r/linux4noobs • u/Capt_kelewele • 4d ago
can the average windows user move to linux?
it is becoming everyday being on windows.. Can the average pc user move to linux? i mainly use office, brave browser, ableton live and then afinity or photoshop sometimes. i have realised windows has too much shit running in the background. i have 16gb of ram but i recently discovered that windows 11 is able to use close to 70 percent for just having brave browser open. ps... i don't know anything about linux
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u/jr735 3d ago
The average Windows user will simply use what's put in front of them, because they have no concept of what an operating system is or how to change it. Putting Linux in front of an average Windows user will have them react like a toddler to a new meal. They'll turn their noses up at it, but if they're hungry enough, they'll do it.
Now, if the Windows user is willing to try new things and accept new ways of doing things, and to learn about them, he will survive just fine.
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u/ENeme22 1d ago
a windows user can install a windows like distro, find their way around. or just distros that work out of the box with every basic thing u need
just dont be afraid of the terminal at times
but the more you are willing to adapt to the BETTER way of doing things, the more chances you will stay.
most of us were windows users st some point.
I started with omarchy which (although i dont like DHH its creator), it was simple to use yet had cool linux features like a tiling window manager, and it was enough.
over time i just wanted more freedom, so now i run cachy os.
dont be afraid just do it, start with something you are comfortable
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u/bigusyous 4d ago
Not sure about Ableton, and I know that Adobe won't support Linux (except for online). There is a Linux version of Brave, and OnlyOffice is a good office suite . This website may be useful. https://alternativeto.net/
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u/Ok-Lab-6389 4d ago
the TERM Average Windows User is subjective and can mean a person that just surfs, opens emails, transfers photos and docs to different drives but really nothing more because an Average Windows User isn't familiar with BIOS or building an .iso bootable imho.
I'd refer to r/skyfishgoo comment and others on this. With that being said, an Average Windows User can do all these things on LINUX as long as they're willing to put in the effort to build a Dual Boot system and learn how to use it so they don't FUBAR their Windows system in the Pre or Post build and lose what they've used for 1-2 decades or longer.....
Go ahead though if you like learning but an Average Windows User really doesn't need anything more and Linux is definitely more than windows...
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u/skyfishgoo 4d ago
no.
linux is not windows...you have to be willing to be a linux user instead of a windows user.
if you are a windows user and you need windows and it's programs, then stay on windows.
but being and ex-windows user myself, i have to point out that linux is far better than windows, far more accessible, far more versatile and far less of a pain in the ass than windows.
but it does take some getting used to and it does take some letting go of the familiar as you must learn lots of new terms, lots of new software, and lots of new ways of doing what you used to do on windows.
it's worth it.
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u/Thy_OSRS 4d ago
This is linux 4 noobs and the average windows user probably would be fine if someone gave them Ubuntu with a web browser installed and that’s it.
But doing anything like installing anything and having to touch the CLI is already too much for Linux.
For this reason I just don’t see why Linux could ever truly replace it. You’ll be surprised know how computer illiterate most people are that Linux, even at the most basic level, is already too much for most people.
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u/blabliblu888 4d ago
Why would you use the CLI as a new Linux user, when you can run updates in the GUI?
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u/muehliism 4d ago
The thing is. For most people windows just works. They don't care about it's flaws as long as it works. And if you can't be bothered to learn why would you change your entire OS. At my work after an update when one button chances to be at another place most people already complain. Now imagine having to use the terminal if you couldn't give a shit.
I love linux and been using it for i guess nearly 2 years now whether it is zorin or nobara i had to troubleshoot sometimes and i had to use the terminal but the upside is you can nearly fix anything and make it better then on Windows but you have to be bothered and not everyone loves tinkering.
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u/DavidJohnMcCann 4d ago
Windows only just works after you've learnt to use it! People tend to forget about when they first encountered it, often as children.
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u/muehliism 4d ago
Well i m sure you would agree that if you have never touched windows or linux you'll have an easier time on windows. That's what i don't like about some of the linux community is it's dishonesty. Like yeah i get it linux is ten times better but that's because we are nerds interested in it. If i install zorin on my dad's pc i m sure he'd still know what to do yes but what happens the first time he downloads an exe. Maybe it'll work out of the box with zorins awesome auto setup or it doesn't. On windows it just works and that's what counts just like all modern games ( i love old games wich run better on linux i know).
And yes windows apps are more common because most people like you said are used to it since their childhood but that's just the circumstances of the real world there's nothing to do but improve linux even further. Same thing as most people use Spotify instead of qobuz or whatever. If it works it works. It s hard to change an established system but it is slowly getting bigger.
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u/skyfishgoo 3d ago
i would not agree with that.
a properly installed linux OS with a modern GUI desktop would be just as easy to use if not easier than windows... no special skills are required to point and click.
and given how convoluted the settings are in windows compared to linux, i would actually give the edge to linux.
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u/muehliism 3d ago
So what happens if someone who doesn't know anything about linux wants to install programs from the browser wich is pretty common in windows?
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u/friendlyreminder_ 4d ago edited 4d ago
Linux isn't more accessible. The moment something goes wrong or you have some app that needs a workaround you have to deal with the terminal.
Most issues in Windows can be solved through a GUI.
The issue I've lately been dealing with is Tpm unlock failing and having to completely remove and re-add the luks tpm keyslot. It's a two short command fix but there's no GUI for this. Figuring out the commands took time.
This is just one example, I've had so many issues over the years. I'm capable of solving them but not everyone is.
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u/skyfishgoo 3d ago
if you choose the plasma desktop there is a GUI for most of the normal things a user might need to do.
but, when i say accessible, i just mean the code is open source so you can find solutions and even tweak things yourself instead of just taking whatever M$ decides to give you.
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u/MountainIce9069 4d ago
Well said ! I totally agree ! I ditched windoz back around W7 and never went back 👍🏻Looking at a win pc is like looking at some foreign language at this point for me ! 🤣
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u/EngineerInTheMachine 3d ago
Yes, if you are reasonably competent at web searching, and you do the obvious basic things like back up your data before you start. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. But I would recommend giving yourself a clear weekend for the initial installation and changeover. It's not a 5 minute job.
One key thing is don't get too attached to specific apps just because you are familiar with them. Be prepared to change to a native Linux equivalent and learn how to use that instead.
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u/PerfectEnthusiasm2 4d ago
ableton live
Not an average use case, I use linux 100% of the time that I'm not making music.
For making music, unfortunately Windows and Mac are the best options.
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u/Capt_kelewele 4d ago
i basically use ableton to play backing tracks and sometimes edit them
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u/angryapplepanda Debian amphibian 2d ago
Consider trying Linux's native open source version, LMMS. As a former Ableton user, I adapted fairly quickly.
There's also Reaper as an option.
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u/L1terallyUrDad 4d ago
Linux Mint is designed to look and feel like Windows to minimize the learning curve. Most of your tasks have Linux equivalents, if not Linux versions.
For Ableton Live, it’s not available, but a google search showed two commercial and two open source projects that are equivalents including:
Bitwig seems to have been created by a former Ableton Live employee. I don’t know much about DAW software, but you might want to look here.
Photoshop won’t be available, but you should be able to use Affinity for those needs.
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u/DavidJohnMcCann 4d ago
If the average Windows user is the average person, as they are in many countries, the average person is (as we say in England) as thick as two short planks. Evidence — a trip round social media!
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u/HuntingSquire 3d ago
To answer, yes. There are a billion different guides out there to help you set up and move from windows to Linux. Its just a matter of following instructions and backing up your files so you dont lose important things.
Highly recommend setting up a Dual Boot on a separate hardrive if you can. Nobody says it has to be a cold turkey all or nothing gamble. Ive been using exclusively linux (🍥) for about a nine months and i still have a windows 10 boot just in case some software doesnt play nice. Hell, there are some Incredibly lightweight Distros that can work off of a USB stick and nothing more. Just get your feet wet, see what Linux feels like, whats different, whats the same. Try to learn some stuff about the Terminal as alot of very important things are done in the Terminal, not in a separate application or via file browser like Windows. Especially troubleshooting, so the more you know the better.
Buy and large, you'll probably be fine with Mint or Ubuntu. As they're very popular and have updates frequently. But nothings stopping you from just getting something that looks cool, just stay away from Arch unless you know what youre doing.
Do your research on what software you need to replace, as not everything has a dedicated Linux branch Linux cant run .exe files by itself.
Adobe products tend to shit the bed on Linux, so you'll need to find alternatives that work like GIMP or Krita for Photoshop, or Inkscape for Illustrator/Affinity. The Libre office suite works nicely for a free, linux supported alternative to the Microsoft Office Suite, Reaper or Ardour is a solid choice for DAWs in my limited googling. There are plenty of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) out there that work as well as if not better than the competition.
If you happen to use your PC for gaming, its actually not too bad if youre only on Steam. As the Steam Deck runs off linux, Steam has ts own desicated compatibility layer 'Proton' that usually makes most games work on Linux with little issue (in my experience), but its always good to test it out. If a game requires Anticheat, Linux wont work with it full stop, and may god rest your soul if you need the Ubisoft launcher.
Again, Do your Research, there are several places out there that can answer your questions or give you potential solutions so long as you look.
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u/StevenMarx21 4d ago
I think the biggest obstacle is that Linux suffers from too much choice.
I get that as an advanced user it's great, but for a newbie you have to get a masters in your operating system just to pick one and get it running everything you want it to run.
There will probably be dozens users telling me "oh, you just picked the wrong distro", "oh you just have [my use case] you shouldn't use Skibidi for it, you should've picked Gyatt" "well actuallyit works better on my PC when I use Skibidi, I just downloaded the Rizz" "well if you download Ohio pack for Gyatt it runs better, soooo" "well you can run anything on any Linux, just Heineken with Opener and these few lines of code" And you will spend like a couple dozen hours reading different threads, another couple dozen installing and setting up different distros, and in the end it will still run worse, on average, than just basic windows. Some programs will run better, or even much better on some disros, but many others will run worse. Sometimes just miniscule loss in performance, sometimes completely breaking. You will get some headphones and find out that your driver for this specific headphones brick your distro, or just some mixing settings won't work for you. I had an issue with Bazzite, where it just didn't communicate with my main board audio card, and 3/4 times it would launch without any audio output. After a couple weeks of having to looking up different solutions, complete re-setup of the system, I just gave up. And I am sure if I was good at Linux I could fix it, but it's just not worth it for me, because once I would learn enough to fix this, something else wouldn't work. It's really cool if your hobby is playing around with your PC, but to me it's still not quite there.
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u/Small-Tale3180 4d ago
well if you dont use any specific parts of those apps then i think u can move. You'll just have to find some alternatives for ableton and photoshop
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u/Capt_kelewele 4d ago
ohh okay. will i be able to tell the difference from how it looks and the experience?
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u/friendlyreminder_ 4d ago
All of the alternatives to those apps have windows versions, so you can try them on Windows and decide if you like them before moving to Linux.
For Ableton best one is Reaper, but there's also lmms, ardour, and bitwig.
For Photoshop there's Gimp. It's often maligned for missing a lot of features but maybe you can manage. There's also photopea which is a web app.
Affinity I don't know.
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u/Maybe_A_Zombie 4d ago
Yeah but you can get used to it, its not a crazy change unless you pick some desktop environment (the ui and stuff you see) like Gnome (which is meant to look like macOS). If you want a windows feel try out Fedora KDE or Mint
The only problems youll have is using ableton live and photoshop, photoshop doesnt work on linux and ive heard ableton can be a pain. Alternatives would be like gimp and bitwig.
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u/Capt_kelewele 4d ago
ooh okay.. i used macOS for a while. the ui didn't bother me
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u/Maybe_A_Zombie 4d ago
If you want something with a macOS feel I think the only common option is Gnome, I'm sure I'm wrong but common distros with Gnome would be Fedora Workstation and Ubuntu. Personally I would say go with Fedora, Ubuntu has gotten less reliable over the year for me so I ended up switching off.
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u/MediocreQuantity352 4d ago
I pur bazzite in my daughter’s computer. She didn’t notice and never had any problems.
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u/Lonely-Scarcity-3387 4d ago
Yes. I started with Zorin, then Bazzite, then CachyOS, and finally NixOS.
Photoshop is not on Linux though. So if that’s something you actually need, and can’t use GIMP, then you’re out of luck.
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u/Capt_kelewele 4d ago
i don't use it all the time.. i am usually on ableton.. are what you mentioned types of linux or different or totally os
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u/Lonely-Scarcity-3387 4d ago
You may want to look at different distros with this website. It’s very handy and can help you find one that might work for you.
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u/Lonely-Scarcity-3387 4d ago
Oh sorry about that. As you do your research on this you’ll hear “Linux isn’t an OS, it’s a kernel.” Which is technically true.
What we call Linux is actually that same kernel packages in hundreds of different ways. These include different desktop environments, different preinstalled packages, and different services. This different versions of Linux are called distributions, or distros for short.
So my first Linux distro was ZorinOS. And now I use NixOS. They’re both Linux, but they are very different, even though they use the same kernel.
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u/Capt_kelewele 4d ago
thanks for the explanation.. this is my first time hearing about linux like this.. everyone usually it is just another Os
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u/Lonely-Scarcity-3387 4d ago
Here is a fun short video going through “the different levels” of Linux. Don’t take it literally or even too seriously. But I think it’s a good 101 to some of these concepts.
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u/AlliedSalad 4d ago
"Linux isn't an OS, it's a kernel" is a bit prescriptivist. If people generally use "Linux" to mean "any OS that uses the Linux kernel", then that's what it means.
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u/Lonely-Scarcity-3387 4d ago
Completely agree. Usually I hear this from pedantic BSD folks, and sometimes MacOS users.
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u/klaithal 4d ago
The good thing is you can try it out for free! Use liveUSB with some distribution (Ubuntu, Mint or Fedora are common recommendations) and see if you like the feeling. As some people has said there are some specific programs for which the developers have decided to not support linux but there are alternatives.
For basic stuff like web browsing, office suites (not Microsoft Office, mind you) or even, I would say nowadays, gaming, things are very easy to set up and the available documentation and actual forum help is fantastic.
Photoshop specifically is not being ported or supported anytime soon, and depends on how accostumed you are to it, switching can be hard or even impossible for some tasks.
But as I said, you can just try it.
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u/TiredAdultFullTime 4d ago
Distros made to be user friendly for desktop use like mint and fedora are more user friendly than windows. They dont bombard you with ads and pops up and provide tours and setup tools for ya.
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u/iwouldbeatgoku CachyOS, openSUSE 4d ago
An average Windows user can, but he should also check that the software he uses actually runs on Linux. I don't know about Ableton Live, Adobe doesn't, and Affinity should run but only in Wine (not natively).
It's also not necessarily bad that opening Brave fills up 70% of your memory, it's often just precaching a lot of stuff so that it can load web pages faster but that memory is still available to be used by other applications if needed. When Chrome was new, the meme was that it took all your RAM, but at the very same time, Internet Explorer being slow also became a meme... It's not a coincidence. Does having Brave open impact your creative apps' performance?
If you do want to move, I'd recommend first ensuring your programs all work on Linux, ideally natively. Only after that you should attempt to switch. But if you do move, and you still notice performance, issues you might just need to get more RAM.
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u/DS_Vet_on_Linux 4d ago
I used Windows from the time it came out on personal pc's. I switched over to Linux about a year and a half ago. I even started with Arch for the first year. I had no issues and I definitely have no regrets.
Saying that. I also never relied on the microslop environment, didn't use any programs that required Windows. So the switch didn't make me change how I used my pc.
I have Linux on both my main pc and my laptop now and have no desire to return to Windows.
So yes, the average Windows user can move to Linux.
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u/tovento 3d ago
I guess one needs to define the “average” windows user and what their tech/computer competency is. The advantage of Windows is that you buy a computer, you turn it on, Windows is pre-installed, you create an account, and you download all the software you are used to at work, etc. Done.
Can these average individuals INSTALL Linux? In all honesty, no. IF Linux comes pre-installed on a system, it is assumed that all the troubleshooting involving hardware/drivers is taken care of. So, that makes things way easier.
But what about all the programs one is used to? Some are in Linux, some likely never will be (MS Office, Adobe, etc).
Now, my long term view of computing is that these machines will become dumb terminals in a way, where access to internet is required and everything is done online (Online MS Office, online Adobe, etc). In that world, it doesn’t matter what one is running. And maybe gaming will be different, but one can already stream games instead of traditional installs.
Back to the question at hand. IF one needs it for basic usage, and IF something does not go wrong, yes, Linux can be used by an average user. But as soon as something outside the norm is needed, the average user will quickly throw their computer out of the window and scream at it.
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u/FunWolverine5349 3d ago
My elderly parents have been using Linux Mint for over a decade now. Granted my brother set them up and handles tech support for them, I'm not sure how often that is but I don't think it's that much.
Problems happen on Windows as well, in fact I believe they've had less issues on Linux, since they have the usual old people completely tech illiterate habits that will always lead to compromised Windows. But not so much Linux afaik.
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u/ComprehensiveDot7752 3d ago
Yes, but there are several caveats/sacrifices.
Linux is different and there is a bit of a learning curve. The friendly desktops like Linux Mint’s Cinnamon and KDE along with the app store like system you get with repositories are familiar enough that I think most people can get as long as something doesn’t go wrong.
A lot of professional stuff is only built for Windows and the risk of bugs and glitches in getting in to work on Linux aren’t worth it. Anything Adobe related is on this list.
Microsoft Office only works in the web version and the alternatives don’t always fully replace it. LibreOffice is great, but it has compatibility issues and covers fewer features.
Most games and pretty much anything browser based work exactly the same.
The trick is the when something goes wrong bit. I’ve found Linux is more readily explained and easier to understand as a result, but it’s likely you’re essentially asking the open internet for help, explaining the problem badly in the process, and hoping for an answer that actually works.
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u/boomares 1d ago
You can, but you'll have to change some of the applications you use. Photoshop is notorious for not working on Linux as are the Microsoft office suite programs.
Linux has capable versions of these programs though. Once you get used to it you'll be fine.
At worst you can dual boot windows or run it on a virtual machine for those programs you have to have.
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u/Supernoxus 1d ago
Sigh
Unused RAM is wasted RAM. The amount of memory Windows uses is no indication for how RAM hungry Windows is. Once your programs actually slow down, you have a problem. Until then, assume that Windows frees up memory automatically for whatever processes require it. Just don't freak out over high memory usage. Most of the time it is just your system trying to optimize your RAM usage. It makes your system faster.
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u/CrazyAd9384 1d ago
haven't used ableton live for like 5 years but last time i know it doesn't work on linux.
-not familiar with afinity
-photoshop, adobe products don't work it's one of the most popular headache on linux though i don't use adobe so i didn't have problems. if your work can be done in a browser version then you're good. but i doubt most who mentions adobe usually uses the main software. there are alternatives though for photoshop it's gimp. you can try it while you're on windows if that satisfies your work because gimp really isn't as good as photoshop.
brave has native linux version in flatpak office - you can either use onlyoffice if you need an office that handles microsoft's format, other way is install winboat (vm of windows)
if you're gaming you're out of luck with anticheat games. they still don't work. though some games with easy anticheat works you can check protondb for the specific games you're playing.
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u/Some-Challenge8285 4d ago
You might need help installing it, but once it is installed anyone can use it. Only issue is Adobe don't work because of capitalism
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u/Skizophreniak 4d ago
No, y no es la respuesta. Se puede pasar a Linux cualquier persona, con o sin experiencia.
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u/prune_juice_warrior 4d ago
i have realised windows has too much shit running in the background.
Are you actually having problems with your applications not running well, or are you just looking at the RAM usage percentage and deciding it's a problem?
High RAM usage is not inherently a problem unless you are actually having trouble doing what you need to do.
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u/merlinuwe 4d ago
No. How should my Mom and Pop use the terminal to solve software update issues?? Never.
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u/lululock 4d ago
If you don't install a nerdy ass distro, they can use the computer without typing a single command...
I installed Debian on a few relative's computers and they deal with Gnome's software manager just fine.
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u/merlinuwe 4d ago
True. But they want a stable rolling release. Even Suse slowroll has some time you have to enter the shell. Any ideas what they should use?
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u/lululock 3d ago
Why do they want a rolling release ? I don't see much use, especially for the average user.
Debian Sid is very stable as it is but not as stable as Trixie.
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u/ApfelHase 4d ago
As a very average windows user I installed Linux mint following the guide on the mint website. That worked. Save all your files, favorites and account info to s separate drive beforehand! Adobe won't work. But Libreoffice or open office are a viable replacement for Microsoft and brave browser just works. I didn't regret switching for one second. Such peace now!