This is the first place I go to for Linux apps. As for the decline of Windows, good that you see the handwriting on the wall and are going with the times.
All the sites listed above are for Windows, so are mostly useless for me.
I first go to the forum maintained by the Linux distro I'm using, or its derivative (e.g., Mint, Ubuntu). If I have a problem, a thousand others have had it too and a hundred have figured out the answer.
If I can't, there's a lot of small Linux forums but I find the best way of finding the topic is searching for it, making sure I use "linux" as one of the search terms.
Make Use Of is a great site with lots of articles on...everything, but heavy on the computer help. You have to search for the Linux stuff, but there's plenty of it.
OpenSUSE was the easiest install I've seen, Zorin was pretty good too. Deepin is reported to be simple too (looks pretty also). I always dual boot, even though I'll probably never use Windows again.
On many distros there are beginner forums that you can ask really basic questions and get a kind (if slightly condescending perhaps) answer. We were all noobs once.
You need to be specific, though, about your problem, what the result was, what you tried, and what hardware you are using. If you have a 32 bit system with a weird video card, 512MB memory, and a non-supported wifi card, you will be frustrated trying to install Ubuntu 64 bit.
On an old machine, you might find that Lubuntu 32 bit will run off the CD, but it won't install because the nice pretty installer won't run on low memory. But you can use the "altenate installer" (old one) for that.
And the #1 reason people stay with Windows: Laziness! They don't want to fool with their PC or learn something new. Still, they put up with upgrades, not realizing that there are modern Linux distros that are more like XP or 7 than Windows 8 is.
The last reason to switch to Linux: a lot of "old" hardware will run on it, like scanners and printers. And it's 2 clicks to install, no hunting for the driver disks like in Windows.
I've put Lubuntu on 10-12 year old machines with less than that. It will run off the CD, but not install with the "new" installer. Use the alternate download with the old installer, and it loads fine. I've run SuperGrub (a Debian spin) on a PC with 256MB, then run Firefox on it (one tab at a time, and slowly). Puppy is another good OS choice, and runs well off a CD if you have no hard drive. Midori is a better browser if you have tired hardware.
At some point you just need to throw out your antique machine, if it's worth less than a month's internet service.
A good video on switching to Linux: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gVZxQWlLOk
Jupiter Broadcasting is going to continue this show this year, so subscribe and learn. Their regular weekly "Linux Action Show" can get a bit...involved.
I'm a retired vacuum tube engineer, and I've used PCs since the 8086 days. I like the menu systems in Cinnamon, MATE and KDE, where the first menu is categories (sound & video, graphics, preferences, office) and the next level is applications (GIMP, Image Viewer, Scan). If I can remember what the name is, I just type it in the search (GIMP) and there it is; otherwise I run through the menus.
When you install a Windows app, it gets put where the autor wants it, plus a bunch of other cruft. So you get menu items for "Funkysoft --> FunkySoft on the Web Link, Uninstall FunkySoft, FunkySoft" etc. So, after trying to sort them into logical submenus, you just give up and put a shortcut to FunkySoft on your desktop. When the desktop gets full, you buy another monitor.
ZorinOS is specifically designed to not shock Windows users when they see the desktop, and there's a "look changer" that goes from Windows 2000 to XP to 7. Mint Cinnamon looks like Win7 to me. There are distros for Mac switchers, too: they have nice docks on the bottom, where they "should" be. Elementary is another gateway distro. Of course you can change a lot of things to suit your fancy, but it's better to start with something close to what you like.
So, go to distrowatch.com. Go to the Search at the top and click on "beginners" in the search box. There's links on each distro page to reviews and screenshots. Download a couple and give them a spin as a live disk, to see how your hardware works and how you like it.
We all know people who haven't changed the wallpaper on their XP system because they're afraid to "blow it up". In fact, for some of these people, that is a valid concern.
I pull out my Mint USB stick and tell them that in 15 minutes they can have a new operating system, complete with apps like an office suite, video/audio players, and image editors.
With another 30 seconds, we can find a nice wallpaper, I can show how the menu works and where the files go, and we're good to go.
I run mainly Linux Mint Cinnamon on machines all older/slower than yours. I do genealogy with the Gramps program. Edit videos with KDenLive, AviDemux, or OpenShot, view with VLC, edit photos with DigiKam, Gimp; edit audio with OcenAudio or Audacity. Mint or Zorin are best for beginners.
You can install any of these apps that aren't included by going to the distro's "app store" and searching, reading the review, and click once to install. None of this going to dodgy shareware sites and getting adware included with your download. Or worse.
Speaking of which: if your Windows machine was hit with a Cryptolocker virus, all your files would be toast. If you keep backups in a Linux format (ext4, btrfs) there's no way they can get infected, even if the virus gets stored with your files. Just sayin'.
I'd stick with Debian based distros; if you want to install stuff, most apps are packaged for Debian first. You'll find a .deb extension on the downloads. Half the distros are Debian based. The biggies are Ubuntu, Zorin, Bodhi, Mint, Lite, Elementary, Deepin; and they're all good for beginners. Go to the distro web site for instructions and introductions, then the forums for more info & resolve problems. If you install Mint or Zorin, look at the Ubuntu info too.
My point just went woosh over your head. I can install Mint quickly and a user can have a complete operating system with all the apps they're apt to need, and won't have to fool with. They can use the stock wallpaper forever. They don't have to customize anything.
Why would they do that, when XP will run forever? Well, I have a ten year old car, and it does what I need it to do, but doesn't have antilock brakes, a backup camera, tire pressure monitoring, LED running lights, GPS, or mp3 player input. At some point it will be uneconomical, impractical and/or unsafe to drive long distances, so I'm shopping for a new(er) one. I'll probably get one off the lot that has the best mix of features I want, although I could order exactly the features I want and wait for delivery.
XP is fine if you never want new features and never go on the internet, and never buy new hardware. Same with Windows 2000, or 98, or 95. If they serve your needs, fine. I've moved on, and I surf the web (with no antivirus).
If you want a new operating system or PC, you will have to learn it and set it up. If you buy Microsoft, you are stuck with whatever they want you to have. If you are overjoyed with Windows 8 or 10, good for you. But if you try Linux, you have a choice of many different distros, with different desktop "looks" and different purposes. You may want a multimedia server, an educational suite, some odd language, or just something that runs on an old machine. You might like Gnome's icons, KDE's menus, or a tiled window manager. Whatever, just download it, install and go. If you don't want to change the wallpaper, fine. If you want to add more desktops or apps, change themes or colors, have wobbly windows, etc. just do it.
The big difference between Windows and FOSS is important to some people. It's not just "free, as in free beer", it's "free, as in freedom". What's the big deal if the NSA has a back door into your operating system? Well, I have nothing to hide and probably you don't either, but there's a principle involved. Also, I don't like the idea of a proprietary "standard".
My "new" PC is an eMachine that I got when a buddy of mine died. It's 6+ years old and I edit photos, audio, web pages, and even videos; design 3D architecture, and electronic circuit simulation and schematics. It has 3 GB ram but it never bumps up against the limit. I run 2 or 3 Linux distros just for fun. (It also boots Windows 7, although I haven't updated it or used it in ... maybe 2 years, I don't know.)
The only thing you have to be careful about is the video. I have a 1920x1080 screen and an NVidia video in the computer, and the proprietary NVidia driver gives me fits when it gets updated. If you have a smaller screen it will probably work fine. Best way to find out is try it, you can't lose. Load a couple distros on a flash drive and boot 'em up. Check out how all your hardware works; sound, video, wifi, etc..
I've put a stripped down Debian on a 256 MB laptop that had Windows 2000. PCs that ran XP, I usually try Lubuntu 32 bit. (Note that you have to use the legacy installer, because the "new" installer takes too much memory). Puppy is another good one. There's a bunch listed in Distrowatch on their "search" page, just type in "old computer" in the search.
If you've got a 64 bit PC with a mammoth 2 GB of memory, anything should work. Mint is my usual favorite, Ubuntu MATE second.
Sorry, I'm not AirTime tech support. Also, I was just curious and don't need it.
Reading the "automated" instructions, it looks pretty complicated and lengthy but doable. It requires setting up a webserver and feeding your stream into it, so good luck. The forum tells of successful installs in Ubuntu 14.04, a long term release (probably a good idea, since you won't want to fool with it after you get it going).
And yes, I can install my favorite distro, Mint, from a USB stick under fifteen minutes or so, but that doesn't include downloading updates to freshen it up. Nor the weeks of playing with the settings to please my eye; that is never finished.
What happens when you upgrade to Windows 10? Will it wipe out your whole hard drive, or the Windows 7 or 8 partition with all your data, or just upgrade the operating system?
I have several PCs, all of which dual (or triple) boot Linux, along with (usually seldom used) Windows 7 . Would the upgrade wipe out my Linux partitions, along with my data? If that happened, it would take me an hour or two to reinstall Linux and my data, and get it back to the way I like it. And it sounds like the best action would be to keep 7 until it dies in 2020 (or the PC dies).
That's a subset of the "Linux includes a whole lot of applications that you don't have to install or update separately" reason to install Linux, at http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/.
That's funny. Microsoft already got you as a beta tester for 10, now they have you as a distributor. I only think it's funny because I don't use it.
I torrent Linux distros, but I have to opt in, of course. It's the least I can do to help spread Linux. The problem is that I have cable internet, and the upload is a tenth the speed of the download.
You forgot the NSA back doors. I'm an American, and have nothing to hide. But I still run an open source operating system, not Windows or Apple. Bonus: it's better.
".... there are lots more that are actually useful." And that's why SETI is a waste of time. However, if it gets people interested in science, gets them to install BOINC, then that's good.
Most people have no idea how lonely and empty the universe is. They've seen too many star trek/star wars movies. What have we done to broadcast ourselves? We've only spent 100 years transmitting at higher power levels and now we're starting to tone it down and transmit information to where it needs to go. That is a very small part of the history of the universe; we may have missed other civilizations by a million years or a billion. Another problem is that unless we figure out "warp drive", there's no way to get there or even converse unless they're very close.
So why try? Perhaps some people think that finding extraterrestrial life will prove the Judaeo-Christian bible is erroneous somehow. It wouldn't, but would invalidate some fundamentalist interpretations.
Well, on Earth we are special. We belong in Heaven. Whether we'll find other creatures there, we don't know.
"In my Father’s house are many dwelling-places” John 14:2.
Your geek buddies are all in cyberspace. The place to start is http://www.techsupportalert.com/linux where you'll find "How to Replace XP with Linux" which is kind of dated but still good tips, and "Using Windows 7 and Linux on the same computer" which tells about dual booting. Plus one that helps you decide which distro to try first. The best Linux intro article is "Is Moving From Windows to Linux The Right Choice For You?"
(http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/moving-windows-linux-right-choice-you.htm)
which is really hard to find!
There's a lot of tutorials on YouTube which show you how to install different distros.
Places like linuxquestions.org and the forums for the distro you've installed are good for resolving problems. ubuntuforums.org is also the mother lode for other Debian based distros like Elementary, Zorin, and Mint. Forums are good if you need to converse back and forth with the neckbeards. Just about every problem I've had has been addressed and solved before, so you just need to search for the right thing. I see people asking questions on Quora or Yahoo answers but you can't get a conversation going that way.
Don't buy books. They are obsolete, take up space, and cost money. I'm 68, and my tired brain has figured out some things, but mostly I look on the net.
Just try it (run off a flash drive until you get the feel of it) and you'll see that the learning curve is not like when you first started using a computer. You already know how to do that.
Wifi dongles are a big sticking point for Linux. Most just plug in and work (check mfrs. website for compatibility). The driver is part of the Linux kernel.
The others, sometimes you can install Windows XP drivers using a package called ndiswrapper. Best to search forums at your Linux distro or your dongle maker.
All my PCs were Windows machines and now dual boot. Over the years I've reduced the Windows partitions to the bare minimum... just in case I need it or sell it. Hey, I paid for it. Mostly I run Mint because it looks like a clean version of XP.
I also have CRS Syndrome, which means Can't Remember Stuff. I don't do well remembering long commands and their switches and syntax.
Linux has a GUI for just about anything you want to do, but it also has terminal commands to do the same thing, but usually more powerful and faster. I can type "sudo apt-get install" faster than I can open up a software chooser program and find the app I want, but if I don't remember the name I have to use that app store. I can click the "windows" button and type in a program name and it loads right up, but if I forget the name I have to rummage through the menus to find it. That's why I like Mint; it has a menu tree like XP or Windows 7, but is much better organized without all the useless extra stuff.
I wish they had put these fonts all in one folder instead of each one in its individual folder. But hey, free.
Fonts are one of my weaknesses, and after getting these 30 free ones I went through and uninstalled a few ....dozen....that I'll never use again. They take up time and HDD space.
And it also bears mentioning that of course these fonts also work in Linux.
I wonder how much it cost them to come up with the name. First thought I had was "swayback nag". I uploaded a 5 MB powerpoint, but then it hung halfway through Swaying (Swayifying?). A different PDF worked but looked pretty nasty. But thanks for trying, Microsoft.
Funny thing, they have a nicely done tutorial; they put it on Google's YouTube.
I might try again, using the web to Sway(tm) a presentation written in LibreOffice. Topic: "Why Linux is better than Windows."
The GUI version for Linux is called zenmap. Real nerds will of course want the command line version (nmap), but that leaves me out because I'm a grandpa. And I run Linux, because I don't have time to maintain Windows.
OK, you go to "visualize the public collection" (http://publicdomain.nypl.org/pd-visualization/) and it should load (finally) a huge thumbnail of all the thousands of scans. You can sort by genre, collection, or color. Pick one and you get a bigger thumbnail, all the info on it, and several resolution download selections. The "all download options" might have 6 different sizes. "Larger" is 2560 pixels, plenty big for me even after zooming in, and it's 6 or 8 megabytes.
Photoshop and Nik are way overkill for us weekend shutterbugs. Plus, Adobe refuses to port Photoshop to Linux.
Digikam is the free alternative. You can also do a lot of stuff in Gimp.
Zorin 11 came out on Feb. 3, and it's based on the old Ubuntu LTS (has Linux kernel 4.2.0). Okay, that won't mean much for noobs, but it does lag quite a bit, even more than Mint. It's pretty, and does look like Windows (or Mac, if that's how you roll) but there are more cutting edge beginner distros, like Ubuntu MATE. I put it on my dad's PC (he's 94); it works like a charm. Things are easier to find in a menu, so you don't have to clutter up your desktop with shortcuts.
It's #11 on the distrowatch list, so it's pretty popular.
I've used CCleaner for years and never had a problem. Just remember that when you get rid of all your cookies and thumbnails that you'll slow your system down as it rebuilds all that stuff. It's like throwing out the contents of your refrigerator - sometimes it's so bad it all has to go, but then you have to replenish it.
I see that there's a Mac version. Same idea, but no registry to worry about. No Linux version, but Bleachbit works great for that. I just ran it, and deleted a GB on my Kubuntu system, of older system files, logs, language packs. It didn't run any faster, but without a registry to get mucked up, Linux and Mac don't bog down unless you fill up the hard drive.
I have no problems with Ubuntu Unity, but trying Ubuntu MATE, it looks like it's more noob friendly. I think I could recommend it to any Windows user and they'd get to know it easily. Kubuntu is a nice alternative if you like that look.
But wait a month or two. Cosmetic stuff I don't even notice, but some bugs need to be sorted out. Kind of like buying a car the first month they come out. Of course I don't mind helping out by getting the new version and torturing it. But I can always boot into Mint 17.3 when all else fails. The new Mint won't be out until June, after Ubuntu gets cleaned up for them.
I've used Hugin and it's got a lot of tweaks and adjustments (corrects for lens distortion, color balance, vignetting, HDR mismatch). It's the only open source free-standing stitching app, and is cross-platform (Linux, FreeBSD, Mac, Windows).
I also used the Pandora plugin for Gimp. But it doesn't do vertical stitching, so for a vertical pan of a cathedral in France I turned the pictures 90 degrees then stitched them. I've had to do some manual matching as it's tough to see where lines match up on ornate architecture.
Maybe one of G'Mic's eight sharpening filters can do this job. It has 300 filters and I haven't tried them all. Maybe you could do a review if you can find a category to put it in. There's a plugin for Gimp, a standalone program, and an online version.
Get a set of torx bits from Harbor Freight for a couple bucks. Take the lid off the HDD and get the magnets out. I reuse the cases for different things, and pull parts off the boards.
PCs that are less than 10 years old and working can be repurposed by installing Linux on them, wiping all the data off. Give it to a kid, Freecycle, school, Salvation Army.
Several times I've used Rescatux (Tux is the Linux mascot). It's a smaller download and doesn't have an antivirus that I know of, but has hard disk utilities, some of the usual fixes like a Windows password remover, and a rudimentary Linux operating system. It includes SuperGrub2 which fixes dual boots that Windows has screwed up so you can't boot Linux.
On UBCD, GParted is just a partition editor; the virus scanner and file manager are separate programs.
The only reason I could see for ReactOS is if you have an old piece of gear that will only run Windows. A medical or scientific gadget perhaps. I had a milling machine that ran on a 386 for years and the driver only worked on Windows 3. (it's long gone.)
Before I'd go through the hassle of ReactOS, I'd see if my PC or gadget will run with Linux. Mint Cinnamon has been my favorite for years because I'm just used to the old XP menus, but Mint's is much cleaner. For old PCs, I like Puppy, Bodhi, or Lubuntu 32 bit. I'm talking 12 years old or more.
Linux has drivers for many of the gear that isn't supported in Windows 7 or newer. A lot of old programs will run on Linux using the Wine program.
Those topo maps are about 50 years old. Don't use them for navigating roads. But they are interesting to see what was around mid last century. The topography hasn't changed so much.
Rescatux is another good one. It's a much smaller download, but fewer utilities. I use it to diagnose hard drives and memory, and erase Windows passwords, but mainly to get back my grub. Search for supergrubdisk
I tried this years ago and now I see it's become more polished. It's more bloated than gedit or any other simple test editor, but has more capabilities, and simpler than LibreOffice ... but a few less capabilities. And some extras that might be a good fit for the journal writer. So, take your pick.
I haven't figured out how to zoom in, though, and on most themes I can't read the text. So I stick with the plain color.
It installs in a minute on Linux; I have Mint and just used the Ubuntu directions. Add the repository by opening a terminal and pasting this in:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gottcode/gcppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install focuswriter
I'm a retired vacuum tube engineer, been using Linux for about 6 years now.. There's over a hundred distros of Linux, so finding the best one for you could take a while. Just start with an easy one. Mint, Ubuntu MATE, ZorinOS, Elementary, Solus are my top recommendations. If you have an older PC (ten years), Lubuntu. Go to distrowatch.com and hit the search button up top, and put "beginners" or "old computers" in the search box. See what you like.
As for Pixel, well, that's OK for a Raspberry Pi. And maybe for a machine you use to program the Pi. But you can't install it on a hard disk? I'd rather use Puppy, which gives you that option.
I just go to the "show all bookmarks" and then hit search. Results come up instantaneously. Maybe this Brain thing is an improvement; it takes a few keywords to get what I'm looking for. But not having Google watching over my shoulder is a big plus.
I tried some with LibreOffice, and they're mostly docx which opens up OK, but some type is a different size or font depending on what you have installed. So you may have to adjust to suit. I use Linux so I don't have a lot of Microsoft fonts, but Windows users should be OK.
It would be great to see this on your DAW page, and compare them. /best-free-music-software.htm
I got a bad taste of Magix software (nag/crippleware) from my Windows days so I prefer truly free stuff. But it does look interesting.
For a real trippy online sound generator, try mynoise (dot) net. Lots of things to try, most free (if he has the bandwidth). The Tibetan Choir is the coolest.
Thanks to Jupiter Broadcasting showing this, on this week's Linux Unplugged podcast.
In reply to "Australia".... Yes yes yes.......Security, boot time, compatibility with old hardware, choice among desktops, bloat, updating, spyware. .... these are all my reasons to run Linux.
Don't get mad, get even! You have nothing to lose but your chains.
Gizmo has a nice article called "Is Moving From Windows to Linux The Right Choice For You" which you'll have to search for, because they keep it hidden.
And there's plenty of MS Paint alternatives; it's a very popular category.
I used to use f.lux but now I can't figure how to get it installed on Linux. It's a windows program anyhow, you have to use Wine.
Iris works OK and it's native Linux but crippleware.
Redshift works OK too.
Your points are exactly why I had been hesitant to try Linux. Then I came upon a laptop that was "too slow" and tried Mint on it. I guess I got hooked then.
You can try Linux on a disk or flash drive to see how well it runs on any particular system, without changing anything. Try all your hardware, and try the "old" scanner and printer in your closet that won't run current Windows, you might be surprised that it works great on Linux. TV cards that last worked on XP, for instance. I recently recorded all my VHS and 8mm analog home videos using one.
I had very few problems collaborating with MSOffice users using LibreOffice, and sometimes I had to read old Office, Word Perfect or PDF files to "translate" them to the new Office format. I edited photos, drawings, electronic schematics, and videos. I ran electronic simulations and remotely controlled lab instruments. I designed, laid out and ordered printed circuit boards using Windows software running on Wine. All this on a 7 year old PC.
Finding software is as easy as going to the distro repository. Printer drivers are almost automatic... "find printer... Install... print test page?" And the updating on Mint is the way all updating should be, polite and informative, and you're in control.
The only thing I can't address is gaming. If you're into the latest high performance games you'd have to see what was available. There's thousands of them for Linux, I hear.
Q4OS looks appealing, especially for business use. The multiple desktops are nice and would give users a personal touch, and the long support time is good. I always go to distrowatch to shop for distros.
http://free-online-ocr.com/ is one I like better because it can convert to rtf. I'm still looking for one that converts to an open format, like odf, instead of Microsoft proprietary DOCX.
I agree, but instead of "Use windows 7 as long as possible" I say Use Windows 7 as long as necessary" ... which is up until about 3 years ago for me, when I noticed I hadn't needed Windows for ANYthing, having used only cross-platform apps and dual-booting for years. .
Linux packages are available, and install easily of course, and it runs well on my Mint. Worth a look to see if you like the combination of utilities in a nice looking app.
"....you can even build your own workstation using low cost motherboards, extremely fast processors, massive amounts of RAM and up to 8 GPUs. Imagine building your own super computer for incredible real time performance!" Yeah, I can dream. Me, I just use OpenShot on my 6 year old eMachines running Ubuntu MATE.
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You can go to the Wine app data base and give a (thumbs down) report on Forte. It might help out other folks. https://appdb.winehq.org/
Another thing thant helps Linux is to contact Forte and explain you'd love to be a customer but can't get their trial to run on Ubuntu.
Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!
This is the first place I go to for Linux apps. As for the decline of Windows, good that you see the handwriting on the wall and are going with the times.
All the sites listed above are for Windows, so are mostly useless for me.
I first go to the forum maintained by the Linux distro I'm using, or its derivative (e.g., Mint, Ubuntu). If I have a problem, a thousand others have had it too and a hundred have figured out the answer.
If I can't, there's a lot of small Linux forums but I find the best way of finding the topic is searching for it, making sure I use "linux" as one of the search terms.
Make Use Of is a great site with lots of articles on...everything, but heavy on the computer help. You have to search for the Linux stuff, but there's plenty of it.
http://www.makeuseof.com/
If you use Linux, use Redshift. I use it to color-correct my monitor, which is too blue for me. Redshift is in the Mint repository. Two clicks, done.
If you use Windows, just get Linux.
Does anybody know a similar program for Linux?
OpenSUSE was the easiest install I've seen, Zorin was pretty good too. Deepin is reported to be simple too (looks pretty also). I always dual boot, even though I'll probably never use Windows again.
On many distros there are beginner forums that you can ask really basic questions and get a kind (if slightly condescending perhaps) answer. We were all noobs once.
You need to be specific, though, about your problem, what the result was, what you tried, and what hardware you are using. If you have a 32 bit system with a weird video card, 512MB memory, and a non-supported wifi card, you will be frustrated trying to install Ubuntu 64 bit.
On an old machine, you might find that Lubuntu 32 bit will run off the CD, but it won't install because the nice pretty installer won't run on low memory. But you can use the "altenate installer" (old one) for that.
"Misery loves company."
Try Hylafax: http://www.hylafax.org/content/Main_Page
And the #1 reason people stay with Windows: Laziness! They don't want to fool with their PC or learn something new. Still, they put up with upgrades, not realizing that there are modern Linux distros that are more like XP or 7 than Windows 8 is.
The last reason to switch to Linux: a lot of "old" hardware will run on it, like scanners and printers. And it's 2 clicks to install, no hunting for the driver disks like in Windows.
I've put Lubuntu on 10-12 year old machines with less than that. It will run off the CD, but not install with the "new" installer. Use the alternate download with the old installer, and it loads fine. I've run SuperGrub (a Debian spin) on a PC with 256MB, then run Firefox on it (one tab at a time, and slowly). Puppy is another good OS choice, and runs well off a CD if you have no hard drive. Midori is a better browser if you have tired hardware.
At some point you just need to throw out your antique machine, if it's worth less than a month's internet service.
A good video on switching to Linux: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gVZxQWlLOk
Jupiter Broadcasting is going to continue this show this year, so subscribe and learn. Their regular weekly "Linux Action Show" can get a bit...involved.
I'm a retired vacuum tube engineer, and I've used PCs since the 8086 days. I like the menu systems in Cinnamon, MATE and KDE, where the first menu is categories (sound & video, graphics, preferences, office) and the next level is applications (GIMP, Image Viewer, Scan). If I can remember what the name is, I just type it in the search (GIMP) and there it is; otherwise I run through the menus.
When you install a Windows app, it gets put where the autor wants it, plus a bunch of other cruft. So you get menu items for "Funkysoft --> FunkySoft on the Web Link, Uninstall FunkySoft, FunkySoft" etc. So, after trying to sort them into logical submenus, you just give up and put a shortcut to FunkySoft on your desktop. When the desktop gets full, you buy another monitor.
ZorinOS is specifically designed to not shock Windows users when they see the desktop, and there's a "look changer" that goes from Windows 2000 to XP to 7. Mint Cinnamon looks like Win7 to me. There are distros for Mac switchers, too: they have nice docks on the bottom, where they "should" be. Elementary is another gateway distro. Of course you can change a lot of things to suit your fancy, but it's better to start with something close to what you like.
So, go to distrowatch.com. Go to the Search at the top and click on "beginners" in the search box. There's links on each distro page to reviews and screenshots. Download a couple and give them a spin as a live disk, to see how your hardware works and how you like it.
We all know people who haven't changed the wallpaper on their XP system because they're afraid to "blow it up". In fact, for some of these people, that is a valid concern.
I pull out my Mint USB stick and tell them that in 15 minutes they can have a new operating system, complete with apps like an office suite, video/audio players, and image editors.
With another 30 seconds, we can find a nice wallpaper, I can show how the menu works and where the files go, and we're good to go.
I run mainly Linux Mint Cinnamon on machines all older/slower than yours. I do genealogy with the Gramps program. Edit videos with KDenLive, AviDemux, or OpenShot, view with VLC, edit photos with DigiKam, Gimp; edit audio with OcenAudio or Audacity. Mint or Zorin are best for beginners.
You can install any of these apps that aren't included by going to the distro's "app store" and searching, reading the review, and click once to install. None of this going to dodgy shareware sites and getting adware included with your download. Or worse.
Speaking of which: if your Windows machine was hit with a Cryptolocker virus, all your files would be toast. If you keep backups in a Linux format (ext4, btrfs) there's no way they can get infected, even if the virus gets stored with your files. Just sayin'.
I'd stick with Debian based distros; if you want to install stuff, most apps are packaged for Debian first. You'll find a .deb extension on the downloads. Half the distros are Debian based. The biggies are Ubuntu, Zorin, Bodhi, Mint, Lite, Elementary, Deepin; and they're all good for beginners. Go to the distro web site for instructions and introductions, then the forums for more info & resolve problems. If you install Mint or Zorin, look at the Ubuntu info too.
My point just went woosh over your head. I can install Mint quickly and a user can have a complete operating system with all the apps they're apt to need, and won't have to fool with. They can use the stock wallpaper forever. They don't have to customize anything.
Why would they do that, when XP will run forever? Well, I have a ten year old car, and it does what I need it to do, but doesn't have antilock brakes, a backup camera, tire pressure monitoring, LED running lights, GPS, or mp3 player input. At some point it will be uneconomical, impractical and/or unsafe to drive long distances, so I'm shopping for a new(er) one. I'll probably get one off the lot that has the best mix of features I want, although I could order exactly the features I want and wait for delivery.
XP is fine if you never want new features and never go on the internet, and never buy new hardware. Same with Windows 2000, or 98, or 95. If they serve your needs, fine. I've moved on, and I surf the web (with no antivirus).
If you want a new operating system or PC, you will have to learn it and set it up. If you buy Microsoft, you are stuck with whatever they want you to have. If you are overjoyed with Windows 8 or 10, good for you. But if you try Linux, you have a choice of many different distros, with different desktop "looks" and different purposes. You may want a multimedia server, an educational suite, some odd language, or just something that runs on an old machine. You might like Gnome's icons, KDE's menus, or a tiled window manager. Whatever, just download it, install and go. If you don't want to change the wallpaper, fine. If you want to add more desktops or apps, change themes or colors, have wobbly windows, etc. just do it.
The big difference between Windows and FOSS is important to some people. It's not just "free, as in free beer", it's "free, as in freedom". What's the big deal if the NSA has a back door into your operating system? Well, I have nothing to hide and probably you don't either, but there's a principle involved. Also, I don't like the idea of a proprietary "standard".
My "new" PC is an eMachine that I got when a buddy of mine died. It's 6+ years old and I edit photos, audio, web pages, and even videos; design 3D architecture, and electronic circuit simulation and schematics. It has 3 GB ram but it never bumps up against the limit. I run 2 or 3 Linux distros just for fun. (It also boots Windows 7, although I haven't updated it or used it in ... maybe 2 years, I don't know.)
The only thing you have to be careful about is the video. I have a 1920x1080 screen and an NVidia video in the computer, and the proprietary NVidia driver gives me fits when it gets updated. If you have a smaller screen it will probably work fine. Best way to find out is try it, you can't lose. Load a couple distros on a flash drive and boot 'em up. Check out how all your hardware works; sound, video, wifi, etc..
I've put a stripped down Debian on a 256 MB laptop that had Windows 2000. PCs that ran XP, I usually try Lubuntu 32 bit. (Note that you have to use the legacy installer, because the "new" installer takes too much memory). Puppy is another good one. There's a bunch listed in Distrowatch on their "search" page, just type in "old computer" in the search.
If you've got a 64 bit PC with a mammoth 2 GB of memory, anything should work. Mint is my usual favorite, Ubuntu MATE second.
Yes: first take 15 minutes to install ZorinOS, Mint, Deepin, or Ubuntu; then install Airtime. Be free of Microsoft.
Sorry, I'm not AirTime tech support. Also, I was just curious and don't need it.
Reading the "automated" instructions, it looks pretty complicated and lengthy but doable. It requires setting up a webserver and feeding your stream into it, so good luck. The forum tells of successful installs in Ubuntu 14.04, a long term release (probably a good idea, since you won't want to fool with it after you get it going).
And yes, I can install my favorite distro, Mint, from a USB stick under fifteen minutes or so, but that doesn't include downloading updates to freshen it up. Nor the weeks of playing with the settings to please my eye; that is never finished.
TeamViewer is cross-platform and works on Linux. I've also used Remmina. It doesn't have as many features but it's open source.
Just installed Wi Fi Guard on my Linux Mint 17.1 PC and it works great.
The Linux version is free, too.
It works on Linux; there's deb and rpm packages. And of course Pidgin does also.
You need to run Chrome also.
I like OcenAudio, which is easy to use yet has a lot of toys and tools. I use it on Linux Mint.
Well, it uses 48 MB on Linux Mint 64 bit. If I open up a 45 minute, 495 MB wav file, it takes 331 MB and goes to anywhere instantly.
Looks like when Windows 7 reaches end of life, I won't dual boot Windows any more, and my switch to Linux will be permanent.
Hasta la Vista, Microsoft.
What happens when you upgrade to Windows 10? Will it wipe out your whole hard drive, or the Windows 7 or 8 partition with all your data, or just upgrade the operating system?
I have several PCs, all of which dual (or triple) boot Linux, along with (usually seldom used) Windows 7 . Would the upgrade wipe out my Linux partitions, along with my data? If that happened, it would take me an hour or two to reinstall Linux and my data, and get it back to the way I like it. And it sounds like the best action would be to keep 7 until it dies in 2020 (or the PC dies).
Thanks. I'll probably just reach for my SuperGrubDisk if the time comes to restore grub; it's pulled my dupa out of the fire a few times already.
No DVD playback on Win 10? Yet another reason to run Linux.
That's a subset of the "Linux includes a whole lot of applications that you don't have to install or update separately" reason to install Linux, at http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/.
Try again. I had no problem on FF 38.0.5, Windows7
When I compare free Windows to free Linux....Linux wins. (Mint is my current favorite.)
Supposedly it works on Linux, using Mono instead of Net. Haven't tried.
"...or whatever"?? You can use this to download Linux! This might be a better alternative to UNetbootin.
Have a look at the bottom of their page for the ISOs it works on.
That's funny. Microsoft already got you as a beta tester for 10, now they have you as a distributor. I only think it's funny because I don't use it.
I torrent Linux distros, but I have to opt in, of course. It's the least I can do to help spread Linux. The problem is that I have cable internet, and the upload is a tenth the speed of the download.
"One Weird trick" to solve all Windows problems: don't use it!
One "project" is free forever. The upgrade subscriptions seem reasonably priced for a business.
UPDATE 1/2/2019: Sketchbuilder.com is now a parked domain, and sketchbuilder is nowhere to be found.
Couldn't get it to run under Wine/Mint. Thanks anyway; it looks very similar to MuseScore, which is free and open source, and was recently updated.
Hasta la Vista, Microsoft! Gizmo has the answer right here:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/moving-windows-linux-right-choice-you.htm
You forgot the NSA back doors. I'm an American, and have nothing to hide. But I still run an open source operating system, not Windows or Apple. Bonus: it's better.
Runs on Linux, and it is in many distro repositories.
SETI is a waste of time, but there are lots more that are actually useful.
".... there are lots more that are actually useful." And that's why SETI is a waste of time. However, if it gets people interested in science, gets them to install BOINC, then that's good.
Most people have no idea how lonely and empty the universe is. They've seen too many star trek/star wars movies. What have we done to broadcast ourselves? We've only spent 100 years transmitting at higher power levels and now we're starting to tone it down and transmit information to where it needs to go. That is a very small part of the history of the universe; we may have missed other civilizations by a million years or a billion. Another problem is that unless we figure out "warp drive", there's no way to get there or even converse unless they're very close.
So why try? Perhaps some people think that finding extraterrestrial life will prove the Judaeo-Christian bible is erroneous somehow. It wouldn't, but would invalidate some fundamentalist interpretations.
Well, on Earth we are special. We belong in Heaven. Whether we'll find other creatures there, we don't know.
"In my Father’s house are many dwelling-places” John 14:2.
Doesn't work for me. I get a black screen; the music works and I can click on stuff on the screen but can't see anything. Same with the card game.
Try Linux on your "old" PC. You might not want to get a new one.
Your geek buddies are all in cyberspace. The place to start is http://www.techsupportalert.com/linux where you'll find "How to Replace XP with Linux" which is kind of dated but still good tips, and "Using Windows 7 and Linux on the same computer" which tells about dual booting. Plus one that helps you decide which distro to try first. The best Linux intro article is "Is Moving From Windows to Linux The Right Choice For You?"
(http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/moving-windows-linux-right-choice-you.htm)
which is really hard to find!
There's a lot of tutorials on YouTube which show you how to install different distros.
Places like linuxquestions.org and the forums for the distro you've installed are good for resolving problems. ubuntuforums.org is also the mother lode for other Debian based distros like Elementary, Zorin, and Mint. Forums are good if you need to converse back and forth with the neckbeards. Just about every problem I've had has been addressed and solved before, so you just need to search for the right thing. I see people asking questions on Quora or Yahoo answers but you can't get a conversation going that way.
Don't buy books. They are obsolete, take up space, and cost money. I'm 68, and my tired brain has figured out some things, but mostly I look on the net.
Just try it (run off a flash drive until you get the feel of it) and you'll see that the learning curve is not like when you first started using a computer. You already know how to do that.
Wifi dongles are a big sticking point for Linux. Most just plug in and work (check mfrs. website for compatibility). The driver is part of the Linux kernel.
The others, sometimes you can install Windows XP drivers using a package called ndiswrapper. Best to search forums at your Linux distro or your dongle maker.
All my PCs were Windows machines and now dual boot. Over the years I've reduced the Windows partitions to the bare minimum... just in case I need it or sell it. Hey, I paid for it. Mostly I run Mint because it looks like a clean version of XP.
I also have CRS Syndrome, which means Can't Remember Stuff. I don't do well remembering long commands and their switches and syntax.
Linux has a GUI for just about anything you want to do, but it also has terminal commands to do the same thing, but usually more powerful and faster. I can type "sudo apt-get install" faster than I can open up a software chooser program and find the app I want, but if I don't remember the name I have to use that app store. I can click the "windows" button and type in a program name and it loads right up, but if I forget the name I have to rummage through the menus to find it. That's why I like Mint; it has a menu tree like XP or Windows 7, but is much better organized without all the useless extra stuff.
I have a lawn full of those, and they're maple leaves, not oak. That's what is on the Canadian flag.
On Ubuntu, it's in the System Settings --> Connectivity.
On Linux Mint, System Settings --> Networking.
No extra software required.
Scribus runs great on Linux, and is included in some distros and just about all distro repositories.
I wish they had put these fonts all in one folder instead of each one in its individual folder. But hey, free.
Fonts are one of my weaknesses, and after getting these 30 free ones I went through and uninstalled a few ....dozen....that I'll never use again. They take up time and HDD space.
And it also bears mentioning that of course these fonts also work in Linux.
And anybody who steals your laptop would not think of turning this feature off.
I wonder how much it cost them to come up with the name. First thought I had was "swayback nag". I uploaded a 5 MB powerpoint, but then it hung halfway through Swaying (Swayifying?). A different PDF worked but looked pretty nasty. But thanks for trying, Microsoft.
Funny thing, they have a nicely done tutorial; they put it on Google's YouTube.
I might try again, using the web to Sway(tm) a presentation written in LibreOffice. Topic: "Why Linux is better than Windows."
The GUI version for Linux is called zenmap. Real nerds will of course want the command line version (nmap), but that leaves me out because I'm a grandpa. And I run Linux, because I don't have time to maintain Windows.
Copy is another Dropbox clone. I have almost a terabyte there, free due to referrals. Both have Linux file manager integration, very nice.
My big problem is uploading speed on my cable internet. Keeping backups on an internal HDD is a lot easier and faster.
I downloaded humungous sized ones for free. You can order prints though.
OK, you go to "visualize the public collection" (http://publicdomain.nypl.org/pd-visualization/) and it should load (finally) a huge thumbnail of all the thousands of scans. You can sort by genre, collection, or color. Pick one and you get a bigger thumbnail, all the info on it, and several resolution download selections. The "all download options" might have 6 different sizes. "Larger" is 2560 pixels, plenty big for me even after zooming in, and it's 6 or 8 megabytes.
I'm currently running the KDE desktop, and kinda like it. It's also available on Windows.
Some other Linux desktops also have versions for Windows, I'm told.
Photoshop and Nik are way overkill for us weekend shutterbugs. Plus, Adobe refuses to port Photoshop to Linux.
Digikam is the free alternative. You can also do a lot of stuff in Gimp.
Yeah, I don't like da funk either.
A close second is NOT running Windows.
Looks like Gnome 3 desktop on Linux. Not too many people like it, but to each their own.
Zorin 11 came out on Feb. 3, and it's based on the old Ubuntu LTS (has Linux kernel 4.2.0). Okay, that won't mean much for noobs, but it does lag quite a bit, even more than Mint. It's pretty, and does look like Windows (or Mac, if that's how you roll) but there are more cutting edge beginner distros, like Ubuntu MATE. I put it on my dad's PC (he's 94); it works like a charm. Things are easier to find in a menu, so you don't have to clutter up your desktop with shortcuts.
It's #11 on the distrowatch list, so it's pretty popular.
I've used CCleaner for years and never had a problem. Just remember that when you get rid of all your cookies and thumbnails that you'll slow your system down as it rebuilds all that stuff. It's like throwing out the contents of your refrigerator - sometimes it's so bad it all has to go, but then you have to replenish it.
I see that there's a Mac version. Same idea, but no registry to worry about. No Linux version, but Bleachbit works great for that. I just ran it, and deleted a GB on my Kubuntu system, of older system files, logs, language packs. It didn't run any faster, but without a registry to get mucked up, Linux and Mac don't bog down unless you fill up the hard drive.
I have no problems with Ubuntu Unity, but trying Ubuntu MATE, it looks like it's more noob friendly. I think I could recommend it to any Windows user and they'd get to know it easily. Kubuntu is a nice alternative if you like that look.
But wait a month or two. Cosmetic stuff I don't even notice, but some bugs need to be sorted out. Kind of like buying a car the first month they come out. Of course I don't mind helping out by getting the new version and torturing it. But I can always boot into Mint 17.3 when all else fails. The new Mint won't be out until June, after Ubuntu gets cleaned up for them.
You can thank Linux for this software. LMMS started as Linux MultiMedia Studio.
Don't be amazed that it's open source, powerful, free, and malware-free; Linux software is like that.
You can open, edit, and print PDF files in LibreOffice. Then export back to PDF if need be.
It will take me an hour just to read the Terms and Conditions, and translate from Lawyerese to English.
Proprietary, and Facebook. Two strikes.
Photo B&C is 30 day shareware.
I'm thinking there must be a way of doing the same thing in Gimp. The G'Mic filter set has a selective desaturation that I think does it.
I like that none are Google, because they know too much about me already.
On my phone, I use Here maps because I can use it offline. I downloaded maps for Europe and used them without using expensive wireless data.
I've used both f.lux and redshift on my Linux PCs and laptop to adjust the color temperature in the daytime, which I find too bluish usually.
MuseScore. Runs on Linux.
I've used Hugin and it's got a lot of tweaks and adjustments (corrects for lens distortion, color balance, vignetting, HDR mismatch). It's the only open source free-standing stitching app, and is cross-platform (Linux, FreeBSD, Mac, Windows).
I also used the Pandora plugin for Gimp. But it doesn't do vertical stitching, so for a vertical pan of a cathedral in France I turned the pictures 90 degrees then stitched them. I've had to do some manual matching as it's tough to see where lines match up on ornate architecture.
Maybe one of G'Mic's eight sharpening filters can do this job. It has 300 filters and I haven't tried them all. Maybe you could do a review if you can find a category to put it in. There's a plugin for Gimp, a standalone program, and an online version.
Get a set of torx bits from Harbor Freight for a couple bucks. Take the lid off the HDD and get the magnets out. I reuse the cases for different things, and pull parts off the boards.
PCs that are less than 10 years old and working can be repurposed by installing Linux on them, wiping all the data off. Give it to a kid, Freecycle, school, Salvation Army.
Several times I've used Rescatux (Tux is the Linux mascot). It's a smaller download and doesn't have an antivirus that I know of, but has hard disk utilities, some of the usual fixes like a Windows password remover, and a rudimentary Linux operating system. It includes SuperGrub2 which fixes dual boots that Windows has screwed up so you can't boot Linux.
On UBCD, GParted is just a partition editor; the virus scanner and file manager are separate programs.
The only reason I could see for ReactOS is if you have an old piece of gear that will only run Windows. A medical or scientific gadget perhaps. I had a milling machine that ran on a 386 for years and the driver only worked on Windows 3. (it's long gone.)
Before I'd go through the hassle of ReactOS, I'd see if my PC or gadget will run with Linux. Mint Cinnamon has been my favorite for years because I'm just used to the old XP menus, but Mint's is much cleaner. For old PCs, I like Puppy, Bodhi, or Lubuntu 32 bit. I'm talking 12 years old or more.
Linux has drivers for many of the gear that isn't supported in Windows 7 or newer. A lot of old programs will run on Linux using the Wine program.
Free Democratic propaganda? No thanks.
I get the headlines from the NYT for free, but GMail clips it off right about at the editorials, fortunately.
Those topo maps are about 50 years old. Don't use them for navigating roads. But they are interesting to see what was around mid last century. The topography hasn't changed so much.
So beginning next year it will have ads, and I have to give my address to Microsoft.
No thanks, AisleRiot runs fine on my Linuxes and has dozens of game versions.
Rescatux is another good one. It's a much smaller download, but fewer utilities. I use it to diagnose hard drives and memory, and erase Windows passwords, but mainly to get back my grub. Search for supergrubdisk
Runs natively and installs easily on Linux.
I tried this years ago and now I see it's become more polished. It's more bloated than gedit or any other simple test editor, but has more capabilities, and simpler than LibreOffice ... but a few less capabilities. And some extras that might be a good fit for the journal writer. So, take your pick.
I haven't figured out how to zoom in, though, and on most themes I can't read the text. So I stick with the plain color.
It installs in a minute on Linux; I have Mint and just used the Ubuntu directions. Add the repository by opening a terminal and pasting this in:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gottcode/gcppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install focuswriter
I'm a retired vacuum tube engineer, been using Linux for about 6 years now.. There's over a hundred distros of Linux, so finding the best one for you could take a while. Just start with an easy one. Mint, Ubuntu MATE, ZorinOS, Elementary, Solus are my top recommendations. If you have an older PC (ten years), Lubuntu. Go to distrowatch.com and hit the search button up top, and put "beginners" or "old computers" in the search box. See what you like.
As for Pixel, well, that's OK for a Raspberry Pi. And maybe for a machine you use to program the Pi. But you can't install it on a hard disk? I'd rather use Puppy, which gives you that option.
Tomboy does it for me. It came with my Ubuntu, works on Windows too they say.
I just go to the "show all bookmarks" and then hit search. Results come up instantaneously. Maybe this Brain thing is an improvement; it takes a few keywords to get what I'm looking for. But not having Google watching over my shoulder is a big plus.
I tried some with LibreOffice, and they're mostly docx which opens up OK, but some type is a different size or font depending on what you have installed. So you may have to adjust to suit. I use Linux so I don't have a lot of Microsoft fonts, but Windows users should be OK.
And it works on Linux!
Flight Gear is the open source alternative.
It would be great to see this on your DAW page, and compare them. /best-free-music-software.htm
I got a bad taste of Magix software (nag/crippleware) from my Windows days so I prefer truly free stuff. But it does look interesting.
For a real trippy online sound generator, try mynoise (dot) net. Lots of things to try, most free (if he has the bandwidth). The Tibetan Choir is the coolest.
Thanks to Jupiter Broadcasting showing this, on this week's Linux Unplugged podcast.
In reply to "Australia".... Yes yes yes.......Security, boot time, compatibility with old hardware, choice among desktops, bloat, updating, spyware. .... these are all my reasons to run Linux.
Don't get mad, get even! You have nothing to lose but your chains.
Gizmo has a nice article called "Is Moving From Windows to Linux The Right Choice For You" which you'll have to search for, because they keep it hidden.
And there's plenty of MS Paint alternatives; it's a very popular category.
I used to use f.lux but now I can't figure how to get it installed on Linux. It's a windows program anyhow, you have to use Wine.
Iris works OK and it's native Linux but crippleware.
Redshift works OK too.
Your points are exactly why I had been hesitant to try Linux. Then I came upon a laptop that was "too slow" and tried Mint on it. I guess I got hooked then.
You can try Linux on a disk or flash drive to see how well it runs on any particular system, without changing anything. Try all your hardware, and try the "old" scanner and printer in your closet that won't run current Windows, you might be surprised that it works great on Linux. TV cards that last worked on XP, for instance. I recently recorded all my VHS and 8mm analog home videos using one.
I had very few problems collaborating with MSOffice users using LibreOffice, and sometimes I had to read old Office, Word Perfect or PDF files to "translate" them to the new Office format. I edited photos, drawings, electronic schematics, and videos. I ran electronic simulations and remotely controlled lab instruments. I designed, laid out and ordered printed circuit boards using Windows software running on Wine. All this on a 7 year old PC.
Finding software is as easy as going to the distro repository. Printer drivers are almost automatic... "find printer... Install... print test page?" And the updating on Mint is the way all updating should be, polite and informative, and you're in control.
The only thing I can't address is gaming. If you're into the latest high performance games you'd have to see what was available. There's thousands of them for Linux, I hear.
Q4OS looks appealing, especially for business use. The multiple desktops are nice and would give users a personal touch, and the long support time is good. I always go to distrowatch to shop for distros.
http://free-online-ocr.com/ is one I like better because it can convert to rtf. I'm still looking for one that converts to an open format, like odf, instead of Microsoft proprietary DOCX.
I agree, but instead of "Use windows 7 as long as possible" I say Use Windows 7 as long as necessary" ... which is up until about 3 years ago for me, when I noticed I hadn't needed Windows for ANYthing, having used only cross-platform apps and dual-booting for years. .
Linux packages are available, and install easily of course, and it runs well on my Mint. Worth a look to see if you like the combination of utilities in a nice looking app.
I use the XSane app which has OCR built in to the scanner driver. It connects to old scanners that won't work on newer Windows.
It also runs on Linux!
"....you can even build your own workstation using low cost motherboards, extremely fast processors, massive amounts of RAM and up to 8 GPUs. Imagine building your own super computer for incredible real time performance!" Yeah, I can dream. Me, I just use OpenShot on my 6 year old eMachines running Ubuntu MATE.
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