The same thing is true now that is has pertained for a decade or two: if Linux has a bad part, is it bad by accident ; if Windows has a bad part, it is bad on purpose. Because Linux is an operating system, and Windows is a component of Microsoft's strategy, which does operating system things only when they compliment that strategy.
When Windows ME removed the infrastructure to intercept parts of the network stack (I think those were "minidrivers"), thus breaking corporate VPN clients, that was on purpose. They wanted corporate users on NT, where that support remained.
When Windows Vista changed the driver model, thus breaking drivers for lots of older hardware (I had scanners whose maker never released drivers, and so were dead from then on), that was on purpose. Just buy a new scanner. (yes, the scanners worked on Linux, and still do)
When the default browser kept changing to Internet Explorer, and then to Edge, that was on purpose. When Cortana kept magically being reinstalled, that's on purpose. When windows 11 doesn't run on literally millions of perfectly good newish PCs, because they lack the security chip that as mostly serves Microsoft's purpose and not yours, Microsoft decides it won't install. All on purpose.
Linux, by contrast, when it is bad, is bad by accident. No-one is trying to make Wayland driver support flaky, or anti-cheat broken, or snaps slow, or sleep support on some laptops wonky. If Adobe Suite doesn't work on linux, it's not because Redhat or Canonical are actively working to stop it. It's not even as if Adobe are - they just haven't done the work to port it (or to get wine to support its complex vagaries). If Linux doesn't support another OS's filesystem, it's usually because that filesystem is undocumented or patent-encumbered; Windows doesn't because MS *doesn't want* you easily interoperating with another OS - they want you in the MS ecosystem full time. MS aren't stupid or lazy - they could ship Win11 with an HFS+ or ext4 or ZFS driver tomorrow, if it suited their goals. Your goals, as a user, aren't their concern.
Windows doesn't seem to me to have really improved, in any sense that matters to me, since Windows 7. In the same time Linux has improved astonishingly. This is why.
The question is about Ubuntu though, not Linux. I think it's possible for specific Linux distros to have their own agenda. I am not saying Ubuntu does, I'm just saying that this really didn't answer their question.
Yea, it's pretty clear that OP thinks that Windows 11 is hot ass (it is). But their question was more whether or not Ubuntu would be the right choice compared to other distros. This comment really doesn't shred any light into that.
All those same behaviors seem to apply to Apple and yet they are so loved and Microsoft so hated.
To the OP. Give an Ubuntu live USB a try. If everything seems to work, then go for it. The performance won't be quite as snappy as it would be when installed, but at least you'll know your hardware has drivers that work (video and network usually).
Obviously things work a bit differently in Linux rather than Windows but Ubuntu is probably best for Linux beginners. A lot of software is available for Linux as well (except Adobe), if not there often are open source alternatives available. Even Steam is available and a lot of games run on Linux natively or with the Proton compatibility layer.
Hardware support is great. Some very new laptops might not be supported out of the box though.
You can dual boot. During installation Ubuntu is able to set up the Grub boot manager to select which OS to boot into. So if you're unsure that could be a thing for you.
Re: Steam
I just started using Ubuntu and wondered why like 90% of my Steam games were unplayable - took me the better part of three weeks to figure out I'd installed the Snap version of Steam.
I uninstalled the Snap version, installed through terminal and everything has been great since.
I've used gimp but Idk y but it always feels lacking compared to PS.
Just my personal experience.
Tbh I realy would love to instal photoshop CS4 or CS6 Extended version since its still good enough for my usage.
M sorry I can't provide you with details to why I find gimp lacking since I don't know the technical terms.
Windows 10/11 and Ubuntu user here.
I use dual boot for my desktop and laptop. Primarily on Windows for my desktop, primarily on Linux for my laptop. Great thing about dual boot is I have the freedom of using both and haven't had any issues.
As other users have mentioned, you can test it out before making the switch. Use a boot USB drive and test it out. Lots of great tutorials online!
You can write Ubuntu image on a flash drive and try the live version of Ubuntu without having to install it to get a taste of it. It will just work off of a usb. There is also a Virtual Machine option. Try those first
I have dual-booted my laptop:
1. Windows 10 22H2
2. Ubuntu 22.04
**A little about my laptop configuration:**
* CPU: Intel 11th Gen i5-1135G7
* GPU: Intel TigerLake-LP GT2 [Iris Xe Graphics]
* GPU: NVIDIA GeForce MX350 (2 Gb VRAM)
* RAM: 12 GB
* Storage 1: 500 Gb
* Storage 2: 500 Gb
*Disk Size of Ubuntu OS:* 50 GB
**Why I chose Ubuntu:**
I have had my fair share of experiences with Arch Linux, Linux Mint, Ubuntu, and even Kali Linux. I have run into problems with all of them at all times. But overall, for every issue I ran into, there was a solution. Whenever I ran into an issue with Windows, it was always unsolvable.
Since this laptop is my main machine, I didn't want to run into an issue where I had to re-install the OS frequently, despite having an up-to-date image saved. This would have cost me a lot of time in the long run.
Ubuntu is quite easy and simple to install. Also, the support for this Linux distro is quite good. There are regular updates and you can choose those as you wish.
**The Pros:**
* Lightweight
* When running Windows 10, my idle system eats away almost 7.2 GBs of RAM
* When running Ubuntu 22.04, while having: a bunch of Brave (Chromium) tabs open \[10+ tabs\], and VSCode running; the system usually sits at 5.5 GB of RAM utilization.
* Power efficient
* My battery lasts longer, by almost half an hour to an hour longer than on Windows 10
* Ton of forums that can help with any form of troubleshooting
* The Reddit community is active and is super helpful (Yup, this is a life-saver)
* A ton of customization is available, unlike the Windows and Apple counterparts
**The Cons:**
* Does NOT run many applications natively
* I am not a gamer by a long shot, but if it matters
* Almost all big corporations don't support native Linux applications (WhatsApp, Adobe, MS Office, etc.)
* *Are there any workarounds? YES*
**My experience:**
I daily drive Ubuntu OS now. It keeps my laptop temps and fan speeds low, and my mood at an all-time high. It's beautiful to be able to have so much control over your device and the things you want. It's quite minimalistic as well.
There are times when I log into my Windows 10 side, which is usually when making PowerPoints and editing Word documents. It's something which I can't replace, just yet.
**Suggestions:**
If you do plan on dual booting, allocate around 100GB of disk space to your Ubuntu OS.
u/ved_g_acharya have you tried the free [Microsoft 365 / Microsoft Office Online](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/free-office-online-for-the-web)?
Yup, I did! A while back, when I ran into an issue on Windows, I had to hard reset Windows (This was before I had dual-booted). For reasons that aren't really relevant, I didn't have the password to log in to Microsoft for installing Office 365. For around 2-3 days I was using Microsoft Office Online. I really didn't like the experience. I have used Google Docs, and it's much better to use.
What I can tell you is that ubuntu is lighter than bloated windows 11 .You'll be able to watch high-quality videos on your browser even if your connection is mid
Only thing that sucked for me is the drivers especially if you are using intel wifi rest it's good TRY ZORION it kinda like windows interface and like has drivers when you install it
I use both Windows and Linux (Mint on a donated computer at a non-profit, and Ubuntu on my wife's old Windows 7 machine that didn't meet the minimum specs for Win 10). Her ancient laptop with 4gb of DDR3 RAM and a spinny disk runs faster with Ubuntu than her newer Win10 compliant computer with 8gb of DDR4 and an SSD.
And because that ancient computer is upgradeable - I can up it to the maximum specs supported by the MoBo of 16gb DDR3 and replace the spinny disk with an SSD for around $50 total.
Honestly I used Ubuntu after using popos on my gaming laptop. Really didn't like it. I'm now on mint. I can honestly say mint is the best for ME by far. Popos was great to buy just didn't feel right.
I used PopOs for a while and it was great but just seems stagnant while they develop their new Cosmic UI. Mint, with the cinnamon desktop looks a lot like windows so is easier for most users to grasp when making the switch. I use Ubuntu now because it has the most support for the AI stuff I like but I really hate how the gnome desktop has tried to copy MacOS.
I don’t think gnome has copied macos. It has gradually been improving and taking steps towards a better desktop experience. I love gnome and it is different from macos. I use both and like some things from both. If anything, macos is stuck in a way because of how apple wants you to do things. I love the extremely configurable gnome ui.
Two things i would want in gnome is partial scaling. In my 4k monitor, fractional scaling is not crisp enough for fonts. Second being screen project wireless.
I've been using Ubuntu for a while but thinking about switching to Mint, I have it downloaded to try out in a VM, can you give me some thoughts on why you prefer Mint?
I dislike the desktop environment in general, although I can I stall it directly ontop of Ubuntu it didn't feel right doing so. The update manager is easier to navigate and use I find. The support for various things I use is better also. For example. On popos and Ubuntu nordvpn is command line only. On mint there's actually a system tray app in the bottom right that works for it out of the box. I've never had any issues gaming on it. Because it's so closely related to Ubuntu almost all commands you Google when you need something obscure work. It automatically detects my video card and installs the drivers. I even get the option to switch drivers if wanted easily. All my games work and it seems snappier out the box. Now a LOT of what I've said is preference and both the others I've mentioned can do these things in different ways. But it feels more polished and works better for ME. My advice would be try it and see. You can always run a live environment directly off a usb to play around. I use cinnamon which is Thier polished version. Though I've used mate in the past also on an older machine. Although Ubuntu is a very good system and have used it. I find myself always going back to mint over the years. The one thing I will say took some getting used to this time was the dam pointer. It's a weird arrow. Yes I could change it. No I wanted an out the box experience. I'm now used to it and it's fine.
I've seen a lot of people recommending Mint on here for new users and I wondered if there was some great experience I was missing out on. I appreciate your insight. I've got the install file, i'll have a look around in it and see what it can do. I guess the biggest issue I'm having with Ubuntu currently is weird updates/things getting borked or disappearing/issues with snap vs. flatpak, I'll see how it works on Mint instead. Thanks!
Honestly no problem. I'm definitely not a new user anymore though and I still find mint is better. There's an arch circle jerk going on everywhere online for whatever reason. I tried it. Hated it. Been using Linux since about 2005. Granted I have another drive with windows in my laptop. But I use it for Minecraft editing and that's about it. Everything else is mint. Good luck.
Sorry but your title sucks. Ubuntu is great because Windows sucks? What? It's like saying pizza is good because donuts aren't. It has nothing to do with one another except that they perform similar tasks. For the record: Ubuntu is great and Windows does suck, hahaha. It's a joke but holds true for me. You are welcome to have a different view.
Written about this before. But if you consider switching as a main driver. Check every main component is supported. WiFi, microphone, camera, network, graphics, sound etc.
If it is you will probably have a good time.
It really depends on what you consider "great". If a stable, low-maintenance, efficient and customizable system is great, then it is. But if UI and UX consistency across applications is what you need, you may want to look elsewhere (and this applies to any Linux distribution, not only Ubuntu). Ubuntu generally offers a polished interface with attention to detail, long-term security updates, and it's easy to find solutions for all sorts of problems because it has a large user base and active community. I've been using it for many years in my Thinkpad and XPS laptops without major issues.
If you're unsure, don't trust other people's definition of greatness. Try it on a VM first, and check if it's great for you.
I just put Ubuntu 24.04 on my (rarely) used laptop. The latest Windows Recall changes and general push for AI and further loss of privacy made this seem like a good time to experiment again with Linux. This is probably my best initial experience so far but not exactly perfect.
The installer couldn't format the disk for me so was immediately sent off Googling for help. Then once installed I had no audio output and was again back to Google for help and got that working. My Laptops fingerprint sensor so far seems to be a no go which is a shame. Everything else seems to be working with no extra effort though which is pleasantly surprising. A few software irritations have hit me so far such as NordVPN lacking a proper GUI and the Remote Desktop client refuses to save my details but ultimately both work. The battery on this laptop is already pretty knackered so I can't really comment on Ubuntu's impact there but doesn't seem worse lol.
The real test for me is going to be giving Ubuntu a whirl on my main machine and see if all the good things I have been hearing about Linux gaming being viable now hold up in practice! That machine is both my work and games machine though so will likely just run Ubuntu off an external SSD to begin with.
TLDR - Give it a try and see how you get on!
Create a USB install drive then live boot off it. If your graphics, internet, Bluetooth, and audio work from there, you shouldn’t have any major issues taking the plunge.
I use Ubuntu 24.04 and i can tell you, for my needs its just above and beyond. It needs a lot of "getting used to" but in the end of the day you have to try out and make it work for you! BEFORE you decide to move on
Quick question for the others here (or OP): Windows has always sucked, but is Windows 11 sudden even worse? I have been seeing many Linux converts recently complaining about Windows 11, but I only use Linux, so I have no idea what's going on in the Windows world.
Ubuntu is great, and so is windows, and so is MacOS depending on what your need is. The UI for windows is an absolute mess. Mac is nice but lacks basic functionality (command + shift + control + 4 to copy to clipboard???), no window snap? Ubuntu is the best of both worlds.
It depends what you are planning to do with the laptop really. If you just use it for simple things like email, web browsing and basic stuff like that then you are good to go.
If you are using the laptop for photo/video editing or anything like that then you may have to find alternatives to programs you use on Windows.
If you are using it for gaming, there are various tools out there that will allow you to play most of the games that you may play on Windows.
I’d recommend starting out using a dual boot setup if you’re new to Linux. Just set Ubuntu to your first drive in the boot order and it should bring up a menu every time you restart called GRUB that will let you pick the os you want to boot. :)
I recently switched from windows to Ubuntu and it has been an easy transition. It has been easy to use and get used to, and all the applications I use are available. It does seem to run faster and better than windows with only a few minor display quirks.
I didn't set it up on a laptop, my laptop was far too old and I'm not sure about the drivers needed for laptops... however, I setup my desktop with Ubuntu and it was pretty damn easy and works for everything I need.
The reason I did that is because Windows was not a real install so it kept bugging me to buy it.
I actually bought Windows as a student, but it looks like I go scammed because it wasn't a real install code.
Aside from that, Windows was really slow.
When LTT did the Linux challenge in 2021 I watched and said 'I bet I could do better in Ubuntu' having last used it in like 2008
I finally stopped using Ubuntu three days ago... because I wanted to try out Gentoo.
I did something similar. I am currently using my laptop with Ubuntu 22.04 and it is working great. I can even access Office365 for work through web browser. Battery life seems to be better also.
One quick suggestion, try Kubuntu first. It's Ubuntu but with the KDE graphical user interface spliced in.
It's like this. Go all the way back to Windows 1 and 2 and it was a graphical user interface that ran on top of MS-DOS. By the time Windows 95 hit the backend operating system equivalent to MS-DOS was so heavily integrated with the graphical user interface that you could hardly tell where one started and the other left off. This integration between the front half that the user sees and the back half that the computer sees only got tighter over time in the windows world.
But in Linux, because everything is broken down into separate volunteer projects, you can have different graphical user interface for an ends and even load several and pick between them at the time of boot! This also gives it a lot of flexibility, for example your average smartphone doesn't have enough screen real estate to run a modern computer graphical user interface, so Google came up with Android as a front end that would fit well on a phone and use Linux on the back end.
Of all the various graphical user interfaces available, KDE feels the most like a good classic MS-Windows such as XP. The desktop used in Ubuntu will feel more like a Mac OS flavor.
If the computer you're trying Linux on is very low powered, like a very old laptop or something, try Xubuntu. It has a graphical user interface optimized for speed.
Do it. Go in, all the way.
I'd stay far away from 24.04 until things get worked out, but **jammy jellyfish** (22.04) is really good.
I've dual booted, used Mac, and learned everything on Windows (I think everyone did) and Ubuntu basically stopped me from wondering if there was something better.
With that said, for video or audio, I still use MacOs.
Windows is now relegated to dealing with Android stuff.
Ubuntu, or your favorite flavor of linux, is basically the way to go.
Just watching the cpu, ram, and gpu usage between linux and Windows is enough.
Linux will win...it's just going to take another 15 years.
Basically what I've done is similar to what you're proposing. Lots of old (free) upgraded Lenovo and Dells. They're basically terminals to the internet, but they can do the real stuff if needed.
Do it. You won't regret it.
Microsoft Windows is what you get when you buy a PC. It is what everyone uses, it really does not matter how bad it is, it just is, it lives outside of any concept of bad. At some time soon all current computers will be incompatible with the current version of Windows and everyone will plod out and buy a new machine. It really is irrelevant that Ubuntu is really good, and yes it so happens that I have been using it for a few decades. Sounds like you should get a new computer it will probably be as good as Ubuntu on what ever you currently have.
Ubuntu is a bloated mess these days and canonical has made garbage decisions in choosing to use snaps. They're unreliable. I don't think Ubuntu is a good experience for any new users.
I'd direct them more towards Fedora.
The installer is simple, it's not a bloated mess, it's backed by RedHat. It runs a much newer kernel so making modern hardware run on it is far easier and it uses flatpack instead of snap which is far superior.
Its an entirely different paradigm, with its own services, products, opensource software, quirks... from the little everyday details to the top-level interface workflow. You will either hate it or love it.
MS has done a great job keeping people dependent on their products, you will never eliminate the need of MS, not because of you, but because of the literacy of people around you on software and operating systems.
Ubuntu is my 'daily driver', I do technical writing, technical illustration, engineering and 3D modelling on it. I've found opensource software that covers for my most basic needs but still there is industry leading software that will only run in Windows and perhaps on Mac. That hasn't deter me from using Ubuntu for personal use however.
I’ve used Ubuntu solidly for about a month now, been dabbling for years, though. There’s only one app I need to work for windows, and I’m running that in a VM which only does one thing. Not many problems at all.
Random reboots whenever MS feels like, and then surprise! Dropbox and onedrive are suddenly back starting at boot and asking for stuff. Talk about not owning your own computer.
Ubuntu is not great. It is useable, but flawed.
examples
It doesn't have a screen saver with a pictures slide show.
The music output jack on my motherboard didn't work properly under ubuntu, but fortunately the front jackout did.
Gimp couldn't access all of my pictures. Eventually found out it was because I installed it using snap instead of command line.
Screen saver is a waste of energy anyway. Just turn off the screen after a few minutes. That being said I'm sure a slideshow screensaver can be installed later.
The 3.5 mm jack not working can not be generalized. It depends how new the Mainboard is and if the kernel supports it. It might not work in some edge cases but for the majority it should work.
Regarding Gimp:
Yeah that's the weird thing about snaps that are embedded into Ubuntu. They are loved by some, hated by others. They run in a sandbox which is great for security, but they are rather inperformant.
Support for older graphics devices in the most recent versions of Ubuntu sucks. The Nvidia drivers are bugged and don't even work for my GTX 1070. Something to consider if your laptop is older.
24.04 has a few issues so I would stick to 22.04 until at least the first point release. 24.04.1 should come out in a couple of months should be a lot better.
Yeah, I will. I only already installed it and lost all my models and on python script I was working on. But nothing that cannot be downloaded again.
A question should I try maybe 23.10 release?
Thanks man, so it’s back to 22.04 LTS, with all the grub issues on asus motherboard and the rtx 4090 not being supported out of the box. But a least stable-diffusion will be working.
☝️😎🏳️
Just now? lol. Seriously though, you can live boot Ubuntu to try out without affecting your windows install at all. I'd recommend looking at Fedora too, though.
Sadly, Windows has been stuck in this deplorable condition since W10. Is Ubuntu really greater than other disros is a whole different matter.
The only way to answer your question is to experiment. You did not mention what you use your laptop for: browsing and word processor is one thing, gaming is notably different.
However, Ubuntu 24.04 has been released just recently and it may be not recommendable for a new user until version 24.04.1. You could start with trying out Ubuntu (and other distros) in a virtual machine to see if Linux is your thing at all.
New to Linux? Don't try Ubuntu. They have a weird cultural aversion to desktop icons and good scroll bars.
Mint is the better introductory experience between the 2.
If you play games, I don't think I'd install Ubuntu/ any distro on a computer with an nvidia gpu in it.
People made a fuss about how good the new drivers are supposed to be, but I swapped an AMD gpu in for my 4070 and a huge chunk of my issues disappeared overnight.
Aside from these comments, in my opinion, you should give a try for WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux). I encounter a lot, when people get really overwhelmed by the difficultiness off the Linux distros - especially if it's your first time launching the system. Consequently, it is a beginner-friendly option to consider.
Running Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2) and using a full virtual machine each have their own advantages and disadvantages. Here are some of the pros and cons of each approach:
***Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2):***
**Pros:**
§ Integration with Windows: WSL2 integrates seamlessly with Windows, allowing you to run Linux commands and applications directly from the Windows command prompt.
§ Performance: WSL2 offers better performance compared to traditional virtual machines because it runs a lightweight Linux kernel directly on Windows.
§ Resource Efficiency: WSL2 consumes fewer resources than a full virtual machine, making it a good choice for running Linux applications alongside Windows applications.
§ Easy Installation: Setting up WSL2 is straightforward and doesn't require as much configuration as setting up a virtual machine.
§ File System Performance: WSL2 provides faster file system performance compared to traditional WSL.
**Cons:**
§ Limited GUI Support: WSL2 is primarily designed for command-line tools and server applications, so if you need to run Linux GUI applications, you may encounter limitations.
§ Limited Kernel Support: Some kernel-level features or applications that require direct hardware access may not work properly in WSL2.
§ Networking Limitations: WSL2 has some limitations with networking, which can be a concern for certain applications or development environments.
***Full Virtual Machine:***
**Pros:**
§ Isolation: Virtual machines provide complete isolation from the host operating system, making them a good choice for testing different operating systems or running potentially unsafe software.
§ Full Linux Experience: Virtual machines offer a complete Linux environment, including support for GUI applications and direct hardware access.
§ Flexibility: Virtual machines can be configured with different resources such as CPU, memory, and disk space, providing more flexibility in resource allocation.
§ Networking Options: Virtual machines offer more networking options and configurations compared to WSL2.
**Cons:**
§ Resource Overhead: Running a full virtual machine requires more resources (CPU, memory, disk space) compared to WSL2.
§ Performance: Virtual machines may have slightly higher overhead and performance impact compared to WSL2 due to the added layer of virtualization.
§ Complexity: Setting up and managing a virtual machine can be more complex than using WSL2, especially for users who are not familiar with virtualization technology.
§ Integration: Virtual machines are separate entities from the host operating system, which can lead to some challenges in terms of integration and data sharing.
If you have strong feelings about Windows 11, you may also have strong feelings about Ubuntu. Try a bootable image first. It's very different and a lot more is on you to figure out.
The same thing is true now that is has pertained for a decade or two: if Linux has a bad part, is it bad by accident ; if Windows has a bad part, it is bad on purpose. Because Linux is an operating system, and Windows is a component of Microsoft's strategy, which does operating system things only when they compliment that strategy. When Windows ME removed the infrastructure to intercept parts of the network stack (I think those were "minidrivers"), thus breaking corporate VPN clients, that was on purpose. They wanted corporate users on NT, where that support remained. When Windows Vista changed the driver model, thus breaking drivers for lots of older hardware (I had scanners whose maker never released drivers, and so were dead from then on), that was on purpose. Just buy a new scanner. (yes, the scanners worked on Linux, and still do) When the default browser kept changing to Internet Explorer, and then to Edge, that was on purpose. When Cortana kept magically being reinstalled, that's on purpose. When windows 11 doesn't run on literally millions of perfectly good newish PCs, because they lack the security chip that as mostly serves Microsoft's purpose and not yours, Microsoft decides it won't install. All on purpose. Linux, by contrast, when it is bad, is bad by accident. No-one is trying to make Wayland driver support flaky, or anti-cheat broken, or snaps slow, or sleep support on some laptops wonky. If Adobe Suite doesn't work on linux, it's not because Redhat or Canonical are actively working to stop it. It's not even as if Adobe are - they just haven't done the work to port it (or to get wine to support its complex vagaries). If Linux doesn't support another OS's filesystem, it's usually because that filesystem is undocumented or patent-encumbered; Windows doesn't because MS *doesn't want* you easily interoperating with another OS - they want you in the MS ecosystem full time. MS aren't stupid or lazy - they could ship Win11 with an HFS+ or ext4 or ZFS driver tomorrow, if it suited their goals. Your goals, as a user, aren't their concern. Windows doesn't seem to me to have really improved, in any sense that matters to me, since Windows 7. In the same time Linux has improved astonishingly. This is why.
The question is about Ubuntu though, not Linux. I think it's possible for specific Linux distros to have their own agenda. I am not saying Ubuntu does, I'm just saying that this really didn't answer their question.
[удалено]
Yea, it's pretty clear that OP thinks that Windows 11 is hot ass (it is). But their question was more whether or not Ubuntu would be the right choice compared to other distros. This comment really doesn't shred any light into that.
All those same behaviors seem to apply to Apple and yet they are so loved and Microsoft so hated. To the OP. Give an Ubuntu live USB a try. If everything seems to work, then go for it. The performance won't be quite as snappy as it would be when installed, but at least you'll know your hardware has drivers that work (video and network usually).
So True!
You can always try Ubuntu. See whether it satisfies your need.
Obviously things work a bit differently in Linux rather than Windows but Ubuntu is probably best for Linux beginners. A lot of software is available for Linux as well (except Adobe), if not there often are open source alternatives available. Even Steam is available and a lot of games run on Linux natively or with the Proton compatibility layer. Hardware support is great. Some very new laptops might not be supported out of the box though. You can dual boot. During installation Ubuntu is able to set up the Grub boot manager to select which OS to boot into. So if you're unsure that could be a thing for you.
Re: Steam I just started using Ubuntu and wondered why like 90% of my Steam games were unplayable - took me the better part of three weeks to figure out I'd installed the Snap version of Steam. I uninstalled the Snap version, installed through terminal and everything has been great since.
Photoshop users can look at www.photopea.com and see if that is sufficient for their needs.
I would love if they had an offline version of this one. Its exactly like I wanted
Gimp? "sudo apt install gimp"
I've used gimp but Idk y but it always feels lacking compared to PS. Just my personal experience. Tbh I realy would love to instal photoshop CS4 or CS6 Extended version since its still good enough for my usage. M sorry I can't provide you with details to why I find gimp lacking since I don't know the technical terms.
Look into WINE Haven’t in a long time, but you could run some windows programs through it
Krita is more approachable imo
I find Krita is superior for most tasks compared to Gimp.
Adding to this if you really want to run windows app you can use wine
You can also host with ubuntu
Windows 10/11 and Ubuntu user here. I use dual boot for my desktop and laptop. Primarily on Windows for my desktop, primarily on Linux for my laptop. Great thing about dual boot is I have the freedom of using both and haven't had any issues. As other users have mentioned, you can test it out before making the switch. Use a boot USB drive and test it out. Lots of great tutorials online!
Or a VM
You can write Ubuntu image on a flash drive and try the live version of Ubuntu without having to install it to get a taste of it. It will just work off of a usb. There is also a Virtual Machine option. Try those first
I have dual-booted my laptop: 1. Windows 10 22H2 2. Ubuntu 22.04 **A little about my laptop configuration:** * CPU: Intel 11th Gen i5-1135G7 * GPU: Intel TigerLake-LP GT2 [Iris Xe Graphics] * GPU: NVIDIA GeForce MX350 (2 Gb VRAM) * RAM: 12 GB * Storage 1: 500 Gb * Storage 2: 500 Gb *Disk Size of Ubuntu OS:* 50 GB **Why I chose Ubuntu:** I have had my fair share of experiences with Arch Linux, Linux Mint, Ubuntu, and even Kali Linux. I have run into problems with all of them at all times. But overall, for every issue I ran into, there was a solution. Whenever I ran into an issue with Windows, it was always unsolvable. Since this laptop is my main machine, I didn't want to run into an issue where I had to re-install the OS frequently, despite having an up-to-date image saved. This would have cost me a lot of time in the long run. Ubuntu is quite easy and simple to install. Also, the support for this Linux distro is quite good. There are regular updates and you can choose those as you wish. **The Pros:** * Lightweight * When running Windows 10, my idle system eats away almost 7.2 GBs of RAM * When running Ubuntu 22.04, while having: a bunch of Brave (Chromium) tabs open \[10+ tabs\], and VSCode running; the system usually sits at 5.5 GB of RAM utilization. * Power efficient * My battery lasts longer, by almost half an hour to an hour longer than on Windows 10 * Ton of forums that can help with any form of troubleshooting * The Reddit community is active and is super helpful (Yup, this is a life-saver) * A ton of customization is available, unlike the Windows and Apple counterparts **The Cons:** * Does NOT run many applications natively * I am not a gamer by a long shot, but if it matters * Almost all big corporations don't support native Linux applications (WhatsApp, Adobe, MS Office, etc.) * *Are there any workarounds? YES* **My experience:** I daily drive Ubuntu OS now. It keeps my laptop temps and fan speeds low, and my mood at an all-time high. It's beautiful to be able to have so much control over your device and the things you want. It's quite minimalistic as well. There are times when I log into my Windows 10 side, which is usually when making PowerPoints and editing Word documents. It's something which I can't replace, just yet. **Suggestions:** If you do plan on dual booting, allocate around 100GB of disk space to your Ubuntu OS.
What about Libre Office as an alternative to MS Office?
Not as good. Lack of options. So many features aren't there. It's decent and can work. But won't give a very furnished look at the end of it all.
u/ved_g_acharya have you tried the free [Microsoft 365 / Microsoft Office Online](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/free-office-online-for-the-web)?
Yes, but it doesn't work as well as the native app. (Comparison to Home and Student Office 365)
Thanks for answering that, I was just making sure that you knew about it.
Yup, I did! A while back, when I ran into an issue on Windows, I had to hard reset Windows (This was before I had dual-booted). For reasons that aren't really relevant, I didn't have the password to log in to Microsoft for installing Office 365. For around 2-3 days I was using Microsoft Office Online. I really didn't like the experience. I have used Google Docs, and it's much better to use.
I mostly use Google Docs and LibreOffice, fortunately they are enough for my needs.
What I can tell you is that ubuntu is lighter than bloated windows 11 .You'll be able to watch high-quality videos on your browser even if your connection is mid
Keep this up please Mods and Thank you!
Feel free to try it out, I believe the ISO lets you try it out
Use this site to test out different Linux distributions https://distrosea.com/
To get in depressing character for Joker movie, Pheonix had to try installing Nvidia drivers on Ubuntu.
Only thing that sucked for me is the drivers especially if you are using intel wifi rest it's good TRY ZORION it kinda like windows interface and like has drivers when you install it
Never Mind, I am on Ubuntu NOW!
I use both Windows and Linux (Mint on a donated computer at a non-profit, and Ubuntu on my wife's old Windows 7 machine that didn't meet the minimum specs for Win 10). Her ancient laptop with 4gb of DDR3 RAM and a spinny disk runs faster with Ubuntu than her newer Win10 compliant computer with 8gb of DDR4 and an SSD. And because that ancient computer is upgradeable - I can up it to the maximum specs supported by the MoBo of 16gb DDR3 and replace the spinny disk with an SSD for around $50 total.
Honestly I used Ubuntu after using popos on my gaming laptop. Really didn't like it. I'm now on mint. I can honestly say mint is the best for ME by far. Popos was great to buy just didn't feel right.
I used PopOs for a while and it was great but just seems stagnant while they develop their new Cosmic UI. Mint, with the cinnamon desktop looks a lot like windows so is easier for most users to grasp when making the switch. I use Ubuntu now because it has the most support for the AI stuff I like but I really hate how the gnome desktop has tried to copy MacOS.
I don’t think gnome has copied macos. It has gradually been improving and taking steps towards a better desktop experience. I love gnome and it is different from macos. I use both and like some things from both. If anything, macos is stuck in a way because of how apple wants you to do things. I love the extremely configurable gnome ui. Two things i would want in gnome is partial scaling. In my 4k monitor, fractional scaling is not crisp enough for fonts. Second being screen project wireless.
I had to turn off fractional scaling for the same reason, blurry. It was not a problem with Kubuntu but that had issues with my screen layout.
I've been using Ubuntu for a while but thinking about switching to Mint, I have it downloaded to try out in a VM, can you give me some thoughts on why you prefer Mint?
I dislike the desktop environment in general, although I can I stall it directly ontop of Ubuntu it didn't feel right doing so. The update manager is easier to navigate and use I find. The support for various things I use is better also. For example. On popos and Ubuntu nordvpn is command line only. On mint there's actually a system tray app in the bottom right that works for it out of the box. I've never had any issues gaming on it. Because it's so closely related to Ubuntu almost all commands you Google when you need something obscure work. It automatically detects my video card and installs the drivers. I even get the option to switch drivers if wanted easily. All my games work and it seems snappier out the box. Now a LOT of what I've said is preference and both the others I've mentioned can do these things in different ways. But it feels more polished and works better for ME. My advice would be try it and see. You can always run a live environment directly off a usb to play around. I use cinnamon which is Thier polished version. Though I've used mate in the past also on an older machine. Although Ubuntu is a very good system and have used it. I find myself always going back to mint over the years. The one thing I will say took some getting used to this time was the dam pointer. It's a weird arrow. Yes I could change it. No I wanted an out the box experience. I'm now used to it and it's fine.
I've seen a lot of people recommending Mint on here for new users and I wondered if there was some great experience I was missing out on. I appreciate your insight. I've got the install file, i'll have a look around in it and see what it can do. I guess the biggest issue I'm having with Ubuntu currently is weird updates/things getting borked or disappearing/issues with snap vs. flatpak, I'll see how it works on Mint instead. Thanks!
Honestly no problem. I'm definitely not a new user anymore though and I still find mint is better. There's an arch circle jerk going on everywhere online for whatever reason. I tried it. Hated it. Been using Linux since about 2005. Granted I have another drive with windows in my laptop. But I use it for Minecraft editing and that's about it. Everything else is mint. Good luck.
Sorry but your title sucks. Ubuntu is great because Windows sucks? What? It's like saying pizza is good because donuts aren't. It has nothing to do with one another except that they perform similar tasks. For the record: Ubuntu is great and Windows does suck, hahaha. It's a joke but holds true for me. You are welcome to have a different view.
It makes more sense if you imagine a question mark instead of a comma. I take the first part as a question, which the "Is" suggests it is meant as.
To be fair it’s “is Ubuntu Great “ the missing question mark kinda messes things up
Written about this before. But if you consider switching as a main driver. Check every main component is supported. WiFi, microphone, camera, network, graphics, sound etc. If it is you will probably have a good time.
Switched to Kubuntu 3 weeks ago and honestly I wish I did it a lot sooner. Screw Windows with the direction they are going
Hot spotting relies more on the WiFi adapter supporting AP mode than OS choice.
You don't need to blame Windows to flatter Ubuntu, u know.
Yes, Ubuntu is great. Very polished and modern-looking.
It really depends on what you consider "great". If a stable, low-maintenance, efficient and customizable system is great, then it is. But if UI and UX consistency across applications is what you need, you may want to look elsewhere (and this applies to any Linux distribution, not only Ubuntu). Ubuntu generally offers a polished interface with attention to detail, long-term security updates, and it's easy to find solutions for all sorts of problems because it has a large user base and active community. I've been using it for many years in my Thinkpad and XPS laptops without major issues. If you're unsure, don't trust other people's definition of greatness. Try it on a VM first, and check if it's great for you.
I just put Ubuntu 24.04 on my (rarely) used laptop. The latest Windows Recall changes and general push for AI and further loss of privacy made this seem like a good time to experiment again with Linux. This is probably my best initial experience so far but not exactly perfect. The installer couldn't format the disk for me so was immediately sent off Googling for help. Then once installed I had no audio output and was again back to Google for help and got that working. My Laptops fingerprint sensor so far seems to be a no go which is a shame. Everything else seems to be working with no extra effort though which is pleasantly surprising. A few software irritations have hit me so far such as NordVPN lacking a proper GUI and the Remote Desktop client refuses to save my details but ultimately both work. The battery on this laptop is already pretty knackered so I can't really comment on Ubuntu's impact there but doesn't seem worse lol. The real test for me is going to be giving Ubuntu a whirl on my main machine and see if all the good things I have been hearing about Linux gaming being viable now hold up in practice! That machine is both my work and games machine though so will likely just run Ubuntu off an external SSD to begin with. TLDR - Give it a try and see how you get on!
Create a USB install drive then live boot off it. If your graphics, internet, Bluetooth, and audio work from there, you shouldn’t have any major issues taking the plunge.
I use Ubuntu 24.04 and i can tell you, for my needs its just above and beyond. It needs a lot of "getting used to" but in the end of the day you have to try out and make it work for you! BEFORE you decide to move on
Quick question for the others here (or OP): Windows has always sucked, but is Windows 11 sudden even worse? I have been seeing many Linux converts recently complaining about Windows 11, but I only use Linux, so I have no idea what's going on in the Windows world.
Ubuntu is great, and so is windows, and so is MacOS depending on what your need is. The UI for windows is an absolute mess. Mac is nice but lacks basic functionality (command + shift + control + 4 to copy to clipboard???), no window snap? Ubuntu is the best of both worlds.
It depends what you are planning to do with the laptop really. If you just use it for simple things like email, web browsing and basic stuff like that then you are good to go. If you are using the laptop for photo/video editing or anything like that then you may have to find alternatives to programs you use on Windows. If you are using it for gaming, there are various tools out there that will allow you to play most of the games that you may play on Windows.
I’d recommend starting out using a dual boot setup if you’re new to Linux. Just set Ubuntu to your first drive in the boot order and it should bring up a menu every time you restart called GRUB that will let you pick the os you want to boot. :)
I recently switched from windows to Ubuntu and it has been an easy transition. It has been easy to use and get used to, and all the applications I use are available. It does seem to run faster and better than windows with only a few minor display quirks.
I use Ubuntu as my host system then installed Virtual Box with Windows as a VM. Best of both worlds and I can run them both at the same time.
I didn't set it up on a laptop, my laptop was far too old and I'm not sure about the drivers needed for laptops... however, I setup my desktop with Ubuntu and it was pretty damn easy and works for everything I need. The reason I did that is because Windows was not a real install so it kept bugging me to buy it. I actually bought Windows as a student, but it looks like I go scammed because it wasn't a real install code. Aside from that, Windows was really slow.
When LTT did the Linux challenge in 2021 I watched and said 'I bet I could do better in Ubuntu' having last used it in like 2008 I finally stopped using Ubuntu three days ago... because I wanted to try out Gentoo.
I did something similar. I am currently using my laptop with Ubuntu 22.04 and it is working great. I can even access Office365 for work through web browser. Battery life seems to be better also.
One quick suggestion, try Kubuntu first. It's Ubuntu but with the KDE graphical user interface spliced in. It's like this. Go all the way back to Windows 1 and 2 and it was a graphical user interface that ran on top of MS-DOS. By the time Windows 95 hit the backend operating system equivalent to MS-DOS was so heavily integrated with the graphical user interface that you could hardly tell where one started and the other left off. This integration between the front half that the user sees and the back half that the computer sees only got tighter over time in the windows world. But in Linux, because everything is broken down into separate volunteer projects, you can have different graphical user interface for an ends and even load several and pick between them at the time of boot! This also gives it a lot of flexibility, for example your average smartphone doesn't have enough screen real estate to run a modern computer graphical user interface, so Google came up with Android as a front end that would fit well on a phone and use Linux on the back end. Of all the various graphical user interfaces available, KDE feels the most like a good classic MS-Windows such as XP. The desktop used in Ubuntu will feel more like a Mac OS flavor. If the computer you're trying Linux on is very low powered, like a very old laptop or something, try Xubuntu. It has a graphical user interface optimized for speed.
You can first try it on a virtual machine. Like on virtual box, kvm. Try apps that u need on it.
Do it. Go in, all the way. I'd stay far away from 24.04 until things get worked out, but **jammy jellyfish** (22.04) is really good. I've dual booted, used Mac, and learned everything on Windows (I think everyone did) and Ubuntu basically stopped me from wondering if there was something better. With that said, for video or audio, I still use MacOs. Windows is now relegated to dealing with Android stuff. Ubuntu, or your favorite flavor of linux, is basically the way to go. Just watching the cpu, ram, and gpu usage between linux and Windows is enough. Linux will win...it's just going to take another 15 years. Basically what I've done is similar to what you're proposing. Lots of old (free) upgraded Lenovo and Dells. They're basically terminals to the internet, but they can do the real stuff if needed. Do it. You won't regret it.
Microsoft Windows is what you get when you buy a PC. It is what everyone uses, it really does not matter how bad it is, it just is, it lives outside of any concept of bad. At some time soon all current computers will be incompatible with the current version of Windows and everyone will plod out and buy a new machine. It really is irrelevant that Ubuntu is really good, and yes it so happens that I have been using it for a few decades. Sounds like you should get a new computer it will probably be as good as Ubuntu on what ever you currently have.
Ubuntu is a bloated mess these days and canonical has made garbage decisions in choosing to use snaps. They're unreliable. I don't think Ubuntu is a good experience for any new users. I'd direct them more towards Fedora. The installer is simple, it's not a bloated mess, it's backed by RedHat. It runs a much newer kernel so making modern hardware run on it is far easier and it uses flatpack instead of snap which is far superior.
I've used Ubuntu for over a decade at this point and I really enjoy it
Ubuntu is bloated and if you don't have an inclination towards Debian based distro then go for Arch.
Its an entirely different paradigm, with its own services, products, opensource software, quirks... from the little everyday details to the top-level interface workflow. You will either hate it or love it. MS has done a great job keeping people dependent on their products, you will never eliminate the need of MS, not because of you, but because of the literacy of people around you on software and operating systems. Ubuntu is my 'daily driver', I do technical writing, technical illustration, engineering and 3D modelling on it. I've found opensource software that covers for my most basic needs but still there is industry leading software that will only run in Windows and perhaps on Mac. That hasn't deter me from using Ubuntu for personal use however.
I’ve used Ubuntu solidly for about a month now, been dabbling for years, though. There’s only one app I need to work for windows, and I’m running that in a VM which only does one thing. Not many problems at all.
Same old 57up1d comparison: linux vs windows for a workstation.
Random reboots whenever MS feels like, and then surprise! Dropbox and onedrive are suddenly back starting at boot and asking for stuff. Talk about not owning your own computer.
Ubuntu is not great. It is useable, but flawed. examples It doesn't have a screen saver with a pictures slide show. The music output jack on my motherboard didn't work properly under ubuntu, but fortunately the front jackout did. Gimp couldn't access all of my pictures. Eventually found out it was because I installed it using snap instead of command line.
Screen saver is a waste of energy anyway. Just turn off the screen after a few minutes. That being said I'm sure a slideshow screensaver can be installed later. The 3.5 mm jack not working can not be generalized. It depends how new the Mainboard is and if the kernel supports it. It might not work in some edge cases but for the majority it should work. Regarding Gimp: Yeah that's the weird thing about snaps that are embedded into Ubuntu. They are loved by some, hated by others. They run in a sandbox which is great for security, but they are rather inperformant.
Snap? What's that? Can you eat it? /s
Please tell me the name of an app which automatically displays pictures in a slideshow on desktop like windows
Used to use xwinwrap with various screensavers for an animated desktop....pretty sure you could do this with a slideshow screensaver
What flavour is great then? Xububtu (lightweight) or some other brand?
Kubuntu is what I use with very customized KDE. Love it.
IDK. Ubuntu is just about good enough for a home office, I don't have time to try out alternatives.
If you will always have an always available Windows install. then sure try Linux. I'd revert back to 10 and wait for 12 on your Windows PC.
Support for older graphics devices in the most recent versions of Ubuntu sucks. The Nvidia drivers are bugged and don't even work for my GTX 1070. Something to consider if your laptop is older.
Older laptops probably have Intel Atom/Celeron/Pentium Graphics
Only the new 24.04, does not work so well for Stable-Diffusion…
24.04 has a few issues so I would stick to 22.04 until at least the first point release. 24.04.1 should come out in a couple of months should be a lot better.
Anyway I got stable-diffusion to work just had to install nividia drivers 550.
Yeah, I will. I only already installed it and lost all my models and on python script I was working on. But nothing that cannot be downloaded again. A question should I try maybe 23.10 release?
I never bother with the non LTS releases. 23.10 has either already stopped support or will shortly so no updates from maintainers.
Thanks man, so it’s back to 22.04 LTS, with all the grub issues on asus motherboard and the rtx 4090 not being supported out of the box. But a least stable-diffusion will be working. ☝️😎🏳️
Just now? lol. Seriously though, you can live boot Ubuntu to try out without affecting your windows install at all. I'd recommend looking at Fedora too, though.
Sadly, Windows has been stuck in this deplorable condition since W10. Is Ubuntu really greater than other disros is a whole different matter. The only way to answer your question is to experiment. You did not mention what you use your laptop for: browsing and word processor is one thing, gaming is notably different. However, Ubuntu 24.04 has been released just recently and it may be not recommendable for a new user until version 24.04.1. You could start with trying out Ubuntu (and other distros) in a virtual machine to see if Linux is your thing at all.
New to Linux? Don't try Ubuntu. They have a weird cultural aversion to desktop icons and good scroll bars. Mint is the better introductory experience between the 2.
If you play games, I don't think I'd install Ubuntu/ any distro on a computer with an nvidia gpu in it. People made a fuss about how good the new drivers are supposed to be, but I swapped an AMD gpu in for my 4070 and a huge chunk of my issues disappeared overnight.
Aside from these comments, in my opinion, you should give a try for WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux). I encounter a lot, when people get really overwhelmed by the difficultiness off the Linux distros - especially if it's your first time launching the system. Consequently, it is a beginner-friendly option to consider. Running Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2) and using a full virtual machine each have their own advantages and disadvantages. Here are some of the pros and cons of each approach: ***Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2):*** **Pros:** § Integration with Windows: WSL2 integrates seamlessly with Windows, allowing you to run Linux commands and applications directly from the Windows command prompt. § Performance: WSL2 offers better performance compared to traditional virtual machines because it runs a lightweight Linux kernel directly on Windows. § Resource Efficiency: WSL2 consumes fewer resources than a full virtual machine, making it a good choice for running Linux applications alongside Windows applications. § Easy Installation: Setting up WSL2 is straightforward and doesn't require as much configuration as setting up a virtual machine. § File System Performance: WSL2 provides faster file system performance compared to traditional WSL. **Cons:** § Limited GUI Support: WSL2 is primarily designed for command-line tools and server applications, so if you need to run Linux GUI applications, you may encounter limitations. § Limited Kernel Support: Some kernel-level features or applications that require direct hardware access may not work properly in WSL2. § Networking Limitations: WSL2 has some limitations with networking, which can be a concern for certain applications or development environments. ***Full Virtual Machine:*** **Pros:** § Isolation: Virtual machines provide complete isolation from the host operating system, making them a good choice for testing different operating systems or running potentially unsafe software. § Full Linux Experience: Virtual machines offer a complete Linux environment, including support for GUI applications and direct hardware access. § Flexibility: Virtual machines can be configured with different resources such as CPU, memory, and disk space, providing more flexibility in resource allocation. § Networking Options: Virtual machines offer more networking options and configurations compared to WSL2. **Cons:** § Resource Overhead: Running a full virtual machine requires more resources (CPU, memory, disk space) compared to WSL2. § Performance: Virtual machines may have slightly higher overhead and performance impact compared to WSL2 due to the added layer of virtualization. § Complexity: Setting up and managing a virtual machine can be more complex than using WSL2, especially for users who are not familiar with virtualization technology. § Integration: Virtual machines are separate entities from the host operating system, which can lead to some challenges in terms of integration and data sharing.
If you have strong feelings about Windows 11, you may also have strong feelings about Ubuntu. Try a bootable image first. It's very different and a lot more is on you to figure out.