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switching from windows to linux, can you give some advice? (sopuli.xyz)

submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I need some advice regarding which distro to choose. I tried installing fedora workstation on my laptop as test and it seemed quite annoying to get the user interface right.

I dont mind the technical differences, in fact i'm looking forward to them as linux is more secure and better designed.

The problem i'm having is that i want the good things from windows desktop. for example; tray icons, being able to control filesystem easily with gui, shortcuts on desktop.

Every distro i have tried or seen has been really basic regarding this out of the box with very little customization options. I prefer not having to download million extensions for every little feature that might stop working at every major update or if developer doesnt feel like continuing.

I also would like to be able to easily backup customization settings so i dont have to do everything again if i need to reinstall. I like being able to easily customize everything so having a lot of settings is good thing for me.

I read somewhere about kde plasma and screenshots seemed promising and downloaded kde fedora. Haven't installed it yet but am I on the right track for what i'm looking for? Are there other even better choices? I'd like to nail this from the start so I dont have to reinstall later. I really dont want to wade through every possible distro.

Thank you all, you have been big help

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

Dual boot, don't switch

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

i'll use virtualmachines for things that i cant get to work without windows and separate pc for those that dont work even then. I dont want windows to have any access to my main pc.

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

I dont want windows to have any access to my main pc.

You don't have to attain that state immediately, you can progress towards it over time.

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

That is why I wanted to get started now instead of waiting until 10 becomes unsafe. Fortunately I can have it bothways since it was time to get new pc anyways. Now i can also use the old one as sacrificial computer since it has been compromised by kernel access anticheat programs anyway. Having to wipe it is not nice though since it will also remove a lot of history that cant be really backedup as its mixed in with all the trash.

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

As someone who has migrated data to new PCs many times, I will say you should always back everything up and sort through it later. I have had many occasions where I've forgotten about important files or documents and deleted them because I didn't know they were in the location I deleted. Storage is relatively cheap, buy a 30$ hard drive dock and a couple TB hard drive (spinning HDD, not an SSD), and use a program like FoxClone to completely clone your current OS drive. Then you can happily wipe it and still have the backup should you need it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago

I do backup everything important. I also try to save them in singular location so I dont have to hunt for them. what i mean is files like anything in appdata folder, gamesaves and such. I can live without them but its annoying to lose them and a lot of pointless toil to sort what is worth saving and what is not. Though i should do what you suggested.

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

get new pc

Ah I see, we were using the word "switch" in different ways. I interpreted it to mean replacing the operating system on a single computer whereas you meant replacing the computer you use.

If you're happy to use two computers then carry on I guess.

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

I am replacing my os, I'll use linux as my main os from now on. I'll just utilize the old one too but that one will never have anything actually important on it.