Hey, so, in light of Microsoft killing off Windows 10 in October (https://digipres.club/@misty/114190352645015060)...
If you want more people to use Linux, now would probably be a good time to start talking to your friends and relatives about how Linux will still work and get updates and, most importantly, *offer to help them setting it up and keeping it working*.
And ideally, take notes of what problems they run into, because those notes are going to give you a pretty good idea of what needs changing for Linux to become more widely usable to people. Maybe you could even contribute some of the fixes yourself!
@joepie91 I still want to make the switch to Linux, but I just don't know where to start and what to do (I'm quite tech savvy and even I feel completely overwhelmed 🫣)
@bumblebeedc Have you already tried something in the past, and gotten stuck on something specific? Or is it literally "no idea what the first step even is"?
(It doesn't really matter what the problem was exactly, it'll just give me a better idea of your background with it and what sort of stumbling blocks you might encounter)
@bumblebeedc Are you currently using Windows or macOS?
@bumblebeedc Right, so then the process would look something like this:
1. Download a "live" ISO for something like Ubuntu or Pop! OS (you can try both and see which one you prefer most).
2. Either burn it to a DVD, or flash it to a USB drive of some sort (microSD card in a reader works too), using Balena Etcher: https://etcher.balena.io/ -- note that this will erase whatever is currently on the card/thumbdrive.
2b. (Alternatively, you can use Ventoy to put multiple ISOs on one drive: https://www.ventoy.net/en/index.html)
3. Reboot PC, go to the boot menu using your computer's specific key combination (usually briefly displayed on startup). If it doesn't say, boot into the BIOS/setup instead, there is usually also a menu there.
4. Then select the card/thumbdrive as the device you want to boot from. It will now boot into a 'live' installation of the distro you picked - it won't install anything on your system or delete any data on it, it runs *entirely* off the thumbdrive/card.
5. If you're happy with how the chosen distro works, you can usually install it directly from the booted system, often there's a shortcut on the desktop. This *will* make changes to your system.
6. In the installation, carefully check what it says about the changes it will make to your disk or filesystem; by default it *should* resize your Windows partition, and install the Linux distro next to it, giving you a choice each time you boot.
If it suggests *replacing* it instead, make sure it's okay for your Windows installation (and all the personal files on there!) to be deleted.
If it suggests resizing, then it *should* not break your Windows installation, but it's always good to have a backup regardless because the process is not perfect.
7. Once the installation is complete, you should now be able to reboot your system and boot into the new Linux installation :)
I haven't used distros like Ubuntu for a long time, so I probably won't have much advice for Ubuntu-specific things; but there is a lot of online help to be found for Ubuntu, and Pop! OS specifically tries to be easy to use, which is why I suggested those specific options.
Installing software is going to differ a bit between distros; usually there's going to be something named "Install packages" or "Software center" somewhere, and that's the main way to do it.
Is that helpful? I can provide more guidance if you get stuck on something, of course, but this should be enough to at least get a working installation and tinker around with it.
If you don't want to install it yet, you can also just keep using the booted 'live system' off the thumbdrive/card indefinitely, and stop after step 4; it won't save any changes or files you make, but everything like "installing software" should work fine, it just disappears after you shut down. So should be good for trying things out.
@joepie91 thanks, going to bookmark this toot ☺️ Hopefully I can start tinkering someday soon (maybe when the little one starts at daycare next month, as long as I haven't got a new job I will get one free day a week for myself 😁🎉)
@joepie91 the latter, I just don't know where to begin 😅