I’m Declaring Windepence! Gulp!

[Amatino]

Windows 7 is dead! 🙁

I loved Win7 and hate Win10 so much that I flat refuse to move across on my main computer. My laptop defected without permission (from me, anyway!) so I have that as a back up if I really have to use something Windows-based. Instead, I’m entering the dark and scary waters of Linux.

After much consideration and research, I’ve decided to load Debian with a KDE interface and cross fingers and pray that it all works out. I’ve backed up my computer and moved all my stuff into cloud storage. I just have to take the plunge. And I will. In a minute. Just now. After a shot of whiskey…

I’ve checked the programs I use a LOT and I am still looking for the Linux equivalents of MS Paint (please don’t say Gimp – that’s a photoshop equiv) and Notepad. I was also surprised to learn that Adobe Acrobat Reader is not Linux friendly.

Anyone here on Linux? Any tips or suggestions?

[Lukastreasure]

This is something I’ve been exploring as well. I understand that there is an app called Darktable that is a Lightroom equivalent. Interested to hear how it goes for you.

Mike

[IndySales]

I’m a Linux user. My main PC runs Arch and my eBay laptop runs Ubuntu.

I would have went with Ubuntu personally since it’s got a nice installer and (generally speaking) most of the help/tech support resources you’ll find online are newb-friendly. The packages (programs) are also updated more frequently. Not sure how much it’s changed over the years, but Debian is extremely slow with adopting new versions of programs. This may be a problem if you’re looking up tutorials and find whatever video/article you’re following is using a newer version of a program. See https://wiki.debian.org/DontBreakDebian

Darktable is the Linux Lightroom equivalent for editing RAW photos. MSPaint alternatives are here: https://alternativeto.net/software/microsoft-paint/?platform=linux

For a good Notepad-like editor, use Geany. There are dozens of text editors that range in complexity.

For PDFs, Evince or Okular. I use Evince on my eBay laptop to print shipping labels.

For tips: If you don’t like Debian, remember that there’s plenty of other options out there. I mentioned Ubuntu and think that would be a good distro to try out if you’re thinking of bailing on Debian. Each distro does things differently and each has a learning curve of some kind. For example, I prefer Arch Linux, but it has no installer – you do everything “by hand”, so to speak. Ubuntu is by-far the slickest out of the box, and is the most user-friendly.

With that said, doing stuff in the terminal will eventually be a reality at some point if you haven’t had to deal with it already. It’s a crazy rabbit hole, but once you understand it you’ll find it’s very powerful for file management and other day-to-day tasks.

Remember: If you have a problem, Google it. In some cases you might land on a help page for Ubuntu/Arch/or another distro, but the advice is universal.

[Retro Treasures WV]

Yeah it seems odd that they’ve dropped support so soon. They supported XP for YEARS!
I run Linux on the computers my kids use. I use a build called Zorin OS. I have an install thumb drive set up so it is stupid easy to set up a new computer.

It is GREAT for a basic computer to do internet and basic word processing. My eyes start to glaze over if I have to figure out how to use the command line stuff.

[Amatino]

IndySales – thank you! Those links are great.

Actually, after doing a lot of research on the different distros, I had narrowed my choices down to Mint, Zorin OS, KDE Neon, or Ubuntu. Was trying to decide between them, and was leaning towards Ubuntu, when an old colleague of my husband’s weighed in. He’s been on Linux since the 90s, and he said Debian is the granddaddy of those four, they all run on a background of Debian. I’m no programmer, I use a very small suite of programs, at least half of which are already Linux based or Linux supported, so I figured a stable, easy to use distro was my best option. As I’ve been on Win7 since, well, Win7, you can tell I’m not a Shiny New Stuff kinda person. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The clincher, for me, was discovering that the previous 4 are all bundled with bloatware. To make the distros “out of the box” play, they added in all sorts of programs and extras. I really liked the thought of having a stable base and just adding what I want/need, when it’s needed. So that’s why I thought I would take his advice and go Debian. However, it’s the fear of messing up that has delayed me actually taking the plunge. The paralysis of analysis. LOL. I do have to make a decision, but so many choices, and so many people with good arguments, make it hard to take the leap.

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