I share a laptop with my mom, and I've really been wanting to give Linux a shot since Windows has not been working well for me lately. However, I know my mom won't be able to adapt to Linux easily, so I'm considering a dual boot option so I can use Linux while she still has access to Windows. Is this a good idea, or should I stick with Windows for now?
5 Answers
Honestly, I wouldn't go down that road. It typically leads to blame if something goes wrong, and you'll end up being her tech support forever. If you really want to use Linux, it might be better to invest in a cheap used laptop just for yourself.
You could try installing KDE with a theme that resembles Windows to ease your mom into it, and just tell her it’s a Windows update. That might help her feel more comfortable while you get to use Linux.
You might be underestimating your mom! If she mainly uses a browser, she could probably manage just fine. Try a live USB with Linux for her to test it out without changing anything on your shared setup.
Before making any changes, I suggest getting a full backup of the laptop just in case. If you want her to have access to the web and simple tasks, Linux Mint is a good option; it's user-friendly and can be made to look similar to Windows.
If you're set on dual booting, make sure you don't shrink the internal drive too much. Maybe even consider an external SSD for Linux to avoid any bootloader issues down the road.
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