Linux Mint - A friendly Linux for ex-windows users

Linux is an attractive system for developers and system administrators who may tend to scare people away. For the record, "gamers," can be scary too.
by Wayne Smith

Using a Linux desktop is not a technically challenging thing to do. You open the start button or launch button, (on a smartphone slide the screen up), and select the program.

Installing Linux is no more technical than installing windows. You boot from the USB (normally just pressing f2 when you turn on the machine) and either, 1) install it from the USB to your system drive or 2) you can run it on the USB, which is refered to as a "live boot."

All Mints have a simular look to windows. For reference, the desktop can be customized to any look. Mint Cinnamon has a set of standard pre-installed applications that would be pre-installed in a new windows system.

OPINION: Maybe the first thing some people want to do when running Mint Cinnamon is download the Mac theme? Many users, however, may just want to write a document or send an email. They can, with Linux nobody is going to force you to do anything. It is not corporate it is free. You can not pay for it, although you can help others use it (Mint Help Forums).

The pedigree, (a scary word used by sysads to identify the distro used to make the current distro), is Ubuntu. Ubuntu is owned by Canonical. If someone is coming from an OS owned by Apple or Microsoft? Ubuntu is also a good choice for a well themed Linux ready-to-go, with a live boot option. Ubuntu has community support and a paid support option for enterprise users. Except for the desktop, the answers to questions are the same.

If you want to use, "live boot," so you can use Linux on your system and still use windows until you don't want to use windows anymore; A fast USB makes a difference.

Tech TIP: The timing of when to press f2 is when the light on the USB turns on. It does no harm to press it before the light, or press it more than once, but when the light comes on is when the system will respond.

The f12 is a one-time boot option to select a USB or DVD to boot from. It can be used every time if somebody wants. It exists so techs can boot from a recovery USB device. In some cases it needs to be enabled in the BIOS, f2 is the normal key to be to the bias at power on.

Techquickie: Is Linux Mint BETTER Than Windows?