As the Windows 10 EOL date is close I was wondering what fellow Linux users thoughts about it are.
Are you helping open minded people making the switch to Linux? If yes, which distro are you using? Are you using resources like endof10.org?
Or are you using the the opportunity to get your hands on some cheap hardware for your homelab? Are you keeping an eye on special websites or just ebay (or your local equivalent)? Are you talking with local companies to get the hardware directly from them?
Or are you just observing and enjoy your peace of mind because you switched already to Linux before?
Whatever it is, we are very interested to hear your stories concering this interesting time.
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Most folks I know don’t know the existence of security updates or Windows 10’s EOL so they just keep using it. Even if I told them about the EOL their pcs wouldn’t run Windows 11 nor they’re interested in Linux
Macbook/Linux user here: People (And organisations/governments) who are reasonably skilled with technology will understand that on hardware which can’t use windows 11, and is stuck with windows 10 without security updates need an alternative operating system. When institutions switch to linux, they will likely contribute to the opensource project, and overall bring the user base numbers up, which will make more software developers add support for linux.
But while this should happen, it might work in microsoft’s favour, (Like when Netflix stopped password sharing) meaning people, who are used to windows will just buy new windows 11 machines, overall increasing microsoft’s company value. Microsoft also supports the Israel military during the genocide, and Bill Gates personally supports Trump and had close ties with Epstein, so it would be best if the general public does an accident, or purposeful boycott. Personally I buy secondhand stuff and put linux on it, if you want new stuff either buy a mac, or buy one of those new linux machines from Lenovo?
Microsoft will for sure benefit here.
Many users, especially businesses, will simply upgrade.
Some will pay for the ESU.
Some will sign up for cloud backups.
All these benefit Microsoft.
Some fairly small number will work around Microsoft’s plan by upgrading Windows 11 where they are not supposed to or finding a way to get the updates for free.
Sure, probably the biggest fraction of users will probably do nothing. But they were already doing nothing for Microsoft so nothing changes in this case. Of anything, the load in Microsoft servers goes down a bit.
So ya, Microsoft has little incentive not to charge ahead.
Never had Win10 in the first place. I did upgrade from 7 to 11 using the same product key. I would gladly run Linux but have yet to understand why no Debian live media would ever boot on my main laptop
Probably secure boot, if you deactivate it in the BIOS it should work, maybe
I would help if asked, but I’m not out there trying to convince people. This isn’t the first Windows version to be EOLd, and Apple and Android have all but convinced people that a 2-3 year hardware replacement cycle is normal. I just don’t think this is a significant consumer event at all.
Or are you just observing and enjoy your peace of mind because you switched already to Linux before?
Yeah, but I wouldn’t say “switched” is the right word for me. I’ve been using a variety of OSes for personal and work for a long time. I worked in embedded software, and we had to support a variety of build toolchains for different host OSes and different target OSes. So the idea of using a different OS on my own computer is not a big deal. Over the years it’s been Solaris, BSDos, Mac, Windows, and more flavors of Linux than I can recall.
Not the question you asked, but it was gratifying when Raspberry Pi really started to take off because it was the first time that developing for a different hardware arch and OS target was going mainstream. I would enthusiastically help people with that sort of thing. But even fewer ask. lol
Or are you just observing and enjoy your peace of mind because you switched already to Linux before?
Yes, that. As far as my circle of friends and acquaintances who are running Win10 are concerned, I’ve made the effort to advise them to switch to something newer for security reasons. They will probably switch to Windows 11, but that is their concern.
I use Fedora on my laptop since the day I bought it. It came with Win11 preinstalled.
I’ve been dual booting since 2000 starting with Mandrake. Then Ubuntu and stuck with it or Xubuntu or Kununtu ever since.
I had been using win 10 a lot more when I eventually installed it. It was a great OS in my opinion. Until it wasn’t because Microshits decided to make it bad. I was getting angry with that and learned last year that it would reach EOL this October. So I booted in Linux and started experiencing with Steam and Proton and Bottles and I was blown away by how easy it had become and how well the games played. So last December I wiped the disk, installed Kubuntu 24.04 and it’s been a great experience ever since. Honestly it’s insane how easy it has become. To think I had to recompile my kernel to have all the features of my hardware back in the early 2000s. LoL!
I tried to convince my GF to move to Linux but she can’t due to her job. It’s complicated.
I have used Linux for a good while around the early 2000’s. Good memories.
Fast forward to now. Bought a new laptop with W11. hated it.
(Just imagine a long list of frustrations about W11, because I’m not going to contribute anything new by saying it) -and finally, I want my data to be mine!
And so now I get to annoy my wife about how awesome Linux is. My dad is on the train as well. We both annoy our wives with Linux.
Man I use Windows 11 daily for work and I can’t stand how fucking buggy and clunky everything is. It’s so bad.
Once in a while I’ll boot my Linux desktop and it’s just… Bliss. Other than that I spend a lot of time on my steam deck, love that too.
installed fedora cinnamon on my grandparent’s laptop a few days ago and got a friend turned from 10 to mint. been using mint on my gaming rig, server and media PCs for over two years. also wife requested mint on her laptop, so no windblows devices left in the house then
I switched to Linux about a year ago. I was a windows power user and now I’m a Linux noob, but couldn’t be happier.
I hate to say it, but there’s still reasoning to have Windows. I use a VM with ameliorated windows running for the few things I can’t get away from.
For others, I tell them my story. Most people I talk to won’t or can’t make the switch, which I’m respectful of. To those that would benefit, I recommend at the minimum O&O Shutup but highly recommend ameliorated. This has been more welcomed.
People won’t care until they have a reason to care. I’ll still be around when they do.
but there’s still reasoning to have Windows
For sure. There’s a lot of software that’s built for Windows only. I have some Garmin aviation software that only works on Windows or Mac. It’s pretty shit software, but I have to use it, and since I can do windows in a VM, that’s what I use. Similarly, there’s another bit of software I use all the time that’s only built for iPad. So I have an iPad for that app. There’s not always a choice.
My windows 10 EOL story is boring, I have been running Desktop Linux for 20 years and it just works
Moved family mostly to Zorin. I stay with Tumbleweed.
Keeping Windows on dual boot for some edge cases. For the app or two that doesn’t run with Linux I keep Windows in a virtual machine (which sadly I need once or twice a day).
95% of my daily business runs on Linux.
Now I wish my phone would do that too.
Wth do you need once or twice a day, unless it’s for a niche hobby or work?
Work. Sadly Linux cannot run most Windows Store apps.
And there’s some niche software that runs, but crashes too much for my liking. So unfortunately in these cases: Windows.
Well damn.
My hatred of Windows got so much in the past two years, when I abandoned ship last year for Linux (using Arch btw), I was ready to ditch software that was not available native, without even bothering with trying to run them through Wine. In the end I had to abandon three of my absolute favourite software, totalcmd, notepad++ and foobar2000. Luckily I was able to replace them with nearly similar quality equivalents in Krusader, Kate and DeaDBeeF. Bit less polished, but very configurable.
My work requires me to have a windows based laptop or a Macbook. They’ve told me that they’ve been trying Fedora workstation before, but supposedly the VPN doesn’t work on it. I’ve checked and the VPN expressly supports certain distro, including fedora. But they’ve simply disabled VPN access from non-win/mac based systems since. I suspect there’s either some skill issue or something fishy going on. I know they are monitoring incoming and outgoing files to the system via some tool, which may indeed be not supported on Linux workstations. However the way I use this laptop is simply by accessing it through RDP, and then share files between it and my personal desktop via SMB on LAN, and no one ever complained. I have the lid closed on it all the time. So in essence I just use it like a terminal, and only run work related webportals through a browser on it, like JIRA and shit. Most of my work related to our platform I’m running on my own desktop, because it’s significantly faster.
Not sure what I’d do if I still had to run Windows or even VMs for stuff.
I got my new laptop back in April, had a Windows 11 preinstalled (I wish it wasn’t the case, it would’ve been cheaper but it’s very rare to find OS-less PCs in my country)
Anyway, I prepared a Fedora installation before the laptop got home, booted Windows once to make sure everything (regarding hardware) works, and the rest is history.
There are countries where you can by an OS-less PC?
I’d call ones with FreeDOS OS-less
I’ve been using Linux for about 25 years. I completely stopped using Windows at home more than a decade ago.
I do some volunteer work for an organisation that refurbishes old computers and gives them to people who can’t afford one. For the time being we’re using Rufus to bypass TPM and other hardware requirements so we can install Windows 11 on everything.
We’re willing to install Linux for people who want it, but unfortunately I haven’t seen that happen yet. Most of our customers have no idea what an OS is. A lot of people also need Windows for education or work. There’s a free course available that teaches how to use a computer and of course that is also Windows-only.
We helped one of our colleagues to install Mint on his old laptop, though.
not a whole lot of takers here either, and not a single one yet due to win10’s “retirement”.
everyone wants windows. but after that, most are pretty receptive of other foss options like libreoffice.
For the time being we’re using Rufus to bypass TPM and other hardware requirements so we can install Windows 11 on everything.
Heads up, Microsoft has stated that they do not support machines that don’t meet requirements and that those machines may stop receiving security updates at any time.
The EoL doesn’t affect me. I use Linux and Mac. My work pc is windows 10 but that’s their problem.
My roommate refuses to move on. I flat out gave him an old surface pro X with win11 and a spacious new SSD. I offered to migrate him to fedora and teach him how to use it. I offered to help him pick out a new pc if he wants. No, he’ll just keep waiting 20 minutes for his old crusty Dell to boot up, then another 10 to load chrome. For updates, he said he’ll just download hacks as people post them online.
All his shit is on its own VLAN now.
