this post was submitted on 01 Aug 2024
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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I have been dual booting for some time now. Come back to windows 10 for gaming. But then I suddenly realize that the blizzard games that I play can run on Linux, and even from the same folder with the NTFS partition. I was stunned. No notable performance difference either.
I recently shows my mum that have an old Core 2 Duo that it can run Linux Mint. She said it works, and the computer shutdowns directly when I tell it to do. No more updating windows to wait for before unplugging the power cable. Still have to dual boot Windows 10 for Microsoft Office Word document compatibility and Google Picasa.
She also just have bought a new computer with Windows 11, could barely make it through the installation. So many questions and configuration needed to get rid of ads and popups in Edge. Need to evaluation Mint more before I try to dual boot it on this machine as well.
Or.... Just fuck off windows altogether?
There is a learning curve for old people. It takes time. So dual boot is a must until then.
This. It feels to me like driving a stick shift when you've been using an automatic transmission for years. You have to do a little more fiddling but I honestly don't mind learning a new OS that isn't actively working against me.
With Windows . . . on the other hand . . . every time I've had to go "under the hood" (tweak Registry settings, Config files, etc) it's been to prevent Microsoft from doing something crappy to me.
Yes, with Windows it is a fight about disabling all the new stuff they come up with. Here, you must use OneDrive if you save a file. Here, lots of ads in the start menu, nothing is installed. Or here, please try copilot+ or bing. Do you want to set bing as your startup page? If you say no, we will ask you again... A new windows update? Lets ask everything again.
It also doesn't help that my dad still isn't filly convinced Linux isn't a virus/dangerous to my PC.
He is just afraid of learning new things. Best way here is to show him how it works. Learning.
Oh I've been trying. He's tech adverse in general, so the concept of open source software scares him because it means trusting others with regards to tech.
Picasa? That's been google-bandoned for a while now. What does she use it for? Plenty of photo management tools in Linux. Darktable, Digikam...
If the office alternatives in linux don't cut it, and she uses Office 365, you can run it in Linux as a PWA
Picasa because it had worked fine. And the replacement, Google photos, is not an option with storing everything in the cloud. Both Darktable and Digikam looks too advance. I think Gwenview will be a good fit. Will try later when she has the time to test. Just viewing the images in the folder, that is all that is needed.
It would be a good idea with the Office 365 but we don't want things in the Cloud. If the PWA could run offline it would be a different story.
You might want to check out Libre Office. It's document compatible with MS-Office and I think it comes pre-installed on Linux Mint.
If you want you can try OnlyOffice, it works really well as a replacement for Office. That is if you only use Word, Excel and Powerpoint. I even convinced some Windows people to use it as its free, open source, cross platform and perhaps even easier to use at this point.
For Picasa maybe digikam? It maybe isn't a perfect replacement though. You could always try to run Picasa in a VM (or maybe even wine?)
Microsoft does not follow its own standard for doc and docx. Any other software tries to follow the standard, thus you can get different view of the document depending on what editor you use.
Picasa I think is easier to replace. Just need to relearn. Leaning towards Gwenview. VM is not an option, too complicated and slow for her. Picasa has been depricated for a long time now so it is time to move on.