I'm considering giving new life to my uncle's old laptop, which currently runs Windows 8.1 but isn't booting up properly. He mentioned it's been getting slower, and since he's not very tech-savvy but can handle basic tasks, I'd love to find a beginner-friendly Linux distro that can work well on his machine. Are there any recommendations? Or do you think Linux isn't a good fit for him? I might also consider just reinstalling Windows after backing up his files.
5 Answers
If he's used to Windows, Mint Cinnamon is a popular choice. My mother-in-law, who's 77, has been using it for two years without needing help. I just set up automated updates for her, and she loves it!
In my experience helping older folks switch to Linux, Mint and Zorin are both great for beginners. They come with essential applications out of the box, and after a little setup, it’s just smooth sailing for them.
Ubuntu has worked great for my family member's old PC. I set it up over a decade ago, and they only had to update the browser since then—it's been maintenance-free!
You might want to look at Zorin OS too. It's designed for users transitioning from Windows and is very user-friendly. For ultra-lightweight options, consider something like Lubuntu.
I'd suggest Linux Mint, especially with the XFCE version. It's lightweight and pretty easy for beginners to grasp.
That's awesome! It's good to hear it can run for so long without issues.