ComicalMayhemMay 8, 2024

I don't know anything about Linux and the idea of installing it frightens me. Where do I start?

https://lemmy.world/post/15160955

I don't know anything about Linux and the idea of installing it frightens me. Where do I start? - Lemmy.World

I bought a laptop yesterday, it came pre-installed with Windows 11. I hate win 11 so I switched it down to Windows 10, but then started considering using Linux for total control over the laptop, but here’s the thing: I keep seeing memes about how complicated or fucky wucky Linux is to install and run. I love the idea of open source software and an operating system without any of the bullshit that comes with Windows, but most of the open source stuff I have is on my android and fairly easy to install. Installing and using Linux just feels like it’ll be a whole different beast that’ll eat up most of my time and I’m kind of intimidated by it. TL;DR Linux scawy, how does a barely computer literate scrub like me who’s used nothing but windows since the dawn of their life get started with Linux?

Show threadhauiMay 8, 2024

Dont install it, yet. Make a bootable usb stick with balena etcher and put a linux distro on it (I highly recommend mint, pop_os or ubuntu (standard version) as ISO on it.

Ubuntu is very controversial in the more advanced sphere but I learned on it and its great for beginners.

If you want to go a little bit over the top download ventoy and put it on the usb instead. You can then put as many ISOs on there as you can fit and just select one of them at boot.

The most important part for beginners is the desktop environment anyway so gnome should be fine. If you have tried it for more than an hour and still feel like this could be fun, click install and give it a go.

You could also dual boot but windows might fuck you over since they‘re not great neighbors as an OS.

Feel free to ask if you want to know more. Good luck.

Show threadrefaloMay 9, 2024

Ubuntu is very controversial in the more advanced sphere

I would argue only turbonerds really complain about it. But in my experience, for professionals who just need to get things done it works perfectly fine 99% of the time.

Show threadGrass
I think its an outdated recommendation. They keep making weird choices and one of only two friends that was willing to try Linux went and tried Ubuntu without my input and decided to go back to windows for a bunch of mostly mundane reasons that could have either been configured away or been preempted by using a different distro. The other guy will be back but on bazzite after trying my steam deck he only left for shitty rootkit anticheat games that he’s now sick of. He started on one of the arch easy install methods and was already a power user on both windows and Mac.
May 9, 2024 at 5:32amWeb
Show threadhauiMay 9, 2024

In fact I used ubuntu until version 23.10 iirc so no, its not an outdated recommendation. Actually I still use it on my servers because it doesnt need a desktop there and I‘m not changing OSs unless I have to. 22.04 is still perfectly fine on there.

The issue with power users (I‘m an admin myself) is that we‘re used to being in control and some new OS feels weird as we might get stuck for a bit. Not everyone likes to deal with that.

Still valid opinion I think. Have a good one.