Switching from Windows? Try Linux Mint.
It's the distro we point Windows users toward first: a familiar desktop, none of the nagging, and it runs great on hardware Windows has started to leave behind.
Why Linux Mint
A familiar desktop: Start menu, taskbar, and system tray right where you expect them
Runs well on older hardware, so a laptop Windows left behind can keep going
No forced feature updates, no Start menu ads, no telemetry nagging
A large, welcoming community and a stable Ubuntu/Debian base underneath
Free, forever: no license key, no subscription
Free, Open-Source Alternatives
Most of what you already do in Windows has a free, open-source equivalent on Linux Mint. A few of the big ones:
Category
Instead of
Try
Office Suite
Microsoft Office
LibreOffice
Email & Calendar
Outlook
Thunderbird
Photo Editing
Adobe Photoshop
GIMP
Vector Graphics
Adobe Illustrator
Inkscape
Video Editing
Adobe Premiere Pro
DaVinci Resolve / Kdenlive
PDF Editing
Adobe Acrobat
Xournal++
Thinking about making the switch?
We can help with installation, moving your files over, and getting your printer and other hardware working, so the only thing that changes is the desktop.