this post was submitted on 29 Sep 2023
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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I'm sure you'll get 20 different recommendations, but if you'd like another one, I'd agree with your original suggestion of Linux Mint.
For someone who's familiar with Windows, they should be able to pick up and use it immediately, it uses the easy to understand traditional desktop visual language, menu bar etc.
As an Ubuntu based OS, you're giving yourself access to a lot of very user friendly forums etc - the vast majority of what applies to Ubuntu applies to Mint. It's currently very well supported based on its popularity.
I only steer away from Ubuntu itself because of the newer versions using non-traditional (perhaps Mac-like?) desktop visual language, and problems with Snaps (fonts, external drives, USB pens, cameras, printers etc not being visible).
Nvidia drivers are sorted during the install. You could happily use it for years without touching the terminal, as long as your install runs smoothly in the first place (wifi/touchpad/sleep etc) - though that should apply to any distro really.
Basically it should work, should be safe and comfortable, should be easy.
He'll have a significantly easier time if he works with the idea that "Games = Steam. No other shop/launcher exists" (same for any distro).
I sometimes offer a little informal tech support to older/less computery people near where I live - Mint tends to be easily picked up and understood, and for most of them, it's now a yearly check-up rather than a weekly panic :)
Thanks for your great answer. Seems this could be a fitting distro, i will keep mint in mind :)
Bear in mind that most of what is written above also applies to PopOS - except for the desktop environment being Gnome 3's "Mac-like" rather than Cinnamon's "Windows-Like". There's a few cool little adjustments to both, but this preference may have the biggest impact.
You can always test a "Live USB" of both, which allows you to load the OS directly from a USB stick, without installing anything - to test which seems right (and the same applies to any other distro anyone mentions in the thread). I'm pretty sure a ten minute test of each would give a sufficient amount of "Hmm, that's cool" / "Huh, that's weird" to help things along :)