Why People Over 50 MUST start using Linux
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
- Olaaaaa! I had quite some intense and hilarious moments installing Linux Mint Cinnamon on my vintage ThinkPad x61. Come join in on the fun of my misadventures and learn from my hiccups and takeaways! Cheers!
Soures and Shoutouts to:
@codefallacy Linux Mint INSTALL Guide and SSD Upgrade on Free Laptop
• Linux Mint Install Gui...
@pulsarTECH Beginner's Guide to Installing Linux Mint
• Beginner's Guide to In...
Adam Naor | What is an ISO File? Explained in Plain English
www.freecodeca...
How to GEek | How to make a bootable USB drive....with Balena Etcher
www.howtogeek....
You can add this 80 yr old to your list. I possess a 2011 iMac which starts in its own time and has no interest in my old music hardware. It, and myself, are on a remote volcanic island with a good-ish Internet connection. So can I hookup a piano keyboard and my old A/D/A mixer and converter using Linux?
This is a good question that I am going to research. I pinned your comment because I am sure someone in the community knows about this.
Your 2011 iMac is not too far from my 2012 iMac that I use as a second monitor to edit. Great machines, in my humble opinion. Cheers! :)
@@stylishthriftye It's a truly wonderful object. I never expected Apple to back out of continuous software support in the way it has.
@@stylishthriftye i do agree with you on why people should take the linux road. i have 4 laptops [hp pavilion g6, lenovo thinkpad t460s, acer aspire 315 and acer travelmate 5744z] and all of them are no longer tied to microsoft as i proceeded to wipe all their ssds and installed linux mint, fedora 41 ws and ubuntu noble numbat 24.04
I'm 50 and have been using Linux for 25 years, so there wasn’t much new for me in this video… yet I stayed until the end. It’s refreshing to see people like you exploring and embracing Linux with such enthusiasm. Congratulations and keep up with that enjoyable smile! We need more of those in this world 😉
Same. I've been running Linux since 1993 and I'm 55. But the video was funny. :)
Me too...
I'm (born 1975) kicking 50 in the ass and have been using Linux for years already. I keep two SSDs in each of my rigs with Win10 one and Linux Mint on the other. I've tinkered with Linux Mint, Garuda, Manjaro, Pop OS, and Linux Lite.
same. And when I worked for ISP support I used to regularly help this 90--something guy who liked to distro hop and would get stuck on occasion. He'd call up for pointers now and then. It was pretty cool to see someone at that age still digging into the guts of his system. (This was around 2010, so there was still a ton of manual configuration needed for most people. Ubuntu wasn't quite there yet.)
@@Canthus13 Before I had an always-on home DSL Internet connection, I used to buy CD-ROMs with Linux distros from a 70-year-old gentleman who was running Red Hat Linux at home. He told me that he used to be a bank clerk and worked with computers running Unix systems. I was very impressed with his knowledge.
I'm 80 and just recently switched to Linux Zorin OS 17 Core and am glad I did. I had enough of Microsoft control and during the last update they deleted several of my apps which I did not appreciate. Zorin is almost like Windows so it was not a big change. I love it now and am Microsoft free.
Hey now! Which apps did Microsmartz rifle through and delete there pal?? I am damned curious about this
event! I'm surely not a windows fan and have been angry about virtually everything that they do! I am
however a Linux User that started feeling my way around with Linux that commenced clear back in 2008. I
had heard that Microsoft was going to be up to no good but I just didn't think that this app deletion ordeal
would be happening quite so soon. All that I can really say is this: Them's are some sorry@$$ batsturds if
there ever was and I just hate it when they mess with OUR machines and seem to think that there will be any repercussions for with!!! The objections and public outcries are more than numerous and damned near on
a daily, basis as for the ways that they just worm their way into our data, sell our data, molest our data and
pretty much allow data hacks to occur due to their OS being so riddled with holes and nearly but completely
in absolute shambles and the consequences thereof with all of these data hacks that now seem to occur
now a days on a daily basis !
💙💜❤
@@thesilentgeneration Zorin is a greatly underrated Linux distro for those switching from MacOS / Windows. It works great on older Macs
Another 👍 for Zorin
Zorin OS will be the next Linux distro i'll try. Last one was nobara OS and I wasn't happy with it
Not me thinking Marisa Tomei was trying out Linux 😄
Its great to see genuine Linux experiences from everyday users, not nerds.
Breath of fresh air, subbed.
My first thought!
Me clicking after seeing the thumbnail thinking of this 😂😅
When you order Marisa Tomei from Wish.
hey, I'm an "everyday nerd"!
No vacations.
I'm 80. Started programming on a 7074 IBM in 1966. Booted my first Linux system from two floppies, a boot floppy first, then removed it and inserted a root floppy. That was in 1992. The kernel version was 0.12. The most recent kernel versions are 6.xxx. My last windows system was XP and I only had that to support some clients running windows. I've since retired and don't have any use for Windows. I run Mint Mate because Mate is closer to the gnome desktop that mint first brought out. I have supported clients on many versions of Linux, Red Hat, OpenSuse, etc. Glad to hear you're learning new things. Just be aware if you do blow away your windows partitions and think you've backed up everything, there's a chance that the backup is only usable by a windows system with out jumping through a bunch of hoops and not for the faint at heart. I suggest you boot from the USB drive and see if you can access and read your backup files before blowing the win partition away. You may want to investigate ways to save your data that are Linux compatible. That topic is big enough for a separate video. Be aware some extremely windows-centric files are just not usable on Linux. Window only programs that have proprietary file formats come to mind.
Thank you for the the idea for a future video. My ThinkPad had windows XP. I blasted that all away to install lInux. The files that were on there before, just documents of my writing were moved over to my little ASUS tablet that thinks it is a laptop...and is still a windows machine that I am brainstorming converting to Linux. I am excited to do the research, learn more, apply and share my findings. All the best. Cheers :)
You don't know how lucky you are. I wish I could have been there for the birth of digital computers. Although I learned how to program at 6 years old by reading the computer manual in the 1980s, it would have been awesome to design and program the early computers.
@@stylishthriftyehi Mina, wondering which Asus tablet you have and if you would recommend buying it currently? TIA
@@kimariokiji Hi! My Asus tablet is this teeny tiny thing from 2013 and was part of the Asus Notebook series. It has Windows 8.1. It's processor is Intel (R) Atom (TM) CPU Z3740 @ 1.33GHz. It has 2.00GB RAM (1.88 GB usable) and its system type is a 32-bit Operating System, x64-based processor
When I bought it, it was primarily for writing and research when I attended conferences.
I don't know if I can recommend buying an Asus currently because I don't know what you want your machine to do for you?
What are you primarily wanting a machine to do for you?
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Cheers!
I got a 2nd M.2 for my desktop to load Zorin OS 17 on just to try it out. Kept my Windows 10 OS safely out of the computer just in case. 😁😁
55 in January, and I first tried Mint back around 2014. Didn't "feel" it at the time, but during the pandemic with time on my hands, I took a 2016 2-core laptop I had and began distro hopping. Over 50 distros later, I have Linux Mint 22 on one laptop, LMDE6 on another, and MX Linux on this one. I like all three, but at this stage of the game (and learning level) I enjoy MX the most for quality of life and completeness. My gold standard for "great" distros? It automatically recognizes and installs my Brother printer. Not all will, or can, without modification.
Subbed, fun video.
59 in a couple of weeks. Started with Ubuntu in 2014 as well. Use to distro hop once a week initially now I stick to one a year. Currently on Linux lite will be switching to tuxedo in a couple of weeks. I never went back to windows it was just instant love. Lol MX is really rock solid its a fantastic distro. I have not played with kde in a while and tuxedo has struck my interest.
Ran through a lot of distros back in the day, but when mint came on the scene, I was like oo this gunna be the game changer.
Good to know that there are Linux distros that run Brother printers. I have an.MFC-J480DW, runs fine on Windows XP, but no drivers for any later Windows. Best feature: Cheap generic ink cartridges. Lots of new printers are locked to brand-name cartridges. (One problem: I've seen complaints that the Linux drivers can't do duplex. I'll find out.)
56. Switched to Linux as my daily driver for the first time ever. There was a learning curve, yes.
But it truly isn't that big of a deal to learn. My computer isn't crying because Microsoft decides it needs my computer more than I do. It runs light. It runs fast. It doesn't spin up my fans.
Interesting. My computer is in my room, what with me being a monk, all of my stuff such as it is is in my one room (including my collection of stuffed LIONS). So if I leave my computer switched on, and Windows is running (I dual boot) that HDD lamp is flashing all of the time. If I leave Linux running the HDD lamp flashes once or twice and then goes to sleep for the night.
My Lenovo laptop is spinning up its fans, but this is at least partially the device's fault. I have to set it to power saving mode (which cripples gaming if not turned off every time) so that merely having the power supply plugged in and the battery charged to its set max makes the fans run 100% of the time if not set to that.
But there is also the hassle of getting a fan control software to run properly.
It runs light but unfortunately it doesn't run lights. Works great on my laptop but doesn't work with my desktop lightening. Trying to find a Linux solution for RGB fan controllers.
@eliasthienpont6330 telemetry can be disabled in windows and the performance from a good tuning of settings, cmds, and registry. Will sort it out for the most part. If you want to customize a windows iso thats possible, and its fairly easy to get it to run near linux performance with comparable hardware
ISO files are an image, a byte-for-byte copy of the contents of a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM. Not compressed by itself, but can store compressed data just the same. In the case of Linux distro ISOs, the system data is usually stored in a compressed format.
ISO files are only a byte-for-byte copy if the program you're using to write an ISO allows it or you choose it. I've created ISO files before of CD-ROMs that had multiple partitions and the program I used only copied the ones recognized by Windows.
then ISO files are more associated with CD and DVD-ROMs?
@@stylishthriftye yup. A reason why ISO files are used is because of the El Torito metadata extension
@stylishthriftye Yes. That was their original purpose, to be a file format to serve as a digital copy of an optical disc (originally just CD-ROM). Although these days most operating systems are provided as an ISO file from scratch, without ever having been on a physical optical disc to begin with. Due to it essentially just being an uncompressed archive in a single file, it makes it perfect for distribution online.
@@FlyboyHelosim Just to add that though these ISO files are created without the use of an optical medium, and usually accessed from a USB drive, they are still in optical media format, and could be burned to an appropriately sized optical disc.
I started at 45. Construction guy contractor. Im hooked on Linux now
very addictive. I started around 472 AD
I am 75. I run Linux, proxmox server and many different distros. I love this woman.
One thing I love about Linux (and Free Software | Open Source Software in general) is that problems with it are getting fixed. Instead of everyone just looking for a workaround, people report when something breaks and the developers usually take care of it. This doesn't work 100% of the time, but is so much better than on Windows.
Just beware that if you only know the symptoms (and not the root cause), it can be pretty hard to convey what the problem is and the people able to fix it might not understand you without a lot of back and forth. Also remember than many of them are volunteers and don't have infinite free time. But describing the issue, answering questions and especially finding a way to trigger it on other computers can be a massive help, even if no one starts working on it right away.
There's also an interesting side to this: Especially at the beginning there will be things which don't work well because you don't understand _how_ they work yet. In some cases it's just a part of learning. But sometimes they could be made more intuitive or they could have better explanations. Fixing them is also important (but oh so much harder).
I've been using Linux for years but watched your video out of curiosity, hilarious, entertaining and nicely explained.
We just picked up three 4T ssd drives to replace our drives in our laptops and start with fresh Linux distros. No more AI in our operating systems, no more spying on us and very secure game development. Best thing is ultimate control over how much resources are used for what and the ability to have no anti-virus scanning in real time, using up resources and slowing down what we are working on.
If you decide you need a Windows machine on metal for testing, or whatever whatever, I HIGHLY recommed choosing an .iso from windowsxlite, formerly known as Phoenix. The "gamer" builds are especially good and light. They have all sorts of builds. You can literally pick and choose what you want or not want, for the most part. They've got it covered, are reputable... believe me. Windows Internals guru here. ;)
I started using UNIX back in the mid 80's in college and thought it was the greatest thing ever (after taking classes using IBM, CDC, Vax VMS and Univac computers). When I discovered Linux in the early 90's, I had to have it, and have been using ever since.
I'm an accountant. When we first got PCs in the office in the mid 1980s I quickly established my position as the go to guy for PC support. It was all DOS but I knew of UNIX and read books about it as well as the K&R C Programming Language. I felt I was missing out greatly being stuck with this primitive DOS when there were so many fun and useful tools available for UNIX. I essentially built a bunch of ports of UNIX tools for DOS that I could use at work in file management, data conversion, and data processing.
When Linux came out, I was on it for home by the later 1990s. Monkey Linux would hide in a file on a DOS partition and it used syslinux to boot into it. Then I got Red Hat 5.1 on a DVD from a computer magazine. It had a GUI!! Enlightenment I think it was. Anyway, I've been a constant drinker of the Koolaid since then. I'm now on Debian 12.9 with Openbox WM which is terrific.
This is exactly my case. Although I was always curious about Linux and hated the weight of Windows, I only started using Linux after I turned 50 (52, to be precise). Since then, I have not only used it, but I also try to promote the system. I have learned a lot since then, even building my own desktop. I have taken several courses since then. I have installed and uninstalled thousands of distros and even BSDs. (I just haven't ventured into Gentoo yet!). In fact, at the age of 58, I decided to go to college to study IT. Linux is exciting.
I'm with a Linux Users Group, and helping people to install, learn about and use Linux is our mission. Your video is amusing, and is from a valuable perspective because it shows some typical problems we might see.
I find Ventoy to be useful. It lets you put several .iso or .img files on one USB storage device -- as many as will fit -- and lets you choose which one to use when you boot the system from the USB device.
I don't like coffee, but I recognize its usefulness when I'm dragging my tail at work. I add brown sugar and milk so it's like a liquid coffee crisp bar.
a developer can transform coffee into source code :P
Ventoy is horrible as it breaks the source distros. Please don't recommend that to new users ever.
I used ventoy to install gentoo a while back and had no problems.
@@pauldunecat my ventoy works. maybe it breaks on your C64
@@Henry-sv3wv yep java your basic cup of joe
My Mum's a similar age to you and her brain melts even navigating an unfamiliar UI, let alone installing an operating system 🤣
Good on you! It's so important for us to keep learning new things at every age
Yeah, that's why for such people you can't replace their Windows 7 computer with a Windows 11 one. Giving them a Linux Mint device is the responsible choice.
@@mskiptr OOOOH. I remember going from Windows 8 to Windows 10--and ALL my files disappeared. And my games. Granny games but I liked them. And I COULD NOT FIND THEM. I immediately bought a new Windows 8 computer and have not updated, although I bought a couple Win 10's over the years for work purposes. For the record, i loved XP. I'm sure it was awful and buggy and insecure but I was fine with it. They are slyly hinting I should update. HA. I have indeed thought about Linux over the last 20 years and it's looking like now is the time. Linux Mint, eh?
@@1234cheerful Indeed, Mint is pretty solid. I tend to recommend it to anyone who just wants the OS to get out of their way and does not need the newest drivers or shiniest apps.
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@@1234cheerful And for those who _do_ need those things, I usually suggest Fedora. It adopts new solutions much more quickly, but you need a bit more experience with computers to use it. And then there's Pop_OS as a kind of middle-ground between those two.
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@@1234cheerful Overall there's a lot of options when it comes to Linux, but most of that can be safely ignored! These various OSes can all run the same programs and the only differences that would matter to normal users are: "how does it look by default", "how often do you get new versions of all the programs" and "how easy it is to install what you need". As long as it's well established and is aimed at regular people then it should be fine.
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I have no idea what just happened to me BUT I like it. You are soooo much fun to watch and listen to even if I never install Linux operating system.
You are so very kind. Thank you!
An ISO file offers no compression, in fact it's usually bigger than its raw contents due to the overheads of being an ISO file. ISO files can, however, contain previously compressed archives of files in formats such as CAB or ZIP.
is this why you need a thumb drive with at least 8GB storage space?
@@stylishthriftyeIs this a genuine question? I mean… I am trying to figure it out… if you make tutorials for novices on Linux impersonating one or you are a novice yourself.
@@stylishthriftye Most Linux distros could probably get away with only 4GB of space, but the more modern bloated ones such as Mint tend to require 8GB these days. It all depends on how much file compression is used for files within the ISO file, as when you write an ISO to USB it may indeed expand files meaning that the space required is more than just the size of the base ISO file.
@@FlyboyHelosim Thank you for this. I asked about drive size because some videos said use 4GB while others said use 8GB. I went with the 8GB because I figured the more space, the better. I appreciate your patience in explaining this. Cheers!
@@stylishthriftye operating system install ISOs used to be under 650 MB to fit on a CD-ROM or CD-R; there are only a few new operating systems that still do this, and they're mostly linux based and made to be ultra-portable.
You are a nut ball! I thoroughly enjoyed the video and it should encourage many to give it a try. I used Ventoy instead of Balena Etcher. It works like Balena except you can put more than one ISO on it. This lets me choose from dozens different Linux versions to check out from 1 USB stick. (Limited by the space for the ISO's.) The differences between the various distros is amazing. I do think Mint Cinnamon is the way to go for Windows users.
Besides an old Win7 desktop I installed Mint on, I set up my old laptop to dual boot Win7/Mint. It is so old it couldn't boot from a USB stick. Had to burn an actual DVD to install from. That was very slow but Mint runs really good on it. New life for old equipment.
FWIW, I'm on the north side of 70.
I love seeing your journey - thanks for sharing! Your sense of humor and attitude are awesome. I now need a mini trampoline in my office... 🍪☕
You're very silly. I like that! Linux grrl since 2001. It's good to see someone going over some of the step by step stuff I learned - and take for granted - decades ago . New users need a little extra hand holding especially if they're not tech savvy.
2025 being the end of support for windows 10, the fact that windows 11 doesn't run on old hardware, and the fact that new windows 11 systems comes with the dystopian spyware of Recall, there's never been a better time to switch to Linux!
100% agree! :)
going to be a good year to buy used hardware
Just did
not completely true. Although I use Linux on my personal system, I did manage to squeeze Windows 11 onto my wife's equally old PC. It's not "officially" supported due to its 4th gen intel processor and TPM 1.2 (2.0 is "required") but that's just for in-place upgrades. If you install fresh, you can get around all that. However, the integrated GPU in this and other processors might be an issue, in retrospect, because of the way the driver is written or something, you have to disable core isolation to get it to load (!). I only found that out after trying to enable the iGPU just for QuickSync support for game capture, which was less than successful, and I'm really considering reverting the configuration back to what I had instead of leaving it that way. I got around that initially by having a supported dedicated GPU (NVIDIA GT 1030) without realizing that I mitigated that problem unintentionally. I guess that's one reason that certain CPUs are unsupported - the integrated video driver. Which intel has no intention of updating, of course (it's like a decade old). So while desktop users *may* be able to install Windows 11 if their hardware is kosher "enough," laptop users are more likely to not be able to since the vast majority of them use integrated video.
For what it's worth, I've gotten my wife to agree to let her see how Linux works for me and learn about it on my computer. For now, I'm leaving Windows 11 on hers, but if she sees the light, maybe she'll convert... ;)
Microsoft just reluctantly changed the tune. You can now install Win 11 on older computers.
I've just made the full switch to Fedora at 45 and am absolutely loving it. Great video!!❤
Coffee BLACK! 70 year old man checking in. I have been fooling around with Linux for the last 10 years or so. With less than one year left (officially so far) on Windows 10, I have been using Linux Mint Debian as a semi-daily driver for the past few months. I have Linux on one SSD, and Windows 10 on another. So I dual boot on my tower. I do have Linux Mint Xfce on my old Dell laptop. I'm retired so I hardly use the laptop nowadays. Oh yeah, this is my 5th PC tower home-built! I'm putting together the components for the 6th build.
Good stuff me lady! Greetings from Long Beach, California. ✋😎
FYI: I been using linux since 1993. I still use Windows 7! I am tying this comment using a Windows 7 machine. No need to replace Windows 10 with Windows 11 when MS drops support.
It’s so cool to see people learning Linux, I’ve been dabbling with it for years and even have a laptop dedicated to trying out different distros. Linux mint is EXCELLENT for a start.
As far as upcoming privacy concerns with Microsoft, my only hang up with wiping my windows OS and going full Linux is gaming. I love having my windows platform setup for playing games in my free time and I’ll be honest it’s just a scary overwhelming thing for me to have to learn how to setup a Linux system to game, I know nothing about it other than the probably outdated idea that Linux can’t run a lot of the current games. Maybe it’s not even true and I need to research it. Anyway you got a new sub! Very cool and comprehensive video!
Most games on Steam works with Proton.
I was laughing happily as you presented. The entire personality thing of eccentric is actually not unlike many of us. I love how you blew up, settled, and then reorganized when you were stumped. How refreshing to see a normal human vs. an AI bot which speaks with smooth flowing English, making a literary story of installing - because nothing ever really goes according to plan. Great video! Good luck in all of your adventures.
Great to see more people getting into an OS I've used since Slackware 0.99 :) I never did get my monitor timings quite right... close, but I ended up using it as a DOS-like OS with screen.
Try Regolith, Terminal, and tmux or screen. Three tabbed and tiling window systems layered. You'll lose your mind, but once it's working... it actually works.
YOU. You are an inspiration. A fresh non scary yet brilliant walk through giving life to old tech.
I have been using Linux since I was thirty five now I am 65. My daughter got a job in IT because since they were 5 they fixed and built there own pcs running linux. I secured many promotions in my career because I was tech savy. Linux groes and improves mental capasity, Maybe it will help push back, delay my dementia!
Thank you so much. I really appreciate your throughts. I totally agree with you that Linux grows and improves mental capacity. Keep learning and expanding your mind. I am rooting for you. All the best. Cheers!
Started Linux during Win95. Most users and user groups were server nerds...and most Linux had bed bugs. So two bits of progress. 1. bugs are rare now. 2. The idea that desktop folk can use Linux without the command line is finally getting through. I appreciate your spin, simple, direct and fun. GOOD JOB!!
Been using Linux before Windows 95 1993, when the windows OS version was 3.1! Windows back then was far more buggier than Linux was. What Linux lacked with a decent windows manager & gui application. Back in 1993\1994 I believe The only browse avail was Mosaic. I think NetScape became available for Linux around late 1994.
I am an old Linux guy from those days. I still like to tinker at the command line but rarely do so anymore.
@@wingandhog I'm so old I call it the shell.
Same. Been using since Kernel 1.x.
U R hilarious. Loved the I went to Harvard comment. Liked and subbed. I'm 67 and just built my very first high-end editing computer. I am learning video and photo editing using Davinci and Luminar Neo for software. What a learning curve...I am now going to add this to my list. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! You inspire me! I have DaVinci Resolve in my bucket list! Cheers! :)
Very entertaining!! Linux Mint Cinnamon was a great choice and is an excellent choice for new Linux users, I give you a sub, I like your style :)
Thanks for the sub!! Cheers! :)
I used a DVD-RW, what's a USB stick?
Exactly! No need to drive a stick; order a CD or DVD through the mail and proceed from there...
I'm 73 tobe 74, just did the same yesterday, you were 100% right. I did the full install and added many more programs. Wasn't that hard to follow instruction for the other programs.
100% chance that you hung out in the art room in high school.
😂 Or maybe the band room, where I was. Oh, I guess we didn't have micro computers yet! 📵
Computer room in 197x. RJE terminal. I may be the reason that these facilities were withdrawn. 5x5 neural network and they couldn't run payroll for the entire school system. I knew an IBM 360 was BIG. I didn't understand what I was doing.
One of the most enjoyable instruction videos I have ever watched. Thank you! Happily subscribed.
I'm 61 and I've been running Linux since 2003, and Linux Mint since 2011. I'm on Linux Mint 22 Cinnamon right now. I have the 22.1 Beta on a flash drive and ran it LIVE to look at the changes, it looks great.
I'm very glad you went with Mint, it's solid and won't let you down.
The biggest reason for people of any age to switch to Linux is that it's completely FREEEEEEE! and it will run on any computer, old, new, computers with not much RAM, or other low hardware specifications. There are lots of productive application for Linux that are also free. Unlike MS Windows and Apple MacOS, Linux won't dictate how you can use your computer or spy on you or data mine your usage or data. Linux is also ostensibly safer from malware in that vast majority of malware are written for Windows, followed by MacOS as a distant second. Linux barely shows up on the malware radar, mostly because bad people don't bother creating malware for Linux which has such a low user base. But remember any OS can be infected with malware if the user is reckless in downloading all kinds of files from everywhere without any thoughts or concerns. So you still have to use due diligence. Because of the low risk of malware Linux doesn't come with any built in malware protection. But you can download free malware protection software that are available. There are a few, but not many though, maybe due to lack of need or demand? But once you start using Linux, especially Mint or Zoren versions, it's very similar to Windows or MacOS with the desktop/GUI.
It's more like no sneaky executable file can "Auto-run". You have to physically go into it's properties and select "run executable".
This doesn't include browser sneakies though but a reboot kills them.
So YES, Linux is vastly more secure by basic design.
I have never seen a video like that from a non-nerd and made for those that have grown a bit in age. Really inspiring and encouraging.
As many other commenters already wrote, I am also into Linux since years and I am also 50+.
For those of you who are interested not only in learning something new, but also would like to check out a new hobby where they are not among the oldest 😉, I suggest this: Ham radio (amateur radio). I started with it last year, and I found that the Linux OS (in my case also Linux Mint) is quite a good platform the the tools that one might want to use in combination with the ham radio equipment. 🙂
(I hope I could bring across what I wanted to say. English is not my mother tongue and I dislike using a translator for such a comment. 😉)
I'm over 50, heard of Linux, passed it by for years. Your title, hmm maybe my coffee; whatever. I listened, laughed, thought of an old laptop "downstairs" and I think I will rewatch and do this while I wonder why I am doing it :D Thankyou! I love to learn and maybe it will be useful. I'll watch more to see what I can so with Linux! Oh and I bookmarked you too! :D
Love the opening!
Got my start over thirty-five years ago as an AS400 operator. I'm comfortable with the (optional) command line interface. Even querying for a command that I might need.
I run Linux w/ Xfce on fifteen year old ProBooks, performing graphic design, audio & video editing and pretty much everything else, with few if any limitations that I would experience from a Windows system.
BTW, I've got a lot of socks showing up in my laundry that I don't recognize. Good thing I don't mind wearing mismatched socks😂.
Woohoo! Hi, other AS400 person. We're getting rare 😂
I started on Linux with vanilla Debian in like 2002. I have memories of waiting like a whole day for the special program they used (jigdo) to download all the files. In 2006 I ran Gentoo for a while, but it became a serious pain the butt to maintain. I heard about Ubuntu and that's what I've been running as my daily driver since 2014 or so. I love it! When I'm at work and forced to use a Windows box, I miss the command line so much! And I just use vanilla Bash, not zsh. Linux is awesome! I can even develop C# on my Linux box, which is wild.
I'm delighted to see more people from more walks of life using Linux. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I love that you're doing this. I switched to Linux for good 4 years ago at 51 after years of running it as a VM. I started on Mint which is a great starting point but I've graduated to EndeavorOS which I absolutely love.
I'm 23 and got into linux a couple years ago. Now i pretty much exclusively use Fedora linux - It's good for developers and enthusiast, while also being fairly stable, but can be confusing especially for newcomers.
I agree that linux is good for people over 50:
- because it has gotten so good at everyday computing
- stuff like mint doesn't change much over time
- most scams and viruses don't work on linux
And Windows changes so much and microsoft is so pushy with self-promotions it can be legitimately be difficult to tell what is legit and what isn't.
Btw i really enjoyed the informative and relatable presentation style
This is so helpful! Thank you :)
Fantastic video great humour and admirable message, respect.
You're so cool! My mom would never know what Linux is. Great content.
Ps: This isn't exactly true but I think about Iso files as digital DVD and BluRay files
Indeed, ISO files are typically virtual optical disc images.
This was so educational for me. I did this myself 20 years ago to recover a bricked laptop. I had the advantage of previous linux experience and background in software. This is an eye-opener, because it debunks all that 'linux is for nerds' bs.
First experience with Linux I downloaded source code, compiled it in a dos c complier, booted it and compiled in a unix compiler so that it would actually run normally. Been using it since. I'm 72.
I'm 67 and I've been using Linux full time since 1993. I loved this video. You're a really good explainer and your advice is spot on all the way through. I'm amazed how much info you crammed into 18 minutes without it seeming rushed or overwhelming.
On most Linux versions, the ISO is not compressed but it does have many files in it some of which may be compressed. Mostly, however, they are just what you use to put the minimum system together. You then can add software that you like to do what you want done
I switched to Linux in 2007 while doing tech support for MS users. The contrast was stark then, even more now (ads, viruses, corporate control of MY property, etc.) Just do it.
Hey, I am 69 and I have been using Linux only since 1995.
You crack me up, top video. Been using Linux for over 20 years now so nothing new for me, but am sure your video will help others. Lovely ThinkPad by the way, and usually on the older ThinkPads pressing enter or the blue ThinkVantage button on boot will allow you to choose which device to boot from.
Greetings from New Zealand and thank you Mina for an entertaining video. Like many here, I'm over 50 and have been using Linux for many years now. However, I still like to learn new things, and I like to see how others view/use Linux also. To answer one question that I don't think has been addressed in the Comments so far: Balena Etcher says Select (1) because it IS possible to write more than one USB stick simultaneously. I just tried it now so that I could get my facts straight & yeah, if you insert say two USB sticks & select them both, that button will change to Select (2) ... anyway, keep up the good work. I will look forward to your next upload =)
Ah that makes so much sense! And what a great feature that you can write more than one USB stick on etcher! Thank you for clarifying and confirming that. Cheers! :)
@@stylishthriftye Haha, I actually expected you to say: Why would anyone want TWO of the same USB stick. Anyway, you're so welcome!
I am 65, program in Python and Fortran, done machine learning via tensorflow. I used to do FORTRAN programming on Unix way back in the day. I use POP OS as NVidea GPU support is built-in. I don't like Mint as much. I plan to explore Vanilla OS shortly.
Welcome to the club of international Linux users over 50. If you install Linux Mint in a language other than English, in my case German, you may see a funny mixture of German and English in the GUI when you first start the system. But that's no reason to get gray hair. There is a tool called "Languages" that you can use to easily install the missing parts of the German language. I'm absolutely sure that it works in any other language too.
Why Linux? A new European data protection regulation forces tech companies to disclose to whom they pass on collected personal data and for what purpose. And so a message appeared on my Windows system in unctuous German that Microsoft was sharing my data with almost 500 companies and that it was all for my own good. Whoever believes it will be saved and whoever doesn't believe it will also go to heaven. That's why Linux.
Its cool seeing someone older then myself trying something new! I have been thinking about trying Linux myself and its cool that youtube just randomly recommended this to me👍
I'm 65! I started using Linux in 2006. Ubuntu Dapper Drake 6.01 LTS! Now using Xbuntu 24.04.1 LTS
When you were tapping on the screen I was dying 😂 ☠️☠️☠️
Do you ever notice you can’t find the flash drive that you had in your hand the other day LOL.
heh heh heh.. I can't find the flash drive I had in my hand 5 minutes ago... ooooo cold coffee.. excellent ;)
@ I swear on everything I can never find the flash drive I am looking for. I thought I was the only one. LOL
Great video, Mina! I switched to Ubuntu 12.04 when WinDOHs 8 came out and I said not no, but HELL NO, I was not going to go along with Microsoft's latest (at the time) atrocity. 12 years later, all my computers are running either Ubuntu 24.04 or Debian or Raspbian.
I tried installing dual boot style but I quickly dubbed it "duel boot" because the idea is nice in theory but the theory is not nice in reality. Much better to just cut the apron strings and lose the training wheels, and just install Linux properly. For the cautious, try it first on an older computer that you don't even use anymore. Linux works pretty good on older and less capable hardware, within reason. Running the OS from a bootable USB drive will give you a taste, but it runs a bit slow and may fail to truly shine and dazzle.
PRO TIP: a default installation of most popular distros installs Linux on one big partition on the target hard drive. Simple, right? The problem is it can be a bit of extra work if you want to re-install or try a different distro, when saving your personal files. It is best to take the time to find out how to set up the new host computer with a separate partition on the drive for the /Home directory. It can really make life with Linux go more smoothly. I wish all distros defaulted to setting up a separate /Home partition. There are other directories that ideally have their own partitions, too, but /Home is the most important one to isolate.
Linux is pretty secure. By default, most distros do not create a root user account. The most common and devastating black hat hack to Linux or Unix systems is finding or guessing the root password, which completely opens up the entire system to mischief. You can still do system management with higher permissions with the sudo command, temporarily. Without such privilege elevation, there isn't much damage a cyber intruder can do without the owner doing some very reckless or careless stuff. Viruses that can seriously damage a properly set up Linux or Unix system are still pretty rare. Most of us do not use any sort of anti-malware, just rely on the inherent security of Linux, and sensible computing, to keep the system safe. But one related issue should be addressed early on. This is backup.
Most pre-packaged one click that's it style backup apps are pretty sketchy when it comes to backing up all the stuff you should want backed up. The absolute king of backup programs for Linux is already installed on most Linux systems, and is called rsync. This is unfortunately for many Linux beginners, a terminal app. In other words, no pretty windows with comforting clicky buttons and dialogs like most winDOHs users are used to. The Terminal is analogous with the WinDOHs and DOS "command line", except a lot more powerful and useful. It is possible to run Linux and never use the Terminal, but learning to use it early on, will make the Linux experience much more rewarding. Rsync is usually used in what is called a Bash script which is similar to a *.bat file in windows or dos. It is a list of commands that executes in series, basically. I use rsync to do a daily incremental backup of my entire machine. An incremental backup involves simply changing the backup only where the backed up drive has changed, with the unchanged directories and files remaining unchanged in the backup. This saves a LOT of backup disk space and a lot of time, too. Rsync can do this automatically, if you do your part. It is a little complex for your first explorations on the Terminal, but well worth learning about once you have warmed to the whole Terminal concept. You can even do hourly incremental backups. This ability to quickly initialize an automatic backup or even automatically do it on schedule without your having to do anything at all, can save a lot of heartbreak. You can even encrypt your external drive that you use for storing your backup, and yeah, you can encrypt your internal drives as well. Few things are more frustrating than losing important personal files. A proper backup, preferably daily or hourly,WILL some day make you sigh with relief when that "oh crap" moment turns into a "whew" situation when you are able to recover all but the most recently added or changed files or directories on your system. Rsync is backing up like a boss.
One very powerful terminal app that is for many, actually TOO powerful, is dd. Some linux users call it "Disk Destroyer" LOL! Super flexible and powerful, but there is a GUI (graphical user interface, like the WinDOHs apps you are used to) utility called simply "Disks" that comes in most distros, that is nearly as good and gives you at least a little bit of hand holding, and I advise you to become familiar with it early on.
A good book for learning the usually hidden nuts and bolts of Linux is this one:
www.amazon.com/Master-Linux-Commands-essential-commands/dp/B0CJ45QTWS/ref=sr_1_8?sr=8-8
but a very basic guide for the absolute beginner is this one:
www.amazon.com/Linux-Terminal-Quick-Guide-Beginners/dp/B0BMDCCSXP/ref=sr_1_4?sr=8-4
Amazon's got your back. Don't be scared of the Terminal. At one time, the terminal was all that the Unix or Linux user had to work with. Terminal is simply amazing with its astonishing capabilities.
Peer support from fellow users is how we solve problems most of the time. Since Linux is free to most users, nobody is getting paid to give you product support, but savvy and experienced users within the community are always available to help. In your browser, just type "Ubuntu How do I use rsync to make scheduled incremental backups" or whatever your problem is. Specifying your distro and even version can be helpful and give you more relevant results. BTW, I really like the Brave browser. Some people answering your questions are insufferable egotistical condescending asses, but don't let that stop you. Letting them brush their own egos is a small price to pay for excellent tech help so if you post a question on a forum, go in with a thick skin and flame retardent suit. But as you probably already know, there are a lot of problems that are addressed by youtube videos, too. So, between two or three good books, peer support, and videos, you can increase your Linux superpowers to even superer levels and your computer will stand head and shoulders above the bleating herd of Macs and WinDOHs boxes with its bulletproof power and flexibility.
This post is invaluable. Thank you for the book recommendations (they're going into my Amazon cart) and priceless advice when entering forums. Thanks so much for sharing. Cheers! :)
An ISO file is a raw image of a Compact Disc (CD) or data DVD. So it could have any kind of operating system, file system, or even music tracks. You could write it to a CD or the computer could treat the file as if it was a CD ROM, and, for instance, boot from it and mount it as a file system.
Coffee- BLACK (bitter to start a new day)--13 years Linux and counting.
Add some butter and you have "Bulletproof Coffee"!!! 😜😂
When you advance to three squirts of hemp oil in your coffee I don't think we'll be able to handle the gifts you bring to humanity.
Thank you for the fun and the knowledge.
LOL!!!!! 🤣Thank you for sharing :) Happy New Year!!
@stylishthriftye - Happy New Year :)
I have Windows 10 on my desktop running Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (could not get it to run on Linux - although there is a way)
Linux Ubuntu on my laptop for ordinary daily tasks like email and internet, etc.
I would certainly say goodbye to Windows when I find the way to run Microsoft Flight Simulator on Linux.
By the way I have been on Linux on and off since 1998.
in those days installation was always a challenge - and few distros existed.
yes, I do recommend Linux to play with to anyone.
You could also run Linux from the CD until you get accustomed and can decide for yourself.
Even if you install Linux on your drive you can choose a dual boot config as to keep Windows and have Linux fully installed.
Another good solution is to install VIRTUALBOX and then you can have a s many Operating Systems images to your heart content.
Personally, I loved to dabble with OS/2 while doing the serious work on Windows.
You can also make a 1MB image for MSDOS of any versions if you are nostalgique - are you nostalgique ? of the DOS days ?
LOVE VirtualBox.
I have had it on my macOS computer for ages.
Ref my comment from 31 DEC 2024.
Have evaluated several distros using it on my cheapie travel windows laptop; if could easily install a Chromium-based browser and FF then distro passes.
Zorin is current front-running but yet to try ElementaryOS.
Loved your show. I am 76 and started using Linux Mint in 2018 when Windows said it would quit supporting Windows 7 in two years. My wife had Windows 10 at the time and we both hated it. Once I understood Linux is one big file system, all fell into place. I keep an updated version of Windows (now Win 11) in a virtual machine inside my Linux but, outside updating it every couple of months, have never touched it. The wife has been using Linux Mint also.
I made a VIAO into an Ubuntu VAIO about 15 years ago. It was fun. Back then you could make a CD to do it. Then I lost the VIAO.
okay you're funny and informative. As a 78 year old I can appreciate that. Well done.
Thank you! Happy New Year!! All the best
I'd stay far away from Etcher. I've had it lock/brick a couple of Kingston USB drives and they're now permanently read only. A better alternative that funny enough seems to work with Debian/Ubuntu based distros as weird as it might sound, is Fedora Image Writer. Compatible with both Windows and Mac, and Rufus as an alternative for Windows. Once in Linux, if you decide to use something else Ubuntu based (ex, Linux Mint) might have their own startup disk creator pre-installed or easily installable from that distro's software center or app store.
It is great that there are better alternatives out ther. Cheers!
I'm an IT tech in many different roles; the biggest pain in the arse is being the IT Pro for my family and that is 9 computers, 8 run Zorin and 1 one Windows O.S seriously stripped down version just for my gaming.
It took a bit for the family members to get used to something DIFFERENT and that is a Key factor; but once they realized they could do all their daily tasks much faster, they fell in love. To get them used to Zorin O.S. was fairly easy simply because it is a basic clone of Windows, just a better O.S. and so far after 9 months and NO ONE WANTS TO SWITCH BACK and that is big time in my family of old timers.
@@GrdDog This is so Beautiful!! I love it!! 😃
Linus Tech Tips recently said of choosing a linux distro "Choose one. It doesn't matter which one. Either way, you'll soon have a angry people lining up to tell you why you're wrong, and how your choice reflects on you as a person" and I have never heard truer words.
It matters. it has to be Linux Mint 21.3, Ubuntu 22.04, Zorin 17.2 and maybe MX Linux.
don't forget Fedora 41 and Pop!_OS 22.04
Ubuntu sucks because of snaps, so Use Linux Mint
I use Arch Linux by the Way. (EndeavourOS with Xfce). And Debian on the home server.
@@Henry-sv3wv You did NOT just say: "I use Arch by the way" tsk tsk tsk
It is the Year of Linux....😂
I have made myself an Ubuntu OS with persistence on usb, via Rufus. You need to press some magic keys to allow persistence, and that one will allow you to save the changes you have made, literally having a proper OS on a flash drive. I did a similar thing with Win11, so I can use Windows if needed, too. Also installed a QEMU virtual machine in my LMDE and Win11 in it, so on a few clicks I have Win11 in Linux and easily alternate between them. Life is great!
1:04 that’s not coffee; that’s a milkshake that happens to include coffee 😂
Coffee is black coffee and sugar (optional) and that’s a hill I’m willing to die on… come at me, one on one or all at a time 🤺
When I make coffee I grate nutmeg seed into the paper filter with the coffee grounds, after it's made I like it with west life unsweetened organic soymilk. That's my favorite when I make it which isn't very often. Happy New Year & many more.
That sounds like a great cup of coffee! Happy New Year! All the best!!
"Learn Something New"...Awesome video Minna!!!! Great Job, welcome to the wonderful world of Linux, greetings from Cape Town
Excellent video on many levels. I'm 55 and last year converted a 2015 macbook air to Linux Mint. That machine was running very slow and was too old to update to the latest MacOS. It took quite a bit of digging and learning to get it done but the whole experience of wiping the Mac and seeing it come back to life as a Linux was pretty rewarding. I continued using that machine daily for a year until recently when I bought a new one that runs Linux natively. I encourage anyone so inclined to give Linux a try. It should work on almost any computer. Chances are that you'll get it done and feel just a tad bit more in control of your tech.
Love this! One of the things on my eBay watchlist is an older MacBook Pro with 4GB Ram. I don't know if it is still available I have to check. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. All the best!
I am 58 and started playing with linux in 1991. Since ubuntu 9.04 i use linux on any computer i have, even my Macbook Air. In view of recall, compulsory MS account, telemetry etc. anyone should use linux, not only old ones😉
Iirc, an iso file is a package file that is a digital version of a CD image, given that you can burn an iso onto a CD or DVD, and the computer will read it as such. You can't open one without proper software, and what Balena does is format the iso to communicate to the machine that "hey, here's something you can read and if you follow these instructions you'll get new software."
I'm not an expert, though.
Long time linux user and, uh, way over 50. You totally entertained me while doing one of the better "step by step for newbie" presentations I've seen. So when is your mother going to do a computer video with you?
Subscribed!
I WOKE UP WITH YOU THIS CHRISTMAS EVE, MORNING 6 AM, AND IT MADE ME SMILE AND FEEL GOOD; A GREAT WAY TO START MY DAY. THANK YOU BOBBYB
I've used Linux one year longer than I used Windows, and I started with Win 1.03! But Linux solo since 2006. Linux Mint since 2008.
Coffee? Hot! One packet of 'sugar' Two dollops of milk/cream
Strong coffee and the same!
That video was well presented, easy to follow, thank you, you did a thing that may help people.
Thank you!! Happy New Year!!
Great stuff!
If you want to give yourself even more of a challenge, then sure try Arch Linux!
But be aware, that it is lots of tinkering in terminal before you get a graphical interface.
There are plenty of tutorials out there and after an hour you can end up with an installed Arch including a GUI.
archinstall script that's included in every arch iso now makes it much much much easier than ever before
Okies! I placed that on my bucket list! Cheers!
Well you can also get a distro that makes it easier o get Arch, like Manjaro or EndeauvorOS. But Mint is fine too.
74, our two win10 boxes are 27 years old. Spouse still has floppy drives. Got my first certification in 1975 in NOS, Network OS. On a PDP machine. Unix. Built several Linux Clusters back in the mid 90's . fixing to replace our two Win10 desktops with Micro Boxes to have desktops that can run on solar at 15 watts instead of 300 watts. And we're going to go duel boot drives with Linux being the default.
We got old folks using linux before gta 6.
this comment means I have been using Linux since before you were born. 🤔
Interesting presentation, Microsoft and Apple are pushing more and more folks into at least looking at linux as a solution with how they have both eliminated hardware from their latest offerings. Got both my parents on old Macbook pro's ( 2012 era ) running Mint and Dads really got into tinkering with it, just over a year in and he's bought himself a raspberry pi 4 "just to tinker with in the workshop".
You said, "Microsoft and Apple are pushing more and more folks into at least looking at Linux". How true; I wonder how long before there is a MSLinux or an AppLinux?. I am 70 now and moved to Ubuntu a little over a year ago for our 'TV computer' and it has been great - I have a very old 60" Sharp TV and it doesn't have a very good Wi-Fi setup so we have an old i5 Acer as an interface. As my Win10 is about to expire in a year I will probably move to Ubuntu completely. I hate it that M$ forces TPS and other junk onto people.
@@ChiliToday-HotTomale My parents have a rather involved TV computer running win 10/media portal that i have been been putting off converting to linux as it needs to do live tv, PVR functionality and serve up and stream their media over the home. I dont know enough about that particular side of linux to do the upgrade/problem solving over a weekend so backburner for now..
There is a form of MSLinux, ( Windows Subsystem for Linux ) and the problem with apple is they dont want it easier for their customers, they want more profit, less costs, there is no reason Sonoma cant run on an old Macbook, OCLP shows that, Apple chose to deliberately prevent capable machines from running it,
Basically any computer made in the last decade can be a chromebook, but less annoying.
I thought that one could not install Linux on a Chromebook, but I recently saw a video that I saved of a person who did that. I figure when there is a will there is a way
@@stylishthriftye I have an Acer C710 Chromebook from 2014 which, when it reached end of life for updates, I installed MX Linux on. It's a very weak Celeron N2640(?) 1.2GHz if I recall correctly, but it runs light Linux distros extremely well.
Fun fact: it's the ONLY Chromebook with the standard Windows keyboard...great little writing machine.
Well done! One thing I like is that you address some of the common little speed bumps a new user might encounter without making the user feel that they're insurmountable. Also, you stress the aspect of "learning something new," which I think is an important part of getting older (I'll be 75 in a few weeks). I've been using Linux for many years, but I still enjoy your videos.
HI, to answer your question yes a ISO file is compressed down, like a RAR or Zip file and can be any type of files that the user creates
and also can be password protected and even in crypted if need be. But the end user let's say me would need the password(s) to access those files
and then run or execute them on my computer.
Nice to see a woman getting into Linux!
THank you!
I think it is what all you youngsters are doing these days isn't it
I'm 60, using computers since 1979, every version of windows became more intrusive and annoying, so ever since Linux came out I toyed with it, but it was way above my pay grade at first, and I had little luck even getting it up and running, but over the years I tried it here and there, and soon enough it became a good option, and ~15 years ago, Microsoft Pissed me off for the last time, and I nuked Windows 7, smashed all of my Install disks, and installed Linux, and forced myself through Linux boot camp, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.
Now I'm on Arch Linux with the KDE Plasma desktop, and loving it: It lets me do what I want to do, the way I want to do it, not the way Microsoft would want me to, and without spying on me either!
This was a lot of fun!!!🤪
Linux is slowly absorbing all of computing. It owns the back end, it dominates the Smartphone and Tablet market (Android), it's working on taking over the gaming landscape (Steam Deck), and eventually it will dominate the desktop.
Mwahaha. 🐧
Mwaahaahaahaaahaaaaa :)
Smart and funny, I love the thumbnail. You're kind of interesting. So if I want to see what you do next, I should like, subscribe and ring the notification bell. Oh! Here's my comment: 'Thanks!'
Thank you! Happy New Year!! Cheers! :)
@@stylishthriftye Likewise a good and interesting new year for you.
The great irony is that most people have been using Linux for 15 years or - Android is basically a fork of Linux. Chances are a lot of people commenting "I can't use it" are doing so from a phone or tablet running Linux.
I have Android phone & tablet. However, I have Windows on my desktop because it is easier to play games.
I am unable to really feel any similarities between Linux and Android. I've had Android phones for the past decade, but have been wishing it was more like linux from the beginning. Having said this, the future of linux looks somewhat compromised these days, So I'm not sure how much longer it will stay trusted as broadly as it has been in the past 2-3 decades.
I've been using Linux since 2004.
I believe it was Suse 9.
I'm 72 and I've been using Linux for years. I LOVE IT. 'started with Ubuntu but quickly moved up to Linux.
Your comment truly inspires me. Thank you! Cheers :)
@@stylishthriftye That was an awesome presentation on how people can use Linux OS. Nice work.
I love the entire idea of this. There's another reason besides trying something new as well and that's reliability and stability. The windows world now is one of barely functional code, half finished projects being pushed to consumers and a constantly changing system. The OSS world on the other hand puts control of this stuff in your hands. When windows finally devolved to the point that my bigger projects simply couldn't finish in the average uptime of a machine, I moved everything to BSD (It's like linux sort of). Now, my uptime/reliability is determined by when the power goes out, not when someone decides to reboot things out from under me or just crash and force a reboot and I have control over what/where things are installed. My window manager (the user interface) never changes for no reason, my installed software doesn't just randomly change versions and eliminate important tools I use and most important of all, the machine just works. Yes, it's sometimes a pain to get things configured initially, but that's the trade off. In windows, you trade up front ease with long term hassle. With Linux/BSD, you trade up front hassle for long term ease. Best of luck! :)
I so appreciate this! Thank you!! :)
You are most welcome. :) And Merry Christmas!
At age 78, I installed Ubuntu Linux on my 2016 12-inch MacBook. It is usable, but I can't connect to Bluetooth or the system speakers. It did connect with WiFi okay. Linux apps are generally not as polished as on the Mac, but depending on what you are doing, this may be fine.
Remember, if you shrink the partition Windows is on for a dual-boot, shrinking that partition may corrupt any individual files at random. Including system files to break Windows.
If you must do a dual boot with Windows, re-install Windows on a smaller partition and then install Linux on the free space you created that way.
Some ISO files are tiny, designed so most of the installation can be done piecemeal directly from the internet. The larger-sized ISO files have pretty much the same core, but bundle a bunch of popular software into the ISO so you can get started immediately with a more complete system.
Mid 50's and have been using Linux for 32 of its 33 years - been a Linux admin forever, too.
Yay