For many people, the #Linux vs #Windows vs #Mac debate is a privilege — it assumes you can choose.
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For many people, the #Linux vs #Windows vs #Mac debate is a privilege — it assumes you can choose. But working with the Computer Upcycle Project, I've seen the real choice is often Linux vs no computer at all.
~95% of donated computers are "too old" for Windows 11 or macOS. Linux installs on them anyway, adding 10+ years of life to machines #Microsoft and #Apple called trash.
This isn't Linux vs Windows. It's Linux vs e-waste.
@codemonkeymike try finding a 32-bit distribution that works. For some reason, distributions have abandonded 32-bit Linux, while many old PC's and laptops will only run that. I have a HP Notebook (formerly 32-bit 32 XP) and I still fail to find a working Linux distro.
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For many people, the #Linux vs #Windows vs #Mac debate is a privilege — it assumes you can choose. But working with the Computer Upcycle Project, I've seen the real choice is often Linux vs no computer at all.
~95% of donated computers are "too old" for Windows 11 or macOS. Linux installs on them anyway, adding 10+ years of life to machines #Microsoft and #Apple called trash.
This isn't Linux vs Windows. It's Linux vs e-waste.
@codemonkeymike You are generally right, of course, i also hate that Microsoft / Apple is doing this.
But there are still easy and not forbidden ways to install Win11 on older Machines and there is also a (kinda costy) Windows 10 LTSC version that is supported till 2032.
Also i have strong feelings against people who say that Linux makes an old system fast. That is often not the case, and after hearing this everywhere people keep posting frustated on our unix-board about their core2duo & co
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For many people, the #Linux vs #Windows vs #Mac debate is a privilege — it assumes you can choose. But working with the Computer Upcycle Project, I've seen the real choice is often Linux vs no computer at all.
~95% of donated computers are "too old" for Windows 11 or macOS. Linux installs on them anyway, adding 10+ years of life to machines #Microsoft and #Apple called trash.
This isn't Linux vs Windows. It's Linux vs e-waste.
@codemonkeymike I've worked with these folks and the first step is re-image them with Linux https://worldcomputerexchange.org/
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For many people, the #Linux vs #Windows vs #Mac debate is a privilege — it assumes you can choose. But working with the Computer Upcycle Project, I've seen the real choice is often Linux vs no computer at all.
~95% of donated computers are "too old" for Windows 11 or macOS. Linux installs on them anyway, adding 10+ years of life to machines #Microsoft and #Apple called trash.
This isn't Linux vs Windows. It's Linux vs e-waste.
Hi.
What's that "computer upcycle project" ? -
For many people, the #Linux vs #Windows vs #Mac debate is a privilege — it assumes you can choose. But working with the Computer Upcycle Project, I've seen the real choice is often Linux vs no computer at all.
~95% of donated computers are "too old" for Windows 11 or macOS. Linux installs on them anyway, adding 10+ years of life to machines #Microsoft and #Apple called trash.
This isn't Linux vs Windows. It's Linux vs e-waste.
@Aphelie_epi_dor
Moreover, Tux is cuuute!
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For many people, the #Linux vs #Windows vs #Mac debate is a privilege — it assumes you can choose. But working with the Computer Upcycle Project, I've seen the real choice is often Linux vs no computer at all.
~95% of donated computers are "too old" for Windows 11 or macOS. Linux installs on them anyway, adding 10+ years of life to machines #Microsoft and #Apple called trash.
This isn't Linux vs Windows. It's Linux vs e-waste.
@codemonkeymike ... unless it has a shitty wifi chip... or an unsupported sound chip... then good luck :p. It's a paperweight at that point, unless you run an ancient OS.
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@codemonkeymike @thegardendude
I am an experienced Linux user and excited about nixOS. Doesn't it require some scripting though, compared to other distros?
This looks very good. I hope you put together some more sections on the webpage, like a FAQ, describing how you have made it easier.I'm planning to derive a distro from nixOS, and replace the nix language with an existing, popular, battle-tested scripting language like Ruby or Perl. ( Ruling out Python & Raku ). This could drive adoption.
@purrperl @thegardendude @codemonkeymike
NixOS doesn't require traditional scripting. Instead of writing imperative shell scripts to install packages or configure services, you define your entire system's desired state in a declarative configuration file using the Nix language.This means you declare what your system should look like (e.g., "I want Firefox and a web server enabled"), and NixOS handles the "how" automatically. This approach provides powerful benefits like reproducibility, atomic upgrades, and easy rollbacks, replacing ad-hoc scripts with a single, version-controllable source of truth.
There is no other way..
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For many people, the #Linux vs #Windows vs #Mac debate is a privilege — it assumes you can choose. But working with the Computer Upcycle Project, I've seen the real choice is often Linux vs no computer at all.
~95% of donated computers are "too old" for Windows 11 or macOS. Linux installs on them anyway, adding 10+ years of life to machines #Microsoft and #Apple called trash.
This isn't Linux vs Windows. It's Linux vs e-waste.
@codemonkeymike Fedora Atomic version for the win, really.
Not only the upgrades are rollback but it's immutable> there get to know containers!
They can hack your container or a tool of it but not the host at all.All tools are in their Podman under the hood container form named Toolbox ( an easy way to manage tools in a container with just 1 command)
As running all tools NOT exposed to internet in a container, for other tools THAT USE INTERNET CONNECTION or others you can take Flatpak > on fedora they are Sandboxed. -
Older versions of Windows are not an option. Since they don't receive updates anymore, they are open barndoors for malware.
@tschenkel @vwestlife @codemonkeymike Dual boot a linux on it!
As base, if you want more install DistroBox and put another Distro Linux on it on top.
On this pc I use hypervisor to run my Linux with greatest part of SSD but others as refurbished iMac's are all Linux from boot. -
@thegardendude
Coming from Windows, I found Linux Mint to make for an easy transition. If you're more used to the Mac OS, I've heard Ubuntu might be a good option (wasn't for me).@Metamere @thegardendude
Instaed of Ubuntu, check out Solus, which is pretty well maintained and doesn't need to hide.
I use it as my main distro since ~ a year and like it. -
For many people, the #Linux vs #Windows vs #Mac debate is a privilege — it assumes you can choose. But working with the Computer Upcycle Project, I've seen the real choice is often Linux vs no computer at all.
~95% of donated computers are "too old" for Windows 11 or macOS. Linux installs on them anyway, adding 10+ years of life to machines #Microsoft and #Apple called trash.
This isn't Linux vs Windows. It's Linux vs e-waste.
@codemonkeymike , after I retired a few years ago I switched my personal computers to Linux. I do still have one with Win 11 for a couple of programs that only work on it. I wish FreeBSD would get better laptop support, I've always been more comfortable in BSD, HP-UX, AIX, etc. than System V stuff.
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@codemonkeymike My 2015 machine is still running Win11 with ease and gets all the updates without issues. Yes, i had to tweak the installation process, but there are dozens of tools for dummies out there to guide you through it.
I don't want to win an argument, but please tell the full story. You are hurting only yourself.@m1rk0 @codemonkeymike you are full of bloat and AI knows everything you do. That is the argument. -
@codemonkeymike What’s a good Linux distro for someone new to Linux?
@thegardendude @codemonkeymike I work in research and a lot of new converts use either Ubuntu or Linux Mint. Personally, I use Fedora/Budgie, before that Fedora Gnome. As another has already mentioned, check and see if the distro has a “Live” version, meaning you can burn the ISO to portable storage and try the O.S. before committing.
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@andybrwn You can take a gander at https://distrosea.com/
Also, you can stick a couple of Linux distros on a USB stick and run them straight from there. Unlike Windows, no installation needed until you are ready to commit to a distro.
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For many people, the #Linux vs #Windows vs #Mac debate is a privilege — it assumes you can choose. But working with the Computer Upcycle Project, I've seen the real choice is often Linux vs no computer at all.
~95% of donated computers are "too old" for Windows 11 or macOS. Linux installs on them anyway, adding 10+ years of life to machines #Microsoft and #Apple called trash.
This isn't Linux vs Windows. It's Linux vs e-waste.
This is a false corporate apolitical propaganda dipole
MS vs IBM-windows (which is what Gnome/KDE-plasma/Qt is)
Those same multinational corporations hiding behind the totalitarianism of systemd are fighting against choice in FOSS, making it harder and harder for freedom to exist within #FOSS
In the latest attack, #Krita shifting to Qt6 dependencies is nearly impossible to build without systemd libraries and mechanisms
They are free to do so, yes, but it shows what their intentions are. IBM-windows vs MS ... and I refuse to even mention the other documented and convicted thieves of FOSS
@codemonkeymikehttps://kolektiva.social/@iriyan/116300827983013679
@specktator_
@tromo -
@codemonkeymike ... unless it has a shitty wifi chip... or an unsupported sound chip... then good luck :p. It's a paperweight at that point, unless you run an ancient OS.
@Elizafox true but that's few and far between in my experience. But yes this does happen.
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@codemonkeymike
A fine conclusion: "This isn't Linux vs Windows. It's Linux vs e-waste."@nukleos exactly! I've felt this for a while, but finally put words to it
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@codemonkeymike try finding a 32-bit distribution that works. For some reason, distributions have abandonded 32-bit Linux, while many old PC's and laptops will only run that. I have a HP Notebook (formerly 32-bit 32 XP) and I still fail to find a working Linux distro.
@candela I did a 32 bir challenge a couple years ago and did Debian 12 32bit and it was okay. But yeah. Now adays it's pretty much just antix
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@codemonkeymike My 2015 machine is still running Win11 with ease and gets all the updates without issues. Yes, i had to tweak the installation process, but there are dozens of tools for dummies out there to guide you through it.
I don't want to win an argument, but please tell the full story. You are hurting only yourself.@m1rk0 the full story makes windows look even worse. Trust me. I've worked with thousands of people over decades.
But if you're happy with windows. Awesome. I'm not here to convince people to switch.
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@candela I did a 32 bir challenge a couple years ago and did Debian 12 32bit and it was okay. But yeah. Now adays it's pretty much just antix
@codemonkeymike it's how it goes, even for Linux, that I think should be all around available for all old hardware. That is the point, to breathe new life in old hardware.
