Windows 7 End of Support

[ZaphodB]

Great work, Zaph! you've taken the first step. It is not unusual to encounter problems at first. People migrating from Windows to Linux somehow expect it to be perfect, while forgetting all the problems they had with windows!

You should definitely join the mint forum (or any forum for the Linux you are using). you will get much better help there. This is, after a all, a windows forum. discussing Linux in general is definitely relevant on this forum, as W7 is coming to EOL soon. But once you get Linux up and running, you need much more specific help than would be appropriate on a Windows forum.

I personally found Linux to be very liberating. It allows you to take control of your computer, instead of just being a passive recipient like microsoft wants you to be. Oh, and it's free! Although donations are always appreciated, and they don't have to be large.

Cheers Michael,

I have joined the Mint Forum (using the same username as this forum) and had a bunch of replies to my first Linux Mint 'noob' questions.

Downloaded Mint with Xfce, MATE and Cinnamon GUIs - so far only played with Xfce and am well impressed.

Link for anyone interested: Linux Mint Download Page (has links for all 3 GUIs mentioned above in 32 and 64-bit versions)

I may bin Windows 7 sooner rather than later! Current 1TB laptop drive has 230Gb of free space - so may 'Dual Boot' with Mint once I decide which GUI I like the best.

I will continue to ask questions about Linux on the Mint forum (I feel that I've provided enough of a diversion from this thread already).

Zaph

 

[michael diemer]

Yeah, the mint forum is great, very active and helpful. I thought i was still on it, but I must have left. I'm on so many forums that I try to d/c the ones I don't use anymore, and I must have done that for Mint. (some forums won't even let you leave!). I wanted to ask them about aero themes for gbtownes, who had asked about it here earlier. There were some great transparent themes that came with Mint awhile back, but that may have been version 16, maybe even earlier. I have tried installing some from Gnome's page, but it's tricky and I never succeeded. But I'm sure it's doable.

 

[michael diemer]

For gbtownes: check out this article on KDE desktop:

Best KDE Linux Distributions For Your Desktop - LinuxAndUbuntu

If you join the Mint forum I'm sure you can get some help on aero/transparency/glass themes and how to install them.

 

[Brink]

Upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7 for Free | Tutorials

 

[michael diemer]

Just wanted to add that I tried KAOS, which has KDE as its desktop envt (DE). Like all systems based on KDE, it is visually attractive, but very complicated. I would not recommend any KDE DE for first-time Linux users, except those who are quite savvy, or up for a challenge. It will take forever to configure the way you want it, when you really should be learning Linux, not a complex DE.

Another great distro that does not get talked about enough is elementary OS. It is considered one of the most beautiful of Linux systems, but the desktop resembles the Apple system more than Windows. Nevertheless, it is very easy to use and learn, as it is already configured to work optimally, and in fact you can't really change it much. It is worth a look. It may not resemble Windows 7 much, but you will be up and running in no time, and it may grow on you.

BTW, I am not associated with any Linux system and have no particular one to push, I just pass on my experience. I have tried at least 20 of them. Hopefully it will help someone. Those refusing to go to W10 only have a few choices: stay with W7 (risky), go to W8 (why?); go to Apple (again, why?) or - the best choice - go to Linux.

 

[townsbg]

BTW, I am not associated with any Linux system and have no particular one to push, I just pass on my experience. I have tried at least 20 of them. Hopefully it will help someone. Those refusing to go to W10 only have a few choices: stay with W7 (risky), go to W8 (why?); go to Apple (again, why?) or - the best choice - go to Linux.

Everyone needs to make their own choice about what's for them and not have it pushed down their throats by m$ or anyone else. I've weighed my options and I'm leaning towards Linux. I considered 8.1 or 2012 r2 but decided that to do so would only delay leaving Windows for 3.5 years. Not to mention how much customization I would have to do for either. Also I'm not updating now. I have an iMac so I could have put Macos back on it but the newest version dropped support for my model and I would have to use a patch to get it to work-no thanks. I don't really like Linux as a desktop os but I don't trust 10. I'm not in a hurry to switch and might not do so for a year. I have a few things to test on it first. I'm going to get a hot swap-able bay and an extra hard drive so I can install Linux on my server for additional testing. I can't test everything I need to test on a virtual machine.

I will say that it's a shame that most of the endusers think that they have to keep 10 on their computer. They do not.

 

[michael diemer]

Everyone needs to make their own choice about what's for them and not have it pushed down their throats by m$ or anyone else. I've weighed my options and I'm leaning towards Linux. I considered 8.1 or 2012 r2 but decided that to do so would only delay leaving Windows for 3.5 years. Not to mention how much customization I would have to do for either. Also I'm not updating now. I have an iMac so I could have put Macos back on it but the newest version dropped support for my model and I would have to use a patch to get it to work-no thanks. I don't really like Linux as a desktop os but I don't trust 10. I'm not in a hurry to switch and might not do so for a year. I have a few things to test on it first. I'm going to get a hot swap-able bay and an extra hard drive so I can install Linux on my server for additional testing. I can't test everything I need to test on a virtual machine.

I will say that it's a shame that most of the endusers think that they have to keep 10 on their computer. They do not.

That's a great idea. I've been thinking of doing the same (getting an external bay and HDD for additional systems). I'm running out of room on my three drives, which are all 500GB. I have had as many as three OSs on a HDD, but I don't like to do that. Someday I will settle on just one Linux OS and use that basically until my own EOL. Except for my music-creation computer, which will of necessity have W7 Pro.

 

[townsbg]

I think i'm going to try elementary OS on a VM. I remember that didn't quite like KDE. Doesn't that come on Fedora? Linux will be an adjustment for me but one I can live with. I can put VMWare on it and run windows.

 

[michael diemer]

I think i'm going to try elementary OS on a VM. I remember that didn't quite like KDE. Doesn't that come on Fedora? Linux will be an adjustment for me but one I can live with. I can put VMWare on it and run windows.

That's a great idea. Keep in mind that elementary is just that, very basic. It gives you a very easy to use GUI (practically no learning curve at all), that is also very attractive. It's designed to get people up and running, being productive. As such, it's a good introduction to the world of Linux. The OS will not get in your way.

On the other hand, it does not come with an Office suite. I recommend you install Libre from the App Center. (another great alternative is Free Office). Also, it's a good idea to install Firefox and Thunderbird. The browser and email it comes with are not the best. Of course, you can also have web email, like Gmail or Yahoo. Although personally I wouldn't use either of those.

Finally, it's a good idea to install the gdebi repository, fot installing apps not found in the App Center. It allows you to easily install things. Installing software in Linux can be difficult, especially at first. Here's a nice article on things to do after installing elementary Juno: 16 Best Things To Do After Installing Elementary OS 5 Juno

elementary is not very configurable, but that is by design. It wants you to spend your time learning to use Linux, not fussing with the desktop. After you are comfortable with elementary, you can try other systems. They range from "install and start using" (elementary) to building your own Linux from scratch. and everything in between.

Addendum: elementary makes it look like you have to donate. You don't. Just enter "0" in the custom field. But don't be a dummy like me, and download the previous version, Loki. Juno is the latest. Although they're probably not too different. They tend not to make big changes. If it ain't broke don't fix it seems to be their philosophy.

 

[Brds7t7]

Give them 10 or 12 years to knock out the bugs. 7 is pretty good after 10 years.

I've always thought Windows 7 was a great OS from day one (or at least I did up until the last couple years, when they started pushing out garbage updates).
Windows 10 I've never enjoyed using, it's a bloated mess imo, and doesn't offer me anything new other than useless features and forced cra**y updates.

I've seen people saying "just upgrade and disable the updates", but what's the point of that? I might as well stay on an OS I enjoy using and disable the updates, instead of using one I dislike and disabling the updates. Same end result!

Also, when people mention that you can use workarounds to make 10 "look" like 7, they're focusing on the wrong issues for me. I could put red lipstick on a pig, it still wouldn't make me want to kiss it!
The look isn't the issue with Windows 10 imo. It has plenty of other things about it that I just don't like. Looks are the last thing I'm bothered about. I had no issue with the look of Windows '95,' 98, 2000, XP, 7 or 10 (okay 8.1 did annoy me a little at first, but I just stripped the metro stuff out, installed Classic Shell - problem solved!).

 

[townsbg]

Also, when people mention that you can use workarounds to make 10 "look" like 7, they're focusing on the wrong issues for me. I could put red lipstick on a pig, it still wouldn't make me want to kiss it!
The look isn't the issue with Windows 10 imo. It has plenty of other things about it that I just don't like. Looks are the last thing I'm bothered about. I had no issue with the look of Windows '95,' 98, 2000, XP, 7 or 10 (okay 8.1 did annoy me a little at first, but I just stripped the metro stuff out, installed Classic Shell - problem solved!).

Yep. That wouldn't change the spyware, the forced broken updates, or the bloat. That only makes it look different.:huh:

 

[Tharthan]

Everyone needs to make their own choice about what's for them and not have it pushed down their throats

The problem is, people are so pigheaded about going with the flow (even if said flow is about to go off of a waterfall), that they deem anyone else who refuses to do what they do as "throwbacks".

We're the "Computer Amish", you see.

...Whatever that's supposed to mean.

We need to "get with the programme", or we'll be left in the dust.

Perhaps the dust that we will be left in will be more pleasant than the age that is swiftly approaching (we may have already entered it, somewhat)!

 

[Tharthan]

Linux will be an adjustment for me but one I can live with.

I used Lubuntu for about half of a year (perhaps longer. I can't remember), but to be quite frank with you: GNU/Linux feels quite cold and soul-lacking to me. Perhaps it is simply that the general community that makes GNU/Linux stuff doesn't care too much about that. I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised, though, as it has—up until more recent years—been largely a tech-based audience that uses it.

Please don't misunderstand me, though. I certainly don't begrudge people who use GNU/Linux. It is certainly an option for people. But it's not the one for me.

I'll only use it if I truly have no other choice. What I desire is an OS that feels friendly, not cold.

 

[RoWin7]

The problem is, people are so pigheaded about going with the flow (even if said flow is about to go off of a waterfall), that they deem anyone else who refuses to do what they do as "throwbacks".

We're the "Computer Amish", you see.

...Whatever that's supposed to mean.

We need to "get with the programme", or we'll be left in the dust.

Perhaps the dust we will be left in will be more pleasant than the that age swiftly approaching (we may have already entered it, somewhat)!

We won't be left in the dust. The Amish get through life just fine, and don't care what other people think of them. They have everything they need.

The only important things are whether your computer performs the tasks you need, and that you don't spend more time tearing your hair out than being productive.

 

[michael diemer]

I used Lubuntu for about half of a year (perhaps longer. I can't remember), but to be quite frank with you: GNU/Linux feels quite cold and soul-lacking to me. Perhaps it is simply that the general community that makes GNU/Linux stuff doesn't care too much about that. I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised, though, as it has—up until more recent years—been largely a tech-based audience that uses it.

Please don't misunderstand me, though. I certainly don't begrudge people who use GNU/Linux. It is certainly an option for people. But it's not the one for me.

I'll only use it if I truly have no choice. What I desire is an OS that feels friendly, not cold.

Lubuntu is a minimalist desktop env. You might want to explore some others. Debian offers a bunch of different DEs, as do many other linux distros. Personally, I feel that Zorin 15 is now the best choice for Windows 7 refugees. It has a DE very similar to W7, is beautiful and intuitive, and very stable. Why not give it a look? elementary OS is another very attractive distro, but is not very configurable. And the KDE DE, available on several distros, is flat out beautiful. But it is not the easiest to use. Zorin 15 hits the sweet spot, in my opinion, after using it now for several months.

 

[RoWin7]

I used Lubuntu for about half of a year (perhaps longer. I can't remember), but to be quite frank with you: GNU/Linux feels quite cold and soul-lacking to me....

Windows has soul? Is there something I missed?

 

[Tharthan]

Personally, I feel that Zorin 15 is now the best choice for Windows 7 refugees. It has a DE very similar to W7, is beautiful and intuitive, and very stable. Why not give it a look? [...] And the KDE DE, available on several distros, is flat out beautiful. But it is not the easiest to use. Zorin 15 hits the sweet spot, in my opinion, after using it now for several months.

They look good. KDE, if I recall, has that Paint application that looks extremely close to MS Paint. A very good application. But I also recall that KDE stuff has a whole lot of dependencies that can be somewhat miring sometimes.

 

[RoWin7]

What's a DE? KDE?

 

[michael diemer]

What's a DE? KDE?

Sorry! We Linuxers sometimes forget that people who have never tried it don't have any idea what we're talking about sometimes. a DE is simply a desktop environment, the look and feel of the operating system. Or the GUI if you prefer, but it goes very deep. KDE is one such desktop environment. It is the fullest, most robust one out there. You can for example easily install aero or glass themes with it, with only a click. But all the glitz comes at a price, which is that it is very complex. I don't recommend it for first-time Linux users. you want to be figuring out Linux, not con-figuring a desktop, when you first start out.

Ubuntu, Mint and others "distros" (more lingo, it just means a particular Linux OS) come in different "flavors." What this is means is simply that you can get them in different desktop environments. Thus: Kubuntu=Ubuntu KDE; Lubuntu=Ubuntu LXDE ; Xubuntu=Ubuntu XFCE. The flagship DE for Ubuntu is the Gnome DE. It doesn't have a traditional start menu; rather you have icons lined up along the side.

Mint also comes in different flavors. The flagship DE is Cinnamon, but you can get it in Mate and XFCE. Mate and XFCE are lighter DEs, good for older hardware. elemntary OS comes only in the flagship DE, which they invented, Pantheon. It resembles Apples's OSX in layout. If you just want a simple, efficient but still attractive system, which just works out of the box, which you can start using immediately (little learning curve), elementary is a good choice. but you will probably want to add some things, like an office suite, plus better browser and email.

As I said before, I feel that Zorin 15 offers the best look and feel of Windows 7, works well out of the box, and has a a minimal learning curve. I am not a fanboy; I have three other Linux systems on my computer. but I find I spend almost all my time on Zorin. It's attractive, stable and easy to use. Which is not to suggest you won't have problems. but then, you have problems with Windows, right? There is no perfect operating system. but chances are good that if you have good hardware, most Linux systems will work fine.

 

[ZaphodB]

I've always thought Windows 7 was a great OS from day one (or at least I did up until the last couple years, when they started pushing out garbage updates).

Me too. What has spoilt things regarding Win 7 for me are two issues.

(1) Occasionally you get a Windows Update which simply refuses to install, no matter what you try, until you delete the whole of the update catalogue on your machine (+ do other associated stuff before it will work) and

(2) The increasing number of 'Not Responding' messages I'm getting recently. A cold boot sorts these out but the thing is you shouldn't have to resort to this tactic.

Windows 10 I've never enjoyed using, it's a bloated mess imo, and doesn't offer me anything new other than useless features and forced cra**y updates.

I downloaded Windows 10 when it was originally offered for "free" on a machine that was running Windows 7 purely as a "Try before you Buy" (although it wouldn't actually cost anything).

I didn't like the Metro interface, didn't want half of the stuff on the start menu (such as games like Angry Birds or whatever carp it was) and the fact that a lot of stuff was buried. [Yes, I know that M$ love to mix it up by renaming things (e.g. "Add or Remove Programs" in XP to "Programs and Features" in W7) or moving things (e.g. "Wireless Network Setup" in XP to be included within "Network and Sharing Center" in W7) or simply getting rid of stuff altogether] - but that is M$ and something they tend to do with each new OS (just in case we didn't realise that we'd got a new OS).

We have it (Win 10) at school and phoning up the IT guys to say "How do I find my documents?", "Where is 'My Computer' " or "How do I log off the machine rather than shut it down?" does you street cred no favours, especially when others see you as Tech-savvy!

What really bugs me is that as a 'Home User' I have absolutely no control over the updates - whether I apply them or not and when I apply them. Several times I have turned that machine on only to find that it wanted to finalise an update and I couldn't use the machine for a period of time until it had finished.

That and the fact the the Metro interface is ghastly and it took a long time tweaking things to get it looking "reasonable".

A major update then put everything back again, so I had the arduous task of tweaking Win 10 all over again. Such fun!

I don't like the increasing number of ads that I am seeing in Windows 10 either!

The final thing about Windows 10 that I don't like is a nagging suspicion that at some time in the future, the users of the free upgrade will be told one of two things:

(1) that "After [insert date here], your copy of Windows will no longer work" and possibly that "You need to purchase a license" and/or

(2) "In order to continue using Windows, you will have to pay £xx per month subscription" (like Office 365).

I may be wrong on these points, but in all honesty, I can't see a reputable company like Micro$oft giving away a copy of the OS when it could equally well charge for it.

Zaph