@ellieraejaye technically it's already an issue as Win10 support officially ended last October. I'm not sure if, as UK, you're part of the EU market that got the security updates extension till October 2026. Or if you have paid you have a bit more support but still not a lot, unless you're an enterprise customer. I think?

That could work. Updating stuff if you don't use Flatpak will require some support I think but for such limited use cases, I would attempt it! Especially if you're relatively close physically.

@ellieraejaye I can totally understand what you mean. Adobe is just one example because I know it, but there are others. Sometimes there are alternatives, sometimes there are not.

Yeah, Steam building on Linux did propell a lot the gaming on Linux paradigm that until 10 years ago or less was unheard of, you knew you wouldn't game on Linux. So, I'm moderately hopeful that more games will support that... if the gaming industry can get around building walls again "because this is exclusive on this console, or that console" and with "subscribe TO MEEEEEE!" models. I don't care about competitive but they do make a good chuck of best selling games and the issue with anti-cheats is an issue.

Yeah, in my researches too Linux Mint was the best easy-to-start alternative if you didn't want the classic Canonical Ubuntu.

@ellieraejaye in my opinion, Linux got a lot better UI/UX wise and it will grow but it has issues that will keep it away from truly supplanting Windows and iOS.

To be able to manage Linux you need to know how to search around the web and dig through the innards of the OS, this is not something everyone is able to. Packet managers are not obvious for a normal person. I know what I'm doing and I still screamed at Linux Mint because some specific packages I needed were outdated in the standard packet manager with no info if and when they will be updated so I had to take a long detour around. Flatpak has issues and it's like moving from Windows Store to Canonical store, the moment Canonical choose to go "full tech bro" you're back into the pan and still Flatpak has technical issues.

The compatability with hardware can be finnicky, as the discussion in the past "if you plan to tell a person "just move to Linux" you should be willing to support them for them to hash out all the issues that will crop up".

It is missing software. Big software suites like Adobe, software which are considered sectors' standards that we like it or not, are not on Linux. Which means you often have to build a mix of things as you don't have a "one stop shop" like MS and that makes it hard for companies' fleet, especially in smaller companies. And also Enterprise level support is not always there for every distro.

Last but not least... the sheer width of the offer: you ask 10 people, you get 23 different Linux OS recommendations, it is overhelming.

@ellieraejaye it's worse than just loosing your PC... you loose all your data... you loose all the control over said data... you loose "yourself" because everything is up there, somewhere in the cloud.

I know it sounds dystopic but that's the direction they are pushing for.

And no, you don't have to like it, you do have to accept it as the ineluttable fact that it will be so and be part of the system. The Tech Bros has spoken. Fuck 'em.