Linux Mint
Nik Rawlinson is already a Linux convert. Here, he offers a few good reasons to switch
Linux was once the standard—but never entirely helpful—answer when asked what to do with an old computer. For many, it was something you tinkered with when you’d moved to a new machine and could afford to corrupt your old workhorse. There was no guarantee that a Linux machine would play nicely with your existing data, sharing files with friends could be difficult, and the overall process could often have often been a lot more user friendly. None of that is true today.
A FAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT
Let’s be blunt: there’s no reason why Linux shouldn’t be your primary operating system. Most of your data is platform agnostic, many apps run in the browser, and Linux is as easy to use as Windows.
Ubuntu might be the best-known distribution, but Linux Mint ( linuxmint. com), which is based on Ubuntu, is where many Windows switchers end up. Where Ubuntu uses the Gnome desktop environment, Mint uses Cinnamon by default, but can work with MATE or Xfce. Cinnamon retains many Windows constructs that Gnome lacks, including the taskbar, applets, and desklets (like Windows’ desktop gadgets).
I also recommend Zorin OS (zorin. com), particularly if you’d be happy to pay $39 for the Pro edition. This includes one of the best Windows 11 desktop themes you’re ever likely to come across.
LONG-TERM SUPPORT
Linux may only command around three percent of the market for desktop operating systems, but the community that uses it is active and supportive. You’ll have no trouble finding help, nor in keeping your system secure. Linux checks for patches and downloads them, just like Windows Update. The latest release of Linux Mint, version 21.1, Victoria, is based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, so will receive support until April 2027. That makes it great for long-term deployments.
A FRIENDLY INTERFACE
Using Linux once required familiarity with the command prompt, but that’s rarely the case today. You can install software without touching the keyboard, thanks to builtin app stores, and Setting applets make configuration easy to accomplish.
Nor do you need to relearn your Windows muscle memory. Keyboard shortcuts carry across, so you already know 90 percent of what you need to get started.
ACCESS TO YOUR DATA
Mint comes bundled with LibreOffice, which offers broad compatibility with
Microsoft’s Office document formats. Linux distributions don’t have access to the Calibri or Cambria fonts used in Office, but alternatives are available. Carlito (tinyurl.com/2kubdj8jo) and Caladea (tinyurl.com/2nmntde4a) were designed to be metrically equivalent to Calibri and Cambria, and Microsoft has made other fonts available using Terminal. On a Debian operating system like Linux Mint, the command is: sudo apt install ttf-mscorefontsinstaller
The package includes Arial, Times New Roman, Georgia, Impact, and Verdana.
SAVE MONEY… AND THE PLANET
Linux Mint requires 2GB of RAM, 20GB of disk space and a 1,024 x 768 display. Compare that to Windows 11, which needs double the RAM, 64GB storage, an HD (720p) display, and Trusted Platform Module version 2 (TPM 2). To keep older hardware running without compromising security, Linux is your best bet.
CARRY ON RUNNING
(SOME) WINDOWS APPS
Switching to Linux doesn’t mean losing access to apps you rely on. Mainstream Windows apps such as Inkscape, DaVinci Resolve, and Thunderbird have Linux equivalents, others run in a browser, and many older programs can be run using WINE (winehq.org). WINE is a Linux environment that acts as a Windows layer on top of the Linux OS. It isn’t installed by default, but you can set it up through the Terminal.
WINE supports 30,000 Windows apps, including Photoshop CS6 and Excel 2016. When browsing the list (appdb. winehq.org), favor apps with Platinum or Gold ratings, as these are considered to work without issue. You’ll need your old installation media to set them up.
WHY NOT LINUX MINT?
I’ve presented the case for Linux Mint, but why not run Ubuntu instead? You’ll receive updates sooner, and there will be fewer links in the dev chain, as your OS won’t be an adaptation of an existing OS.
You will notice that I only say “some” Windows apps work. If you need to run specific versions, there’s often no option but to stick with Windows or switch to macOS, where equivalent versions exist. In this case, if your hardware doesn’t have the specs required by
Windows 11, check out Tiny11.