With a lot of the new Desktop varieties (Mint, Ubuntu, etc.) it's really no different day to day than Windows for basic usage. The exception being it doesn't just do stuff like updates, you have to notice the icon and then run the updates you choose. If you have a specific Windows-based program you NEED to use, you can emulate in WINE (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_(software)). It's got a few bugs and I've never used it, but others do. However, because it brings Windows style emulation, it can bring in Windows style viruses as well -- one of the glories of Linux is that its market share is so low, its usage as an attack vector for most end-user viruses is low. It's like a Scandinavian getting AIDS -- could happen, but rare.

I use Linux Mint as my daily driver at home. All pics taken at home get run through a metadata scrubber program before uploading, via a BASH script I wrote.

My Windows usage is at work, and I have a Windows laptop for school work, since I have to be able to run programs the school provides for study. Honestly... once I'm done with school, I'll likely go full time Linux.

There is a slight learning curve with Linux as far as mere basic usage, but it's no worse than the next time Windows is updated to some wacky thing.

Your potential of getting a virus *which runs* is lower, since most end-user viruses target Windows OS. That's not to say Linux is immune, just that there is a lower chance of a received virus *running*. (https://www.linux.com/learn/myth-bus...immune-viruses)

Plenty of us here have various levels of Linux knowledge. If you go with Linux of any variety, we can assist if you run into any issues. There's a wealth of knowledge online as well.

Last but not least:

Convert or face the wrath.


(taken at the Citadel mall... Linux will kill us all).