# My bucket list is moving along



## Son_of_Perdition (Mar 18, 2016)

Two park residents were complaining again about being forced to install Win10 on their older desktops.  Aggravating popups, one called me asked me to come have a looksee.  She had an ACER desktop, 5 YO, ethernet connected with a fancy new 24" monitor he son had given her.  I cleaned up what I could, what in my now limited Windows experience allowed me.  2 days later the popups were back.  She like many in the park use email, web surfing, grandkids pictures & simple games.  I told her she should expect the interference until she upgrades.  She asked me what could be done.  Simple, trash your tether to MicroSoft & embrace Linux.  She said her son works for Cray computers & has suggested it, but she was reluctant as I find with most.  

She gave me permission to install it.  I set it up dual boot with Linux & Win 7.  3 days later, she asked me to get rid of Win 7, she had been playing with Linux & felt very comfortable with it and wanted to avoid the boot menu.  I re-installed Mint, her comments the next game night was, 'working great loves the clarity of the monitor & is amazed at the speed of the shutdown process'.  She's now a convert, that very night her friend called & wanted her desktop installed with the same.  I'm up to 6 converted believers now only 174 more to go.  They both have gladly accepted the concept of 'FREE' & secure.


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## tnthomas (Mar 18, 2016)

SoP, +1 for Mint, great choice for newly 'recruited' Linux users.        Another distro with a great graphic experience(out-of-the-box) is Zorin.   I have my gtx 970 running folding@home on the GPU cell processors- greatly increasing the return of work units. 

 https://folding.stanford.edu/home/guide/linux-install-guide/


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## Son_of_Perdition (Mar 18, 2016)

tnthomas said:


> SoP, +1 for Mint, great choice for newly 'recruited' Linux users.        Another distro with a great graphic experience(out-of-the-box) is Zorin.   I have my gtx 970 running folding@home on the GPU cell processors- greatly increasing the return of work units.
> 
> https://folding.stanford.edu/home/guide/linux-install-guide/


 
Tried Zorin several years back, liked it.  Also found PCLinuxOS was another good rolling distro (it found my outdated wireless card) & installed the drivers during install, something I've found that Mint or openSUSE didn't.  I looked into the folding but decided that because I change my configuration almost as often as my shirt, I would be more of a hinderance than help.  After the breach of the 21st Feb of Mint I got nervous & downloaded Mint & reinstalled it, I timed it, about an hour & 15 minutes from boot to completely configured system.  And, no nagging popups or unplanned updates.

A friend I worked with for many years, also a team member of our UNIX/Linux support & still an out of state Facebook friend reported that as a support manager of his most recent employer, they are swamped with applications for UNIX/Linux support from former MS certified specialists.  Training & schooling in Linux is what his employer needs but can't fill the positions.  My friend was also a professor at a local 4 year university for many years.  He said he was in a unique position for head hunting duties with his former students.  The offers are very competitive with many other companies & has been growing for the last few years, he's had to alter his approach & money to interest them.

My patience is growing real thin concerning my wife & her fixation with Windows.  I show my frustration every time she gets a pop up wanting to update this or update that.  The latest was AVAST.  Her 30 trial period run out & it wanted her to register for either the 'free' version or the more complete 'fee' version.  When we purchased her new laptop with Win10 a few months back, she lost her marble game she played.  They haven't updated or created one that works with 10 or maybe the $6.99 wasn't worth the effort.  Now the only games she plays is ad laden FreeCell & Majhong.  Both without ads or very, very simular on Linux.  I keep telling her she would be happy with Linux & I can create icons on the Linux desktop.

Latest Linux news & Dell laptops:  http://www.cio.com/article/3045925/heres-a-look-inside-dells-strategy-for-linux-pcs.html


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