this post was submitted on 28 May 2025
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Privacy

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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/30792652

Support for Windows 10 ends on October 14, 2025. Microsoft wants you to buy a new computer. But what if you could make your current one fast and secure again?

If you bought your computer after 2010, there's most likely no reason to throw it out. By just installing an up-to-date Linux operating system you can keep using it for years to come.

Installing an operating system may sound difficult, but you don't have to do it alone. With any luck, there are people in your area ready to help!

5 Reasons to upgrade your old computer to Linux:

  1. No New Hardware, No Licensing Costs
  2. Enhanced Privacy
  3. Good For The Planet
  4. Community & Professional Support
  5. Better User Control
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[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 days ago

If you can’t switch to Linux for whatever reason, 0patch does security updates for windows versions all the way back to 7 for just $25 or so a year.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 6 days ago

I am just going to keep using 10 regardless of whether it has support or not. Yes its missing features yes there is some potential for security issues but I think the chances that my computer on my lan could be remotely compromised to be relatively slim. Other security threats would require that I visit some kind of malicious website or application which I think would be unlikely. I don't even think running win XP or win 7 on a secure lan would be a significant concern since it is behind a firewall anyway. I do intend to switch to Linux at some point but the lack of support from Microsoft is not enough to convince me to upgrade to 11 or make the switch.

[–] [email protected] 74 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

My PC had been running like shit for a while and I was already weighing up options for replacing it, when I got the popup message from MS about Windows 10 expiring, and how my only option was to dump the PC. So I installed Linux out of pure spite. Runs like a dream now. Thanks Microsoft!

[–] [email protected] 51 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

If you bought your computer after 2010, there's most likely no reason to throw it out.

Frist of all, how dare yo u

[–] [email protected] 30 points 1 week ago (2 children)

The average retail store where I live is still selling computers with 6+ years old CPUs as "gamer edition".

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I just toss it in a lake so the fish can have internet.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago (3 children)
[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago

Corel draw joke in there somewhere

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 week ago (1 children)

You don't need to buy a new computer. You just need to upgrade your old computer.

To Linux.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 week ago

Which then makes it run like a new computer. So Linux basically gives you a free new computer.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Hmm Windows 10 LTSC and IOT will still be supported until 2027.

Debian Trixie, now is the time to shine, release soon please.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago (3 children)

You can already switch to it though. Why wait?

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 week ago

If anyone is interested to try out Linux distros, you can do it in your web browser at https://distrosea.com/

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 week ago (8 children)

Excel is the most important tool I need for my work. :/

[–] [email protected] 32 points 1 week ago (7 children)

IIRC there is browser support for excel

[–] [email protected] 35 points 1 week ago (4 children)

There is web support, but it lacks most actually useful functions. Libreoffice is great, but is not 1:1 compatible with excel. Then there's Onlyoffice, which is very compatible, but also lacks many functions.

Bottom line is, if you're an excel power user, you'll need to learn Libreoffice Calc, or you're out of luck. If not, Onlyoffice should suffice.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 week ago (1 children)

if you’re an excel power user, you’ll need to learn Libreoffice Calc

Let's be honest...most people who are Excel power users probably need to interact with other users. Sending and receiving documents and templates, etc. Simply learning Calc yourself isn't going to suffice, you'd have to convince your entire business to switch.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago

Your logic is spot on, and it does apply to most power users, but not to all.

Everyone has a different use case and experience, I think we speak based on our own experiences.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (5 children)

Yes, but it's considerably slower and extremely frustrating to use for a power user.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

LibreOffice is good as a standalone software, if you're not looking for MS Office compability. I use LibreOffice, and my sister suddenly ask me to help edit their MS Office document. It was nightmare. There are a lot of hidden gotchas that rarely reported. It's absolutely not recommended to constantly changing software if you're editing your document.

Also, at the moment, Excel has more advance feature than LibreOffice Calc.

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 week ago (2 children)

What does it mean in practice for windows 10 to reach end of life? There are no more security updates? My vm will stop working? They are preventing you from using your computer?

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 week ago (2 children)

No more security updates, so it will gradually become unsafe to use online.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago (4 children)

I’ve been dry-running a Linux only world for a few months now, dual booting and running everything on the Linux partition, only using windows when necessary. So far basically all my games run well under proton and the few non-free programs I care about work well enough under wine. I think tomorrow is the day I blow away the windows partition.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Why 2010, is it cause of 64bit processors?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago

I assume it was a generalization, just few weeks ago I installed 32-bit Linux Mint to two laptops from 2007 or 2008, now my kids have their very own and fully functional computers. They do lag a bit sometimes, but learning patience is just good for the kids.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (11 children)

Can I bother anyone in this thread to help with suggestions for a Linux distro that works for a gaming PC that won’t require me to have a computer science degree? I’m not afraid of some troubleshooting here and there, but I’m ~~kind of~~ dumb.

Edit: I should have known there’d be a shotgun load of different distros, good thing I’ve been gifted with e-“waste” for years, I’ve got some tinkering to do. Hyper-fixation, here I come.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Bazzite is generally the go-to for gaming.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago

My journey was: Kubuntu -> Tuxedo OS -> Garuda Linux.

Kubuntu was painful, lots of issues. Maybe just got unlucky, but cannot recommend it.

Tuxedo OS was phenomenal until I bought a GPU. Then stuff broke left and right. I wasn't able to get Steam to launch anymore so I switched.

Garuda Linux is the one I still use. I had it for 53 days and had no severe issues to date. There's still a bunch of stuff that needs ironing out, but that's the case with all Linux distros, it's never "fire and forget" like Windows, in my experience.

I chose Garuda because it's advertised as "the Linux for gamers". It's packed with extra goodies that make life easier - you can pick and choose popular apps to be installed right away (things like Lutris, Steam, Heroic Launcher, Proton, Vivaldi browser), and you get an application that helps with maintenance.

The only major issue I had was due to my ignorance (but I kind of blame it on the OS because it was supposed to be "noob friendly" and this bit was very much not so) - just after installation and updates you'll get the system maintenance app ask you to "merge pacdiff files". This shows up a comparison window of two files, and if you've never used Linux you have no clue what's going on. When you get that, just don't overwrite the one on the right with the one on the left - you'll break the entirety of your package manager. :D

Other than that: I'm having a great time. The OS looks pretty, games run great. 9/10

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (6 children)

The only thing keeping me on Windows is Teamcraft for FFXIV. It has packet capturing on Windows, but not on Linux because of the way they’re doing packet capturing. There have been people who claim to get it working, but it’s still not 100%. I could even use plugins to get ACT (DPS meter) working, but sadly no plugins for Teamcraft…

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 week ago (1 children)

That's interesting because pcapping is definitely not some windows exclusive feature, and the means are pretty transferable. I wonder what the hold up is.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (3 children)
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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (4 children)

The other nice thing about Linux is that there are several Live versions you can try out on your computer without making any changes to your Windows installation.

This also lets you see if check and see if Linux fully supports your hardware (just in case you have a weird network or audio card). If the Live version of Linux works, the installed version will, as well.

Most installers let you set up a dual boot on the same hard drive, too.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago

10 still has over 50% market share (source)

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