The End Of Windows 10 Has Been A Boon For One Particular Linux Distro - And I'm Not Surprised

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• Windows 10 support has ended.
• Some Linux distributions person seen grounds downloads.
• It's clip to see making nan move from Windows to Linux.

Support for Windows 10 ended conscionable a fewer days ago, which intends those users without a PC supported by Windows 11 are astatine a crossroads. There are a fewer options, including switching wholly to either MacOS aliases Linux. With MacOS, there's nan added costs of purchasing a caller computer. Should those users determine that they don't want to ammunition retired nan money for caller hardware, Linux is nan only different choice.

One distribution, Zorin OS, decided to return advantage of nan extremity of Windows 10 support by releasing its biggest upgrade to date, Zorin OS 18. It did truthful connected nan aforesaid time Windows 10 support ended.

Also: Want to ditch Windows? This Linux distro makes that modulation easy

According to nan Zorin OS Group, it saw complete 100,000 downloads of Zorin OS successful conscionable complete 2 days. That motorboat coiled up being its biggest-ever. The Zorin OS Group, connected X, reported that 72% of those downloads came from Windows machines. The ZorinOS Group besides referenced nan metropolis Échirolles, France, which has switched computers successful its municipality hallway to Free & Open Source software, including Zorin OS. It's important to note, however, that only 10% of those machines are now moving Zorin OS.

Although Microsoft did connection users an other twelvemonth of information updates for Windows 10, which will costs astir $30, that is conscionable putting disconnected nan inevitable.

There was moreover a caller campaign, End of 10, that gave Windows 10 users each nan accusation they needed for making nan move to Linux.

It's clip to switch

I understand that I'm biased. I've been utilizing Linux for astir 30 years, and successful that time, I person not erstwhile missed utilizing Windows. Although immoderate will constituent to a deficiency of software, that is simply a myth. Linux has tons of software, acknowledgment to built-in package managers, Flatpak, Snap, AppImages, and moreover installing Windows apps straight with nan thief of Wine.

Others would declare that Linux is challenging, but I tin committedness you that Linux is nary much challenging to usage than either Windows aliases MacOS. Trust maine connected this one, arsenic I'm presently doing a week-long trial successful which I ditch Linux for Windows, and it has not gone well. I'll beryllium penning astir that acquisition soon, but I would expect that it mightiness very good sound for illustration what a Windows personification would presume to beryllium a migration from Windows to Linux.

Also: I recovered a Linux distro that combines nan champion parts of different operating systems (and it works)

In different words, each OS has its pros and cons, but 1 of nan Linux "cons" you tin discount is that it's difficult to use. It's not. If you tin efficaciously usage Windows, you tin usage Linux. This is particularly important pinch Windows 10 nary longer supported, and truthful galore of those machines do not support Windows 11. 

Because of this, it's clip to make nan switch. Besides, you could make nan switch, and if Linux doesn't activity retired for you, acquisition a caller machine pinch Windows 11, for illustration you would person had to do otherwise. You'll not only person a shiny caller Windows 11 PC, but besides your older PC moving Linux. But if you find Linux fits your needs, you've dodged having to ammunition retired nan rate for a caller system.

Security is key

You mightiness beryllium thinking, "I tin conscionable support utilizing Windows 10 without support." If you do, it's only a matter of clip earlier you find your machine has been compromised. Windows is already security-challenged. Running Windows without information updates exponentially exacerbates that issue. Without support, your OS will nary longer person information and vulnerability patches, which are a important facet successful keeping your Windows PC safe.

Linux, connected nan different hand, won't suffer that aforesaid issue. Even erstwhile information ends for a distribution, upgrading to nan adjacent type is not only painless, but it will not require you to acquisition a caller computer.

For those who are curious, Zorin OS does make for an outstanding replacement for Windows. Not only tin you group it up to look and consciousness for illustration your favourite Windows UI, but there's besides nan Zorin OS Windows App Support instrumentality that simplifies nan installation of Wine for moving Windows apps straight connected Linux. Another useful characteristic is that if Zorin OS detects a Windows app installer has been downloaded, it will propulsion from a database and propose a Linux balanced app for you. For instance, if you were to download an installer for MS Office, Zorin OS will propose LibreOffice.

Also: Can't upgrade to Windows 11? This is nan Linux distro replacement I urge to astir people

The prime is yours, Windows users. Are you going to acquisition a caller machine for Windows 11, aliases are you going to springiness Linux a effort and prevention yourself immoderate money?

I would highly urge nan latter.