My 88 year old fathers laptop is running super slow, we've bumped memory and put in a SSD drive and it's better not as aggravating to wait on things to load but still slow.

His main use is internet, no office products or other apps, so it's not much that needs to be on it other than a few images he likes as a background and getting on the WWW.

Is there a version of Linux that would be a good fit for a laptop, that I could put an install app on a USB drive and boot up to install on the laptop. Don't think I need to keep it dual boot but I could, as long as the interface looks like a windows interface as far as opening up a browser and it would be much quicker to load that would be perfect.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: HRK,

ubuntu

this one
https://releases.ubuntu.com/noble/

Linux Mint (XFCE edition)
Very light weight

Start menu, taskbar, system tray → very Windows 7–10 vibes

Super beginner-friendly

Excellent hardware support

Stable and boring (in the good way)

Mint Home Page

Linux Mint...It's extremely user friendly, especially for a first time Linux user coming from a Windows OS. It is based on Ubuntu Noble 24.04 and is an LTS (Long Term Support) release, which will be supported until 2029, so it's a stable Linux OS to migrate to. It also has an excellent Driver Manager and Software Manager built in, both of which have a graphical interface, so you/he won't need to learn how to use the 'terminal' right out of the gate in order to get the system configured/deployed.

https://www.linuxmint.com/

Here's the download page w/ install instructions for Linux Mint 22.3 'Zena' --> https://www.linuxmint.com/download.php

I recommend the 'Cinnamon Edition' for the best desktop/experience

Agreed

I’ve been running Ubuntu for several years now. It’s a great platform

Installed Mint, didn't take too long, eliminated Windows and while it comes with FireFox he uses Chrome.

Installed Chrome, linked his google account and all the favorites etc are loaded.

Runs much quicker, thanks for the tip on Mint, something simple and easy and looks a lot like Windows will be perfect for this older laptop.

Oh and all the drivers that loaded worked so that's a plus as well.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Is there a version of Linux that would be a good fit for a laptop, that I could put an install app on a USB drive and boot up to install on the laptop. Don't think I need to keep it dual boot but I could, as long as the interface looks like a windows interface as far as opening up a browser and it would be much quicker to load that would be perfect.

Ummm...like all of them? Ubuntu is probably the most widely-installed, and lots of folks like Mint. Ubuntu is somewhat more demanding on hardware than most distributions. There are some distributions that are targeted to older hardware, and unsophisticated users, a web search will display many "best of" pages for a more in-depth analysis than is possible here.

The reality is that most general-purpose Linux distributions differ only in what add-on software is provided in the basic install, the method selected by the builders to keep the system updated, and the default choice of GUI. It is certainly possible (and not too difficult) to run any GUI of your choice on any Linux distribution, or BSD for that matter). The other differentiator is in the support provided, some rely primarily on user forums, others have some paid staff (usually, the former is better, but activity level varies widely).

One of the most appealing things about Linux is that it is absurdly easy to try out without disturbing your already-installed OS. Many distributions support a run from USB mode of operation. Download the appropriate image, and write it to a USB thumb drive, a $4.00 16GB is more than big enough. If you don't like the look and feel of the distribution, try another. When you find what you like, go ahead and install it on your internal drive (make sure you have a backup of your data files). No commitment necessary until you are ready.

Will subscription based Adobe Photoshop, and Lightroom Classic play well with this Linux system?

quote:

Originally posted by Warhorse:
Will subscription based Adobe Photoshop, and Lightroom Classic play well with this Linux system?

No, Adobe doesn't want to.

but GIMP is free.
https://www.gimp.org/

Any differences in security and malware protection? Same?

I have two challenges with Ubuntu. I can’t get resolution higher than 1080p even though hw supports it. The window manager is not friendly and doesn’t support x11 or someone like that. Not tech savvy enough to work around these. Would mint be easier? Or same?

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
Any differences in security and malware protection? Same?

Any system as complicated as a modern computer OS will have vulnerabilities, some not yet discovered. Linux distributions are generally patched an updates issued sooner and more frequently than MS OS's. Also, you do not have to reboot with every update.

quote:

I have two challenges with Ubuntu. I can’t get resolution higher than 1080p even though hw supports it. The window manager is not friendly and doesn’t support x11 or someone like that. Not tech savvy enough to work around these. Would mint be easier? Or same?

Mint comes in three flavors, distinguished by their GUI's, maybe try another? High resolutions may be restricted to specific video cards. You may have to look through the source code to determine the best card match. Seeking help on a forum dedicaed to Mint is probably more fruitful than on one dedicated to firearms. This forum specifically exists for graphics-related matters on Mint.

Whatever Linux you choose, use Cinnamon desktop. Most things are where you’d expect them, especially if you’re coming from Windows.

I use Debian proper but I use Cinnamon.