Do you ever notice that every Microsoft product has positive and upright brand name!
Surface. Similar to Flat PC. (IMO)
Security Essentials. Instead of “Important Anti-Virus”.
To be positive and upright, IMO, choose phrases that are in the present.
I got a catchall name for their products: Overhyped Crap Version 1.0.
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Yes - its marketing - they spend a lot of money on that, but not very innovative products unfortunately.
my main machine is MacOS, but I also have a few windows machines I use occasionally.
Wait, are you talking Microsoft or Apple? Or Both? 
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Oh hell, BOTH! Let’s not even go to the dark side and name SOFTWARE companies and their trash they pass off as “necessary,” or whatever.
Man, all the Linux and operating system talk on the forum has me thinking of switching back. Hmm, I could start with the laptop to get me back into the swing of things again.
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Make sure you show us the result in the screenshots topic. ^.^
Do it! Do it! Do it! Is your laptop older than, say, 9 months?
It’s pretty damn old. Not too old though, it does just about anything I want it to do. Dell d830 with some upgrades to ram and drive. Best thing about it is that it has a 1920x1200 screen. It’s hard to find a screen like that on a laptop these days.
Then all your hardware will be supported (I imagine). Biggest obstacle to overcome with Linux in my experience. Unless you’re savvy enough to write your own driver and insert it into the ISO without having checksum errors.
I’ve had Linux on it before so it should be pretty easy to get it set up. The only issue is a firmware thing with my wifi. I think I have the files necessary but I’ll need to check beforehand.
I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess you’re going to go the Debian route? I haven’t looked at Debian in ages. Does it have a graphical installation yet?
I have the same laptop. Pretty darn good. It seems to have been expensive at its time.
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Oh my, it’s had one for quite a while now. I don’t use it but it’s there.
I think most people want an OS that’s easy to use and for the most part Windows has fitted that bill. I’ve had a few brief goes with Linux but the learning curve was too great and Linux ‘experts’ can get quite sniffy about those who lack their technical skills.
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Years ago, people used computers to do things computers were designed to do, not as toys. Now it’s hard to find a typical user who doesn’t just use their computer to surf, email, and play Farmville. They just want it to work like their VCR, hit play and go. Of course most of them can’t even set the clock on a VCR.
As for Linux ‘experts’, the main resource to find an answer to a Linux question should be a Google search. Almost every possible issue can be resolved through a competent search. If, in the unlikely event that there is no answer in all of Google, asking someone would be appropriate. Tech support is no fun and many have little patience helping those too lazy to search for the answer on their own.
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Are you going into reactionary mode and suggesting that computers should only be for a self styled techno elite ?
I think @Malvok is trying to illustrate that computers have become so commonplace and reduced in complexity to the point where anyone can use them, at an overall loss of functionality. Just my interpretation, I may be putting words in his mouth or incorrectly inferring. I know that, from my personal experience (like with my wife) people download “free” software, get a virus or spyware, and hose Windows. Troubleshooting that issue has become a multibillion dollar industry and has cost uncounted hours of frustration on behalf of all parties involved. When my wife gets spyware and whatnot, I troubleshoot it until I reach my breaking point and hand her her broken electronic gadgets back and say “Here, you deal with this ■■■■, because I am beyond frustrated.” I used to be able to hack the registry and fix bugs. Not anymore. I give up. I use EXCLUSIVELY a Chromebook and Linux. No real learning curve on either. Some changes to the interface, and it helps to know commands in Linux, but a simple search will likely lead to the answer within the first few search results through Google.
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