The BEST Linux distributions for switching from Windows to Linux

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Today, we're going to talk about which distributions someone currently using Windows could move to. They're not in any specific order or preference, they all answer to different needs!

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THE COMPLETE CLONE

In that case, the option for you is WindowsFX. This distribution is based on Ubuntu LTS, virtually the most popular and used Linux version in the world, but you would be hard pressed to differentiate it, at first glance, from actual Windows 10. Everything here is made to be ultra familiar to Windows users, from the desktop layout to the start menu.

Now, it's not just a theme here, there are a LOT of things integrated out of the box to make Windows users comfortable: it's preinstalled with Microsoft Edge as a default browser, and the settings application has been completely tweaked to look like Windows 10's settings.

Now, WindowsFX uses the KDE Plasma desktop environment as a base, and some settings will reflect that, opening a dedicated window instead of being displayed in the settings app, but that's still pretty impressive. You even have a way to sync with OneDrive, right from the start.

You also have onlyoffice preinstalled, as well as shortcuts to Office Online. Basically, the goal here is to have as close a replica of Windows 10 as possible.

It also offers the ability to install Wine in one click, which gives you a compatibility layer to run Windows programs on Linux, just by downloading .exe files and running them as you'd expect on Windows.

LOOK ALIKES

In that case, I'd recommend 2 options:

The first one is KDE Neon, using the KDE Plasma desktop environment. It's actually close to the windows layout by default, with a bottom bar that serves as your main way to interact with the applications and the system, and a nice start menu equivalent, with search capabilities, access to your files, applications and system controls.

The other advantage is that KDE Plasma is really very configurable: if a default behavior doesn't suit you, you will be able to change it, after spending a little time digging in the settings. That's probably what will be the biggest obstacle: learning where to find each setting that you want to change.

Neon has its own App Store, called Discover, which is nice enough, to let you install any other software you might want, as the preinstalled selection is pretty small. It also comes with KDE Connect, an equivalent to the 'My Phone" app on Windows.


The second option is Linux Mint, with the Cinnamon Desktop. Linux Mint also has a default layout very similar to WIndows, using a bottom bar, and a start menu, and it's also very configurable, so you'll be able to change whatever you want if you don't like how it works.

It's also based on Ubuntu LTS, so it's very stable. So, what's the difference with KDE Neon? Well, the Cinnamon Desktop is a bit easier to get to grips than KDE Plasma. The settings might not be as abundant, but they're easier to find, remember and generally, the desktop doesn't feel as intimidating out of the box.

Linux mint has various applications preinstalled, including LibreOffice, and it has a good app store to install anything else you might need. It's not updated as often as KDE Neon, waiting for major versions to release bigger feature updates, but it's a really stable and user friendly option.

WELL DOCUMENTED

Ubuntu is one of, if not the most used distro out there, and serves as the base for a lot more distributions, including all the ones I mentioned up to this point. It comes in a lot of variants, so you can pick any desktop layout you want, and it's something that you won't have any trouble finding online help for.

If you want the most help available and a simple way to get the system onto your device, then it's Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, any "buntu will do.

THE HARD WAY

In that case, use Arch. Honestly, it's not that tricky to install, it's just a matter of following the wiki, but it's going to teach you a lot about Linux along the way, how it works, what components it uses, and it will let you pick how it looks, and how it will work.

It's definitely not something I'd recommend to a newcomer, unless you're planning your move to Linux as a side project, that you're willing to sink time into, learning the ins and outs, and taking whatever time you need.