Which Linux Distro is Best for My Parents in Their 70s?

I’d recommend Debian with the LXQt desktop environment. It’s incredibly stable and has a reputation for being low-maintenance. As for your secondary question, many distros are based on Debian because of its stability and strong support from software developers. Not to mention, the APT package manager is super easy to use!

For your parents, I think Linux Mint is a solid option. It’s user-friendly and they won't have to learn a whole new interface. Debian’s reliability makes it an excellent choice too, especially since it’s been around for ages. It's definitely like the 'grandad' of Linux distros with a ton of derivatives because of that reliability and extensive repositories.

You might also consider Fedora Kinoite or Silverblue if you want something a bit different. They're designed to be nearly indestructible with easy updates and installations through a Software Store. But honestly, if it's mostly for browsing and simple tasks, Linux Mint or Ubuntu would be more than enough!

I'd opt for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. It’s user-friendly, and if you maintain it, it shouldn't cause too much hassle. It’s also worth looking at Chrome OS Flex if they’re familiar with browsers, but I totally get it if they prefer a desktop. Just avoid KDE if you think it might confuse them.

If your parents are already somewhat familiar with Windows, I suggest trying Linux Mint with the Cinnamon desktop. It’s gentle on the eyes and straightforward. As for Debian, many other Linux distros are built on it because it's highly reliable and has a vast array of packages available. You really can't go wrong with either option!