Been a long time Windows user but with each Windows version, I hate it more. So bloated and locked in. I saw that mint is a good beginner distribution but its not supported by framework. Is Ubuntu really different from Windows with a higher learning curve?
Talk me out of wasting hours to get linux working when Windows works out-of-the-box
I’m in the same boat.
But leaving win for good (no dual boot).
Torn between Fedora vs Garuda atm. (still waiting for my FW)
Most beginner friendly distributions work ootb
Get enough storage so you can dual boot. If you’re like most people there will be a piece of software that you can’t get on one os or the other and either don’t want to find an alternative or can’t.
What would you say as a minimum storage for a good dual boot? SSDs are currently on sale, trying to decide on between 1tb or 2tb is enough or would need more
For dual boot install Windows first, its easier that way. Windows install requires around 100GB (based on future needs). On Ubuntu 20GB is fine.
My recommendation:
1.) Get a 2TB Nvme. Divide the drive into 3 partitions. 100GB for Windows, 50GB for Ubuntu, rest for your personal files.
2.) Install windows first on 100GB partition
3.) Install Ubuntu using the advanced installation. Install Ubuntu to use 50GB partition (represented by / symbol), format rest of the space and make it your home partition under Ubuntu (represented by /home)
This way even if you somehow screw your Ubuntu installation your user files are safe on different partition.
If this is too complicated after installing windows just go for install Ubuntu side by side option in the installer.
If you wish I can share a solid article which you can use as a guide.
I TB is definitely sufficient, you can get a lot of linuxing done on just 100GB, but the more the merrier.
Don’t switch to Linux if there are a lot of windows based programs that you depend on. Don’t switch to Linux if you like things modern and clean. A lot of programs for Linux feel very old school and clunky. I have a Linux computer but I’m never going to switch from Windows to it because it just can’t do everything I need.
read my username 👍
Do you use Arch btw?
Debian and Ubuntu🗿🗿🗿
What’s your thoughts on PopOS! I quite like it, its simple and easy to get going?
I think its a great choice. You get all the benifits of ubuntu plus a better customized desktop environment.
Yes and no. Depends. What‘s you use cases? Can Linux fulfill them? Did you check that?
Mint is effectively Ubuntu 22.04 LTS using desktops other than the awful Gnome Shell. Follow Ubuntu 22.04 LTS directions and you should be fine. I’ve been using the Mint Cinnamon option for the last 5 or 6 years, perhaps a bit longer. The ‘edge’ ISO may be a bit easier to get installed and running on Framework hardware as its using a newer kernel than ‘vanilla’ Ubuntu 22.04 LTS… The ‘edge’ packages are part of Ubuntu, merely not the default installed options in the almost 2 year old 22.04.
Mint differs from Ubuntu also in using (optional) flatpaks instead of (required, proprietary) snaps for packages outside the ordinary repos.
Whether you should even attempt switching depends on what you want to do, what apps you need/want to run. If you’re extremely interested in gaming or must run Adobe apps for example - Stay with Windows. If you’ve got a good bit of experience using different systems, mostly want to browse the web, read your e-mail, use LibreOffice in place of Redmond Office, learn how to do development - Linux might be a good choice. End of the day Linux isn’t for everyone. In my own case I’ve been working with Linux, UNIX, and vaguely similar systems since I was 6 years old (in the 1980s) - While dealing with these systems is second nature to me it may be a nightmarish challenge for you as someone steeped in Wintendo OSes.
If you’re the type of person who likes simple tech and you live in constant fear of your computer breaking, keep Windows. If you don’t mind tinkering with your OS to see what tricks it can do, give Linux a try.
Mint will work on your framework laptop just fine.
Spoiler alert. Linux works out of the box. Even more so than Windows.
I’d recommend Fedora or Ubuntu instead, Gnome is amazing these days.
I use Linux every day inside a VM on windows 11 on a framework. I’d be comfortably happy with linux as main and only operating system but I find this setup works well for a sort of “best of both worlds” type scenario. If you run via hyper-v there is basically no performance loss.
I think windows 11 can be very nice too if you run a debloater (I used windows 10 debloater powershell scripts) and an app like ‘0&0 shut up’ — and yes it would be better if we didn’t have to do that - but we do, and after you do, windows 11 is pretty nice and I have my VM & WSL2 for even nicer work environments
The situation may be different with bleeding edge Framework laptops but in my experience installing the mainstream Linux distros (e.g. Ubuntu, Fedora) is in general significantly less work than Windows, assuming you’re on supported hardware. This is because Linux drivers are baked into and distributed with the OS compared to Windows where you have to go find and install them after-the-fact (there are a few notable exceptions to this, mainly Nvidia). So basically your hardware either just works if it’s supported or doesn’t if it’s not.
Linux on the desktop has a bad reputation from earlier years of poor hardware support and general user-unfriendliness. These days though, if you stick to the mainstream distros, the experience imo is almost Mac-like in its simplicity. And if you graduate to wanting a more custom experience there’s a whole world of options to explore later on.
I’ve been using Linux exclusively for over a decade and it’s honestly amazing to see how far it’s come. Join us, you won’t regret it!
I have had more issues with Linux, but I use it for everything I can. Honestly Windows is just ridiculous sometimes.
It didn’t really take me hours to install Ubuntu.
I don’t have a framework, but my experience with Linux is that for the majority of computing tasks the average user does, it’s more or less the same but it looks a little different.
My use: Web browsing, Email, Gaming (steam), Note-taking (OneNote), Photo editing (darktable), Managing files across multiple computer (synching)
For these tasks, I generally found there was an equivalent flatpack or snap that met my needs. For editing, I’ll admit Adobe Lightroom is a much more visually polished product than darktable, but I can accomplish all the same tasks. Likewise, P3X for oneNote (or a browser window) is a bit of a cludge and less elegant, but it works. I’ve also found Linux gaming to be mostly fine, but I’m basing that on my steam deck more than ubuntu.
If i were you, I would try out a distro that seems good and dual boot windows if you have to for programs that don’t work natively or don’t have a substitute in GNU-land. Don’t be afraid to hop to a new distro if you find something you don’t like about the first one.
Does OneNote and related Microsoft Office apps behave on Linux? Also, how do you find dual boot? Would a Windows VM work better than dual boot or is it better to have dual boot?
If you do a lot of heavy lifting in Excel, VBA, PowerPoint, Visio, or anything Adobe then you’ll need a Windows partition or VM.
If you can get by on Google Workspace, Office365, or LibreOffice then you won’t need Windows.
Fedora works great and it’ll bring most features as it’s getting updates as soon as they are stable.
You need to know basic knowledge like setting up flatpak for your software, bottles for windows software and knowledge about not being able to use many usb devices that need software.
I’m on Linux for 2 years now because of the same reasons and I’m happier than ever. It can get annoying sometimes but it’s worth it, windows is more annoying.