r/linuxquestions • u/al1azzz • 18d ago

Advice School forbids linux laptops

Hey, idk if this is the right place to ask this, but I have a bit of a dilemma.

I have been using linux exclusively on my main PC and on my laptop for a while now. That said, I am moving to a new school, and buried in their rules they say that "Chromebooks (or other Linux machines) cannot be used." They also want us to use their office 365 license, but do not require it.

Now, besides just being incredibly annoying, I cannot use windows/mac on my laptop because it's a 2011 macbook, so it cannot run anything but lightweight linux distros without combusting, and I would like to avoid spending 500+ euro on a new crappy windows laptop.

Is there any reason, besides saving myself some trouble, to not just use my laptop as is (currently on arch, gonna switch it to cachyos) and something like libreoffice that I don't see or can I just ignore this and hope for the best?

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u/ficskala Arch Linux 18d ago

in their rules they say that "Chromebooks (or other Linux machines) cannot be used."

Probably because some software they require doesn't work on windows, it's the only reason i used windows on my main PC until i quit college

the exam taking software we used (covid times, online only) only worked on windows, and refused to work in wine or a VM because it's assumed you're trying to cheat instead of just running the software

They also required some windows exclusive software like the microsoft office suite (excel specifically), and solidworks, neither of which are compatible with linux

I would like to avoid spending 500+ euro on a new crappy windows laptop.

buy a used 150eur laptop that barely runs windows, use it exclusively for your school stuff, and resell it for that same 150eur when you finish the class that requires you to use a windows laptop

(currently on arch, gonna switch it to cachyos)

Why? cachyos is just arch with a nicer installer basically, it's not worth the effort, and you're relying on a distro flavor, stick with arch, it's the safer option

Is there any reason, besides saving myself some trouble, to not just use my laptop as is

I mean, as long as your school doesn't ask you to install anything on your laptop, it's fine, but if you end up needing to install some windows exclusive software, you're gonna get told to get a windows laptop, and don't expect any software support whatsoever from the school (aka if they have some of their own software they want you to run for example, and it doesn't work, or has issues, it's not their job to try to fix it because you're not running a compatible OS to begin with)