Okay. So. I guarantee you that most Windows users—especially ones on Fedi—know how fucked up Windows has become. Bombarding them with "Install #Linux, we have cookies!" propaganda isn't going to send them rushing to download an image and flash it to a usb drive to install.

They know Windows is a nightmare, they want the nightmare to stop. But there are a lot of reasons stopping them from installing Linux.

One of the biggest ones is that even as Linux has gotten easier and easier to install, it's still a really big step for a lot of people. Maybe they only have one computer, and can't risk slagging it if they mess up. Maybe they don't even know where to start backing up their data. Google and the other search engines are returning AI slop, so they can't trust those to give them accurate and useful answers.

So instead of trying to convince them they want to switch, we need to help them find the resources necessary to do so
if they decide they're ready. We need to be the opposite of all those fucking RTFM bros that made it hard when we first switched. We need to make sure they can find a helpful community to give them the support to feel safe in switching.

Because yeah, Windows fucking sucks. They know that, we know that. But breaking their computer so it works even less is fucking terrifying, and Linux has a fucking PR problem because the RTFM bros are the loudest members of our community.

Edit: this really resonated while I was asleep, and I'm glad to know I'm not the only one frustrated here. A few people have replied asking for help, and I'll try to boost them later when I get back to the computer, but if you can, please help them out. Not everyone is gonna switch, but let's make it better for those who are ready and willing to make the jump.
@deathkitten Another question: what the equivalents to MS Paint and Windows Photo Legacy that I'd use with Linux?
@griseldagimpel Most people use either GIMP or Krita for drawing. I'm not familiar with Windows Photo Legacy, so I'm not sure what to recommend for that. What's its purpose?
@deathkitten Windows Photo Legacy allows me to make videos with custom audio. I'm producing an audio drama, so I need something with basic video making functionality.
@griseldagimpel I just did a quote boost to hopefully get the attention of someone who knows what the recommend, as that's not something I do. Hopefully we'll get you an answer!

@deathkitten Thanks!

(Because I swear, Windows gets shittier with every iteration. The whole reason I'm using the legacy version of Windows Photos is that the new version removed features I needed but, you guessed it, added AI.)

@griseldagimpel I wish I was surprised they did that, but I'm not. I know I have a bunch of Linux mutuals, so hopefully one will get back to us with a suggestion. 🤞 I've already been boosted once.

@deathkitten Another question, this one kind of high-level.

If I switch operating system, will all my files still be accessible?

@griseldagimpel you'll want to back them up externally, because the install will likely reformat your whole drive (I say likely because if there are partitions, you can sometimes keep some of the old partitions, but that's an advanced process).

If you're just testing things out from a live usb without installing, you should be able to see all your files. The only thing to worry about is if you have any files that are a proprietary type that only open in certain programs. A lot of their Linux equivalents can read a lot of them, but sometimes we're a version or two behind or something comes out a little weird because we're backwards engineering it.