this post was submitted on 04 Feb 2026
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Linux Mint isn't the answer for Windows refugees anymore (www.xda-developers.com)
submitted 15 hours ago by cm0002@literature.cafe to c/linux@programming.dev
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I've been having a big think over Linux distros. See, I've been looking back at my still-new Linux experience of nine months, and wondering how my own journey can help other people get started with FOSS operating systems. Whenever the topic of a Windows refugee-friendly OS came up, I would recommend Linux Mint because, first, it's the one everyone says, and second, it was the Linux OS that I started with, fresh off Windows.

I always follow that up with a comment about how you don't have to stick with Linux Mint if you don't want to. You can do what I did, which is to dip your toe into the Linux distro water and find something that suits you better. But if I'm setting up Linux Mint as "my first Linux distro," why not just skip the middleman and get right into the distros that have a bit more meat on them?

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[–] 474D@lemmy.world 85 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (1 children)

Because switching from Windows can be intimidating and Mint is the literal opposite of intimidating. It's boring, simple, and clean, thus the perfect stepping stone. At least, it was for me and quite a few others I know. I still install Mint first on new hardware

[–] Scrollone@feddit.it 13 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

I've been using Linux for more than 20 years. I've started with Ubuntu, then I've used Arch for a long time, then back to Kubuntu, then... I've recently switched to Mint.

I need to do work and not worry about anything: Mint is super clean, fast, with old school GNOME vibes (GNOME 3 is utter shit).

[–] Honytawk@feddit.nl 2 points 48 minutes ago

Would you say Linux Mint is ... refreshing?