I ditched Windows 11 for Linux — and you should, too (maybe)

[DrQ]

I ditched Windows 11 for Linux — and you should, too ...(Maybe)​

I ditched Windows 11 for Linux — and you should, too

Reluctant to switch to Windows 11? Linux might be the answer

www.laptopmag.com

I've been running Linux on laptops for years. My latest is running Ubuntu 2.4 on a couple of Dell laptops. I have also run Ubuntu 2.2. For Office applications, I used to use Libreoffice, but I now find Google offers better integration between my Chromebook, Ubuntu desktop and Windows 11 (yes, I still use Windows).

For Windows, I run a Virtual Machine under VirtualBox. I used to run it under VMWare and now it is free for personal use, but support has turned to crap since it was bought out by Broadcom. Also, with VMWare, you have to compile two modules with every kernel update and I have run into instabilities with the latest version of VMWare, so I'm using a previous release which requires crowdsourced patch to compile the two modules. Even ignoring that, I still have to register modules for both VirtualBox and VMWare with keys in order to run under secure Linux. These are not tasks that I think that the normal Windows user who does not compile code would be familiar with.

On top of that, I have found that the integration with the on-board Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210 wireless card is unstable where the speed can drop down to a few kilobits/sec from 600 megabits/sec. I had to purchase a previous generation DLink wireless USB device in order to get a consistent 360 Mb/sec connection.

If you want to run applications like Quicken and/or TurboTax locally, then you need to choose either Windows or MacOS. My Macbook aged out of support, so I went down the Linux path.

I don't think that the casual and usual Windows user would put up with the "quirks" inherent with Linux.

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

I've dual-booted between versions of Windows and Linux Mint Cinnamon for years, I use LMC for daily use and Win11 for things Linux won't do (like iTunes or Dell's firmware updates). I use LibreOffice on both, so I can write/edit on either if needed. My laser printer is on Wi-Fi so I don't have to worry too much about drivers in either.

TS

 

[jp10558]

Heck, I switched from Windows *10* to Linux, specifically RHEL free respins. Right now Alma 9.5. I am benefited that my main computers are traditional tower desktops with wired connections, so everything "just works". Laptops are a little trickier but mostly we've been happily surprised. The only Windows I keep is provided by my work. The main PITA is that for some reason H&R Tax (really any tax software) is not available for Linux and for whatever reason isn't a web app.

 

[GetawaysRus]

I guess I'm what Dr. Q calls a "usual" user, and I have to agree. Life is complicated enough. I view my computer as a tool. I want it to work and not complicate my life.

I own 2 Windows PCs, a desktop for home and a laptop for travel. Both were purchased in 2015. They don't have the fastest chip any more, but they work very adequately for my needs. I can't think as fast as these computers can go. I still use Office 2010 because it meets my needs, I don't need every bell and whistle, and I don't want to put in the time to learn a new version. I don't play computer games. By the way, I also use the same hammer, screwdrivers, wrenches, and pliers that I bought many years ago.

Both my PCs have TPM 2.0, but the CPU isn't fast enough to meet the Windows 11 upgrade requirements. So I am very irritated with Microsoft. I don't want to junk 2 perfectly adequate computers and have to put in $$ and time setting up a new desktop and laptop. In the nearly 10 years that I have owned these computers, all I've really had to do was add some RAM and swap out the old mechanical hard drives for SSDs. The SSD upgrade sped things up dramatically.

Regarding tax software: I DO NOT want to prepare my taxes online. I prefer the privacy of using my own machine.

I'm curious what other TUGGERS are thinking. At this point, I'm inclined to just pay for a year of extended Windows 10 upgrades. Yes, I'm kicking the can down the road, but I suspect that I'll get more than $30 worth of extra computing power if I postpone a new purchase for an additional year.

By the way, I'm also not heading to Home Depot to buy a new hammer or set of screwdrivers.

 

[Ralph Sir Edward]

I shifted to Mint Linux many years ago. I also have used virtualbox since 2011. I have several virtual machines. I have an XP pro machine and a Windows 7 pro machine, so I can run software for either OS. The drawback is I don't have either one of them set up for online work. To me, this is a feature, not a bug; as I keep two computers on my desktop (actually 3 - the third is a native mode Win 7 box; to run a specialized piece of software.)

So I am typing here on my "dirty" machine (the internet connected one) while things like music, games (some dating back to 1983), and various personal software things like spreadsheets, word processor, ect. on the "clean" machine. Swapping is simple, punch 2 buttons, and click a knob for which machine's audio is being output to the Class D stereo. (I also have an Atari 800 emulator that runs under my virtual XP, and a Atari St emulator, but I don't use that one.)

Physical space requirement? I have 2 used HP 800 Nano computers (bought for around $100) each, which I souped up with more RAM, an SSD and changed out the clock battery (easy, uses a straight 2032 button with no holder.) They were built for the business market and are built like granite, I expend they will last my lifetime, with changing out batteries and SSDs on a periodic basis. (6 1/2 by 6 1/2 by 1 5/8 inches each.)

Every 5 years or so, I upgrade Linux (whether I need to or not).

 

[jp10558]

Regarding tax software: I DO NOT want to prepare my taxes online. I prefer the privacy of using my own machine.

So the one thing is - I agree, I don't love exposing the info online - but given efile requirements and the fact that both TurboTax and H&R Block download "unknown updates" and then who really knows what they're doing when they "efile" I'm not sure how much more exposed I'd be with a web based program. It *could* be a lot less secure, but I also don't really trust commercial companies that much no matter where I run the code if it has a network connection.

 

[Brett]

Heck, I switched from Windows *10* to Linux, specifically RHEL free respins. Right now Alma 9.5. I am benefited that my main computers are traditional tower desktops with wired connections, so everything "just works". Laptops are a little trickier but mostly we've been happily surprised. The only Windows I keep is provided by my work. The main PITA is that for some reason H&R Tax (really any tax software) is not available for Linux and for whatever reason isn't a web app.

That's why many (including me) don't buy the cheaper linux laptops like chromebook because you have to use their "cloud" web based programs.
I prefer to use my own Photoshop and tax software and other programs but someday a cheaper, smaller, laptop using Linux may be in my future

 

[DrQ]

I shifted to Mint Linux many years ago. I also have used virtualbox since 2011.

I have always used VMWare for the last 20 years because we used VMWare in our production environment at work and that you could purchase a single VMWare Workstation Pro license for ~$250. I could get my company to purchase a license for my work laptop. I can also purchase a personal copy for use at home as $250 was within my play budget.

I did not use VirtualBox because of Oracle's strict definition of "work use" and you could only buy licenses in the smallest quantity of 100. The per unit cost of $50 a copy is not bad, but you have to pay $5000 to get the first license. That's a hard sell, especially when you use VMWare in house for virtualization in-house.

After I retired, the gloves came off and I could use VirtualBox under Oracle's "personal use" constraints and I still use VMWare Workstation Pro because I'm familiar with it.

So I am typing here on my "dirty" machine (the internet connected one) while things like music, games (some dating back to 1983), and various personal software things like spreadsheets, word processor, ect. on the "clean" machine.

I don't air-gap my "clean" machine, but I run separate VM's for "clean" (financial, taxes, banking ...) and "dirty" (general internet browsing) and I have a dedicated shopping VM where I only use my credit card shopping and only browse shopping URLs. I do not browse the internet on the host Linux OS other than Ubuntu, Oracle and Broadcom support groups to troubleshoot problems if they crop up.

Both my PCs have TPM 2.0, but the CPU isn't fast enough to meet the Windows 11 upgrade requirements.

For your next PC purchase, I would suggest buying the fastest processor you can get that have the most cores. Make sure the maximum RAM is at least 32 GB (64 GB is better 128 GB is tops). You don't have to max it out with RAM, but you can upgrade in the future. Check to see how much they are charging to increase the SSD as you might get a better deal off Amazon. On buying SSDs, stick with reputable manufacturers.

Once you get your new system up and going and transfer your data, you could extract the Microsoft Windows boot media off the emergency boot sector to rebuild at a later date and then rebuild it with a Linux flavor to play around. Mint Linux and Ubuntu desktop have the best integration of multimedia CODECs to allow you to play audio and video files without having to download and instal software.

 

[DrQ]

Heck, I switched from Windows *10* to Linux, specifically RHEL free respins. Right now Alma 9.5.

Yeah, it was a bummer when CentOS went away. I have a copy of AlmaLinux in my sandbox, but I registered as a Red Hat Developer so I can load a limited number of concurrent copies of RHEL with which I can experiment. AlmaLinux did not solve my Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210 wireless card issue, so I kept it in the sandbox.

I'm in the Ubuntu camp because I seem to find more activity with developers in the areas where I'm experiencing problems. If I was developing code in an RHEL environment, I would opt for AlmaLinux.

 

[jp10558]

That's why many (including me) don't buy the cheaper linux laptops like chromebook because you have to use their "cloud" web based programs.
I prefer to use my own Photoshop and tax software and other programs but someday a cheaper, smaller, laptop using Linux may be in my future

Chromebooks aren't really Linux, at least not in the way I'd tend to talk about it to other users. The best bet is to get a Thinkpad of some type - they tend to work and... well.. also tend to be about as well built as you can get in a non Mac laptop. Lenovo also at least does basic certification of them for various distros.