Switch from Windows to Linux

If you were a bit disgusted after Windows 11 came out, you may be considering a switch to Linux as your main operating system. For me, much of the distaste about Microsoft came from the fact that a company representative had stated that Windows 10 was to be the *last* Windows version and yet now we are told that updates (including security patches) will discontinue for that version after October 14, 2025.

The Linux operating system is a different animal from Windows and the thought of using it daily can seem like a daunting task if you are completely new to it; however, there are flavors (or distributions aka “distros”) of Linux that can ease the step into Linux waters.

The purpose of this article is not to cover Linux in depth, but to provide a suggestion of a Linux version that is thought to be a good fit for newbies, as well as a good video tutorial for installing and setting it up.

The version I’m suggesting is called Linux Mint. Even within Linux Mint, there are different options to try, but instead of getting too bogged down trying to decide, you may want to follow the video tutorial linked below and just see how you like it! Contact me if you have any questions. If there’s a lot of interest in trying Linux, I may post more articles about switching to Linux and we can all share our experiences and concerns.

The tutorial for installing and setting up Linux Mint comes from the
Chris Titus Tech YouTube channel: Windows 10 to Linux Mint

Related or Cited Resources:

  • Windows 10 to be retired in 2025 – Article from the BBC
  • https://linuxmint.com/ The official site for Linux Mint
  • The tutorial video linked in the article is a few years old and the Linux Mint downloads page looks a bit different today. If you want to download the LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition) like what is shown in the video, you may do so here.

Android and Google tips

If you use an android phone or anything Google, you will probably get a lot of good advice from JR Raphael’s Android Intelligence1 tips. He has a free email newsletter (link below) as well as a subscription model website forum that is very active. A lot of the great tips I find come from the AI newsletter or from his articles at ComputerWorld.

If you use the link below to sign up for the free newsletter (just try it out!), then I get a perk! Win win!

Free Android Intelligence newsletter sign up: https://www.androidintel.net/refer/?rh_ref=patricia96ff

For the subscription site, you may join here: Android Intelligence Platinum

Try the free newsletter and see if it’s something you might like to support in the Platinum site. You may continue with the free newsletter whatever you decide. (I don’t get any money from recommending these resources, but I may get access to a free course if you use my link above to sign up.)

1Android Intelligence is now part of a broader technology offering called The Intelligence which also includes news, tips, and tutorials about the Windows operating system as well as general tech agnostic advice.

Website Noise

I’m always happy to try new ways to make web browsing more pleasing. There are several tech sites that I would frequent if not for all of the pop-ups, videos, and smattering of ads mixed in with the articles that I find every time I visit. The website noise found on so many sites is one reason I started my own tech site.

JR Raphael of Android Intelligence1 often has great tips for a more pleasing web experience and I found one of the latest tips in this past week’s Android Intelligence newsletter. This recommendation is helpful for those who primarily use the Chrome web browser and involves using the experimental Chrome flags (where one may experiment with features not available by default). The Reading Mode flag gives you a way to view a website without all the clutter without totally removing the ads which site creators rely on to pay the bills.

Explore the tip in his article on Computer World: https://www.computerworld.com/article/3697312/google-chrome-reading-mode.html

Resources mentioned, recommended, or cited:

  • Sign up for the free Android Intelligence e-mail newsletter here. There is also a paid membership that allows access to a very vibrant forum and bonus newsletters, but the basic newsletter is free (and very helpful for both Android phone users and those invested in all things Google).

1Android Intelligence is now part of a broader technology offering called The Intelligence which also includes news, tips, and tutorials about the Windows operating system as well as general tech agnostic advice.