FOSS Friday - Peppermint

Hello FOSS FRIDAY! FOSS is free and open source software.

Yummy Peppermint today.

With Windows 7 coming to a screeching halt next week there may be a lot of people who are not thrilled with the idea of updating to Windows 10. Many have concerns about the way that the OS operates and behaves.

If you are one of those people and you are willing to experiment a bit, there's Linux.

Linux OS comes in what is called "distributions" or "distros".  Some are easier to learn than others. Some look and work a lot like Windows 7. It's a myth that Linux is hard to use. It isn't. It's "Follow the directions." easy. If you've backed up all of your personal data, you can be up and playing or working within a couple of hours.

I'm going to show you a few Linux distros (distributions) that I think are the easiest to transition from Windows 7. I will not post about a distro I've never used. I'll post links to articles on my Rabbit Stew Facebook page about distros I've never used. Open Source (Linux is Open Source) has some of the smartest people around writing about their experiences on various distros.

Let's get started.

PEPPERMINT OS 10

Peppermint is geared toward using internet resources rather than native desktop programs. It's good for Netbook use and low powered computers. I also love this distro for newcomers. I think it is the most user friendly of all the distros. If you spend most of your computer time online doing email, surfing, watching YouTube videos, playing simple games, Facebooking, reading, etc., this one is for you. The interface includes a lot of internet apps.

Visit the Peppermint OS Web Site to look at screenshots or read about the OS.

If you want to get a feel for how the OS works, watch this simple exploration video by Linux Scoop.

I found a great overview of the pros and cons of Peppermint 10 by watching 3D PC's video:

3D PC gets a bit geeky at times (and uses really lame memes that kind of make the vid adorable), but he lays out what he likes about the distro and what he doesn't. He's got specialty software needs that won't run on any Linux distro, which is a major concern for many users. In all honesty, it takes a bit of time to adjust to using nothing but Linux compatible software. There are ways to run Microsoft programs on a Linux computer, but that's another post.

Casual computer users should not be concerned about this. In my opinion using Peppermint OS is closer to using Windows 7 than using Windows 10.

Peppermint 10 is a great OS for someone switching from Windows 7. Most of the interface is intuitive for Windows users and what isn't is easy to learn.

I'll be posting more on other Linux distros soon.

Happy Weekend!