This is my third attempt. Partly to rage quit Windows, and partly to gain utility and control with some professional AV software.

I have converted an old Asus netbook to Ubuntu netbook remix and used it for a while. I was impressed with how much better that tiny thing ran with Linux than Windows. But in the end it still had less power than a TI-84. So I stopped using it, and never really learned Linux proper.

I dual boot my Chromebook, so I can use gimp for photos on vacation, but everything I do with the Linux partition is cut and paste from articles by people who know what they’re doing. (I was motivated to post here by a meme about that.)

I’m thinking of dual booting my main desktop, because I need Windows for some fairly processor intense A/V software I use for work. So what would be a good distro to look into for a novice and where should I look for a tutorial? I would ultimately like to see if I can use Linux to run my AV software in emulation and add drivers for some professional audio interfaces. I’m fed up with windows and trying to see how far I can get without it. Your help is appreciated in advance, and if this is inappropriate for this topic, let me know and I’ll delete it.

  • Hovenko@kbin.social
    6·
    1 year ago

    Dual booting can be problematic. Windows is the most retarded OS ever which sometimes decides to overwrite boot partition.
    FOr trying out stuff, you van install Linux as a virtual machine. Check there if your sw works there and is available.

  • neytjs@lemmy.ml
    2·
    1 year ago

    I’m a middle-aged truck driver. I’ve been using Linux Mint (Cinnamon) now for about seven years as my only operating system (without dual booting) since Windows XP Pro became totally obsolete. Granted, I’m a hobbyist programmer and lifelong computer enthusiast. However, there are definitely some easy to install and use distros out there these days.

      • §ɦṛɛɗɗịɛ ßịⱺ𝔩ⱺɠịᵴŧ@lemmy.ml
        1·
        1 year ago

        There’s a wide user base in mind with each, so rarely does anyone use all of the included packages. This could be defined as bloatware, plus proficiency in linux to me means anything can be done via terminal or GUI. The base distro’s have some task which require the terminal, while mint and kubuntu are managed via GUI.

  • tabular@lemmy.world
    0·
    1 year ago

    Being able to easily switch back to Windows hindered my attempt to learn Linux. When I wasn’t in the mood to learn a new concept, or failed to get something working after a few tries, then I’d just boot right back into Windows. I was able to push on when I deleted Windows in a rage and now the alternative to getting over the Linux hill was going back down and doing the “no, no, no, no, fuck off” dance that is the Windows install process.

    Websites recommending Ubuntu to noobs didn’t help me much. The panel being stuck of the left size of the monitor after my friend boasted about customization on Linux really grinds my gears. Linux Mint was much better coming from Windows, and I’m still on it years later.

  • Lvxferre@lemmy.ml
    0·
    1 year ago

    General tips:

    • Don’t look for Linux versions of the Windows software you use. Instead look for software that fulfils the same purpose.
    • If you’re cutting-and-pasting a lot of stuff from those articles, give yourself a check on what those things actually do. See it as a small investment of time to economise time later on, as you’ll rely less and less on those articles.
    • Stick to popular distros. And for the desktop environment (DE), use whatever works for you.
    • Keep it easy. It’s fine if you need to log into Windows once in a while, but over time you’ll notice yourself doing it less and less.