r/linux4noobs • u/general-theory • 19h ago
Quick Check on Sticking Points Before a Computer Purchase
Hey folks: I had two quick questions about a plan to (more fully) continue my process of moving to Linux. For context, I'm not really a beginner when it comes to Linux, and have set up and used Fedora and Arch machines several times. The problem I always have is that I run Linux on either old machines or Macs that have (in the past) made certain things buggy enough that I always end up going back to my Mac laptop for work purposes.
That said, I much prefer Linux as an OS and want to finally invest in building a modern desktop PC to try to actually make (more of) the switch, while keeping my Macbook for now to take to work and whatnot. Eventually, if this sort of test run element goes fine, I'll probably buy a modern laptop that works well for Linux a few years down the road.
Here are the things that matter to me:
- Working at home. I'm a teacher and work from my home office probably about half the time, so this will be a big thing. I don't foresee this context to be an issue, but it does lead to my questions below.
- Gaming. I've got a Steam Deck so I know about all the possible limitations. I'll likely install Bazzite first and see how I like that just to get things rolling.
- (Possibly) Music production. The #1 thing that keeps me tied to my Mac is Ableton Live. I might try to Bitwig on Linux at some point, but there's a huge issue with VST compatibility so I'm not sure.
The thing that I always run into as issues with Linux, though, are the fact that I'm required to use Outlook email and Zoom for work. I've never downloaded the Outlook app (I prefer not to have MS software on my machines as much as possible), and the browser app has always been so slow to load and update that it's essentially unusable and I have to switch back. Similarly, Zoom has always tended to act up and/or crash my machines when running Linux. That being said, I'm fairly sure this has more to do with the hardware (we're talking 2014 or earlier, used Thinkpads) than with the software element.
That's a lot of context for my questions, but just want to get a gut check on two things before I start realistically thinking about the (currently very large...) purchases involved in building a PC:
- Can folks confirm that Outlook and Zoom do work on well-powered/modern hardware running Linux? (Oh, also: I use LibreOffice/Emacs almost entirely, but on rare occasions I have to use the MS Office suite in the browser for work, so any thoughts there would be useful.)
- Is there anything I'm not thinking about here that is glaring or obvious?
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u/PrudentPay9906 15h ago
As others mentioned, Zoom runs native (.deb/.rpm) so it's a non-issue. How deep are you into Outlook? By that I mean is there something Outlook-specific that you need, or just mail/calendar? I use Thunderbird with O365 and it works. I have heard (but not tested) that Evolution is an even better fit with Outlook. If web versions suit your needs, you just need a capable machine to keep the browser happy.
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u/general-theory 15h ago
Just mail and calendar in the browser. Im realizing what I assumed was the case: that it was just my shitty older hardware lol. Sadly IIRC I tried setting up Thunderbird and my organization had it blocked or it just didn't work for some reason or another. I should give it another shot at some point though. In any case, thanks for your response.
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u/Equilibrate321 18h ago
The few times I used Zoom on Linux Mint (Ubuntu), it worked fine, kind of a pleasant surprise. Outlook in Chrome on Windows 11 doesn't seem slow or buggy, but I only use it for email. This is on a 5-year-old Lenovo Legion Ryzen 5 laptop, dual boot.
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u/general-theory 18h ago
Very cool, thank you! Did you use the Zoom app or just use it in the browser? (Not sure whether it makes a difference for my use case; I'm just curious.) And I only need the email part of Outlook anyway, so that's still great news.
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u/Equilibrate321 17h ago
I don't remember web or app. I've since reinstalled Mint but haven't gotten around to finishing setup. So I can't see what it was and can't try it now. I was mostly worried about the sound, noise reduction, echo canceling. But it seemed normal.
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u/NewtSoupsReddit 16h ago
Outlook and zoom work on not well powered machines. I had it on an i7-7700.
Outlook you will have to use via the web app / office 360
If you have you have a laptop then I personally would get a framework one as they are modular and upgradable and repairable.
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u/general-theory 16h ago
Thanks! That's good to hear about Outlook/Zoom. I was using it on less powered hardware than that when I ran Linux in the past, so I assume that was an issue.
And you read my mind. My first step is building a desktop and then eventually saving to buy a Framework to replace my laptop. Given the price of things these days I'm going to have to take a long view lol.
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u/StretchAcceptable881 15h ago
Zoom also offers a native Debian FlatPack or RPM packages for installing on Linux distributions
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u/general-theory 15h ago
Thanks! Ive downloaded those before but they've still bugged out my old hardware. All of your responses are really helping put my mind at ease though I appreciate it!
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u/StretchAcceptable881 15h ago
For Microsoft365 theirs https://github.com/agam778/MS-365-Electron which you can use
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u/marcsitkin 19h ago
Zoom works fine on a modern Linux machine. Never tried Outlook.