What are users doing to help non technical people when windows 10 is end of life?

Privacy Questions
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As many people may be aware, Windows 10 is ending support in October 2025.

This means that users who are currently on Windows 10 would either have to upgrade to Windows 11 if their hardware is supported.

However, if there are users who have laptops or desktops with hardware that is not supported such as an older processor spec or having TPM 1.2 where the device works perfectly fine, the only option is to switch to Linux. I know it is possible to install Windows 11 on non-supported hardware, but there is only so much time before updates would not come though.

However, as I have found when helping users who do not know computers, many of them only use a web browser for browsing the web and editing the occasional document which can be done with libra office with some tweaks where possible to ensure compatibility with word.

The issue I have noticed with fedora, issues seam to stem when installing ttf fonts to be able to get perfect compatibly with word. Plus, updates do not get installed automatically despite having download and install updates automatically and check for updates daily.

I often say to users that Linux is great for the basics but if there is anything more complex needed such as running sage or video editing or running a certain program then, as I have found, Linux does not work unless the software has official Linux support. I know there is wine. But from my own experience and testing with say word, it can be very hit-and-miss. Or an update can cause the program not to work any more. I know many non-technical people prefer stability and usability and don’t want to troubleshoot if something goes wrong.

If someone says to me, they must use word and nothing else matters, then a new computer with Windows 11 is the only option possible.

So what are users doing here in, regarding making sure non-technical people don’t fall behind when Windows 10 loses support?

Could Linux mint and maybe kubuntu be added to the recommendations once they add wayland support?

What are users thoughts, and what are people planning on doing to help non-technical people when Windows 10 is end of life?

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Windows 11 IoT doesn’t officially have any hardware requirements

On the linux side of things, Fedora is the best choice. If you want something easier, then use at least Ubuntu GNOME. Wouldn’t use Linux Mint as it’s only very marginally more user friendly and yet lacks several Ubuntu security features, such as unprivileged usernames restriction and it disables firefox apparmor profile by default (afaik, but correct me if I’m wrong), not to mention that it’s based on Ubuntu LTS.

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I did look into Windows 11 iot but i had issues with it and i followed the info from mass gravel as it says it only supports English and not English gb. but I had issues trying to switch from windows home iot and windows just reverted to home due to the licence key on the laptop motherboard. I use ventoy for storing os isos.

The only issue with Ubuntu gnome is it’s not traditional windows like way. Or could I use kubuntu?

Thanks for your info

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Can’t they just use Linux with LibreOffice?

I wouldn’t let the OS they use come this close to EOL in the first place. All Windows devices I managed have LTSC.

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There is no blanket recommendation. Everyone’s use case for Windows varies. Sometimes people just need a web browser, other times there is critical software that can’t be run well on Linux.

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That’s why now if i come across Windows 10, then i upgrade to 11 or linux

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I am now using it in a VM as a work daily driver. No problem whatsoever with IoT LTSC. What was wrong with yours?
Alternatively there’s the more unethical methods like massgrave but not sure if it’s allowed on PG.

Also if Linux is a choice, Linux Mint across the board.

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I don’t think we should be recommending anything that uses X11 to a non-technical user for privacy. I would rather just recommend Windows 11 with privacy configuration than anything based on X11 assuming Wayland is not an option

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What are you talking about.
Yes I’m aware the problems [But no X11 is not broken or buggy] with X11 but the problems doesn’t mean that Mint is hard to use. nor does it break or have technical problems. or that X11 itself is buggy (in fact I use it because it’s the only Environment session that plays nicely with games rn) I’ve found it to be the bulletproof solution to Linux for beginners and that’s just fine. The UX is also just familiar enough to pick up and play for a Windows user.
I would be surprised if I hear someone’s Linux Mint break down somehow but other than that it’s been fine. (Also privacy on Linux is just plain better than Windows, regardless of circumstances [Unless it’s Ubuntu from Canonical which that one is a probably not])

We’re here to breath new life to old computers not eligible for windows 11 and stuck on 10 and either Massgrave approach or not is a valid Option, with other options being just upgrading to windows 11 if viable. I’m only saying if Linux is on the table For windows 10 non-tech savvy, not outright recommending it.
Fedora KDE (or spins of it like Aurora, Fedora Atomic) is of course on the table too but I like to play it safe personally. Of course bazzite and SteamOS are on the table too but that assumes quite a few things for them.

Disclaimer: These recommendations does not exactly align with Privacy Guides criteria so everyone asses your/their needs and thret model accordingly and acknowledge the risks that can happen and go on as such.

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It’s not because it’s buggy it’s because it allows for literal keylogger to be ran easily :sob: and for non-technical audience I don’t recommend something with no guard rails that’s it. They’re not gonna be careful about downloading apps

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According to the userbase calculations calculating outside of immutable distros
the odds of getting malware is 1%
which is pretty low than windows’s Probably 90%
[From like getting even the executable in the first place]
Why? Think about it, Would you rather create malware for the 1% or the 90%

Now if userbase isn’t a valid statistical idk what it is and depending on how Linux grows, Maybe it’ll increase, who knows.
Anyways X11 isn’t as bad as you think it’s fine. I just would be cautious and Wouldn’t use it if I was very security minded for sure. (And could likely mitigate it in some ways)

Now does Linux malware exists? Yes
but for the average consumer? Most hackers target windows and target Linux mostly for the server side of things not consumers.

Oh and speaking on behalf of normies, The normie wouldn’t care if it’s X11 or had problems or anything like that if it means it won’t break for it’s next 5-8 years Linux Mint is supported and their apps work which is what like 99% of normies want.

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Just because people don’t create malware for it doesn’t mean there won’t be one. Again, I’m just not comfortable with having such a large vulnerability for people. Especially that Linux percentage is increasing everyday. When I setup a system for someone I expect not to be ever bothered again about it, even if that’s 5 years in the future

As for Windows, I wouldn’t recommend it anyways. I would prefer to IDK get something like brunch and setup ChromeOS for them.

I’ve recommended Linux Mint to someone and somehow they messed it up so bad (i think they installed like Microsoft edge deb or something? Not sure how that even breaks their system, Im guessing they forgot to update) I just did a reinstall. Just not something I want to ever do again.

Personal annoyance and biases

Just as a sidenote: I sleep at 8 PM and I’m tired of people sending me a message late in the night expecting me to be awake just because they ran a random exe. I don’t think that will change when it’s a deb when Linux gets more popular (which it is). I’ve even had people gotten malware on their Macs somehow and called me about it :sob:

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I mean putting oddities aside idk why I haven’t heard anyone’s Linux Mint like catastrophically breaking or something.
Again X11 isn’t as bad as you think and even then I daresay Wayland isn’t protecting you from keyloggers and session stealers either.
What would help those problems is more on the sandboxing side of things (eg. Flatpak, Qubes etc.)

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No, I just at least want the bare minimum for people (X11 isn’t that) and I wouldn’t setup Linux for anyone unless they really beg for it. I don’t recommend any kind of Linux to anyone because the Linux ecosystem is kind of in a transition and things change drastically and Linux Mint slapping a lipstick on a piece of crap doesn’t really justify it.

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alright that is a Choice, I can’t change people’s mind nor do I itend to. I just want to make sure that even on the normie level they’re led to the right decision.
For example yes: If full security is what you’re after, it’s no Windows or Linux that’s gonna cut it. it’s MacOS and ChromeOS (to my understanding both are very secure operating systems)
But I still stand to what I said for on behalf of normies. (which those either wanna keep using Windows which would be far more valid or if they’re open to Linux, they want something easy to use they can pick up and play, so eg. Bazzite for windows gamers, Linux Mint or Zorin for the rest)

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Honestly “breathing new life to old hardware” I found is too technical for most people. There is no right or even good answer despite what Linux YouTubers say.

Or maybe I just have the dumbest of family members… sigh

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This October I will probably go home to help my folks with my older hardware, maybe setup the PC with Fedora and enable each other’s remote backup, thus removing the need to involve a cloud provider. The initial upfront payment is expensove though.

Im going to ask them if they like to customize the looks of the toolbars. If the answer is no, Fedora it will be.

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I find Linux distros like Ubuntu to be better on this front - its simple and easy to limit yourself to using the existing software center with (usually) vetted software. I personally think installing apps is easier and safer on most Linux distros than it is on Windows where you have to go to an organization’s website, hope its not a fake website, and download it.

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Everyone in my life is already using Windows 11.

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KDE is currently not better than DEs that use X11 because it allows apps to arbitrarily grab screen content. Hopefully, it will get fixed in the near future though