Old newbie

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JeChriGo

Old newbie

Post by JeChriGo »

Hi, all. I'm your regular "been using DOS and Windows since early 90's but the crapware version W10 was the last straw" guy.
Oh, I've tested - or, tried to install - Linux versions over the years, mostly in the mid-90's when PC magazines gave away OS'es on their CD's all the time = the total drivel OS/2, and Linux versions Red Hat and Mandrake. OS/2 threw some error message in my face right at the start of the setup, Red Hat couldn't find the mouse, Mandrake couldn't find the graphics card. And thus, some 20 years of Linux hate (and for Linux preaching geeks as well) was born.

A few years ago, I tried Linux Mint, at the time it was all new to me, like created a week earlier. Never heard of it, had no idea it's been around for a while. I had grown so tired of reboots, crashes and all that Windows mayhem, which increased heavily with W10. But, that version of LM, whatever number it had, couldn't find my internet. So, back to swearing at Windows and hating Linux.

Until one day when I just couldn't stand the complete flood of crashes, reboots and annoying messages trying to trick me into installing yet another new version of W10 when my PC already was crawling on its knees thanks to W10 in the first place (I think someone at MS deserves a good flogging). So I tried the latest LM - 18.3 - and hey, did it work or what? Finally, a working version of Linux aimed at us Windows refugees and NOT at propeller heads thinking it's totally normal to spend 5 weeks of recoding sh*t that doesn't work.

Soon I had the chance to buy a laptop, like 8 years old, for merely nothing (500 SEK). In a very good condition but loaded with the old W7. So I gambled a bit, that is created the three system DVD's and then installed LM instead. After a few weeks I dared to make my desktop into an dual boot system, but every time I was logging into W10, I was met with error messages, slow updates that finally crashed (once again) and other annoyances, so I finally took the step: after some heavy backup sessions, I wiped it all and installed a fresh LM.

I have been Windows-free for a few weeks now and the only thing(s) I miss are iTunes (I actually bought an Andriod phone and sold my iPhone at last, but I miss downloading purchased music) and then the NIK Collection (photo tools) which I can't get to work despite Wine this and Play that.

Other than that, I'm rapidly transforming into some Linux fan boy myself. If it's Linux Mint, that is. Just for the fun of it, I've also tried a few "live" versions of other Linux'es (from my USB stick) and dismissed them all in 5 minutes.

Speaking of Wine (the software, that is): this very day I tried to follow online instructions for downloading and installing Wine 3.0 instead of the old stupid 1.6 still existing in LM's own program manager. I ended up with double entries in some folder and LM Update yapped about some error. I was on the brink of installing LM all over again when I remembered: hey now, isn't there something called Timeshift? Of course there is, and I just simply restored the system to it's working version from yesterday.

And I can't express my fascination for LM (Mate) enough. I just love Linux Mint. End of story.

Thank you for reading. 8)
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
WharfRat

Re: Old newbie

Post by WharfRat »

Hello JeChriGo Image

Welcome to Linux Mint and the Linux Mint forum :)
timapple

Re: Old newbie

Post by timapple »

Welcome!
JeChriGo

Re: Old newbie

Post by JeChriGo »

Thanks, Wharf & Tim :mrgreen:
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lsemmens
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Re: Old newbie

Post by lsemmens »

Your story is not unlike my own, JerChriGo, I've also recently ditched W10 for good. Unlike many other Linux distros, the people who use mint seem to be "normal" people. In the past, whenever I tried other varieties, the inhabitants of the various fora seemed to interested in the tech, and not interested in hand holding a newbie. Not here, so far I have found some great help, and Mint has been the most stable environment that I've yet found.
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JeChriGo

Re: Old newbie

Post by JeChriGo »

Hello. Yeah I've noticed more and more Windows refugees over at the FB forums. Well MS did one thing right: Making ppl jump ship and find Linux Mint :mrgreen:
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all41
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Re: Old newbie

Post by all41 »

Even though it was a bumpy road you have finally arrived.
Welcome aboard and enjoy the freedom.
Everything in life was difficult before it became easy.
JeChriGo

Re: Old newbie

Post by JeChriGo »

Thank you :D
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jimallyn
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Re: Old newbie

Post by jimallyn »

Welcome aboard, JeChriGo! If I had a dollar for every time I heard somebody say that Win10 was the last straw, I could probably buy a new car or something. I've been using Linux for 16 years, and there is nothing that could make me go back to Windows.
“If the government were coming for your TVs and cars, then you'd be upset. But, as it is, they're only coming for your sons.” - Daniel Berrigan
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kc1di
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Re: Old newbie

Post by kc1di »

Hello JeChriGo and Welcome to Linux Mint Forums,
Great to hear of the success you are having - hope to see you around the forums :)
Easy tips : https://easylinuxtipsproject.blogspot.com/ Pjotr's Great Linux projects page.
Linux Mint Installation Guide: http://linuxmint-installation-guide.rea ... en/latest/
Registered Linux User #462608
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JerryF
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Re: Old newbie

Post by JerryF »

Welcome to the forum! Enjoy your extra time, now that you don't have to wait around for Windows to do anything!!
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catweazel
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Re: Old newbie

Post by catweazel »

Welcome!
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
JeChriGo

Re: Old newbie

Post by JeChriGo »

Hello again! Instead of quoting everyone, I'll just make one big reply:

Thanks for the warm welcome, people. And what I'm really into now is managing music. I mean, I had the unstable iTunes when I used the passive-agressive Windows, and a bunch of software to edit music files before syncing them over to my iPhone. These days, I'm a Linux user. And had to get me an Andriod phone for the first time since 2013. Drag + drop mp3 files to the SD card is a breeze, fiddling with playlists on the phone since there's no program to run on the computer, is a real annoyance. But other than that, I'm like a kid in the candy store discovering all the free software already present - or just a click away for instant install. Fixing incorrect title/track info, slapping the album cover into the file itself, converting iTunes purchases to the MP3 format and even "ripping" some old CD's. It's all there and I love it.

And, like jimallyn said about "one dollar":
Well, if I had a dollar for every time I've been frustrated and annoyed by Windows, I mean it started back in the middle ages with W3.1, I'd own a big house now. :lol:

About us refugees, be it recently or back in the W95 days: I would love to see some numbers, wondering how many there are out there escaping Windows?
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