Don’t be scurred! Download the Pop!_OS disc image, use Rufus to create a bootable USB drive. Put it into your USB port. Boot. Hit f12 if needed to select your boot device. Boot to the thumb drive. Follow the on-screen instructions. EZ!
PS: move your data off your primary hard drive before proceeding with step 3 above. You should follow a wiki, but it really is that simple.
It’s not like it used to be where you absolutely needed to know command line and memorize them. It hasn’t been that way for at least a decade now.
Most Linux distros look identical to Windows that the average user would assume it’s Windows with a different skin.
And with WINE and Proton, Windows apps (except Windows Store apps) can be run with little to no issues in many cases.
The biggest obstacles are going to be:
Choosing a Linux distro, which can be fun in some ways
Making some apps compatible or finding an alternative if it doesn’t already exist there or isn’t compatible with a translation layer like Proton
creating the USB to install, but this has been made a lot easier in the last decade and the installation process has been simplified on many Linux installations
I’m currently on KDE Neon which I love. Thinking about moving over to it fully on other computers too.
I’d say getting a distro with KDE Plasma is a good thing if you are accustomed to Windows.
GNOME if you are more accustomed to Mac.
Just in the way it looks and behaves. KDE Plasma feels a lot like Windows 7/10.
Some good distros to try with this would be KDE Neon, Zorin, or SteamOS. There are others out there to try.
YouTube is fantastic for any setup questions or just to follow for a painless experience.
The only difficult part is getting Linux on to a USB stick. After that, you boot your computer from the USB stick and click next, next, next until it’s done. It’s super easy.
There are guides how to burn a iso file with the Linux distinction to a USB stick too. Just start there, see if you can do that as step one.
As for Linux distro, pick something common and easy, like Pop OS or Fedora.
In my opinion Linux is now easier to install than windows. The installers don’t have any user hostility built-in, nagging you for Microsoft accounts or activation keys or any of that crap. Once it’s Installed you could park your grandma in front of it and she’d be able to figure out how to surf the web.
Honestly, I’m afraid of how complicated it sounds and have no idea where to begin.
Don’t be scurred! Download the Pop!_OS disc image, use Rufus to create a bootable USB drive. Put it into your USB port. Boot. Hit f12 if needed to select your boot device. Boot to the thumb drive. Follow the on-screen instructions. EZ!
PS: move your data off your primary hard drive before proceeding with step 3 above. You should follow a wiki, but it really is that simple.
You begin right here. There’s lots of enthusiastic Linux users here on Lemmy and we’re happy to answer any questions.
Let me ask you a couple questions: What do you mainly use your computer for? Content creation, playing games, business, web browsing?
Have you ever installed Windows on a computer before?
It’s not like it used to be where you absolutely needed to know command line and memorize them. It hasn’t been that way for at least a decade now.
Most Linux distros look identical to Windows that the average user would assume it’s Windows with a different skin.
And with WINE and Proton, Windows apps (except Windows Store apps) can be run with little to no issues in many cases.
The biggest obstacles are going to be:
I’m currently on KDE Neon which I love. Thinking about moving over to it fully on other computers too.
I’d say getting a distro with KDE Plasma is a good thing if you are accustomed to Windows.
GNOME if you are more accustomed to Mac.
Just in the way it looks and behaves. KDE Plasma feels a lot like Windows 7/10.
Some good distros to try with this would be KDE Neon, Zorin, or SteamOS. There are others out there to try.
YouTube is fantastic for any setup questions or just to follow for a painless experience.
The only difficult part is getting Linux on to a USB stick. After that, you boot your computer from the USB stick and click next, next, next until it’s done. It’s super easy.
There are guides how to burn a iso file with the Linux distinction to a USB stick too. Just start there, see if you can do that as step one.
As for Linux distro, pick something common and easy, like Pop OS or Fedora.
In my opinion Linux is now easier to install than windows. The installers don’t have any user hostility built-in, nagging you for Microsoft accounts or activation keys or any of that crap. Once it’s Installed you could park your grandma in front of it and she’d be able to figure out how to surf the web.
If you’re interested, start here