Win7 die-hard is considering Linux

[bellgamin]

The strong possibility that there soon will not be ANY updated browser available for me (a Win7 die hard) is off-putting. Why? Because browser weaknesses are a prime entry point for malware & exploits. I am a computer security hobbyist so I have a decent ability to keep my computer safe while running Win7. Even so, HAVING to use outdated browsers gives me a case of jaws. (BTW -- the MOST vital security app is imaging software. But you already knew that, right?)

 

So I am considering a move FROM M$ Windows TO Linux. I tried Win 10 & Win11. No joy. I bought a big ticket Mac & gave it a trial of several days. I kinda sorta liked it, & then my favorite granddaughter (she's in University) dropped by for an ukulele session. She is majoring in graphic arts & the classes all use Macs. Versus my new Mac, hers was 5 years old with much less Ram, smaller screen, & waay smaller SSD. So I gave her my Mac. So my pretty-much-final option became Linux.

 

I tried several Linux distros. It's fun! My favorite, by far, turned out to be the Zorin Pro distro (costs $39 but worth every penny & then some). This distro is super stable. I hate reading help files & manuals so I mostly just fool around & click on stuff when trying out new software. That habit has sometimes caused Zorin to hiccup and f_rt a bit but it has always recovered -- never a BSOD.

In just a couple of days I had Zorin looking a LOT like Win7 and running all my necessaries: firewall (marginally adequate one is built in), email (Thunderbird), password manager (KeePass), marginally adequate substitute for an imaging app (Timeshift), grrreat journal pad with calendar & other schtuff (Zim), browser (Firebird -- there are LOTS of browser choices that run on Linux), excellent built-in files manager, excellent built-in Software Manager (shows previews, downloads, installs, & uninstalls any of the hundreds of available Linux apps.

MY LINUX GOALS: 1-get a better firewall for controlling connect-outs, & 2- get a user-friendly, full-on disk imager app.

So far, I have NOT decided to stop using my Win7 laptop as my main go-to, but my Zorin laptop is my  "just in case". As for the Win7's security with an outdated browser, I have tightened it a teeny bit, as follows: 1- I now image daily instead of only thrice weekly, 2- I have added VooDooShield --a default-deny/whitelisting/anti-exe behavior blocker. So my patrolling security consists of only 3 apps: G-Data antivirus, Evorim firewall, & VooDooShield. I haven't had an infection in over 15 years.  I have high hopes continuing to defy the FUD. However, Pride goeth before a fall, right? Or (as they put in Texas) "There never was a horse that couldn't be rode BUT there never was a cowboy that couldn't be throwed."

Edited February 25, 2023 by bellgamin
clarification

[legacyfan]

I would recommend linux mint for a linux version its very beginner friendly and easy to use (and also still has the windows look and feel) and is designed as a smooth option to using windows I actually switched to linux not that long ago as well and mint has been wonderfully for me

[UCyborg]

Ugh, every once in a while I need a printer and Windows goofed up...again! Just nothing happened when I tried to print, no error, just nothing. I'm so fed up with darned OS corrupting itself in random ways, no matter how careful I am to not goof it up. On Linux, I've been able to print/scan consistently without a single fail.

I'm also considering going Linux full-time for normal everyday tasks, maybe keep Windows around for some specifics. I don't need much these days, a web browser, a media player, password manager, maybe a virtualizer and office suite (just for viewing). Just not sure on what distro to settle. I'm sure I don't want rolling-release distro. I'm most familiar with Ubuntu.

Edit: Or maybe just more time...

Edited March 7, 2023 by UCyborg

[UCyborg]

I don't know what the heck happened yesterday, but Windows prints today, though I rebooted at least two times yesterday. And TBH, I forgot a lot of trouble with current printer was due to using extension cable, which I used in the past and took a while to pinpoint. Linux somehow had better time communicating using that cable.

[UCyborg]

I have to say though, all those things you get used to using one particular OS family for so long, you don't think about it 'till you try something else. Then you realize all those things you take for granted from how file manager, task manager works/looks/feels to how mouse and desktop compositor feels.

Might depend on individual, but I'll just stick to the best OS for a particular task, as always have.

[XPerceniol]

On 3/7/2023 at 2:17 PM, UCyborg said:

Ugh, every once in a while I need a printer and Windows goofed up...again! Just nothing happened when I tried to print, no error, just nothing. I'm so fed up with darned OS corrupting itself in random ways, no matter how careful I am to not goof it up. On Linux, I've been able to print/scan consistently without a single fail.

I'm also considering going Linux full-time for normal everyday tasks, maybe keep Windows around for some specifics. I don't need much these days, a web browser, a media player, password manager, maybe a virtualizer and office suite (just for viewing). Just not sure on what distro to settle. I'm sure I don't want rolling-release distro. I'm most familiar with Ubuntu.

Edit: Or maybe just more time...

Wow ... I'm surprised to hear you're considering also switching to Linux due to printer issues - I'm having the opposite, my HP Deskjet only works on Emmabuntus and Peppermint Linux, even Mint just prints jumble so partly why I'm stuck with windows.

[UCyborg]

I've actually had some form of Linux, mostly Ubuntu, ready besides Windows for several years now, though I only use it occasionally. That issue from last time, well, I've got bit nervous and had to vent. TBH, those weird Windows issues have been rare in recent years.

I don't know what happened, but it seems problem isn't even on the computer with the printer as I assumed, but Word from another computer is unable to send document to the shared printer, though I can print from the third computer to the same shared printer. Didn't try printing from Word on that third computer, but printing PDFs from web browser works at least.

I don't recall the exact message, I think it was something about the printer setup. I haven't got around checking if other programs on that computer can print, but Windows sees the printer normally.

I remember the weirdness with HP Deskjet 3550 that caused the printer to always try to also use color cartridge despite having set to print in greyscale and I think you could also select that you only have black cartridge, but no budge, it always wanted to use empty or non-existent color cartridge, so normal black-white stuff didn't print OK on Windows, but there was no issue on Linux. Newer HP from series 2600 is better, though you at least have to make sure to remove empty color cartridge, otherwise, it may still try to use it.