09-26-2021, 09:59 AM
One of our valued fellow members has recently asked me about Linux.
We've gone back and forth via PMs a bit.
Helping folks to get into Linux is a pleasure for me.
To start with, here is some background info - and for the impatient, skip to the next post here.
As a man who has been an IT tech for 20+ years I speak from my own experiences.
Even though I am old and have health issues I still have some clients - and all have been switched to Linux.
I've been a full time Linux user for years already since seeing the absolute krapware which came after (the supposed 'death' of...) XP, which I used daily for years after that and still do use XP now - literally for a single program that I cannot get to work fully via WINE but works 100% fine under XP.
BUT:
Is Linux the be-all answer for everyone ??
Nope - 'specially not for folks who need special apps that demand another OS.
My best 2 living, present examples of happy Linux situations=>
A client who is a lawyer with an office network is at the top of the scale;
He depends upon video conferencing, M$0ffice compatibility, handles loads of emails and PDFs and of course his main 'product' is printed output on paper.
I switched his office and network to Linux years ago (including 2 new notebook PCs) and he is doing just fine.
His home PC is also set up the same way - and his wife is a total technophobe - and she is fine with it too.
At the opposite end of the scale is a lovely elderly couple who moved thousands of miles from me for their own health reasons.
Both are Linux users whom I support via remote access.
He mainly uses a desktop - but also has a notebook just like his wife's NB.
He is a non-techie finance guy, and she is at the very lowest tech level possible - both are 100% retired - and they do fine using only Linux.
So - what do you do when you want to learn about or get into using Linux ??
There are 2 main ways:
1 - Just get a free distro and boot from that, or;
2 - Buy a purpose-built brand new PC with Linux already installed.
So - why would anyone ever buy a new PC just to get into Linux when older PCs are usually fine for this (usually) free OS ??
That would be ONLY if they only have a truly ancient (15+ y/o ??) PC, or lack the confidence to just try to get and/or use it - or have loads of extra $$$ to burn.
Buying any pre-built PC these days can have many pitfalls.
Many, many new, branded PCs range between being utter junk or locked down by either the maker or via the OS they provide - like '11', which has specific h/w AND biometrics - a Linux user's worst nightmare.
It is so very easy to just use the PC you've already got unless it is more than 10 years old, or in failure mode already.
Getting an already Linux based purpose built PC is about 99% a BAD thing to do - I have seen this sad thing happen before and 1 poor soul wasted almost $1500 for a NB that has mostly been a very pretty paperweight.
It came from 'famous maker' System76, had goofy h/w and was used to force the user into buying their paid 'support'.
This was a total travesty as most folks can easily find whatever they need from the huge and active Linux community.
That PC was so odd that I could not make it work correctly - and he actually had to pay for shipping to and from them to have them fix it.
A very nice looking PC too - that has been just sitting around ever since and just gets dusted off now and then, like any good paperweight would.
Still reading ??
Still want to use Linux ??
OK, see the next entry for how to get started.
We've gone back and forth via PMs a bit.
Helping folks to get into Linux is a pleasure for me.
To start with, here is some background info - and for the impatient, skip to the next post here.
As a man who has been an IT tech for 20+ years I speak from my own experiences.
Even though I am old and have health issues I still have some clients - and all have been switched to Linux.
I've been a full time Linux user for years already since seeing the absolute krapware which came after (the supposed 'death' of...) XP, which I used daily for years after that and still do use XP now - literally for a single program that I cannot get to work fully via WINE but works 100% fine under XP.
BUT:
Is Linux the be-all answer for everyone ??
Nope - 'specially not for folks who need special apps that demand another OS.
My best 2 living, present examples of happy Linux situations=>
A client who is a lawyer with an office network is at the top of the scale;
He depends upon video conferencing, M$0ffice compatibility, handles loads of emails and PDFs and of course his main 'product' is printed output on paper.
I switched his office and network to Linux years ago (including 2 new notebook PCs) and he is doing just fine.
His home PC is also set up the same way - and his wife is a total technophobe - and she is fine with it too.
At the opposite end of the scale is a lovely elderly couple who moved thousands of miles from me for their own health reasons.
Both are Linux users whom I support via remote access.
He mainly uses a desktop - but also has a notebook just like his wife's NB.
He is a non-techie finance guy, and she is at the very lowest tech level possible - both are 100% retired - and they do fine using only Linux.
So - what do you do when you want to learn about or get into using Linux ??
There are 2 main ways:
1 - Just get a free distro and boot from that, or;
2 - Buy a purpose-built brand new PC with Linux already installed.
So - why would anyone ever buy a new PC just to get into Linux when older PCs are usually fine for this (usually) free OS ??
That would be ONLY if they only have a truly ancient (15+ y/o ??) PC, or lack the confidence to just try to get and/or use it - or have loads of extra $$$ to burn.
Buying any pre-built PC these days can have many pitfalls.
Many, many new, branded PCs range between being utter junk or locked down by either the maker or via the OS they provide - like '11', which has specific h/w AND biometrics - a Linux user's worst nightmare.
It is so very easy to just use the PC you've already got unless it is more than 10 years old, or in failure mode already.
Getting an already Linux based purpose built PC is about 99% a BAD thing to do - I have seen this sad thing happen before and 1 poor soul wasted almost $1500 for a NB that has mostly been a very pretty paperweight.
It came from 'famous maker' System76, had goofy h/w and was used to force the user into buying their paid 'support'.
This was a total travesty as most folks can easily find whatever they need from the huge and active Linux community.
That PC was so odd that I could not make it work correctly - and he actually had to pay for shipping to and from them to have them fix it.
A very nice looking PC too - that has been just sitting around ever since and just gets dusted off now and then, like any good paperweight would.
Still reading ??
Still want to use Linux ??
OK, see the next entry for how to get started.
, otherwise can not apply your method suggested here 
