux is generally great for most computers and hardware, there are also a lot that just don't play nicely as well. Although, I've had less issues with newer computers/laptops running Linux than ever before. Personally, I tried all of the suggested beginner distros and found them lacking. I've been using Fedora KDE for the last 2yrs and haven't looked back. I still have to use Windows for a couple of things, but a couple of things are better than 100% of things. For the most part, I can do most things I used to do on Windows in Linux.
Using a Linux "distro" should include a description/discussion of what "snap" and "flatpack" programs are. Very simply, these 2 type of package managers allow you to install and use programs that might not natively run on your particular distro -- certainly not without some frustration (ie "dependencies"). Snap and Flatpack programs solve this and allow you to use any software that was ever written for "Linux." (It's similar to Wine but with Wine you're dealing with actual "Windows" programs written for the Windows OS.) For example, if a particular program works on a RHEL-based distro but not a Debian-based one just install the flatpack (or snap) version and you're good to go! Your distro of choice no longer matters where Linux software is concerned. (I like to think of flatpacks/snaps as sort of a virtual machine but for programs.) So, if you're into gaming and use something like Steam, you're in luck! Everything just works a whole lot better these days, all thanks to flatpacks and snaps. Of course, the downside to snap & flatpack programs is that they do take up a little more space and often involve a little more processing power in order to run. But any hit is almost imperceptible. Any overhead you might assume is nowhere near as bad as you might expect with Windows -- assuming you're coming from the Windows universe. One other thing about Linux Mint is that neither snaps nor flatpacks is enabled -- at least, not yet. You will need to "adjust" your package manager to include flatpacks which should be a simple toggle somewhere. (Sorry, I'm something of a Linux purist and don't really use snaps or flatpacks but that's me! You're not me!) In any case, including and then installing flatpack programs with Linux Mint on a relatively recent computer, with 4-cores, 8-gigs of RAM, that sort of thing, should work quite well! But if you're still rocking a 32-bit processor (and there are some out there, particularly with Debian and Linux Mint's "LMDE" offering) you may want to think about it. Who knows? Maybe some day the Linux world of snaps and flatpacks will include _Android_ apk's! Wouldn't that be a game changer?! (BTW, Android also uses a Linux core at it's heart, just like the MAC stuff does.)
Not a bad idea, but be careful about using something like that. Not everything on there is a Linux distro. For example, Haiku and FreeBSD were listed and neither one of them are Linux distros. If you don't know what they are, a quick Google search will get you an answer (it would take too long to explain here), but know that Linux is just one of multiple operating systems out there that people are working on as open source projects and these other operating systems aren't going to have the same level of support for your needs and hardware (if they support it at all). As for my recommendation to start with, when in doubt, use Mint. Most things that are known to work on Linux will work on Mint with little to no effort and you just have to install the stuff you need using the graphical tools (no command line needed). The rest depends on what your specific hardware and software needs are, but for the most part, you'll be able to get an office suite, gaming, and many utilities up and running quickly enough on it. PopOS is another great choice and is my go to distro for laptops and it handles things like Nvidia hybrid graphics really well in my experience. Keep in mind that even though you'll see Mint, PopOS, Zorin, etc. often recommended as "for beginners", these distros are solid enough that if your're happy with how things are running, there's no need to switch to a more "advanced" distro and many Linux veterans run them as one a primary daily driver. One of the most common reasons for maybe switching to one of the other distros may be for hardware support (other distros update the kernel more frequently and will have support for newer hardware faster) or for a different selection of pre-installed software and settings. Sometimes these differences will make getting some things up and running easier for your needs, sometimes they won't. You may not even know what your needs are until you've been running Linux long enough to find out (this goes beyond getting specific things running) and that's fine too. With that in mind, I can tell you that many creatives that do audio and video editing often end up on Fedora at some point, but it doesn't mean you can't get Mint to do those things too. However, Fedora users may have an easier time getting it all setup and working depending on what the specific setup needs. Those types of things are why some people may gravitate toward one distro over another, but it takes time and experience to find out which is best for you. There's no real wrong answer so long as it's a distro that's actively getting worked on and supported. There's usually a way to make anything work on any distro so stick to what works best for you.
My PC is on Kubuntu and I am utterly satisfied with it. LibreOffice is enough for my needs, as well as the basic applications for PDF, audio, images and videos. But I must say I like to keep things simple and keep control over my machine. Transition from Windows demands quite a lot of adaptation.
As usual, it is a very interesting video and the ability to give a try to all these distros is really impressive. I just regret that I couldn’t find important information such as the origin of a Linux which is not commonly used. I think that in fact there are those who will prefer the Debian based distros (.Deb with famous APT-GET command) and, for example, all these that are based on.rpm. Of course, if you are really new to Linux, you won’t be aware of these main differences. However, the look and feel (it’s obviously important but not the main reason to choose one or another), may attract people into a kind of trap so an introductory information explaining these differences seem to me useful and even compulsory.
I downloaded my first linux distro over a week ago and I love how I can customize almost every aspect of my system and how it's not bloated with unwanted features from a predatory corporation. Good luck in trying to remove microsoft edge from your windows PC. 🤣
I have now changed my pc from windows 11 home to Ubuntu 22.04 LTS with KDE Plasma desktop(KDE Plasma looks and works for me like windows). I have done this over a three month period running both machines side by side, things i use a lot email,spotify,youtube,notepad,ip cameras hikvision,firefox and chrome.pfd viewer,printer,paint program. No update problems when it says updates are ready just click the button and when asked type in password and thats it no reboot just carry on as usual. The boot time is far quicker than windows and i can honestly say everything just works,hope this is of some help.
i will stay with Windows so much easier and suitable for me personally. Linux Mint 22 has just been released though for those who want a reasonable alternative, i am not a Linux fan by a long way but if anyone wants to move or try Linux, Linux Mint 22 is probably as good as it gets for new users wanting to have a look.
The key thing is that people understand that they have choice. They don't necessarily have to ditch a working computer if it still does all is required of it. There are alternatives that may suit them as well if not better. However, if Windows is the best system for what you do, you can afford to upgrade on Microsoft's schedule and you're not troubled by their actions, stick with it. I too recommend Linux Mint for people dipping their toes into Linux. It's slick, well supported and full featured. Not just a beginner's Linux as some people imply.
If you want to try Linux on an old machine, I'd really strongly suggest that you buy a new SSD if your old machine has a mechanical hard drive and you can afford it. It's really worth it if you can do it and depending on how much data you have to bring over, you may manage very well with a smaller SSD which can be quite cheap. You then have your old data on the old hard disk, safe and sound and if you get to a point where you no longer need the system and data on that old HDD you may be able to re-use it as additional storage space, either internal on a desktop or external with an enclosure or just an adapter; e.g. if it's a little 2.5" SATA HDD. I replaced my brother's 1TB HDD in his laptop (total usage ~17%) with a 240GB SSD I had on hand but which I could have bought for AUD$ 34.00 (GBP 17.13, USD 22.33). Linux Mint plus all his data take up only 41% of the new drive. I could also get a USB3 to SATA dongle for AUD$ 14.00 (GBP 7.13, USD 9.20) which would allow him to re-use the old 2.5" HDD for data backup. Plug it in, back everything up to it, unplug and put in a safe place. You then have a computer with a future rather than a piece of e-waste. Good all around.
Good man Brian, another informative video. Ive a win 10 laptop that id like to update to win 11, but without any bloat, no bitlocker, basically the basic OS and without having to do a fresh install as i would like to keep all my programs and files etc. is this something you could cover in a video at some point? be great help if you have time.
Arch is like a Lego set. You assemble it the way you like. This makes for a finely tuned, highly customised system. There is the 'archinstall' script you can run from the command prompt to get full-featured desktop environment these days so it's not quite as daunting as it used to be for those unused to the terminal and the various GUI options available on Linux.
I am currently playing with Debian 12.6 and Fedora 40 on live usb sticks. I am currently leaning toward Debian 12 when I decide what to install. I will be dual booting with windows 11 IOT LTSC. This means on payday I will be purchasing a larger ssd so I will have the room I need.
If you like the look of macOS then there's Pearl Linux OS .. has many desktop environments to choose from .. looks good .. works well .. for some reason has not gained much popularity, however.
Are there any distros that are acceptable for 32-bit and touchscreen? All of my Win10 laptops are 32-bit. I have already moved all my 64-bit to Win 11 via Rufus.
Not sure about how good touchscreen support is on these, but i believe Debian, Antix, and MX Linux still provide 32-bit versions. Other distros no longer do to the best of my knowledge. EDIT: Turns out Linux Mint still have a 32-bit build in the form of Linux Mint Debian Edition (or LMDE). Looks like Puppy Linux also has a 32-bit build for their distro based on Slackware, or you can go to Slackware directly to get the pure Slackware build. Q4OS, Raspberry Pi OS, Damn Small Linux, and Sparky Linux also still have 32-bit versions of their latest releases. There could be a few others out there that still support 32-bit but it’s looking like it’s just versions of Linux based on Debian that are still getting new releases.
I have Ubuntu running on a second PC. I tried Mint when I first tried to install a distro and was hit with a green screen so I opted to install Ubuntu and its worked fine ever since. PC users who find their machine cannot run W11 could always install Linux either as a duel boot or by wiping Windows from their PC and installing Linux. One thing with Linux is that even when there is an update you're not force into installing the update.
You should be pretty safe with Linux Mint. It has a long and strong track record and is based on one of the longest running distributions, Debian. There are a few major distributions upon which many others are based; e.g. Debian, Red Hat and Arch. It is true that some small distros have come and gone but on the whole even small distros have a core of keen developers who will keep it going, either in the current project or in a 'fork' of that project with a new name. That said, as RUclipsr Chris Titus has said "Linux is Linux" and, once you learn how to manage one, that knowledge carries over to any other distro you may switch to. My current system started out as Crunchbang Linux, which was based on Debian. The Crunchbang project died years ago but I've been able to keep my system running fine by just switching back to using the base Debian repositories. I could have switched to either Bunsen Labs or Crunchbang++ as these projects 'forked' off the original Crunchbang which is a key element of free and open source software. It's always available for anyone to pick up and run with as they like.
On a one year old HP laptop i recently deleted Linux Mint 21.2. Strange issues with sound and bluetooth. Too bad i like Mint and never issues on other older devices. It works fine on my ASUS desktop.
I use windows 11 for work on a work laptop, but once done I turn on my personal PC which is also win 11 now :(.... Mostly on an evening I'll watch some netflix or something, or better yet I'll play some games from my steam library. I would love to switch over to something like Mint, but my problem is I have no idea how games will run on that (or even if possible). Where can I go to find out more about this? or are PC gamers stuck with windows & macs (don't want a mac).
I love Mint. I use it at home. Use with Various AI’s. It will help you make the switch. I ask what is the taskbar called in Linux etc. how to I install this or that.
Is this a big data analytics video themed??? I'm literally just tried Ubuntu, mint and thinking to try some other distro as well!!! Downloading all those ISO and play with Live CD demo is a bit of mess for me I had to reinstall my windows at my first try-out of Linux haha
Linux does not use antivirus software on the desktop. That's a Windows thing. Firewalls are built in and receive regular updates, as does your distro. Running updates and rebooting afterwards is how you keep your system secure.
I find data transfer rates on Windows PC very slow (as when backing up to an external USB drive). The transfer starts at around 150 MB/s, and gradually falls to 20. Haven't been able to find any way to avoid this -- some PCs are better, others worse. I hope Linux doesn't have this transfer bottleneck.
I can't choose which the right distro for me because of nvidia drivers. My laptop has 2 drivers which is amd vega and rtx 3060 (nvidia optimus). Any suggestions for linux distro who supports this besides popOs?
NVidia has been problematic in the past but things are significantly better these days. The free/open source 'nouveau' driver is pretty good and is getting nVidia support though the official drivers are still available and are doing better. That said, AMD has had first class support for years and Intel support for ARC cards seems to be good too. I endorse @72mach-1 's comment re: Linux Mint. Installing required drivers is part of the standard install process.
Could you cover the issue of 32 bit OS as there are still machines that - for instance are netbooks like {Dell Inspiron Mini 10} of Where to find a 32 bit Linux OS as I can't seem to find any? and Dont want to throw this little unit out...
Try Antix Linux, MX Linux, Linux Lite, Puppy Linux, Debian. You can also get information at Distro Watch to find others. The ones labeled as XFCE LXTE Etc are light and the lighter the distro the better for 32 bit
@@72mach-1 Good comment and I endorse your suggestions. I use Alpine on an ASUS eeePC 701 - terminal only though GUI is available. My use case for this machine doesn't require a GUI as I only access it remotely.
I'll just keep using work around and modding it to take out as much telemetry as I can etc... not an issue here but that's just me. Tried Linux before I like it but just can't use it as a daily driver so to speak.
Is there a distro that can run Office 365? I do not want to use alternatives like Libre because they can be un-user friendly and not work with the spreadsheets I have.
I can log into Microsoft 365 and use the cloud based apps from my Linux PC. I don't know if there's still a locally installable front end that is required for some purposes but I can use Outlook, Excel, Word, etc. etc. directly from my Brave browser.
Zorin os and pop os is my fav i would use them but i cant run games even with wine 🍷 buti love zorin 18 also why does zorin have 2 ways to power down windows way and from notifications
The reason, for the second power button, is if your start menu disappeared or stopped working or froze up. You can restart with the other and this usually fixes many problem, just by restarting. ..It also saves people from doing hard shut downs, by the physical power button, that can cause some bad stuff to happen.
What heck isa distro? I wish there was a definitive guide to how to install Linux and how to add programs and all the other things we do with a new windows install.
He means an "ISO" file (file with the extension .iso) that you can download from any Linux distro website you wish. It's typically one to several gigabytes in size. You have to "burn" that file onto a USB stick, then boot your computer from that stick to install the Linux distro.
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It's important to note that the appearances of many distros are a function of their theme and desktop environment, both of which are easy to change
"The Sims 4" was the last thing tethering me to Windows. When I bought a physical copy (DVD) of the game and tried installing it on Fedora Linux via Wine, I found that it worked perfectly. My other option was a digital download using the "EA App," which _doesn't work on Linux AT ALL,_ because EA doesn't like Linux. Anyway, now that I can play "The Sims 4" on Fedora, I can proudly say I have kicked Windows to the curb for good, and I am NEVER looking back.
Kubuntu is great because it offers to install the minimum amount without apps so that may work pretty good for you
I managed to get Sims 4 working in Steam on Linux Mint. I had to experiement with different Proton versions to finally get it working.
I've been using MX Linux for five years and its rock stable & very reliable. I consider myself just a general user and I just use my laptop for web browsing & banking and at times using Krita for art works.
MX Linux is nice
Hi Brian. I am glad that you are doing Linux videos as well as one on Windows. I admire that you are supporting users who are still with what is a failing operating system. Which is Windows 11 and Microsoft are not doing anything to make that easier for users. I think there is going to come a time when it may be no other option but to switch to Linux because of the problems Microsoft are creating. So new users coming from Windows will need to get used to Linux and learn how to use it. That's not hard to do as there are many distros that are set up for new users, in mind. Linux Mint is one of them and as you say there are many others. I am an ex-Windows user. I used to use Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 8 as well as Windows Vista, but I changed to Linux 2 years ago. When Microsoft stopped support for Windows 7 and 8. The Linux I went to was Linux Mint which I had also used before in the past. This time I switched to it permanently and made the break away from Windows. I am now on Linux full time and I think I have adapted very well to it. There are some things that you may have to give up when you switch to Linux but not much. I never used Adobe Photoshop on Windows because you have to pay for it and I never did any gaming. I was running Windows 7 on a netbook so I couldn't anyway. So the only thing I had to give up was Windows Movie Maker but I found Openshot Video Editor which is very much like Windows Movie Maker. Well not exactly the same but it does the job. I now use Debian and since I have been on Linux I have not had any of the problems I used to have with Windows 8. So it is the right move I think. So long as you can accept that Linux is not exactly like Windows and won't run all of the Windows apps you will be fine. There are Linux versions of most of the software such as web browsers and media players and office suites. So you won't be missing very much.
Thanks for sharing Andrea
The easy answer to this question is Mint if you're a Windows user, you disagree with the 24H2 update, you're currently being threatened with a death timer on Windows 10, and you want to stay smart because you're a beginner. Also Mint 22's coming out pretty soon, and it has some cool features like context menu customization. However, no matter which one you choose, it's the best idea to download something like Virtualbox and train yourself to use the distro as a virtual machine first. Because no matter which distro you choose, it's going to be VERY different to what you're used to. Even if you use Mint. Also, please make sure to take the proper steps to make sure you don't accidentally nuke your hard drive, especially while partitioning.
ubuntu
Linux Mint 22 is already out by the way.
If you come from windows to Linux then choose kde as desktop environment. Personally I am using Fedora with kde Personally I would avoid Ubuntu they force to use snap.
I use Ubuntu 24.04 but I only access a few sites like tubi, email and about three other sites all free media streaming sites.
Thanks, another helpful video. I jumped off the Windows boat about three years ago and have tried Mint LMDE, Pop and Zorin but have settled on Debian. If you are wanting to jump ship
1. Google your laptop make and model to see if it can run Linux.
2. Google to see if Linux runs the software you use or need to use all the time and Google Linux alternatives.
3. RUclips how to install the distro you want on your machine.
4. Go and enjoy Linux. You wonder why you didn't do it years ago.
5. You can run Windows in a virtual machine and install programs if you need to. I do this for one program that I use daily.
You should make more learning videos about linux,mainly starting out of making sure the bluetooth ,email, fixes, or more important issues besides gaming that we need to use computer for,so we can try to get away from microsoft drama and problems
I can do that
I forgot about this site, thanks for the reminder. I quite like PopOS tbh. It's not to bad to use
Yeah, its a nice OS
Thank you, Brian! 🙏🏼
I've read a bit about Mint and I'm actually thinking about putting a brand new build together just to run Linux on (whichever distro I ultimately decide to go with), in order to 'get my feet wet' and learn it by working with it. (Wish me luck and thanks again! 🍀)
Thanks for the donation, I really appreciate it. 🍺
@@Britec09 You're quite welcome, Brian! Your videos are very helpful. When I saw this particular one pop up on my channel earlier, I immediately thought, _"He's read my mind, he has!"_ 😊
I did that back in 2013, overspecced it a bit for the time (16GB RAM, 128GB SSD + 2x2TB HDDs for RAID1) and it's what I'm still using now. If you go for the latest hardware you will have to carefully choose a distro that has bleeding edge kernel support but if you choose hardware that's a little back from the bleeding edge you should be just fine. At the moment AMD and Intel graphics cards have better support in Linux than nVidia as nVidia haven't been as supportive as the others up until now.
There seems to be a bit of a problem with some Intel 13/14th gen processors unrelated to Linux. Gamer's Nexus has more detail on what this is if you care to check.
Ryzen support seems to be very good in Linux.
You may be aware of all these matters but I mention them for the benefit of others that may read your comment.
@@dingokidneys Yeah, I'm _all over_ the news about Intel's current debacle, as I currently have four of their CPUs (two 12th gen and two 13th gen) sitting on the shelf (awaiting upcoming builds), as well as a 13th gen i9 in my current daily driver. (I haven't had any issues at all with the latter. 🤞🏼)
I’m using Rocky Linux as my main daily drive. Very stable with no real issues at all. Also a lot of proprietary software recommends Rocky.
Nice one Brian and yes I have used Linux Mint "Cinnamon" in the past in fact I still have it installed on a secondary drive in my old Sandy Bridge build, and reckon it is in my mind the best Linux OS. So if anyone who has an old computer and cannot afford to replace the old one then views this video I can thoroughly recommend that distro. The only thing that at times puts me off about the Linux distros and I have tried quite a few - is getting the hang of using the sudo command prompt and the frequent need to update the apps one has installed. Having said that the Linux system is of course free and easy to use once one gets used to the way one navigates the system. I must add that I do not game, which might be a hindrance for those who do.
Thank you Brian for a very informative video. I have Windows 10 and 11 dual booted on a couple machine and I have trying Linux Mint on my daughters old machine. I'm a gamer at heart and was pleasantly surprised to find Minecraft is working on Linux Mint and is working quite well. I agree totally I'm finding Linux Mint a very good choice.
This is great.. How have I never heard of it? I've been on distrosea for hours now; digging through all the choices. I still say Garuda is one of the best distros on there.. and MX. I still can't quite nail down what I'm going to use, but man: What a sit3.. very cool.
Hi Brian, thanks for the Linux video. Oh yes, there are many great Linux distros out there, and I've tried many different ones over the years. I agree with you; Linux Mint is easy for first-time users to get started with, and I would also recommend it. Then you have three variants of Linux Mint:
Cinnamon Edition: it's full of new features and looks very nice.
Xfce Edition: it's more of a lightweight version, so it's great if you have a computer that's really old, so that version doesn't require as many system resources.
Mate Edition: it's a classic Linux Mint version.
Oh yes, there are great choices out there for people who want to leave Windows 11, but I agree with you, switching to Linux can be a bit tricky depending on what programs you use and so on. But absolutely Brian as you say and I say, if you only surf the internet, watch videos, and pay for things and shop online, Linux works perfectly. Then I think when Windows 10 ends its support on October 14, 2025, and people don't want to pay for extended support, give Linux a chance. You can still use your old computer for a while longer, and that's good too, so we reduce electronic waste. Then I would also really recommend ChromeOS Flex it works great maybe it doesn't work on really old computers. But I have tried it on my Asus computer from 2016 and it worked perfectl. Google OS Flex is very fast and it requires minimal maintenance so it's basically when you turn on the computer just start surfing right away. So it's nice and you don't have to spend time on a lot of maintenance. Take care Brian and have a lovely day and thanks for your many great videos.
I agree to your suggestions Brian about Mint and Zorin OS. Those 2 will be the easy way to go as a Windows user. As a Linux user in some time you have to use the terminal. I think that Mint will be the best choise to searh for help on the internet. Mint has been here a long time and a lot of information can be found on the internet and forum. Installing HP printers can in some of the distros be a little tricky, but can be done.
Printers are just problematic. Full stop. Windows, Linux, anything really. The battles I've had with printers on Windows ...
I've found Brother printers to be very good though, particularly if attached via network rather than USB. They comply better with industry standards so they just work on Linux and require a bit less wrangling on Windows.
While I think a site like this is a great idea to get a feel for different distros, unfortunately it's no substitute for making a USB and trying it on your own hardware. While Linux is generally great for most computers and hardware, there are also a lot that just don't play nicely as well. Although, I've had less issues with newer computers/laptops running Linux than ever before.
Personally, I tried all of the suggested beginner distros and found them lacking. I've been using Fedora KDE for the last 2yrs and haven't looked back. I still have to use Windows for a couple of things, but a couple of things are better than 100% of things. For the most part, I can do most things I used to do on Windows in Linux.
Using a Linux "distro" should include a description/discussion of what "snap" and "flatpack" programs are. Very simply, these 2 type of package managers allow you to install and use programs that might not natively run on your particular distro -- certainly not without some frustration (ie "dependencies"). Snap and Flatpack programs solve this and allow you to use any software that was ever written for "Linux." (It's similar to Wine but with Wine you're dealing with actual "Windows" programs written for the Windows OS.)
For example, if a particular program works on a RHEL-based distro but not a Debian-based one just install the flatpack (or snap) version and you're good to go! Your distro of choice no longer matters where Linux software is concerned. (I like to think of flatpacks/snaps as sort of a virtual machine but for programs.) So, if you're into gaming and use something like Steam, you're in luck! Everything just works a whole lot better these days, all thanks to flatpacks and snaps.
Of course, the downside to snap & flatpack programs is that they do take up a little more space and often involve a little more processing power in order to run. But any hit is almost imperceptible. Any overhead you might assume is nowhere near as bad as you might expect with Windows -- assuming you're coming from the Windows universe.
One other thing about Linux Mint is that neither snaps nor flatpacks is enabled -- at least, not yet. You will need to "adjust" your package manager to include flatpacks which should be a simple toggle somewhere. (Sorry, I'm something of a Linux purist and don't really use snaps or flatpacks but that's me! You're not me!) In any case, including and then installing flatpack programs with Linux Mint on a relatively recent computer, with 4-cores, 8-gigs of RAM, that sort of thing, should work quite well! But if you're still rocking a 32-bit processor (and there are some out there, particularly with Debian and Linux Mint's "LMDE" offering) you may want to think about it.
Who knows? Maybe some day the Linux world of snaps and flatpacks will include _Android_ apk's! Wouldn't that be a game changer?!
(BTW, Android also uses a Linux core at it's heart, just like the MAC stuff does.)
Not a bad idea, but be careful about using something like that. Not everything on there is a Linux distro. For example, Haiku and FreeBSD were listed and neither one of them are Linux distros. If you don't know what they are, a quick Google search will get you an answer (it would take too long to explain here), but know that Linux is just one of multiple operating systems out there that people are working on as open source projects and these other operating systems aren't going to have the same level of support for your needs and hardware (if they support it at all).
As for my recommendation to start with, when in doubt, use Mint. Most things that are known to work on Linux will work on Mint with little to no effort and you just have to install the stuff you need using the graphical tools (no command line needed). The rest depends on what your specific hardware and software needs are, but for the most part, you'll be able to get an office suite, gaming, and many utilities up and running quickly enough on it.
PopOS is another great choice and is my go to distro for laptops and it handles things like Nvidia hybrid graphics really well in my experience.
Keep in mind that even though you'll see Mint, PopOS, Zorin, etc. often recommended as "for beginners", these distros are solid enough that if your're happy with how things are running, there's no need to switch to a more "advanced" distro and many Linux veterans run them as one a primary daily driver. One of the most common reasons for maybe switching to one of the other distros may be for hardware support (other distros update the kernel more frequently and will have support for newer hardware faster) or for a different selection of pre-installed software and settings. Sometimes these differences will make getting some things up and running easier for your needs, sometimes they won't. You may not even know what your needs are until you've been running Linux long enough to find out (this goes beyond getting specific things running) and that's fine too.
With that in mind, I can tell you that many creatives that do audio and video editing often end up on Fedora at some point, but it doesn't mean you can't get Mint to do those things too. However, Fedora users may have an easier time getting it all setup and working depending on what the specific setup needs. Those types of things are why some people may gravitate toward one distro over another, but it takes time and experience to find out which is best for you. There's no real wrong answer so long as it's a distro that's actively getting worked on and supported. There's usually a way to make anything work on any distro so stick to what works best for you.
My PC is on Kubuntu and I am utterly satisfied with it. LibreOffice is enough for my needs, as well as the basic applications for PDF, audio, images and videos. But I must say I like to keep things simple and keep control over my machine. Transition from Windows demands quite a lot of adaptation.
Even if someone is using Linux; this site is a great way to try out a different desktop or window manager without actually installing it.
As usual, it is a very interesting video and the ability to give a try to all these distros is really impressive. I just regret that I couldn’t find important information such as the origin of a Linux which is not commonly used. I think that in fact there are those who will prefer the Debian based distros (.Deb with famous APT-GET command) and, for example, all these that are based on.rpm. Of course, if you are really new to Linux, you won’t be aware of these main differences. However, the look and feel (it’s obviously important but not the main reason to choose one or another), may attract people into a kind of trap so an introductory information explaining these differences seem to me useful and even compulsory.
excellent video nicley explained keep up the good work
Thanks, will do!
MX-Linux is a good choice along with Zorin and Mint. All three have a GUI software center for easy downloading of software
I downloaded my first linux distro over a week ago and I love how I can customize almost every aspect of my system and how it's not bloated with unwanted features from a predatory corporation. Good luck in trying to remove microsoft edge from your windows PC. 🤣
Wow, its so exciting, and you are learning, new program and expanding your mind and capabilities. right on bro.
Cool video and helpful. I hope Linux gets used more. I'm really tired of Microsoft with their shenanigans.
I have used this App, great just to get a feel of how a Distro works and feels like. Also great for people that do all that Distro Hopping. 🐇
Excellent Brian
Glad you enjoyed it
Excellent video and thanks
thanks for some really interesting information.
I have now changed my pc from windows 11 home to Ubuntu 22.04 LTS with KDE Plasma desktop(KDE Plasma looks and works for me like windows). I have done this over a three month period running both machines side by side, things i use a lot email,spotify,youtube,notepad,ip cameras hikvision,firefox and chrome.pfd viewer,printer,paint program. No update problems when it says updates are ready just click the button and when asked type in password and thats it no reboot just carry on as usual. The boot time is far quicker than windows and i can honestly say everything just works,hope this is of some help.
i will stay with Windows so much easier and suitable for me personally. Linux Mint 22 has just been released though for those who want a reasonable alternative, i am not a Linux fan by a long way but if anyone wants to move or try Linux, Linux Mint 22 is probably as good as it gets for new users wanting to have a look.
This is for those who want to keep there old pc.
@@Britec09 which is why i recommended Mint 22.
The key thing is that people understand that they have choice. They don't necessarily have to ditch a working computer if it still does all is required of it. There are alternatives that may suit them as well if not better. However, if Windows is the best system for what you do, you can afford to upgrade on Microsoft's schedule and you're not troubled by their actions, stick with it.
I too recommend Linux Mint for people dipping their toes into Linux. It's slick, well supported and full featured. Not just a beginner's Linux as some people imply.
If you want to try Linux on an old machine, I'd really strongly suggest that you buy a new SSD if your old machine has a mechanical hard drive and you can afford it. It's really worth it if you can do it and depending on how much data you have to bring over, you may manage very well with a smaller SSD which can be quite cheap.
You then have your old data on the old hard disk, safe and sound and if you get to a point where you no longer need the system and data on that old HDD you may be able to re-use it as additional storage space, either internal on a desktop or external with an enclosure or just an adapter; e.g. if it's a little 2.5" SATA HDD.
I replaced my brother's 1TB HDD in his laptop (total usage ~17%) with a 240GB SSD I had on hand but which I could have bought for AUD$ 34.00 (GBP 17.13, USD 22.33). Linux Mint plus all his data take up only 41% of the new drive. I could also get a USB3 to SATA dongle for AUD$ 14.00 (GBP 7.13, USD 9.20) which would allow him to re-use the old 2.5" HDD for data backup. Plug it in, back everything up to it, unplug and put in a safe place.
You then have a computer with a future rather than a piece of e-waste. Good all around.
mint if you like windows or ubuntu if you like macs,
ZORIN OS if you can't decide between both, or prefer to switch once in a while.
@@RECURSIVE_MATRIX_LOGIC - Pearl linux os!
Great video! Thanks.
I like the Budgie UI, it's boring like Windows, I use it with Fedora, but can be installed on any distro
Good man Brian, another informative video. Ive a win 10 laptop that id like to update to win 11, but without any bloat, no bitlocker, basically the basic OS and without having to do a fresh install as i would like to keep all my programs and files etc. is this something you could cover in a video at some point? be great help if you have time.
An old pc with Linux with a good firewall, will in its self be good security for just banking.
If you only need it for Banking, you can do it right from a USB Stick. ..But I would do almost everything on Linux, so its worth putting it on a PC.
LoL - Arch boots to command prompt. I just found it interesting.
Arch is like a Lego set. You assemble it the way you like. This makes for a finely tuned, highly customised system. There is the 'archinstall' script you can run from the command prompt to get full-featured desktop environment these days so it's not quite as daunting as it used to be for those unused to the terminal and the various GUI options available on Linux.
Linux mint is good for beginners i started with that then i moved to Arch
I agree, mint is a good place to start
I am currently playing with Debian 12.6 and Fedora 40 on live usb sticks. I am currently leaning toward Debian 12 when I decide what to install. I will be dual booting with windows 11 IOT LTSC. This means on payday I will be purchasing a larger ssd so I will have the room I need.
If you like the look of macOS then there's Pearl Linux OS .. has many desktop environments to choose from .. looks good .. works well .. for some reason has not gained much popularity, however.
Feren OS is a good distro. However, it is maintained by 1 person. It is almost a linux mint with KDE plasma.
Are there any distros that are acceptable for 32-bit and touchscreen? All of my Win10 laptops are 32-bit. I have already moved all my 64-bit to Win 11 via Rufus.
Not sure about how good touchscreen support is on these, but i believe Debian, Antix, and MX Linux still provide 32-bit versions.
Other distros no longer do to the best of my knowledge.
EDIT: Turns out Linux Mint still have a 32-bit build in the form of Linux Mint Debian Edition (or LMDE). Looks like Puppy Linux also has a 32-bit build for their distro based on Slackware, or you can go to Slackware directly to get the pure Slackware build.
Q4OS, Raspberry Pi OS, Damn Small Linux, and Sparky Linux also still have 32-bit versions of their latest releases.
There could be a few others out there that still support 32-bit but it’s looking like it’s just versions of Linux based on Debian that are still getting new releases.
@@NeoNine10 Thank you so much for your help. 😎
MS needs to make windows 10 as a home OS and focus on making Windows 11 a corporate OS. Make updates for Windows 10 indefinitely.
The only wrong Linux distro to choose is Windows😅
I have Ubuntu running on a second PC. I tried Mint when I first tried to install a distro and was hit with a green screen so I opted to install Ubuntu and its worked fine ever since. PC users who find their machine cannot run W11 could always install Linux either as a duel boot or by wiping Windows from their PC and installing Linux. One thing with Linux is that even when there is an update you're not force into installing the update.
What about longevity? If there are so many versions (distro), are all of them going to be maintained for the future?
You should be pretty safe with Linux Mint. It has a long and strong track record and is based on one of the longest running distributions, Debian.
There are a few major distributions upon which many others are based; e.g. Debian, Red Hat and Arch. It is true that some small distros have come and gone but on the whole even small distros have a core of keen developers who will keep it going, either in the current project or in a 'fork' of that project with a new name. That said, as RUclipsr Chris Titus has said "Linux is Linux" and, once you learn how to manage one, that knowledge carries over to any other distro you may switch to.
My current system started out as Crunchbang Linux, which was based on Debian. The Crunchbang project died years ago but I've been able to keep my system running fine by just switching back to using the base Debian repositories. I could have switched to either Bunsen Labs or Crunchbang++ as these projects 'forked' off the original Crunchbang which is a key element of free and open source software. It's always available for anyone to pick up and run with as they like.
On a one year old HP laptop i recently deleted Linux Mint 21.2. Strange issues with sound and bluetooth. Too bad i like Mint and never issues on other older devices. It works fine on my ASUS desktop.
How did I miss this website? Thanks for this!
I use windows 11 for work on a work laptop, but once done I turn on my personal PC which is also win 11 now :(.... Mostly on an evening I'll watch some netflix or something, or better yet I'll play some games from my steam library.
I would love to switch over to something like Mint, but my problem is I have no idea how games will run on that (or even if possible). Where can I go to find out more about this? or are PC gamers stuck with windows & macs (don't want a mac).
I love Mint. I use it at home. Use with Various AI’s. It will help you make the switch. I ask what is the taskbar called in Linux etc. how to I install this or that.
Bri, have you look in to Linux Bottles for Windows user moving to Linux?
Thank you. I run PClinuxOS 2024 MATE, any comment?
Good Choice, what ever suits your needs, likes and Style. MATE is so under rated as a DE. 600 Linux Distros to choose from.
@@STONE69_ Thank You for a fast reply!
Well explained mate.😊
Glad you liked it
What a clever idea; a great find. Cheers Brian.
Glad you liked it
Is this a big data analytics video themed???
I'm literally just tried Ubuntu, mint and thinking to try some other distro as well!!!
Downloading all those ISO and play with Live CD demo is a bit of mess for me
I had to reinstall my windows at my first try-out of Linux haha
The video, is an internet site, you don't need to download anything. You can try any distro available there...no sign in at all.
what is said i Bord a new win11 on this program.but i put win11 in the bin.now i am try Linux and learn again almost with 70th.
Zorin OS 😃👍
Thanks
Do any of these Linux distros have a built in antivirus and firewall that recieves regular security updates?
Linux does not use antivirus software on the desktop. That's a Windows thing. Firewalls are built in and receive regular updates, as does your distro. Running updates and rebooting afterwards is how you keep your system secure.
@@notjustforhackers4252thank you for explaining.
I find data transfer rates on Windows PC very slow (as when backing up to an external USB drive). The transfer starts at around 150 MB/s, and gradually falls to 20. Haven't been able to find any way to avoid this -- some PCs are better, others worse. I hope Linux doesn't have this transfer bottleneck.
I can't choose which the right distro for me because of nvidia drivers. My laptop has 2 drivers which is amd vega and rtx 3060 (nvidia optimus). Any suggestions for linux distro who supports this besides popOs?
Try Linux Mint, usually one click to get those drivers.
NVidia has been problematic in the past but things are significantly better these days. The free/open source 'nouveau' driver is pretty good and is getting nVidia support though the official drivers are still available and are doing better. That said, AMD has had first class support for years and Intel support for ARC cards seems to be good too.
I endorse @72mach-1 's comment re: Linux Mint. Installing required drivers is part of the standard install process.
Mint Debian Edition...
Thanks for sharing
Fantastic distro
Could you cover the issue of 32 bit OS as there are still machines that - for instance are netbooks like {Dell Inspiron Mini 10} of Where to find a 32 bit Linux OS as I can't seem to find any? and Dont want to throw this little unit out...
Try Antix Linux, MX Linux, Linux Lite, Puppy Linux, Debian. You can also get information at Distro Watch to find others. The ones labeled as XFCE LXTE Etc are light and the lighter the distro the better for 32 bit
@@72mach-1 Good comment and I endorse your suggestions. I use Alpine on an ASUS eeePC 701 - terminal only though GUI is available. My use case for this machine doesn't require a GUI as I only access it remotely.
I'll just keep using work around and modding it to take out as much telemetry as I can etc... not an issue here but that's just me. Tried Linux before I like it but just can't use it as a daily driver so to speak.
Whatever works Rob
Is there a distro that can run Office 365? I do not want to use alternatives like Libre because they can be un-user friendly and not work with the spreadsheets I have.
I hear Only Office (FOSS Package) has better compatibility with Microsoft Office.
I can log into Microsoft 365 and use the cloud based apps from my Linux PC. I don't know if there's still a locally installable front end that is required for some purposes but I can use Outlook, Excel, Word, etc. etc. directly from my Brave browser.
So you're saying that if you have Windows 11 that you have to install a virtual machine to use this tool?
No, this is an internet site, you do not need anything at all, no sign in.
@@72mach-1 Thank you. I appreciate your help.
@@Roger-vz7ol no probbs.
Zorin os and pop os is my fav i would use them but i cant run games even with wine 🍷 buti love zorin 18 also why does zorin have 2 ways to power down windows way and from notifications
Both are nice distro's
@@Britec09 yes
The reason, for the second power button, is if your start menu disappeared or stopped working or froze up. You can restart with the other and this usually fixes many problem, just by restarting. ..It also saves people from doing hard shut downs, by the physical power button, that can cause some bad stuff to happen.
@@72mach-1 ok thanks for info
I m from india sir🎉🎉
What heck isa distro? I wish there was a definitive guide to how to install Linux and how to add programs and all the other things we do with a new windows install.
He means an "ISO" file (file with the extension .iso) that you can download from any Linux distro website you wish. It's typically one to several gigabytes in size.
You have to "burn" that file onto a USB stick, then boot your computer from that stick to install the Linux distro.
let the floodgates open
You love it
🙂👍