How good is Linux Mint? Real good!

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idle

How good is Linux Mint? Real good!

Post by idle »

Next door neighbors asked me to take a look at their Windows 10 HP laptop. I can't even begin to explain what I seen. The browser would open by itself constantly and inside the browser it would open tab after tab, each tab opening a new site. All sites were Asian of some sort, maybe Chinese? When I opened up a new browser and went to Avast! it wouldn't let Avast! run online, kept getting errors and the browser would freeze/crash. Downloaded a complete version of Avast! and ran that. Upon first run it found 80+ infections. I also ran a boot-time scan that found 5 boot-time virus' and each time I ran Avast! it found new infections. Downloaded Malwarebytes and gave that a run, it found over 600+ problems ...

As far as I was concerned this laptop was toast! I explained it needed a re-install of Windows 10 (which hadn't been updated in over 500+ days ...) and to be honest I didn't want to be the one to do it. I suggested, thinking they wouldn't know what I was talking about to give Linux Mint a try. Its funny these folk don't know a thing about computers or operating systems and just nodded their heads in agreement. So I loaned them a an external HDD to transfer years and years of pictures, videos, documents and so on. I can't believe they had their entire lives memories on such a compromised system.

The next day I opened it up scrubbed it clean, cotton-buds, high pressure dust blower, the works, and installed Linux Mint. Give the laptop back to them and the first thing the guy says is "oh this looks different" he sits down and starts navigating and says "I like this version of Windows better" lol I explained 2 days ago what I was going to do and how Linux Mint is not Windows, he even asked if its similar to Apple ...I'm pretty sure when I left they were still thinking the laptop has Windows installed.

Its been three days now and I haven't been called upon, so I guess all is good :D
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catweazel
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Re: How good is Linux Mint? Real good!

Post by catweazel »

idle wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 6:23 am ... I opened it up scrubbed it clean, cotton-buds, high pressure dust blower, the works ...
How many viruses did that remove?
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
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Pierre
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Re: How good is Linux Mint? Real good!

Post by Pierre »

- - > lot's of them.
8)

every spec that each cotton-bud grabbed, is a potential Real World Virus.
:lol:

and a good clean-out - - does wonders.
:D

proven that - myself.
:mrgreen:
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michael louwe

Re: How good is Linux Mint? Real good!

Post by michael louwe »

idle wrote:As far as I was concerned this laptop was toast! I explained it needed a re-install of Windows 10 (which hadn't been updated in over 500+ days ...)
So, M$-Win 10's forced auto-updates did not work as planned to compensate for computer dummies, ie M$ is being undone by quality-unassured or buggy updates.

Maybe, M$-Win 10 should have continued with Windows Update being defaulted to Automatic, like how it was in Win 7.

The above case should be a prompt for the OEMs to start preinstalling Linux Mint or Ubuntu on their new computers, instead of preinstalling Win 10 = save on OEM Win 10 Volume Licensing costs.
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Re: How good is Linux Mint? Real good!

Post by shawnhcorey »

catweazel wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 6:44 am
idle wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 6:23 am ... I opened it up scrubbed it clean, cotton-buds, high pressure dust blower, the works ...
How many viruses did that remove?
The ones that smelled like something is burning. ;)
Don't stop where the ink does.
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catweazel
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Re: How good is Linux Mint? Real good!

Post by catweazel »

michael louwe wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:21 am did not work as planned to compensate for computer dummies
Do you have to be uncharitable?
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
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Re: How good is Linux Mint? Real good!

Post by shawnhcorey »

michael louwe wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:21 am
idle wrote:As far as I was concerned this laptop was toast! I explained it needed a re-install of Windows 10 (which hadn't been updated in over 500+ days ...)
So, M$-Win 10's forced auto-updates did not work as planned to compensate for computer dummies, ie M$ is being undone by quality-unassured or buggy updates.

Maybe, M$-Win 10 should have continued with Windows Update being defaulted to Automatic, like how it was in Win 7.

The above case should be a prompt for the OEMs to start preinstalling Linux Mint or Ubuntu on their new computers, instead of preinstalling Win 10 = save on OEM Win 10 Volume Licensing costs.
OEMs get Windows for free provided they install only Windows on all their machines. That's how Windows became so rampant.
Don't stop where the ink does.
michael louwe

Re: How good is Linux Mint? Real good!

Post by michael louwe »

@ shawnhcorey, .......
shawnhcorey wrote:OEMs get Windows for free provided they install only Windows on all their machines. That's how Windows became so rampant.
.
Actually, no.

M$ charges the OEMs Win 10 Volume Licensing fees for every Win 10 which the OEMs preinstall on their new computers for onward selling to buyers = about US$30 or US$50 for each copy of OEM Win 10 Home or Pro license, which is non-transferable. This OEM Win 10 license cost is passed down to the buyers by being included in the sales price of the computer. Eg ... https://www.novatech.co.uk/laptop/home/

The transferable Retail Win 10 Home or Pro license costs US$119 or US$199 each,(eg bought by DIY system builders, esp gamers) which can be bought online from M$, Newegg, Amazon, etc.
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Re: How good is Linux Mint? Real good!

Post by sdibaja »

I wager the warranty service cost is more than the licence fees, making it cost effective. Including Reinstall medium was found to be more costly than call centers I guess. I believe Most returns are caused by users breaking the Software.
imagine the cost of training basic trouble shooting, we are less that 2% of the market, and we are all nerds.
Two of my family members (that need Windows 10) had their "hard drive declared dead", and were sent back to be replaced (minus data) within the last year. But the Drives were fine, I actually harvested all their personal data first with a live linux USB first, it was a Windows thing.
Peter
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idle

Re: How good is Linux Mint? Real good!

Post by idle »

catweazel wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 6:44 am
idle wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 6:23 am ... I opened it up scrubbed it clean, cotton-buds, high pressure dust blower, the works ...
How many viruses did that remove?
Dunno, all I found were a bunch of Tasmanians.
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