If you’d like to switch from Windows to Linux, an easy-to-use version is recommended for beginners. With “Mint”, you can get started straight away.
Linux Mint: A user-friendly offshoot of Ubuntu
A few years ago, “Ubuntu” was still considered the most user-friendly Linux OS. But “Linux Mint” has now taken over that position. The operating system is itself based on “Ubuntu” and therefore has a solid foundation:
- Thanks to the integrated taskbar and start menu, you’ll quickly find your way around. After a while, the user interface even feels more intuitive than on “Windows”.
- However, the user interface varies depending on the version of “Linux Mint”.
Important drivers and programmes
Missing multimedia drivers are a tiresome problem that many Linux distributions unfortunately leave you to sort out on your own. As a beginner, it’s best to download the “Cinnamon” version of “Linux Mint”; that way, you’ll be spared this hassle:
- Whether it’s “MP3”, “DivX” or “Adobe Flash”: all the common formats are supported by “Linux Mint” and work straight after installing the operating system.
- “NDISwrapper” is also pre-installed for easy use of Wi-Fi cards.
- What’s more, key applications are already installed. These include, for example, the image-editing programme “GIMP” and the web browser “Mozilla Firefox”. So you can get started straight away.
Hardware and software
Many Linux beginners also worry about installing hardware or updating software. But even this is no problem with “Linux Mint”:
- With “Linux Mint”, you can simply plug in most hardware devices, such as printers. The process is just as straightforward as you might be used to with “Windows”.
- The included “Update Manager” takes care of software updates. Thanks to the graphical user interface, you don’t need to enter any console commands here either. You can easily keep your programmes and other packages up to date at all times.
- Furthermore, the priority of the updates is displayed on a scale of 1 to 5. In this way, “Linux Mint” prevents you from installing updates that are not relevant to you.
The main differences between Linux and Windows
Windows and Linux are both operating systems, but they differ in a number of ways:
- Windows is a paid, proprietary operating system from Microsoft, whilst Linux is available as a free, open-source alternative.
- The range of software also differs: Windows supports numerous commercial programmes and games, whereas Linux relies on open-source applications and allows the use of many Windows programmes.
- When it comes to security, Linux scores highly thanks to its robust architecture and lower susceptibility to malware, whilst Windows is supplemented by integrated protection mechanisms such as Windows Defender.
- The update policies also differ: Windows provides centralised, sometimes mandatory updates, whilst Linux gives users full control over installation and timing.
