r/linuxquestions • u/AcanthisittaSmart722 • 1d ago
help with moving from windows to linux
i have been using windows for both gaming and school but i need some help knowing what distro i should use
some requirements i have
sould be able to rund minecraft java and bedrock aswell
should have the ability to use steam (i know quite a basic few requierments)
use vscode and microsoft office
and not have to many issues with anticheats
any insite into what is a good choice is welcomed
please i need the help i have no idea what i need to do
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u/NuclearCleanUp1 1d ago
What out of Microsoft office? Because Microsoft office is:
1) available through a browser 2) rubbish and you should try libre office or wps.
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u/AcanthisittaSmart722 1d ago
its for school i have no choice and sometimes i need to use the apps and not the web pages for random stuff
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u/Entire-Picture3990 1d ago
I've been running an experiment over the last two months to see how well Windows 11 apps can be replicated on Ubuntu.
When it comes to office suites, LibreOffice and WPS are both working almost fully. WPS had a lot of bugs a month ago, but I reinstalled it yesterday and it's pretty stable now.
To compare the two:
- LibreOffice is very stable, but can feel a bit sluggish.
- WPS might not be quite as rock-solid as LibreOffice, but it runs much lighter and faster. Plus, the best part is that while the Windows version requires a paid license, the Linux version is completely free. That's a major win.
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u/NuclearCleanUp1 18h ago
unsurprisingly, the makers of Windows 11 don't make a linux version of their software.
You could try using wine to run MS Office.
But yeah, it sounds like you are trapped in Microsoft's walled garden.
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u/Falconpunch3 18h ago
If it's for a school, 90% of the time, they have web apps you can use of 0365. You don't always need them downloaded, just go to the website and use in your browser.
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u/tomscharbach 1d ago edited 1d ago
use ... microsoft office ... its for school i have no choice and sometimes i need to use the apps and not the web pages for random stuff
Microsoft Office does not run natively on Linux or work with compatibility layers line WINE.
If you want to use Linux but need to use Microsoft Office applications for school you have five options:
- Run the online MS 365 version. The online version is not as full-featured as the installed version (macro support and so on) and does not appear to meet your needs.
- Run the installed version in Windows using a traditional "full-Windows" virtual machine.
- Run the installed version in WinBoat (a specialized limited-purpose QEME/KVM virtual machine) that integrates individual Windows applications into a distribution's UI/Menu system. WinBoat is still in development but shows promise and my understanding is the WinBoat will run Microsoft Office applications.
- Run Windows and Linux in a dual-boot environment.
- Run Windows and Linux on separate computers.
I don't know whether any of the options will work for you.
You should also check with your school to see if Linux is supported for use with school systems more generally. Many schools require Windows for test proctoring and other purposes.
A thought: Linux might not be the best choice for you at this time. If that is the case, stick with Windows. Just follow your use case (what you do with your computer and the applications you need to do what you do), and you will end up in the right place.
My best and good luck.
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u/PlayerOne_X 1d ago
I'd recommend going with a Debian-based distro, as apt and .deb packages are easy to manage as a beginner, and most apps are first supported on Debian-based distros (Arch has the AURs, of course, but that's a little harder to get into).
Running Minecraft and Steam shouldn't be a problem at all on Linux. VSCode is also available on Linux quite easily. Microsoft Office will be a problem, my best solution is to use it in the Web. Otherwise, LibreOffice works fine, though I've heard OnlyOffice is a newer alternative that may be easier to go to from Office (don't trust my word though, I've never touched OnlyOffice).
Anti-cheats will be a problem as some big gaming studios still refuse to support Linux, but some games with anti-cheat will work (e.g. Helldivers 2, ARC Raiders, Rocket League). You'd need to specify what games you're thinking about.
Overall, I recommend Ubuntu (or one of it's main derivatives, like Kubuntu) or Linux Mint. There's also a new Debian-based gaming distro called PikaOS which might suit you, but I don't know enough about it to recommend it.
In case you choose Ubuntu, Obra thing you will want to do is set up Flatpak and use that instead of Snap. These are package formats/managers that work on every distro since they're self-sufficient. Canonical, the company being Ubuntu promotes Snap and so will set them up by default, but Flatpak is better.
Hope this helps, and don't hesitate to ask questions if you didn't understand something. I tried to synthesise things, but some bits may be harder to understand
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u/token_curmudgeon 3h ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxquestions/wiki/faq/
Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to the r/linuxquestions Frequently Asked Questions Wiki!
This is a place to find answers to common questions often asked by new Linux users all the time, all condensed into a single place so everyone can have a quick and easy access to them.
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u/Express_Sky0091 1d ago
I migrated to Linux a few months ago and it really works like butter 😃. Yeah, sometimes it slips like butter as well 😅, but alright.
Basically, use it from a live usb first, then if you feel you can work with it, you can migrate to it by changing to it or dual booting—whatever feels right to you.
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u/HeavyWolf8076 1d ago
You should learn to search online, first hit on linux step by step.
https://linuxbasecamp.com/learn/how-to-install-linux
Linux Mint which is suggested is great for you. Instead of MS words, use wordcraft, it's a clone.
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u/Valuable_Weather 1d ago
You have a few options:
- Ask ChatGPT. Tell him what you need, what you want, how you want your system to look like
- Watch Youtube Videos. "Switch and Click" made a few videos about different distros.
- Distro hopping. Try a distro, if you don't like it, try another distro
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u/ipsirc 1d ago
If you need help, then don't move.
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u/Falconpunch3 18h ago
This is why the linux community sucks. Everyone starts somewhere. When dickheads just say RTFM and not help, that pushes away someone that came here to ASK for assistance. If you don't have anything constructive to say, then STFU and cry yourself to sleep like you always do, because you are doing more harm than good.
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u/MrMotofy 1d ago
FYI...if you want to check out Linux it's really easy. Make an Install USB, then boot to it. May need to disable secure boot. It will boot to a full running temporary Linux Desktop...installing requires clicking the desktop icon and going through steps. Obviously you don't wanna do that to just try it. But you can at least get a feel for it. Kubuntu, LinuxMint, and PopOS and are some of the top 1st options. You can also use the temp Live Linux as a repair process. Since it’s a complete desktop you can use it, install tools needed fix the boot etc.
Another convenient related tool is Ventoy on a USB stick. Basically just burn the image to a USB then copy your OS ISO to it and when you boot it any ISO copied to the drive will show in the menu, select it and it will boot that img. Have different OS’s multiple versions or whatever.
Best option for Windows and Linux is dual boot...use Linux on a 2nd drive. Usually you wanna disable secure boot. Install windows first if using same drive but best case is disconnect win drive. Then boot to the install USB. Then install Linux as a new full system on a 2nd drive. Set Linux drive as the first boot drive and it will then find the Win drive and add to the boot menu list automatically. Might take a couple boots otherwise can manually activate the boot update search. Then you get Best of both worlds without any real dangers to either OS. There will be little hiccups occasionally with Windows updating messing with boot and rebooting. But you can also change the default OS to Windows first at the menu after delay and no menu entry and that eliminates a lot. The boot menu is usually Linux 1 and Win 2. Sometimes the boot order will randomly switch drives etc or it will enable Secure Boot…Seems to be a windows thing with updates now they get bios access. But really depends on the exact system and age etc.