There are a million Linux installation videos. What we really need Chris, is a series of Videos showing Windows users how to live every day with Linux. Things like how we organise our own directories and files when we don't have a C: or D: or E: Drive. How do we navigate to other networked drives. And how we do all the other mundane stuff we can do on Windows.
Agreed! I made a series called the "Linux Survival Guide" addressing this kind of stuff -- for example, the first episode looked at drives: ua-cam.com/video/FeDYxBulZ6c/v-deo.html
I cant use Ubuntu without ChatGPT answering all such questions for me. 20 years of widows taught me to google every problem I might have and all Linux problems are ungoogleable
As usual, a very interesting video and the advice to be careful and test software is smart and relevant. One important thing is the email client, and I think it would be useful to many users I& you could propose an alternative to thunderbird, because there are limitations that are really bothering, especially if your emails are hosted on an Exchange server. Besides, there are sometimes issues with drivers and it would be great if you could propose as well the safest way to find the adequate drivers for “standard” peripherals. Congratulations for all what you already did for your community. The most important things are already in your previous videos. The de p o you made trying then installing Zirin OS was something really interesting too. Zoning OS, especially the Pro version, is a distributor that comes with many software pre installed and I think that all this is quite complete. How about telling us,to conclude, which utilities can be used in order to maintain and streamline your brand new environment? Just asking! Many thanks Brian! Take care and keep on proposing such interesting videos so that such an option will gain in popularity.
I'm honestly glad we have someone on UA-cam who can take what some people may say is complicated, and make into something much easier to digest, especially with the calm and direct voice to explain it, you're a legend Chris.
It's reely simple = make an outline & stick 2 'main points' & talk slow & pause a lot. Most 'tech channels' R just a random vomit of people repeating the same krap a bunch of different ways 2 'fill up space' 2 get more 'ad time' & it ends up confusing & distracting.
Well, because most youtubers I see doing the "I am a total newbie and I tried switching to Linux" are for some stupid reason choosing Arch...So people choosing light distros like Mint to actually make the transition as easy as possible deserve the views and respect...not the ones chasing views and not bringing any value to the Linux community.
Linux Mint turns out to be a good diagnostic tool as well. When my Windows computer broke and none of the diagnostic or repair tools worked, I popped a Linux Mint stick into the USB and discovered everything working fine, so I knew the hardware was okay and I just had to reinstall Windows. Thank you for your Linux videos.
I built a new computer a few months ago and using the dual boot system you described. I went with Mint 21 but upgraded to Mint 22, easy migration. My goal was separation from big tech and the use of open source software. My Windows part of the machine will end Oct 2025. Everything I want works except the DaVinci Resolve video editor. I will really miss this program but will find another video editor. It requires a willingness to change and some mental dexterity. Now at 76 if I can make the change the younger generations can surely make the change. LOL I am more than satisfied with the results. More control, more privacy, great software. Thank you for supporting the community and your great videos. Would love to see you on Rumble.
@@minigpracing3068 It's really intended to be installed on a particular Linux distro; from memory, it was CentOS. It can be done on other distros, but is not as easy.
what a great teacher and presenter you are. I'm a 60's - 70's school kid and one of the classes we had as mandatory back then along with maths, science etc was Comprehension. We were conditioned via this class to understanding, teachers would say dont just show them how, tell them why. It was a scary place to be at times as the teacher would randomly stop and point to one of us and ask if we understood everything so far, you did not get away with a simple yes, if you tried to you would be requested to give your understanding of it. Man that class made you concentrate and ask questions along the way. You Sir have the awareness to teach in that way, thank you for all you are doing for your many students.
I think the Applications section is the most important segment of the video and it is good to see it addressed even before the choice of distro. If someone has already become used to selecting software based on cross-platform availability, it makes things so much easier to move between different operating systems. Indeed there was a period of time at work where there were all 3 in use and having the same browser and office productivity applications available was a boon. At the time it was OpenOffice/NeoOffice (before Libre existed) and Firefox just to hint at the decade.
People today often don't realize how much they take for granted when it comes to the resources available to them. When I first got into Linux, I was completely on my own-no UA-cam tutorials, no online communities, just a CD and a book. It was a lot of trial and error, but that struggle made me appreciate every bit of progress. Now, with countless videos, forums, and guides, it's never been easier to learn, yet I sometimes wonder if the ease of access makes people less appreciative.
I remember doing a Linus and running sudo apt update, only to have Ubuntu uninstall the Desktop Environment 🤣Plus a complete lack of WiFi drivers which you could only get by downloading and building from github (which you needed internet access for). We've moved on a lot in these past 5 years! There's still a bit of snobbery in the forums, but most people have been helpful when I ask random questions
I recently switched from W7/W10 to Linux Mint and I can honestly say I am very grateful to the Mint techies for providing such a good FREE alternative OS to the 2 headed monster of Microsoft and Apple. I would never have gone through your learning curve with Linux, I have, in other areas of my life, but not computers. Hence, I'm grateful Mint and other distros have come so far in recent years' making them user-friendly for average users. Ps - with cost of living factors preventing many from upgrading to W11 (trying to force them to buy new computers), and windows increasingly non user friendly control freak approach - many will eventually see Linux, especially Mint/Zorin/Ubuntu as a life raft to grab on to, that in itself breeds appreciation!
Lot of people are not Unix/Linux smart or mature enough to understand how to configure Linux. Besides; Linux is not cool to play with. You have to have a lot of intimate knowledge of Linux just to play with it. Windows and Apple are for the regular common users, Unix and Linux are for the Gifted Mega Intelligent Computing Creators.
Well, this was timely. I've recently decided to start getting back into coding and many of the tools seem to be much more Linux friendly than Windows friendly. Combining that with a general affection for the open source paradigm (once a hippie, always a hippie) and after reading some of Microsoft's plans for Windows, I'm finally at the point of jumping ship. After over a decade of 'talking the talk', I think I should finally 'walk the walk.'
@@brianm6337 Take your pick. OS as a Service (OaaS) where you pay monthly for the "privilege" of turning on your own computer. Copilot + Recall taking screenshots every few seconds and almost certainly sending that to the NSA, er, um, "Microsoft" when you aren't looking. Unable to create an account on the system that isn't a Microsoft account (i.e. no local accounts). OneDrive being re-enabled after every update/reboot. The list kind of goes on for a while.
Great video! I think this is going to be very popular on UA-cam because so many people are looking for a way out of being forced to switch to Windows 11.
You managed to present this information in a factual, unbiased and useful way, which is not taken for granted on this topic, which can be surprisingly controversial at times! Keep it up, Chris. 👍
Well done again Chris, you managed to cram all the essential stuff into a short video and explain very well. I switched years ago. To anyone reading this comment, I strongly suggest you "dip your toes in the Linux waters". You have nothing to lose if you follow Chris' steps. Either you will end up going for the full Linux swim or remain paddling in Windows. Good Luck.
Hi Chris, I'm a long-time linux user and don't need this video, but I watch with great interest how you gently introduce it to those who have never seen/used it before and/or are interested in/intrigued by LInux and/or are looking to get out of the windows ecosystem. I wish there had been videos like this when I first got into Linux (although part of the fun was finding out for myself)... in any case, I'm not someone that relies on particular windows apps and I've always been keen to keep older hardware current and relevant, which linux has always been a key part of achieving for me. I usually keep a windows partition on at least one of my machines just in case, but honestly it's so rare for me to spin it up these days that I pretty much needn't bother. Linux Mint/Cinnamon is my daily driver and Lubuntu for older/less capable machines, and the odd Raspberry Pi here and there for server/appliance-type jobs where I appreciate the low cost as well as the low power consumption. Keep up the great work mate.
Great video Chris! So relevant these days. I tried the newest Ubuntu, and decided I like Mint better, but was inspired to try them both because of your videos. Even though I run Linux on a dedicated I5 laptop and SBC's, I am a dyed in the wool Windows user. At least for now. Mostly because I use Fusion360, and it is Windows or Mac only. But I like the newest Mint distro, and use it regularly. I also appreciate that Linux distros don't push junk and annoying operating system ads on my computer like Windows does. Thanks for another awesome video Chris. Take Good Care.
I'm glad that you mentioned using virtual machines as a way to learn Linux. That's actually how I did it - at work I needed a sandbox web server but our security configuration wouldn't allow me to have one in Windows so I turned to VirtualBox and Ubuntu. I was a little bit afraid to go with a no GUI install since I was such a newbie, but I quickly found out that I could just full-screen the VM and use Linux as my desktop OS entirely.
I've been using Linux Mint Cinnamon 21.3 for a month now. Average user. Switched from W7/10. So far it's been a good experience. My old PC is a lot happier. The fan hardly spins! Watched a dozen linux videos, starting with explaining computers - providing excellent info' on installing MS Word font etc such as Times New Roman, which I prefer. Even learned a dozen terminal commands. Much to my surprise I haven't missed W10 one bit. I'm grateful to the Linux Mint techies for providing a free Operating system of such high caliber giving us average users an alternative to the 2 headed monster of Microsoft and Apple. And thanks to Chris for yet another excellent video.
This channel makes videos like they were guides on VHS made at the beginning of the 90’s that came with PC magazines. I love you sir and I will study in details this video
Wonderful sir! I will keep your video on my iPad as I install Mint OS on an older PC. Your videos are most certainly the only definitive guide to help me wean off the MS hegemony.
Definitely the biggest pain point for newcomers is the software support...too many people fall into the trap of switching to Linux and then having a negative impression of it because it doesn't support "X" application.
That may have been true 10 years ago, but it's not today. Not only does every major Linux distro have a huge, easy to access software repository filled with anything that most users could possibly need, but Wine/Proton will now run most Windows programs at native speed. In fact Wine has better compatibility with many older Windows programs than current versions of Windows do.
@@Wren1 I would agree so too, especially for the average joe that doesn't know doesn't care what they are using as long as they can get on the internet. However, its still a major pain point for power users that need professional software be it adobe or otherwise. I just hate that people use this issue as a cudgel against Linux as if it has anything to do with the platform itself.
This is a fantastic intro for an old fella like me, who is not very up to speed with PCs. Thank you for sharing your knowledge., and no nonsense approach.
I have been using Linux since the early 90’s and I am still amazed on how it has matured into the OS that I love to code on and play games. Many of my non-gaming friends had an initial difficulty moving to Linux, usually because of their comfort level with MS-Office products. That is no longer the case and its so cool to meet a non-techy person that has moved to Linux on their on own. EC, as always you are my Sunday wake up ritual, my comfortable lounger along with a good cup of coffee and Explaining Computers!
To sell newbies on Linux I think they need to know that Linux runs on 90% of all the servers in the world, it's extremely stable and the code is being worked on constantly by thousands of people. It's far superior to windows. Throw in all the surveillance that Microsoft does and it's a no brainer. I started on Pop OS in 2019 and never looked back. Great video Chris, thank you!
Linux runs on most computers in the world, full stop. Nearly every server, network device, embedded system/consumer electronics/IoT, pocket computer/smartphone, car, etc. uses a Linux kernel. The only place where Windows is dominant is the desktop PC.
@@Wren1 I disagree with that. Linux on anything other than x86/x64 is finicky and I have hardware that won't boot the kernel despite it being compiled for ARM (Grub runs fine though). RISC-V is also too new to run Linux well. I know Chris has done a few videos with both ARM and RISC-V, but my experience is that it feels VERY alpha quality like the early days of Linux + x86 where it only worked with specific combinations of hardware. WiFi and audio and, to a lesser extent, video have always been problematic for Linux too. On the upside, Windows on ARM is also equally flaky. If it's x86/x64, then, yes, Linux will run on it.
@@privacyvalued4134 You disagree with a known fact? And Linux works just fine on every architecture. What do you think 99.99% of all smartphones and embedded devices use? I'll give you a hint: it's not x86. If you're having issues with Linux on non-x86 architectures, it's PEBKAC.
I dont care if Linux is used on industrial machines and servers. My personal computer is not an industrial machine. I need my computer to use the programs I need and if it cant do that, then it is useless.
Great video Chris I previously did what you have suggested here running two pc's side by side one on windows 11 the other with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS with KDE Plasma desktop. For me everything has just worked fine the printer install on setup I have Spotify, network cameras, Devolo netplug software, UA-cam, Thunderbird, and also online mail. As you say lots of online videos but you are always my first port of call.
Fun introduction video. Adjusting my workflow has been the biggest challenge, and the preparation for discomfort and learning curve has been the biggest blocker dating back to my first forays into the Linux world in 1996.
This is a great beginner's guide to switching to Linux! Months later, I'm still as happy as a clam with Linux Mint and learning more and more each time I boot it up. Also, it does my heart happy to see that Stardew Valley runs on Linux. I would say "Hey, Chris, maybe you should give Stardew Valley a try! I have it on my Xbox and it's a very fun farming simulator." but then, we'd end up not hearing from you for a while. 🤭 With all that said, here's my contribution to the tea fund.
Awesome work to introduce the uninitiated to alternatives. I made the switch on the desktop many years ago, and never looked back. I can only recommend this video for anyone wanting to give it a go.
Wow! This is very timely as I am about to switch to Linux once I pick the distro I'm going with (Likely Nobara). I'm leaving Windows permanently,, as I refuse to upgrade to Windows 11, and am done with Microsoft's crap. I have all the time and patience in the world right now, so I'm more than willing to do the hard work of learning Linux.
Great intro. Not something I need since I booted my first Linux system (kernel version 0.12) back in 1992 and dumped Windows completely in 2005. Thanks for helping promote Linux.
@ExplainingComputers I like your list of reasons to switch to Linux, that is a good list. The biggest obstacle for most new Linux users in my experience: picking what to install. The rest is easy, they will figure out how to boot the distro from a USB-stick once they chose that they want to, it is easy to find that with a search engine or UA-cam. Most people who consider trying out Linux get confused by the hundreds of distro's which they can choose from and then all those different desktopenvironments on top of that. I think that they can be helped a lot by making it more digestable: understanding that there only are a few different distro's to choose from (the rest being derivatives0 and only a few desktopenvironments which they should consider - at first anyway -, either KDE, Cinnamon or maybe Xfce if they come from Windows or GNOME if they come from Apple.
For some switching to Linux could be scary, but when you have a ‘how to switch’ video explained in very understandable steps and the warning of test first before you commit the mists of a Linux install are reduced, well done another great video. I myself have used Sparky Linux,Zorin,Ubuntu but for a year or so have Mint.
3:54 most games - the large majority, i'd reckon - run with 1:1 performance parity on linux now in comparison to windows thanks to the proton compatitbility layer. you can even use it for normal applications, just add the title to your library and force the use of Proton via the properties. the main thing that prevents most popular games from working is a lack of kernel-level anticheat support. most games that utilize Easy or Vanguard simply won't work not because the game won't launch or performs poorly, but because they won't turn the anti-cheat on!
Through the years I accumulated quite an impressive library of various software running Windows and thus are not ready to just chuck it all into the bin just because I'm sick of Microsoft policies..Therefore I've decided to keep Windows on it's own SSD drive while experimenting with various flavors of Linux on their own separate drive Since I'm limited to a single Laptop, I've chosen to swap my OS's via DVD bay enclosure, thus preventing the one corrupting the other. My Main HDD, which contains my entire library mentioned here, rests in the main bay. Now I just swap OS's in the DVD bay..Well, that works for me..I'm sure this is way easier in a classic desktop though. Obviously my modus operande is derived from painful experience, WHICH is why I prefer this method, and why I love to share it here.. Great EC episode as usual Chris, keep 'em coming..👌
Ultimately it depends how keen you are to "escape" from Windows to Linux but I hope you realise that Linux has an application called "WINE" which lets you install and run a very large number of Windows applications within Linux. There is a compatibility list for WINE (you'll have to search for it) that will give you an indication of how good the support is, but many applications run perfectly fine. In my particular case, for example, I run IrfanView, Tag&Rename and MediaMonkey perfectly fine in WINE on Linux, even though they are Windows applications.
It's unlikely it'll corrupt other data but it's still a good method to be more sure and to stop you erasing the wrong thing. You may wish to have a backup of your important files though
Some really great and important advice. Thanks, your videos are always informative and for making some of the duller aspects of computing interesting. Thanks, Maurice from Malvern UK.
I watched a cideo from a man named Lundike, I think. He said there has been a increase of Linux desktop computers of some 2.5% from 2023 to now and that makes a total between 56 and 62 million computers in the desk tops and lap tops. That is huge. Thanks for doing the tutorials Christoper.
You are the one which thought me what a Raspberry Pi is. From that, what even Linux is. I first thought it's some hard, "poor man's" (yep, call me a Microsoft lol) OS that doesn't work as well. Stayed away from it, hardly played with the RPI my parents got me at the time (I was 10/11 or something) Then after all these years, now I've been running Linux on my own laptop for 3-4 years with no plans to switch back to Windows, it just works well enough for me. Thanks for your content over all these years. I just realized, I also learned that you could assemble your own PC's from this channel, nowhere else. My IT interest today comes from you :)
For a simple user Linux can provide everything that he/she needs, and It's a good thing that an expert like you points this out! I personally switched my UI from windows 10 to Zorin OS and it didn't affect me at all, I got everything I need.
Thanks for this, Chris. While I've been a Linux user (well, I was a Unix user) for well over 20 years, your approach highlights what is key -- that you can use applications you like, and things function well. Too many times, I believe people continue to use Windows (even as it grows more hostile to their customers) because that's all they know. It's terrific that you give a straight-forward walkthrough, and a balanced opinion on this topic.
Thank you a lot! I'm planning to change my system, but was worried about not liking the new one. I really forgot that I could test it first, and it was a great idea for setting up a virtual machine! 😁
My top three reasons to have been running Linux for years now: 1. Better security than Windows 2. Better stability than Windows - no crashes or other problems like faulty updates for the entire time of running Linux 3. It's totally free & offers a wide variety of distributions & desktop environments to choose from. It's also worth mentioning that installing Linux with all the latest updates takes less than 20 minutes compared to several hours with Windows in most cases. One can also use the same Linux installation in another PC by just transferring the installation hard drive / SSD to that other PC as all the necessary device drivers are included in the Linux kernel & Linux will automatically choose the necessary drivers for the other PC.
my last updates to Windows took About three minutes And I can instal Windows in about 20 minutes, And your point about drivers, In a windows installation instals most drivers for you
I have also successfully used nvme with win11 on two different computers of two diferent brands, no fuss. But my future is with Linux. Bought a second hand laptop with Win11, replaced nvme and installed linux to learn. The original nvme is kept on idle to be used in a different machine able to hold two hard drives. That will also be primaily linux with Win11 as a backup for cases when I will need to use Teams or similar.
@@londo776 Yes, but how long does it take to install Windows & then apply all the available updates? Can you take your Windows installation from e.g. an Intel based PC into a AMD based system by just taking the OS hard drive or SSD from the Intel machine & place it into the AMD machine & then boot & use it normally?
@@londo776 "my last updates to Windows took About three minutes" It will take the same time in Linux if you're doing updates as regularly in it as you are forced to do in Windows. What is your point of reference here because you don't tell me how long Linux took when you last updated that - if you ever did? I generally update my (Gentoo) Linux machines about once a month, and they take longer to do - but that's not an issue for me because I have enough machines available so one can be updating whilst I am using another. "And I can instal Windows in about 20 minutes" You can install (note the spelling) Linux in 20 minutes - again, what is your point of reference here? Any machine that can install Windows in 20 minutes will be able to install Ubuntu or Mint in pretty much the same time - possibly a lot quicker because it's not going to ask you to create a Windows account or log into it. "And your point about drivers, In a windows installation instals most drivers for you" "Install", please proof read your comments better. I struggle to have a technical conversation with someone who appears to have limited skills in using a spellchecker. So you think you've made three valid points here but all you're telling me is that you know very little about Linux, other than "what a bloke in the pub" told you about it. Modern Linux distributions like Ubuntu or Mint have extremely modular kernels that have drivers ready to load from the installation media the moment that specific hardware is detected. It's very uncommon in 2024 to find hardware that isn't supported in Linux unless it's extremely new. If you want a PC that is "guaranteed" to support all of your hardware, then you can either do research yourself to find out what hardware in a particular PC (usually a laptop) is and isn't supported, or you can go to laptop vendor like System76 who will sell you a pre-installed Linux laptop where all the hardware is guaranteed to be fully supported - absolutely no different to buying a Windows laptop from Dell, HP or Lenovo who provide the same guarantee for their hardware under Windows.
@@fritsfelix8423 Yes, you prefer Linux but you haven't mentioned why. I suspect it's due to entirely valid privacy concerns (the main reason I kicked Windows out of my life after Window 7) but it's important to mention that also. The general public does not take privacy seriously enough and that message needs to be constantly communicated.
Hey Christopher! It's Dave again. If you right click on any Linux ISO file you will get a list. One option in the list is "make bootable USB". So you really don't need to use Etcher or Rufus to make a bootable USB. I think this is a very convenient feature. I found this by accident, never knew it was there. I don't know how long ago they added this feature on the ISO but it seems all, or most distros have this ability. Also, if you have a 30gb USB you can repartition it in disk management with, say, 3 10gb partitions. Now the computer will see this drive as 3 separate drives and you can put 3 bootable OS on that single USB. Just a 'heads up' for ya!
Rufus allows for specific options, such as setting the partition scheme, using BIOS or UEFI and setting up persistent storage. Personally, I use Ventoy for most things. It allows the use of a single USB flash drive for multiple ISOs.
I think you misunderstood.... he made the live stick in Windows, not Linux Mint and so used Etcher. Yes, you can do that in Windows (right-click ISO - "show more options" - "burn disk image" but its been my experience that Etcher and Rufus make better, more usable and more likely to work in older hardware boot sticks than the built-in in Windows 11. Esp. if you're making a Linux stick.
My first major step towards getting rid of Windows all together was scrapping Office for the ONLYOFFICE suite. I am perfectly happy with it, and now it is time part ways with Windows for good.
Yup. There's usually one particular sticking point. My other half insists on using Photoshop. I organised the switch from Microsoft Money and Excel, but Photoshop is the deal breaker at the moment! Happily, Adobe are being so poor stewards of their own software, I think Krita will be acceptable in the end.
This and some of your other videos has encouraged me to try Linux Mint (Cinnamon). On the basis of your very clear explanations, I have been able to successfully make a bootable USB disk and try out the Linux system. Whilst my laptop is fairly highly specced, it does not meet the Windows requirements to upgrade to Windows 11, so it is my my plan to exhaustively test Linux up to the cut-off in October 2025 and move out of the Windows environment altogether. Many thanks for your excellent videos, I have now subscribed and will check back regularly.
My kids and I use Linux on PCs and laptops on a day-to-day basis. Then, I bust out a Windows laptop at some point in the day because I have this one learning app that only runs on Windows. We homeschool so such a concession is necessary. I think one hindrance to the "switch" is that people think they have to ditch Windows entirely. I've bought a good deal of used business PCs/laptops, all of which have been less than $100, and installed Linux on them. The two Windows machines in my home have remained such, while we do most of our computing on Linux machines-because we can do them on Linux. (Yes, there's that one app I have to use Windows for, but I'd argue that there are a lot more apps we use on Linux that aren't available on Windows.) I find that the "switch" is easier this way. You don't have to stick to one or the other; you can have both. Linux is great for bringing used business hardware back to life and making them usable for years to come. Keep your souped up gaming/editing rig on Windows and get a used, older machine to run Mint or Zorin. You'll find that these old machines are still great for most office and schoolwork.
Something I have been mulling is beyond feature set, much of the reason to upgrade Windows is security (and that mostly for the web). So you should be able to cobble together a distro devoted strictly towards web use and running a static version of Windows as a VM (I'd still be running Win 7 except for no security updates), and have apps cover feature set.
Someone else beat me to it. You can run Windows in a VM using free software like Virtualbox. That's what I use. Test it out for a while and if it's good enough for that one learning app. Btw, don't worry about activation. Windows 10 will still work fine without activation. Paying a license fee just so you can use one app wouldn't be worth it.
your kids will use Windows in college because college professors will ask projects to be handed in as proprietary word files and your kids will struggle getting their LibreOffice files to display properly lmao
As always, a great video. I would also suggest folks inventory their software and license keys from Windows before switching. Learned the hard way with rebuilding systems sometimes you miss those things and it's a challenge to recover them. The software inventory also lets you let look for analogs on Linux or consider if you need to run some apps that don't have equivalents in Wine.
I've always had a Linux install either running servers or on older PCs and MacOS or Windows on the primary device. Since last Christmas, I started using Mint exclusively. Now, I find Windows to be annoying. I shouldn't have to watch an albeit good video from you to decrapify Windows. The Mint upgrade from 21.3 to 22 was a bit of headache because of how Mint has moved the responsibility for installing Python packages from pip to apt. Nothing too painful. Even though I consider myself to be an intermediate to expert user, there's always something to learn. Thanks for the walk through.
Great timing! My sisters are interested in switching to Linux and I have sent them Mint Live on USB. You've covered potential things that I was worried about them running into when first trying it as well as things they need to to know before installing. This might save me a bit of hand holding and give them the courage to "try before they buy". Hi Barb and Kate! Pay attention to the note about backing up your data before hitting that install icon.
Game compatibility is not a huge issue now. The lack of support is mostly because of anti-cheat software (I receive this as AAA company being scared of its players and not trying to make in-game security). For non-Steam games I use Lutris launcher. Still 100% of games I tested so far worked perfectly (3 out of 9 had native version avaible and 2 out of 3 native version worked as good as Windows version and has the same features - including mods). I'm using Linux Mint Cinnamon Edition not because of its similarity to Windows but a modularity (themes, applets, desklets). I owe you most of my basic computer knowledge, which led me to using Linux (now I would never come back to Windows except from VMs and I will only switch between distros if there would be a need) and learning FOSS applications. I was also able to install Linux on laptops of my two family members (one was saved from October windows 10 death and being unusable because of Microsoft telemetry) who were very happy from simplicity, modularity and speed of Cinnamon compared to MS Windows.
Christopher, thank you very much for the video, especially I found Ventoy tool very helpful. I didn't knew that is in general possible to put multiple distros on a single USB drive. Just today i tried out the Ventoy tool and it is amazing. I even could put windows and couple of linux isos on the same USB drive, problem with free USB drives solved! Thank you!
Under the reasons to switch to Linux; "You are unhappy with Windows" is an understatement 😅. I never thought I would love Linux as much as I do since switching to Zorin OS.
I have had a different use case : setting up a cheap shared PC for a local association, with users coming mostly from a Windows background. I was advised to try Fedora 40 Workstation. It offers a tablet style presentation, and indeed, it has been accepted by all users. There are very little evidences of the presence of Linux, but still all the facilites are available. IT wise, I used a Ventoy key with both Mint and Fedora, (and windows 10), it's a very simple option for this kind of setup ! Thank you Christopher for your excellent videos !
Just to note, there is Edge browser, Skype, Teams, Vscode (aka Visual Studio) for Linux provided by Microsoft. And also the latest Wine is supporting Adobe Photoshop CC 2024.
To any Windows gamers thinking of switching to LInux: Variable refresh rate support on Linux is very poor at the moment. Many popular distributions outright don't support VRR at all, and even gaming distros are hit or miss. A lot of users report heavy stuttering even when that support is present. Given the advances being made in gaming distros to support handheld PC gaming devices with VRR screens, I suspect that this problem will sort itself out in the next handful of years. But it's an issue right now.
Since moving to Linux years ago as my main OS, I have been able to replace most of the software that I used with windows and have been happy with the Linux versions. The other thing that makes the switch easier is that most things that a large segment of the population use are web based and this makes the switch mostly a non issue. The only hold up for me switching to Linux for my daily driver was that I did work on windows machines for some customers. I kept windows on separate partition and could boot it at any time I absolutely had to. The good news has been that Linux Desktops have got much better and much easier to use today. Operating systems like Linux Mint and others have developed sound environments loaded with useful tools and work well on older hardware. Another nice result of having an operating system that works well on limited hardware is that you can extend the use of that hardware and that always makes people happy. All in all, my Linux journey has been a satisfying and fairly easy transition.
@@ExplainingComputers some people find benefits to using edge. I don't use it, but saw a video of a Linux user explaining why he uses it. He stated it loads faster and not such a hog on resources than Chrome. Edge has better settings for privacy and security than Firefox. I was also surprised
@@ExplainingComputers I'm hooked on the Edge Collections feature, I've yet to find anything as good as it from the other browsers. Firefox Mobile has a collections feature, just wish they would bring it to the desktop version.
Excellent episode, again, Chris. I have found one class of software that seldom has a Linux component: Medical. I have a CGM (continuous glucose monitor) that has a browser 'plugin' needed to upload data from the receiver to the tracking site. Works with Windows and Firefox and Chrome, but there isn't a Linux piece to do the same. Until then, I have to keep one Win10 machine. (edited last sentence for clarification, my daily driver is Linux)
Very good stuff Chris. Even though my laptop is currently collecting dust (it turns out Android is quite useful for my current computing needs), it's still good to see the latest activity in Linux usage. Thanks for another great video.
I found the installation of new hardware drivers is a lot more convenient under LINUX than under Windows. The older the hardware I use is the more often I end up with no more support from Windows.
Amazing video Chris. From a gaming perspective the biggest problems we have are with games that use kernel level anticheat. Dual booting in that case makes sense. I don't really play many of those games so 98% of my gaming can easily be done on linux. Most of the friends I've helped with older pcs only use their machine for everyday tasks so as long as they have the same browser and a few other apps they are fine using a distro like Mint. They just need to know which bit to click for updates etc. and they can use their machine for years lol.
I'm looking forward to learning how to set up a virtual machine because I've screwed up doing a dual boot when I tried that. Your videos are what gave me the courage to try linux to start with, though it was one of the great universal crashes of the mandatory Windows updates that pushed me over the edge. I've never regretted it once.
Excellent video as always. Looking forward to the videos you mentioned coming soon. I recently discovered that Linux on Windows via WSL2 work really well together. Being able to run Linux commands in windows and being able to run Windows UI programs from Linux is definitely helpful. I think I'll be upgrading older HP computer to Linux soon so I appreciate the video.
There are a million Linux installation videos. What we really need Chris, is a series of Videos showing Windows users how to live every day with Linux. Things like how we organise our own directories and files when we don't have a C: or D: or E: Drive. How do we navigate to other networked drives. And how we do all the other mundane stuff we can do on Windows.
This post should get a thousand likes.
Agreed! I made a series called the "Linux Survival Guide" addressing this kind of stuff -- for example, the first episode looked at drives: ua-cam.com/video/FeDYxBulZ6c/v-deo.html
@@twoshedsjackson6478 Like use a tab on explorer?
I cant use Ubuntu without ChatGPT answering all such questions for me. 20 years of widows taught me to google every problem I might have and all Linux problems are ungoogleable
As usual, a very interesting video and the advice to be careful and test software is smart and relevant. One important thing is the email client, and I think it would be useful to many users I& you could propose an alternative to thunderbird, because there are limitations that are really bothering, especially if your emails are hosted on an Exchange server. Besides, there are sometimes issues with drivers and it would be great if you could propose as well the safest way to find the adequate drivers for “standard” peripherals. Congratulations for all what you already did for your community. The most important things are already in your previous videos. The de p o you made trying then installing Zirin OS was something really interesting too. Zoning OS, especially the Pro version, is a distributor that comes with many software pre installed and I think that all this is quite complete. How about telling us,to conclude, which utilities can be used in order to maintain and streamline your brand new environment? Just asking! Many thanks Brian! Take care and keep on proposing such interesting videos so that such an option will gain in popularity.
Why do i enjoy watching these types of videos when i'm already using Linux?
To refresh the mind 🎉
Because this is how you remember your first time (with Linux) 😂
Ha! Me too 😄
Because it gives you a sense of security that you have made the right decision in switching
You're not alone. I'm doing the same.
I'm honestly glad we have someone on UA-cam who can take what some people may say is complicated, and make into something much easier to digest, especially with the calm and direct voice to explain it, you're a legend Chris.
It's reely simple = make an outline & stick 2 'main points' & talk slow & pause a lot. Most 'tech channels' R just a random vomit of people repeating the same krap a bunch of different ways 2 'fill up space' 2 get more 'ad time' & it ends up confusing & distracting.
Well, because most youtubers I see doing the "I am a total newbie and I tried switching to Linux" are for some stupid reason choosing Arch...So people choosing light distros like Mint to actually make the transition as easy as possible deserve the views and respect...not the ones chasing views and not bringing any value to the Linux community.
Thanks. :)
Big Amen!
I can't agree more
Linux Mint turns out to be a good diagnostic tool as well. When my Windows computer broke and none of the diagnostic or repair tools worked, I popped a Linux Mint stick into the USB and discovered everything working fine, so I knew the hardware was okay and I just had to reinstall Windows. Thank you for your Linux videos.
You should have done yourself a favor and installed a different OS. Doesn't have to be a Linux-based one, but Windows just keeps getting worse.
@@encycl07pedia- What options do we even have for non-Macs other than these two?
@@satsumagt5284 ChromeOS, BSD, Android(x86), React, Haiku, etc.
I built a new computer a few months ago and using the dual boot system you described. I went with Mint 21 but upgraded to Mint 22, easy migration. My goal was separation from big tech and the use of open source software. My Windows part of the machine will end Oct 2025. Everything I want works except the DaVinci Resolve video editor. I will really miss this program but will find another video editor. It requires a willingness to change and some mental dexterity. Now at 76 if I can make the change the younger generations can surely make the change. LOL I am more than satisfied with the results. More control, more privacy, great software. Thank you for supporting the community and your great videos. Would love to see you on Rumble.
Looks like you weren't affected by the Win update that disabled dual boot... it made news recently. Windoze likes tocontrol everything.
DaVinci Resolve works on Linux. What distro are you using?
Why is resolve not working?
@@minigpracing3068 It's really intended to be installed on a particular Linux distro; from memory, it was CentOS. It can be done on other distros, but is not as easy.
It surely can only prevent dual booting on a machine where both Win and Linux OSes are on same drive...?
Microsoft saw this video, and finally decided to allow Windows users to disable Recall. This is the power of ExplainingComputers.
:)
@@17th_Colossus i just hope that shall not pass easily in EU
Microsoft didn't go far enough. It should be removed entirely.
MS is the biggest supporter for Linux, did you know that? :D
@@ExplainingComputers Would you please create a video about explaining Docker containers
The staged approach of installing FOSS in Windows you describe is a wise way to dip your toes in a progressive manner. Well done.
what a great teacher and presenter you are. I'm a 60's - 70's school kid and one of the classes we had as mandatory back then along with maths, science etc was Comprehension. We were conditioned via this class to understanding, teachers would say dont just show them how, tell them why. It was a scary place to be at times as the teacher would randomly stop and point to one of us and ask if we understood everything so far, you did not get away with a simple yes, if you tried to you would be requested to give your understanding of it. Man that class made you concentrate and ask questions along the way.
You Sir have the awareness to teach in that way, thank you for all you are doing for your many students.
I think the Applications section is the most important segment of the video and it is good to see it addressed even before the choice of distro.
If someone has already become used to selecting software based on cross-platform availability, it makes things so much easier to move between different operating systems. Indeed there was a period of time at work where there were all 3 in use and having the same browser and office productivity applications available was a boon.
At the time it was OpenOffice/NeoOffice (before Libre existed) and Firefox just to hint at the decade.
People today often don't realize how much they take for granted when it comes to the resources available to them. When I first got into Linux, I was completely on my own-no UA-cam tutorials, no online communities, just a CD and a book. It was a lot of trial and error, but that struggle made me appreciate every bit of progress. Now, with countless videos, forums, and guides, it's never been easier to learn, yet I sometimes wonder if the ease of access makes people less appreciative.
Slackware on 3.5" floppydisks, downloaded at University :X Yeah we've come far since then.
I remember doing a Linus and running sudo apt update, only to have Ubuntu uninstall the Desktop Environment 🤣Plus a complete lack of WiFi drivers which you could only get by downloading and building from github (which you needed internet access for). We've moved on a lot in these past 5 years! There's still a bit of snobbery in the forums, but most people have been helpful when I ask random questions
I recently switched from W7/W10 to Linux Mint and I can honestly say I am very grateful to the Mint techies for providing such a good FREE alternative OS to the 2 headed monster of Microsoft and Apple. I would never have gone through your learning curve with Linux, I have, in other areas of my life, but not computers. Hence, I'm grateful Mint and other distros have come so far in recent years' making them user-friendly for average users.
Ps - with cost of living factors preventing many from upgrading to W11 (trying to force them to buy new computers), and windows increasingly non user friendly control freak approach - many will eventually see Linux, especially Mint/Zorin/Ubuntu as a life raft to grab on to, that in itself breeds appreciation!
It's _still_ quite the minefield - but this chap's planet-level work has allowed me to bite the bullet - & I made the shift literally today!
Lot of people are not Unix/Linux smart or mature enough to understand how to configure Linux. Besides; Linux is not cool to play with. You have to have a lot of intimate knowledge of Linux just to play with it. Windows and Apple are for the regular common users, Unix and Linux are for the Gifted Mega Intelligent Computing Creators.
Well, this was timely.
I've recently decided to start getting back into coding and many of the tools seem to be much more Linux friendly than Windows friendly. Combining that with a general affection for the open source paradigm (once a hippie, always a hippie) and after reading some of Microsoft's plans for Windows, I'm finally at the point of jumping ship.
After over a decade of 'talking the talk', I think I should finally 'walk the walk.'
I was you five years ago. Welcome aboard!
What is microsoft planning? Nothing good, I bet.
@@brianm6337 Take your pick. OS as a Service (OaaS) where you pay monthly for the "privilege" of turning on your own computer. Copilot + Recall taking screenshots every few seconds and almost certainly sending that to the NSA, er, um, "Microsoft" when you aren't looking. Unable to create an account on the system that isn't a Microsoft account (i.e. no local accounts). OneDrive being re-enabled after every update/reboot. The list kind of goes on for a while.
We should all begin readying our life preservers.
We can say that a video is good when, even if we have no intention of switching to Linux, we watch it until the end.
Or, one has switched, and watches anyways.
Great video! I think this is going to be very popular on UA-cam because so many people are looking for a way out of being forced to switch to Windows 11.
You managed to present this information in a factual, unbiased and useful way, which is not taken for granted on this topic, which can be surprisingly controversial at times! Keep it up, Chris. 👍
Just made the full time switch to Mint today from w10. Im loving it so far!
Cool.
This was a great look at the practical aspects of making the switch. I feel more confident about the process now. Thanks!
Well done again Chris, you managed to cram all the essential stuff into a short video and explain very well. I switched years ago. To anyone reading this comment, I strongly suggest you "dip your toes in the Linux waters". You have nothing to lose if you follow Chris' steps. Either you will end up going for the full Linux swim or remain paddling in Windows. Good Luck.
Hi Chris, I'm a long-time linux user and don't need this video, but I watch with great interest how you gently introduce it to those who have never seen/used it before and/or are interested in/intrigued by LInux and/or are looking to get out of the windows ecosystem. I wish there had been videos like this when I first got into Linux (although part of the fun was finding out for myself)... in any case, I'm not someone that relies on particular windows apps and I've always been keen to keep older hardware current and relevant, which linux has always been a key part of achieving for me. I usually keep a windows partition on at least one of my machines just in case, but honestly it's so rare for me to spin it up these days that I pretty much needn't bother. Linux Mint/Cinnamon is my daily driver and Lubuntu for older/less capable machines, and the odd Raspberry Pi here and there for server/appliance-type jobs where I appreciate the low cost as well as the low power consumption. Keep up the great work mate.
Thanks for watching. :)
Great video Chris! So relevant these days. I tried the newest Ubuntu, and decided I like Mint better, but was inspired to try them both because of your videos. Even though I run Linux on a dedicated I5 laptop and SBC's, I am a dyed in the wool Windows user. At least for now. Mostly because I use Fusion360, and it is Windows or Mac only. But I like the newest Mint distro, and use it regularly. I also appreciate that Linux distros don't push junk and annoying operating system ads on my computer like Windows does. Thanks for another awesome video Chris. Take Good Care.
I wish I had a beginner guide when I first started using Linux, I'm getting lazy in my old age, it would have been handy
Thank you, Chris. This is an excellent, nonbiased view of items you should examine before switching to Linux.
I'm in the process of switching to Linux to extend the life span of my notebook and this video proved to be very enlightening. Thanks a lot!
Good luck with Linux.
I'm glad that you mentioned using virtual machines as a way to learn Linux. That's actually how I did it - at work I needed a sandbox web server but our security configuration wouldn't allow me to have one in Windows so I turned to VirtualBox and Ubuntu. I was a little bit afraid to go with a no GUI install since I was such a newbie, but I quickly found out that I could just full-screen the VM and use Linux as my desktop OS entirely.
I've been using Linux Mint Cinnamon 21.3 for a month now. Average user. Switched from W7/10. So far it's been a good experience. My old PC is a lot happier. The fan hardly spins! Watched a dozen linux videos, starting with explaining computers - providing excellent info' on installing MS Word font etc such as Times New Roman, which I prefer. Even learned a dozen terminal commands. Much to my surprise I haven't missed W10 one bit. I'm grateful to the Linux Mint techies for providing a free Operating system of such high caliber giving us average users an alternative to the 2 headed monster of Microsoft and Apple. And thanks to Chris for yet another excellent video.
This channel makes videos like they were guides on VHS made at the beginning of the 90’s that came with PC magazines. I love you sir and I will study in details this video
Another interesting and valuable video to your collection. I imagine, this will do great, Chris. Thanks for sharing with us.
Thanks Brian. :)
I was thinking of switching over, thought I'd sleep on it. I guess the sign is here
Wonderful sir! I will keep your video on my iPad as I install Mint OS on an older PC. Your videos are most certainly the only definitive guide to help me wean off the MS hegemony.
Definitely the biggest pain point for newcomers is the software support...too many people fall into the trap of switching to Linux and then having a negative impression of it because it doesn't support "X" application.
In fact, Linux is very good at supporting the X application!! (this was a little joke, sorry)
That may have been true 10 years ago, but it's not today. Not only does every major Linux distro have a huge, easy to access software repository filled with anything that most users could possibly need, but Wine/Proton will now run most Windows programs at native speed. In fact Wine has better compatibility with many older Windows programs than current versions of Windows do.
@@Wren1 I would agree so too, especially for the average joe that doesn't know doesn't care what they are using as long as they can get on the internet. However, its still a major pain point for power users that need professional software be it adobe or otherwise. I just hate that people use this issue as a cudgel against Linux as if it has anything to do with the platform itself.
@@var67 I had a feeling someone was going to make that joke, lol!
The post 'sales' support sucks.
Went back to windows.
This is a fantastic intro for an old fella like me, who is not very up to speed with PCs.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge., and no nonsense approach.
I have been using Linux since the early 90’s and I am still amazed on how it has matured into the OS that I love to code on and play games.
Many of my non-gaming friends had an initial difficulty moving to Linux, usually because of their comfort level with MS-Office products.
That is no longer the case and its so cool to meet a non-techy person that has moved to Linux on their on own.
EC, as always you are my Sunday wake up ritual, my comfortable lounger along with a good cup of coffee and Explaining Computers!
Thanks Chris, Always good to see you 🎉
Excellent video, Chris. Sound advice all round.
Great job explaining things, Chris! Love your videos!
Cheers from Croatia!
Greetings from the UK! :)
Chris,this would be a godsend if I was just starting my Linux journey. You always have clear explanations for those things you present.
It looks like you really help people out as beginner's. Again thank you for the help Mat.
To sell newbies on Linux I think they need to know that Linux runs on 90% of all the servers in the world, it's extremely stable and the code is being worked on constantly by thousands of people. It's far superior to windows. Throw in all the surveillance that Microsoft does and it's a no brainer. I started on Pop OS in 2019 and never looked back. Great video Chris, thank you!
Linux runs on most computers in the world, full stop. Nearly every server, network device, embedded system/consumer electronics/IoT, pocket computer/smartphone, car, etc. uses a Linux kernel. The only place where Windows is dominant is the desktop PC.
@@Wren1 I disagree with that. Linux on anything other than x86/x64 is finicky and I have hardware that won't boot the kernel despite it being compiled for ARM (Grub runs fine though). RISC-V is also too new to run Linux well. I know Chris has done a few videos with both ARM and RISC-V, but my experience is that it feels VERY alpha quality like the early days of Linux + x86 where it only worked with specific combinations of hardware. WiFi and audio and, to a lesser extent, video have always been problematic for Linux too. On the upside, Windows on ARM is also equally flaky. If it's x86/x64, then, yes, Linux will run on it.
@@privacyvalued4134 You disagree with a known fact?
And Linux works just fine on every architecture. What do you think 99.99% of all smartphones and embedded devices use? I'll give you a hint: it's not x86. If you're having issues with Linux on non-x86 architectures, it's PEBKAC.
@@Wren1Apple devices run on Unix not Linux.
I dont care if Linux is used on industrial machines and servers. My personal computer is not an industrial machine. I need my computer to use the programs I need and if it cant do that, then it is useless.
Great video Chris I previously did what you have suggested here running two pc's side by side one on windows 11 the other with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS with KDE Plasma desktop. For me everything has just worked fine the printer install on setup I have Spotify, network cameras, Devolo netplug software, UA-cam, Thunderbird, and also online mail. As you say lots of online videos but you are always my first port of call.
Thanks for the video with clear steps for what to do.
Fun introduction video. Adjusting my workflow has been the biggest challenge, and the preparation for discomfort and learning curve has been the biggest blocker dating back to my first forays into the Linux world in 1996.
This is a great beginner's guide to switching to Linux! Months later, I'm still as happy as a clam with Linux Mint and learning more and more each time I boot it up.
Also, it does my heart happy to see that Stardew Valley runs on Linux. I would say "Hey, Chris, maybe you should give Stardew Valley a try! I have it on my Xbox and it's a very fun farming simulator." but then, we'd end up not hearing from you for a while. 🤭
With all that said, here's my contribution to the tea fund.
Thanks for your support. :)
@@ExplainingComputers You're welcome! ^_^
Awesome work to introduce the uninitiated to alternatives. I made the switch on the desktop many years ago, and never looked back. I can only recommend this video for anyone wanting to give it a go.
Wow! This is very timely as I am about to switch to Linux once I pick the distro I'm going with (Likely Nobara). I'm leaving Windows permanently,, as I refuse to upgrade to Windows 11, and am done with Microsoft's crap. I have all the time and patience in the world right now, so I'm more than willing to do the hard work of learning Linux.
Thanks Chris for remembering to cover this increasingly important subject.
I love this channel!! Every video is so well made!😊
Thank you so much!
Great intro. Not something I need since I booted my first Linux system (kernel version 0.12) back in 1992 and dumped Windows completely in 2005. Thanks for helping promote Linux.
@ExplainingComputers
I like your list of reasons to switch to Linux, that is a good list. The biggest obstacle for most new Linux users in my experience: picking what to install. The rest is easy, they will figure out how to boot the distro from a USB-stick once they chose that they want to, it is easy to find that with a search engine or UA-cam. Most people who consider trying out Linux get confused by the hundreds of distro's which they can choose from and then all those different desktopenvironments on top of that. I think that they can be helped a lot by making it more digestable: understanding that there only are a few different distro's to choose from (the rest being derivatives0 and only a few desktopenvironments which they should consider - at first anyway -, either KDE, Cinnamon or maybe Xfce if they come from Windows or GNOME if they come from Apple.
For some switching to Linux could be scary, but when you have a ‘how to switch’ video explained in very understandable steps and the warning of test first before you commit the mists of a Linux install are reduced, well done another great video.
I myself have used Sparky Linux,Zorin,Ubuntu but for a year or so have Mint.
Greetings. Fantastic promotion of video. With Windows 10 reaching almost the end of support, it's high time users start learning Linux.
3:54 most games - the large majority, i'd reckon - run with 1:1 performance parity on linux now in comparison to windows thanks to the proton compatitbility layer. you can even use it for normal applications, just add the title to your library and force the use of Proton via the properties. the main thing that prevents most popular games from working is a lack of kernel-level anticheat support. most games that utilize Easy or Vanguard simply won't work not because the game won't launch or performs poorly, but because they won't turn the anti-cheat on!
Thanks so much for this EC, most stuff I already knew but it's a great refresher as I'm getting ready to upgrade/reinstall again after a few years ; )
Through the years I accumulated quite an impressive library of various software running Windows and thus are not ready to just chuck it all into the bin just because I'm sick of Microsoft policies..Therefore I've decided to keep Windows on it's own SSD drive while experimenting with various flavors of Linux on their own separate drive
Since I'm limited to a single Laptop, I've chosen to swap my OS's via DVD bay enclosure, thus preventing the one corrupting the other. My Main HDD, which contains my entire library mentioned here, rests in the main bay. Now I just swap OS's in the DVD bay..Well, that works for me..I'm sure this is way easier in a classic desktop though.
Obviously my modus operande is derived from painful experience, WHICH is why I prefer this method, and why I love to share it here.. Great EC episode as usual Chris, keep 'em coming..👌
Ultimately it depends how keen you are to "escape" from Windows to Linux but I hope you realise that Linux has an application called "WINE" which lets you install and run a very large number of Windows applications within Linux. There is a compatibility list for WINE (you'll have to search for it) that will give you an indication of how good the support is, but many applications run perfectly fine.
In my particular case, for example, I run IrfanView, Tag&Rename and MediaMonkey perfectly fine in WINE on Linux, even though they are Windows applications.
It's unlikely it'll corrupt other data but it's still a good method to be more sure and to stop you erasing the wrong thing.
You may wish to have a backup of your important files though
Boot disk on a USB drive could work as well.
Some really great and important advice. Thanks, your videos are always informative and for making some of the duller aspects of computing interesting. Thanks, Maurice from Malvern UK.
Your videos, more than teaching computer science, teach how to teach. A great inspiration in a land of craziness, the internet...
You got me hooked on your videos since they are more clear and informative than my COMPTIA book is. And this video in particular, is masterful.
I watched a cideo from a man named Lundike, I think. He said there has been a increase of Linux desktop computers of some 2.5% from 2023 to now and that makes a total between 56 and 62 million computers in the desk tops and lap tops. That is huge. Thanks for doing the tutorials Christoper.
That's right!
I had forgotten that Windows recently broke dual booting.
Thanks for the video!
This will be getting a rewatch too, in the coming weeks
You are the one which thought me what a Raspberry Pi is. From that, what even Linux is. I first thought it's some hard, "poor man's" (yep, call me a Microsoft lol) OS that doesn't work as well. Stayed away from it, hardly played with the RPI my parents got me at the time (I was 10/11 or something)
Then after all these years, now I've been running Linux on my own laptop for 3-4 years with no plans to switch back to Windows, it just works well enough for me.
Thanks for your content over all these years. I just realized, I also learned that you could assemble your own PC's from this channel, nowhere else. My IT interest today comes from you :)
Thanks for this feedback, most appreciated. :)
For a simple user Linux can provide everything that he/she needs, and It's a good thing that an expert like you points this out! I personally switched my UI from windows 10 to Zorin OS and it didn't affect me at all, I got everything I need.
Thanks for this, Chris. While I've been a Linux user (well, I was a Unix user) for well over 20 years, your approach highlights what is key -- that you can use applications you like, and things function well. Too many times, I believe people continue to use Windows (even as it grows more hostile to their customers) because that's all they know. It's terrific that you give a straight-forward walkthrough, and a balanced opinion on this topic.
How very timely, I just installed Mint no more than an hour ago! Was using Kubuntu but had some issues so...trying Mint :)
(Almost) same here - installed yesterday. Good luck with yours!
@@JamsODonnell100 so far so good, I like cinnamon, but I am missing some of the features from KDE Plasma, will see if it sticks :)
@@TurkeyJoe 🤞
Thank you a lot! I'm planning to change my system, but was worried about not liking the new one. I really forgot that I could test it first, and it was a great idea for setting up a virtual machine! 😁
Chris, I think WSL deserves its own episode. WSL is another great way to learn Linux.
Agreed!
A great vid to show people whom are thinking of making the switch over from windows to linux.
My top three reasons to have been running Linux for years now:
1. Better security than Windows
2. Better stability than Windows - no crashes or other problems like faulty updates for the entire time of running Linux
3. It's totally free & offers a wide variety of distributions & desktop environments to choose from.
It's also worth mentioning that installing Linux with all the latest updates takes less than 20 minutes compared to several hours with Windows in most cases. One can also use the same Linux installation in another PC by just transferring the installation hard drive / SSD to that other PC as all the necessary device drivers are included in the Linux kernel & Linux will automatically choose the necessary drivers for the other PC.
my last updates to Windows took About three minutes And I can instal Windows in about 20 minutes, And your point about drivers, In a windows installation instals most drivers for you
I have also successfully used nvme with win11 on two different computers of two diferent brands, no fuss. But my future is with Linux. Bought a second hand laptop with Win11, replaced nvme and installed linux to learn. The original nvme is kept on idle to be used in a different machine able to hold two hard drives. That will also be primaily linux with Win11 as a backup for cases when I will need to use Teams or similar.
@@londo776 Yes, but how long does it take to install Windows & then apply all the available updates? Can you take your Windows installation from e.g. an Intel based PC into a AMD based system by just taking the OS hard drive or SSD from the Intel machine & place it into the AMD machine & then boot & use it normally?
@@londo776 "my last updates to Windows took About three minutes"
It will take the same time in Linux if you're doing updates as regularly in it as you are forced to do in Windows. What is your point of reference here because you don't tell me how long Linux took when you last updated that - if you ever did? I generally update my (Gentoo) Linux machines about once a month, and they take longer to do - but that's not an issue for me because I have enough machines available so one can be updating whilst I am using another.
"And I can instal Windows in about 20 minutes"
You can install (note the spelling) Linux in 20 minutes - again, what is your point of reference here? Any machine that can install Windows in 20 minutes will be able to install Ubuntu or Mint in pretty much the same time - possibly a lot quicker because it's not going to ask you to create a Windows account or log into it.
"And your point about drivers, In a windows installation instals most drivers for you"
"Install", please proof read your comments better. I struggle to have a technical conversation with someone who appears to have limited skills in using a spellchecker.
So you think you've made three valid points here but all you're telling me is that you know very little about Linux, other than "what a bloke in the pub" told you about it. Modern Linux distributions like Ubuntu or Mint have extremely modular kernels that have drivers ready to load from the installation media the moment that specific hardware is detected. It's very uncommon in 2024 to find hardware that isn't supported in Linux unless it's extremely new.
If you want a PC that is "guaranteed" to support all of your hardware, then you can either do research yourself to find out what hardware in a particular PC (usually a laptop) is and isn't supported, or you can go to laptop vendor like System76 who will sell you a pre-installed Linux laptop where all the hardware is guaranteed to be fully supported - absolutely no different to buying a Windows laptop from Dell, HP or Lenovo who provide the same guarantee for their hardware under Windows.
@@fritsfelix8423 Yes, you prefer Linux but you haven't mentioned why.
I suspect it's due to entirely valid privacy concerns (the main reason I kicked Windows out of my life after Window 7) but it's important to mention that also.
The general public does not take privacy seriously enough and that message needs to be constantly communicated.
Thank you Chris,
I have tried a few times to use Ubuntu in a dual boot situation.
I really like the look of Zoran.
Hey Christopher! It's Dave again. If you right click on any Linux ISO file you will get a list. One option in the list is "make bootable USB". So you really don't need to use Etcher or Rufus to make a bootable USB. I think this is a very convenient feature. I found this by accident, never knew it was there. I don't know how long ago they added this feature on the ISO but it seems all, or most distros have this ability. Also, if you have a 30gb USB you can repartition it in disk management with, say, 3 10gb partitions. Now the computer will see this drive as 3 separate drives and you can put 3 bootable OS on that single USB. Just a 'heads up' for ya!
Rufus allows for specific options, such as setting the partition scheme, using BIOS or UEFI and setting up persistent storage.
Personally, I use Ventoy for most things. It allows the use of a single USB flash drive for multiple ISOs.
I think you misunderstood.... he made the live stick in Windows, not Linux Mint and so used Etcher. Yes, you can do that in Windows (right-click ISO - "show more options" - "burn disk image" but its been my experience that Etcher and Rufus make better, more usable and more likely to work in older hardware boot sticks than the built-in in Windows 11. Esp. if you're making a Linux stick.
@@1slotmech well taken!
@@Wren1 well taken!
Very good info. I've got several older systems that I may be able to give an extended lifespan to. Thanks!!❤😊
My first major step towards getting rid of Windows all together was scrapping Office for the ONLYOFFICE suite. I am perfectly happy with it, and now it is time part ways with Windows for good.
Yup. There's usually one particular sticking point. My other half insists on using Photoshop. I organised the switch from Microsoft Money and Excel, but Photoshop is the deal breaker at the moment!
Happily, Adobe are being so poor stewards of their own software, I think Krita will be acceptable in the end.
i love your video's. People who watch your videos can definitely install a Linux distro afterwards. Good explanation and clear.
3rd! I love linux, just installed it on my primary desktop. Still looking at adding other things.
Thank You sir. I always look forward to your videos.
This and some of your other videos has encouraged me to try Linux Mint (Cinnamon). On the basis of your very clear explanations, I have been able to successfully make a bootable USB disk and try out the Linux system. Whilst my laptop is fairly highly specced, it does not meet the Windows requirements to upgrade to Windows 11, so it is my my plan to exhaustively test Linux up to the cut-off in October 2025 and move out of the Windows environment altogether. Many thanks for your excellent videos, I have now subscribed and will check back regularly.
Thanks for this, it is good to hear of your success and plans. This Sunday's video may be of interest! :)
My kids and I use Linux on PCs and laptops on a day-to-day basis. Then, I bust out a Windows laptop at some point in the day because I have this one learning app that only runs on Windows. We homeschool so such a concession is necessary.
I think one hindrance to the "switch" is that people think they have to ditch Windows entirely. I've bought a good deal of used business PCs/laptops, all of which have been less than $100, and installed Linux on them. The two Windows machines in my home have remained such, while we do most of our computing on Linux machines-because we can do them on Linux. (Yes, there's that one app I have to use Windows for, but I'd argue that there are a lot more apps we use on Linux that aren't available on Windows.)
I find that the "switch" is easier this way. You don't have to stick to one or the other; you can have both. Linux is great for bringing used business hardware back to life and making them usable for years to come. Keep your souped up gaming/editing rig on Windows and get a used, older machine to run Mint or Zorin. You'll find that these old machines are still great for most office and schoolwork.
Something I have been mulling is beyond feature set, much of the reason to upgrade Windows is security (and that mostly for the web).
So you should be able to cobble together a distro devoted strictly towards web use and running a static version of Windows as a VM (I'd still be running Win 7 except for no security updates), and have apps cover feature set.
Someone else beat me to it. You can run Windows in a VM using free software like Virtualbox. That's what I use. Test it out for a while and if it's good enough for that one learning app. Btw, don't worry about activation. Windows 10 will still work fine without activation. Paying a license fee just so you can use one app wouldn't be worth it.
I'd recommend doing the inverse of what BlueSparkz said: Run GNU/Linux on the bare metal ... and then run the derpy Windows-only app in a VM.
@@halfsourlizard9319 That's what I said. Run Windows in the VM
your kids will use Windows in college because college professors will ask projects to be handed in as proprietary word files and your kids will struggle getting their LibreOffice files to display properly lmao
As always, a great video. I would also suggest folks inventory their software and license keys from Windows before switching. Learned the hard way with rebuilding systems sometimes you miss those things and it's a challenge to recover them. The software inventory also lets you let look for analogs on Linux or consider if you need to run some apps that don't have equivalents in Wine.
Good point!
I've always had a Linux install either running servers or on older PCs and MacOS or Windows on the primary device. Since last Christmas, I started using Mint exclusively. Now, I find Windows to be annoying. I shouldn't have to watch an albeit good video from you to decrapify Windows.
The Mint upgrade from 21.3 to 22 was a bit of headache because of how Mint has moved the responsibility for installing Python packages from pip to apt. Nothing too painful.
Even though I consider myself to be an intermediate to expert user, there's always something to learn. Thanks for the walk through.
Great timing! My sisters are interested in switching to Linux and I have sent them Mint Live on USB. You've covered potential things that I was worried about them running into when first trying it as well as things they need to to know before installing. This might save me a bit of hand holding and give them the courage to "try before they buy". Hi Barb and Kate! Pay attention to the note about backing up your data before hitting that install icon.
Game compatibility is not a huge issue now. The lack of support is mostly because of anti-cheat software (I receive this as AAA company being scared of its players and not trying to make in-game security). For non-Steam games I use Lutris launcher. Still 100% of games I tested so far worked perfectly (3 out of 9 had native version avaible and 2 out of 3 native version worked as good as Windows version and has the same features - including mods).
I'm using Linux Mint Cinnamon Edition not because of its similarity to Windows but a modularity (themes, applets, desklets).
I owe you most of my basic computer knowledge, which led me to using Linux (now I would never come back to Windows except from VMs and I will only switch between distros if there would be a need) and learning FOSS applications. I was also able to install Linux on laptops of my two family members (one was saved from October windows 10 death and being unusable because of Microsoft telemetry) who were very happy from simplicity, modularity and speed of Cinnamon compared to MS Windows.
Christopher, thank you very much for the video, especially I found Ventoy tool very helpful. I didn't knew that is in general possible to put multiple distros on a single USB drive. Just today i tried out the Ventoy tool and it is amazing. I even could put windows and couple of linux isos on the same USB drive, problem with free USB drives solved! Thank you!
Under the reasons to switch to Linux; "You are unhappy with Windows" is an understatement 😅. I never thought I would love Linux as much as I do since switching to Zorin OS.
I have had a different use case : setting up a cheap shared PC for a local association, with users coming mostly from a Windows background. I was advised to try Fedora 40 Workstation. It offers a tablet style presentation, and indeed, it has been accepted by all users. There are very little evidences of the presence of Linux, but still all the facilites are available. IT wise, I used a Ventoy key with both Mint and Fedora, (and windows 10), it's a very simple option for this kind of setup ! Thank you Christopher for your excellent videos !
Just to note, there is Edge browser, Skype, Teams, Vscode (aka Visual Studio) for Linux provided by Microsoft. And also the latest Wine is supporting Adobe Photoshop CC 2024.
fr photoshop ?
Holy shit: Skype still exists?!
(was not trolling ... I legit thought that Skype had got killed by MSFT in favour of Teams and whatever the new crappier things are)
lol I don't want to use most of that software on Windows. I definitely wouldn't install it on Linux
You're thinking of Skype for Business. Regular Skype still exists.
Great video Chris and some fantastic advice for newcomers to Linux!
To any Windows gamers thinking of switching to LInux: Variable refresh rate support on Linux is very poor at the moment. Many popular distributions outright don't support VRR at all, and even gaming distros are hit or miss. A lot of users report heavy stuttering even when that support is present.
Given the advances being made in gaming distros to support handheld PC gaming devices with VRR screens, I suspect that this problem will sort itself out in the next handful of years. But it's an issue right now.
Very interesting video Chris, possibly the best one yet.
Came across the Linux for seniors channel, which some might be interested in.
For others: www.youtube.com/@linuxforseniors
Thank you Christopher for another excellent guide.
With win 10 approaching to it’s end it’s a great video to watch! Come to mint guys, we have cookies! Welcome!!
Don't we get enough cookies from the Internet though?😊
@@donkink3114 Too many. Way too many. Thanks Obama ... oh, I meant: Thanks GDPR.
Should have offered punch and pie
Since moving to Linux years ago as my main OS, I have been able to replace most of the software that I used with windows and have been happy with the Linux versions. The other thing that makes the switch easier is that most things that a large segment of the population use are web based and this makes the switch mostly a non issue. The only hold up for me switching to Linux for my daily driver was that I did work on windows machines for some customers. I kept windows on separate partition and could boot it at any time I absolutely had to.
The good news has been that Linux Desktops have got much better and much easier to use today. Operating systems like Linux Mint and others have developed sound environments loaded with useful tools and work well on older hardware. Another nice result of having an operating system that works well on limited hardware is that you can extend the use of that hardware and that always makes people happy. All in all, my Linux journey has been a satisfying and fairly easy transition.
Right off the bat: 1:59 Edge works perfectly fine in linux. You can get it both natively and as a flatpak.
I stand corrected. But this clearly has no relevance to the message of this video! :) And why install Edge in Linux?! :)
@@ExplainingComputers I installed it just to play around with copilot :) But yeah, it is pretty odd.
@@ExplainingComputers some people find benefits to using edge. I don't use it, but saw a video of a Linux user explaining why he uses it. He stated it loads faster and not such a hog on resources than Chrome. Edge has better settings for privacy and security than Firefox.
I was also surprised
@@ExplainingComputers I'm hooked on the Edge Collections feature, I've yet to find anything as good as it from the other browsers. Firefox Mobile has a collections feature, just wish they would bring it to the desktop version.
Excellent episode, again, Chris.
I have found one class of software that seldom has a Linux component: Medical. I have a CGM (continuous glucose monitor) that has a browser 'plugin' needed to upload data from the receiver to the tracking site. Works with Windows and Firefox and Chrome, but there isn't a Linux piece to do the same. Until then, I have to keep one Win10 machine. (edited last sentence for clarification, my daily driver is Linux)
perfect - thank you!
Very good stuff Chris. Even though my laptop is currently collecting dust (it turns out Android is quite useful for my current computing needs), it's still good to see the latest activity in Linux usage. Thanks for another great video.
I found the installation of new hardware drivers is a lot more convenient under LINUX than under Windows. The older the hardware I use is the more often I end up with no more support from Windows.
And also no driver updates needed. just update your os!
Amazing video Chris. From a gaming perspective the biggest problems we have are with games that use kernel level anticheat. Dual booting in that case makes sense. I don't really play many of those games so 98% of my gaming can easily be done on linux. Most of the friends I've helped with older pcs only use their machine for everyday tasks so as long as they have the same browser and a few other apps they are fine using a distro like Mint. They just need to know which bit to click for updates etc. and they can use their machine for years lol.
Very good,very clear.
I'm looking forward to learning how to set up a virtual machine because I've screwed up doing a dual boot when I tried that. Your videos are what gave me the courage to try linux to start with, though it was one of the great universal crashes of the mandatory Windows updates that pushed me over the edge. I've never regretted it once.
Yaaaaaay, Linux! 🐧❤
Excellent video as always. Looking forward to the videos you mentioned coming soon. I recently discovered that Linux on Windows via WSL2 work really well together. Being able to run Linux commands in windows and being able to run Windows UI programs from Linux is definitely helpful. I think I'll be upgrading older HP computer to Linux soon so I appreciate the video.
never clicked this fast in my life!!
LOL. ME TOO