End of 10

Maybe an opportunity to consider switching to Linux for some Windows 10 users.

See this press release for more on the “End of 10” campaign.

Two gotchas

While I agree with the sentiments expressed by “End of 10” and the recommendation from the DIY HOWTO to get in-person support, whether you can actually access any such technical support depends on where you live. I doubt anyone is changing their geographic location no matter how excited they may be about operating systems. :-D

Another stumbling block is that “End of 10” is purposefully distro-agnostic ¹, in other words no specific Linux distributions (or distros) are recommended, which probably leaves new Linux users wanting more direction ².

Get started anyways

At the least newcomers could benefit from actual opinions from more experienced users on where to start. Happily, writers were hard at work this summer filling this gap:

• “5 beginner-friendly Linux distros that just work”. Butts, J. XDA, Aug 2025.
• “7 most Windows-like Linux distros - if you’re ready to ditch Microsoft”. Wallen, J. ZDNET, Sep 2025.
• “From Windows to Freedom: How Zorin OS Eases the Transition to Linux”. Whittaker, G. Linux Journal, Jun 2025.

Take-home message here is that it should be easier than ever to get started with Linux given this generous array of beginner-friendly options.

Rose-colored glasses

While the Linux desktop experience has come a long way since the late 90s ³, prospective users should be aware of what they may be getting themselves into ⁴:

• “Everyone says Linux is better than Windows, but I’m not buying it”. Afolabi, O. MAKE USE OF, Aug 2025.
• “5 common Linux dealbreakers that could ruin your Windows 10 switch”. Bayley, D. Jul 2025.
• “8 ways every Linux distro could make things a lot easier for newbies”. Wallen, J. ZDNET, Jul 2025.
• “4 things Linux still gets wrong for the average user”. Sethi, R. XDA, Jun 2025.

I find these criticisms to be more than fair ⁵. Don’t panic.

In the meantime, I am helping some family & friends migrate to Linux and may update this post with reports from the field ⁶.

– JW

Footnotes

1. Explained in the FAQ. ↩

2. Not hard to imagine how intimidating the list of Linux distros might seem to a new Linux user. As an aside, the “tree” visualizations of different Linux families in that Wikipedia entry are very cool. ↩

3. Which is when I got started using Linux on the desktop. Brings back fond memories of a college classmate who gave me my first Linux distro on CD. I forget if it was Slackware or RedHat, but I do remember that I picked it up from him at his parent’s house. It was night, he took the freshly burned CD out of the burner, and to me it glowed (like the gold artifact from Raiders of the Lost Ark). Reminds me that I really need to start re-connecting with old friends with whom I have lost touch. ↩

4. Whether you are getting advice from one zealot or the other, there is plenty of Windows vs. Linux holy war to go around. Beware. ↩

5. Yet Linux might still finally grow its desktop market share. The more rabid Linux desktop advocates won’t like that Linux is still a daunting OS to most people, and watching Mr. Robot won’t change that (hah!). Hopefully they can take solace that maybe we don’t need the world to use Linux, it already does … in other ways. ↩

6. To kick things off, here is a recently published anecdote that may be relevant to some users considering the switch. ↩