With Windows 10 nearing its end of support, my mother expressed interest in switching to Linux. I'm her go-to tech support, and her computer is quite old—it's an HP with an AMD Phenom 2 x6, 8GB of RAM, and some upgrades I made like a 512GB SSD and a budget AMD graphics card. She mainly uses LibreOffice, Microsoft Edge, Spotify, and a few games. Most of her games are vintage DOS games that I can run via DosBox. She plays Tropico 5 (which has native Linux support), Sim City 3000 (that runs well under Proton), and she also enjoys Windows Solitaire, which is the only game I'm not sure about. I'm looking for a recommendation for the best LTS Linux distro for her needs.
5 Answers
I’ve installed Linux Mint with Cinnamon for my mom, and it’s been hassle-free for her. She’s been running it without issues for years now!
Arch-based distros can be really good too, especially since installing software is straightforward. Just be prepared for the learning curve!
I've had my mom using Linux Mint for years and it’s been smooth sailing! I started her on the XFCE edition on her old laptop and switched to Cinnamon on the newer one without any issues. Plus, for Solitaire, there are loads of alternatives available on Linux, so you can find one that fits her needs!
Zorin is another solid option! It’s user-friendly and seems to work well for people transitioning from Windows.
The best choice could be the same Linux distro you already use. You’ll be the one providing support, so sticking with what you know is smart!
Totally agree! Unless you have a reason not to, something like Mint Cinnamon would also be great.