Linux and video card support? Questions.

. You may find yourself spending way more time just futzing with the OS than doing anything useful on the computer,
Really? I was always fixing the wife's WIN10 laptop, now I don't have to since she changed to Mint, it just works. Maybe not futzing with the OS and leaving it to do its thing is the way to an easy lfe.
 
You may find yourself spending way more time just futzing with the OS than doing anything useful on the computer,
Really? I was always fixing the wife's WIN10 laptop, now I don't have to since she changed to Mint, it just works. Maybe not futzing with the OS and leaving it to do its thing is the way to an easy life.
I've just retired my Win10 laptop that's been running faultlessly since 2017. It was used daily, mostly by my wife, and it didn't miss a beat.

I've fairly recently started using a Chromebook that has Linux enabled, and it has required no futzing. I've downloaded several useful programs for both ChromeOS and Linux, and everything has worked first time. This Chromebook duplicates the functionality of the old Win10 laptop for travel, and I actually prefer it to the iPad, which is my other travel option.
 
As I mentioned as well, I have an older Dell 11 inch 2 in 1 and it has replaced my ipad. Running zorin OS on it in "touch interface" is great. All the productivity of a laptop, all the content consumption ease of an ipad all boiled into one. Its much faster, has 3 to 4 times the battery life and is much more enjoyable than when it was running windows 10 or 11.

I am a complete linux convert. I am starting to do the install of garuda on my laptop soon to move that first and try some editing software on it.
 
As I mentioned as well, I have an older Dell 11 inch 2 in 1 and it has replaced my ipad. Running zorin OS on it in "touch interface" is great. All the productivity of a laptop, all the content consumption ease of an ipad all boiled into one. Its much faster, has 3 to 4 times the battery life and is much more enjoyable than when it was running windows 10 or 11.

I am a complete linux convert. I am starting to do the install of garuda on my laptop soon to move that first and try some editing software on it.
Overall, Linux has worked great for me. I recently migrated several of my home systems from using GNOME via System76 Pop!_OS to KDE via Kubuntu. I'm going to keep Pop!_OS on at least one laptop for the tiling window manager, but I have found KDE works best for most of my use cases.

I like that KDE has the ability to create raw thumbnails without having to add additional software. Every time I used GNOME I had to install and configure thumbnail programs to do what KDE does automatically. I'm hopeful that System76 will release a final version of the COSMIC desktop this year, and I will migrate my current Pop!_OS laptop to use it. I think KDE is a better out of the box solution for my creative work (mostly photography related), but COSMIC is a great looking desktop, and I hope it is a success.

I'm still planning to keep Windows as part of my workflow for now. I use SilkyPix (version 12 is WIndows only at this time) to process raw files from my GFX camera, but I'm going to try running SilkyPix in a Windows 11 virtual machine using VMware Workstation Pro (Kubuntu as the VMware host). I don't think I can be 100% Linux yet, but I want to get to that point. As part of my transition away from Windows, I ordered a Mac Studio M2 Max (base model), which I plan to use as an alternative to Linux for some creative functions. I decided to get the older Mac Studio because I don't intend to use it as a main solution, and it was available at a substantial discount. If I were a hardcore Mac user, I would have gone for a Mac Studio M3 Ultra with 96 GB of memory.
 
I am on my little basic linux laptop now. core m3 processor, 4gb of ram and 615 graphics.

I was just watching youtube. Scrubbing through videos is instant on this little slow system. meanwhile, on win 11 on my much more powerful laptop I have to watch the spinning circle on the screen waiting for it to catch up. Going to the system managers...

linux machine. Ram usage 1gb. on my windows machine 11gb. WTH? This is idle, with only the desktops showing. WTH is windows doing? Same with the cpu usage. on the linux system. 1-2 percent cpu usage while on desktop no apps running. My windows system 30-40 percent. What are they doing? Whats being sent back to the mothership?

Linux is going on ALL systems and I will work with open source software from now on. I cannot keep using windows crap on my systems.
 
I am on my little basic linux laptop now. core m3 processor, 4gb of ram and 615 graphics.

I was just watching youtube. Scrubbing through videos is instant on this little slow system. meanwhile, on win 11 on my much more powerful laptop I have to watch the spinning circle on the screen waiting for it to catch up. Going to the system managers...

linux machine. Ram usage 1gb. on my windows machine 11gb. WTH? This is idle, with only the desktops showing. WTH is windows doing? Same with the cpu usage. on the linux system. 1-2 percent cpu usage while on desktop no apps running. My windows system 30-40 percent. What are they doing? Whats being sent back to the mothership?

Linux is going on ALL systems and I will work with open source software from now on. I cannot keep using windows crap on my systems.
The update situation with Windows is terrible. If I don't boot my Windows systems often enough, updates sometimes take 30 minutes and multiple reboots to finish. With Linux, updates generally get installed and configured with minimal impact on using the system. It will be interesting to see if Linux on ARM becomes popular. I don't like the power draw or heat generated by X86-based systems, and Linux ARM laptops would be a great option.
 
I am on my little basic linux laptop now. core m3 processor, 4gb of ram and 615 graphics.

I was just watching youtube. Scrubbing through videos is instant on this little slow system. meanwhile, on win 11 on my much more powerful laptop I have to watch the spinning circle on the screen waiting for it to catch up. Going to the system managers...

linux machine. Ram usage 1gb. on my windows machine 11gb. WTH? This is idle, with only the desktops showing. WTH is windows doing? Same with the cpu usage. on the linux system. 1-2 percent cpu usage while on desktop no apps running. My windows system 30-40 percent. What are they doing? Whats being sent back to the mothership?

Linux is going on ALL systems and I will work with open source software from now on. I cannot keep using windows crap on my systems.
The update situation with Windows is terrible. If I don't boot my Windows systems often enough, updates sometimes take 30 minutes and multiple reboots to finish. With Linux, updates generally get installed and configured with minimal impact on using the system. It will be interesting to see if Linux on ARM becomes popular. I don't like the power draw or heat generated by X86-based systems, and Linux ARM laptops would be a great option.
Thats another thing I was going to say. using linux on this system my legs are cool. There is no fan on this little machine, but it's cool and no studdering. When running windows 11 on it, it's slow lethargic, and very very warm. It's all due to windows spyware always running in the background.
 
As I mentioned as well, I have an older Dell 11 inch 2 in 1 and it has replaced my ipad. Running zorin OS on it in "touch interface" is great. All the productivity of a laptop, all the content consumption ease of an ipad all boiled into one. Its much faster, has 3 to 4 times the battery life and is much more enjoyable than when it was running windows 10 or 11.

I am a complete linux convert. I am starting to do the install of garuda on my laptop soon to move that first and try some editing software on it.
I’m still firmly in the Win11 camp, and will be there for the foreseeable future, but…

I’m just experimenting with Linux at the moment, using “Crostini” which is the implementation of Debian Linux on Chromebook Plus*. Everything is very intuitive and while there’s enough flexibility to configure the computer as desired, there’s not the complexity of Windows. ChromeOS found the network shares without trouble. Easy file management, including Google Drive.

I ran some applications…

GIMP 2.4 installed in a flash and runs very well. The Lenovo screen runs at up to 2560x1600, and all the controls scale properly. I’ll probably use an external 4K screen when I’m actually using GIMP in the office. A lower resolution, such as 1600x1000, while travelling will be OK.

Update…

I plugged my 28” 3840x2160 monitor into one of the video-enabled ports on the laptop (USB-C to DP cable) and the expected extra controls came up on the configuration panel and it bears a close resemblance to the Win11 options, except that the control to mirror the built-in display only does so at the same resolution. A 4k display running at low resolution doesn’t look very good, but the Extended Desktop option provides full resolution on the external monitor. This information may not apply to the more basic Chromebooks.

.

I installed Geary for email, and that was easy as well. It connected to my mail server with only minimal intervention, just email address and p/w, and It obviously shook hands successfully with the server ports. Only catch was when I later changed the email password; the Gnome password facility that controls access to Geary remembered my previous password by default, and it took some head scratching to work that out. Not an issue, as I remembered the previous password.

* Lenovo i5, 8G RAM, 512G SSD, 16” WQXGA screen, Iris XE Graphics, MicroSD card.
 
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As I mentioned as well, I have an older Dell 11 inch 2 in 1 and it has replaced my ipad. Running zorin OS on it in "touch interface" is great. All the productivity of a laptop, all the content consumption ease of an ipad all boiled into one. Its much faster, has 3 to 4 times the battery life and is much more enjoyable than when it was running windows 10 or 11.

I am a complete linux convert. I am starting to do the install of garuda on my laptop soon to move that first and try some editing software on it.
I’m still firmly in the Win11 camp, and will be there for the foreseeable future, but…

I’m just experimenting with Linux at the moment, using “Crostini” which is the implementation of Debian Linux on Chromebook Plus*. Everything is very intuitive and while there’s enough flexibility to configure the computer as desired, there’s not the complexity of Windows. ChromeOS found the network shares without trouble. Easy file management, including Google Drive.

I ran some applications…

GIMP 2.4 installed in a flash and runs very well. The Lenovo screen runs at up to 2560x1600, and all the controls scale properly. I’ll probably use an external 4K screen when I’m actually using GIMP in the office. A lower resolution, such as 1600x1000, while travelling will be OK.

Update…

I plugged my 28” 3840x2160 monitor into one of the video-enabled ports on the laptop (USB-C to DP cable) and the expected extra controls came up on the configuration panel and it bears a close resemblance to the Win11 options, except that the control to mirror the built-in display only does so at the same resolution. A 4k display running at low resolution doesn’t look very good, but the Extended Desktop option provides full resolution on the external monitor. This information may not apply to the more basic Chromebooks.

.

I installed Geary for email, and that was easy as well. It connected to my mail server with only minimal intervention, just email address and p/w, and It obviously shook hands successfully with the server ports. Only catch was when I later changed the email password; the Gnome password facility that controls access to Geary remembered my previous password by default, and it took some head scratching to work that out. Not an issue, as I remembered the previous password.

* Lenovo i5, 8G RAM, 512G SSD, 16” WQXGA screen, Iris XE Graphics, MicroSD card.
I never thought I would move away from windows. However, after running linux for the past few weeks. It's all I am using. I start up my windows notebook and after 20 mins of slow lagging things, I grab the little dell system and fire it up. Fast and efficient. It's great. I cannot wait to get it loaded on my two main systems.

No more windows and microsoft.....or Apple for that matter for me. They can get rich on the backs of others now, Not me. Same goes for 99 percent of software I am using. The payments stop now and I am on open source fast software. I am a linux user from here on out.
 
Just saw on tomshardware, they are doing an experiment on Linux, to see how it is like purely using Linux for a week.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/live/my-week-with-linux

Today as of writing, is the 3rd day. Might be a good info resource for anyone looking into ditching windows and mac.

I'm keeping an eye on this update for sure. :-D
 
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Just saw on tomshardware, they are doing an experiment on Linux, to see how it is like purely using Linux for a week.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/live/my-week-with-linux

Today as of writing, is the 3rd day. Might be a good info resource for anyone looking into ditching windows and mac.

I'm keeping an eye on this update for sure.
This peek at Linux looks like it’s a nightmare that will frighten away many potential adopters.
 
Just saw on tomshardware, they are doing an experiment on Linux, to see how it is like purely using Linux for a week.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/live/my-week-with-linux

Today as of writing, is the 3rd day. Might be a good info resource for anyone looking into ditching windows and mac.

I'm keeping an eye on this update for sure.
This peek at Linux looks like it’s a nightmare that will frighten away many potential adopters.
They are using the wrong version of Linux. Go with Zorin or mint and it's all seamless. Unbuntu is a terrible user experience. Probably paid off by MS to do a terrible review to keep people tied to the money machine that is windows.

The final nail in the Microsoft coffin for me is that Nadella just inked a deal with Space Karen to host grok. Final straw for me. The linux gets installed today on my two main systems, and my wifes laptop. Lights out for Microsoft here.

--
Fronterra Photography Tours
The Point and Shoot Pro
One Lens, No Problem
 
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Just saw on tomshardware, they are doing an experiment on Linux, to see how it is like purely using Linux for a week.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/live/my-week-with-linux

Today as of writing, is the 3rd day. Might be a good info resource for anyone looking into ditching windows and mac.

I'm keeping an eye on this update for sure.
This peek at Linux looks like it’s a nightmare that will frighten away many potential adopters.
They are using the wrong version of Linux. Go with Zorin or mint and it's all seamless. Unbuntu is a terrible user experience. Probably paid off by MS to do a terrible review to keep people tied to the money machine that is windows.

The final nail in the Microsoft coffin for me is that Nadella just inked a deal with Space Karen to host grok. Final straw for me. The linux gets installed today on my two main systems, and my wifes laptop. Lights out for Microsoft here.
 
Just saw on tomshardware, they are doing an experiment on Linux, to see how it is like purely using Linux for a week.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/live/my-week-with-linux

Today as of writing, is the 3rd day. Might be a good info resource for anyone looking into ditching windows and mac.

I'm keeping an eye on this update for sure.
This peek at Linux looks like it’s a nightmare that will frighten away many potential adopters.
They are using the wrong version of Linux. Go with Zorin or mint and it's all seamless. Unbuntu is a terrible user experience. Probably paid off by MS to do a terrible review to keep people tied to the money machine that is windows.

The final nail in the Microsoft coffin for me is that Nadella just inked a deal with Space Karen to host grok. Final straw for me. The linux gets installed today on my two main systems, and my wifes laptop. Lights out for Microsoft here.
Buh-bye.
Thanks!. it's much better using software that does not spy on you, take all your data and sell it after charging you for using said software, and dealing with the likes of the skidmark on the underwear of society "Space Karen"
 
Just saw on tomshardware, they are doing an experiment on Linux, to see how it is like purely using Linux for a week.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/live/my-week-with-linux

Today as of writing, is the 3rd day. Might be a good info resource for anyone looking into ditching windows and mac.
This guy has entirely the wrong philosophy.

He's trying to take Linux and bend it into the shape of Windows.

If Windows is the result you want, better to start with Windows and not Linux.

Linux and Windows each come with entirely different ecosystems.

It's like taking an Android phone and trying to force it to work and feel like an iPhone.

If you want an iPhone-like device, buy an iPhone and not an Android device.

It's a shame because his efforts were destined to fail and the results reflect poorly on Linux.
 
Just saw on tomshardware, they are doing an experiment on Linux, to see how it is like purely using Linux for a week.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/live/my-week-with-linux

Today as of writing, is the 3rd day. Might be a good info resource for anyone looking into ditching windows and mac.
This guy has entirely the wrong philosophy.

He's trying to take Linux and bend it into the shape of Windows.

If Windows is the result you want, better to start with Windows and not Linux.

Linux and Windows each come with entirely different ecosystems.

It's like taking an Android phone and trying to force it to work and feel like an iPhone.

If you want an iPhone-like device, buy an iPhone and not an Android device.

It's a shame because his efforts were destined to fail and the results reflect poorly on Linux.
Exactly. If you want windows. Use it. However, If you want something better and different. Move to linux and learn how to use it instead of trying to make it like windows. Zorin OS is AWESOME. I am close to using it vs. Garuda. But Garuda has my attention for its visuals and gaming potential for my son.
 
If Windows is the result you want, better to start with Windows and not Linux.

Linux and Windows each come with entirely different ecosystems.
Well, that's kind of the point of the folks here who are reluctant to leave Windows. A lot of us have a pretty major investment in Windows-compatible software and we don't want to have to spend a ton of time and effort to get it working in a new environment that is anything less than plug-and-play.
 
If Windows is the result you want, better to start with Windows and not Linux.

Linux and Windows each come with entirely different ecosystems.
Well, that's kind of the point of the folks here who are reluctant to leave Windows. A lot of us have a pretty major investment in Windows-compatible software and we don't want to have to spend a ton of time and effort to get it working in a new environment that is anything less than plug-and-play.
Exactly.

I’ve had a long history as a Windows user for business and pleasure, with a significant Investment in hardware, software and screen-staring. There wasn’t any incentive to play with other systems such as Mac or Linux, since they totalled less than 5% of the market.

I did install what you might call a “complete” version of Linux from CD (can’t remember what flavour) on some old hardware that I was donating, and that was trouble free.

I’ve also supported non-computer-literate friends when they have had trouble with their Macs. One friend had been struggling with her Mac for several weeks and finally asked for my help… “Now, I guess that you don’t know anything about Macs”. -That turned out to be a 10-second fix (She wasn’t logged in). The same friend couldn’t receive calls from my wife on her mobile phone for more than a year, resisting all offers for assistance because she assumed that my wife’s phone was defective. Another 10-second fix (bad profile in the contacts list).

Well into retirement, I now have the time to spend investigating other systems, and I find that a Chromebook is a convenient way to start. As well as the native applications, ChromeOS supports Android and Linux apps. Once Linux is enabled, applications are easily installed and are very well integrated with the underlying OS.

I’m sure that part of the mystique of Linux is the arcane text that’s used…

> sudo apt install gimp
 
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If Windows is the result you want, better to start with Windows and not Linux.

Linux and Windows each come with entirely different ecosystems.
Well, that's kind of the point of the folks here who are reluctant to leave Windows. A lot of us have a pretty major investment in Windows-compatible software and we don't want to have to spend a ton of time and effort to get it working in a new environment that is anything less than plug-and-play.
I agree with you Sean. My first reply on top reflects what you say here.

I have BT pairing problems with the keyboard. And I also have a wireless Wacom small tablet that runs on BT too. So if I can't get my stuffs to work/run on Linux, and the solution is command line intensive, I have to go back to windows. Not much choice.
 
If Windows is the result you want, better to start with Windows and not Linux.

Linux and Windows each come with entirely different ecosystems.
Well, that's kind of the point of the folks here who are reluctant to leave Windows. A lot of us have a pretty major investment in Windows-compatible software and we don't want to have to spend a ton of time and effort to get it working in a new environment that is anything less than plug-and-play.
Sure. But if you want to change ecosystems, it's going to take to work; Windows to Linux or iPhone to Android. If you don't, the issue is moot anyway.
 

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