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I am a beginning Linux user with intermediate knowledge of some hardware and software. I used DOS during the 1980s then Windows. For programming, I learned Pascal and taught myself C and made small programs using them. I probably gained a basic understanding of Linux systems and similar by customizing a Buffalo NAS following online instructions and setting up an RPi for torrents and pi-hole. I'm also in charge of maintaining the PCs of the family, with users having varying knowledge, from knowing nothing about system tray warnings to being able to use graphic and video editing software, but most not knowing what to do if problems take place.
Given that, I decided to install some OS flavors of Linux (so far, Elementary, Endless, Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Zorin, Linuxfx, and Makululinux) in virtualboxes to try them out, and so far I've managed to figure out any peculiarities in each one. My goal is to choose one to replace Windows for all future machines, that will allow me to configure it with the least difficulty and make it run like the present systems used, and basically to receive the least complaints from family members. It should probably have the ff. qualities:
- fast load and shutdown times, and long-term support (does that leave out flavors with very few users?);
- run what few Windows software that can't be replaced (like MS Cinemania and SizeMe) and have free apps that are good, if not better, than paid ones like MS Office;
- run many Windows (hopefully, some new ones, too, and multiplayer games like World of Tanks and shooters) and DOS games;
- customization of the UI so that it resembles the current ones, which is Win 10 that's made to look like Win 7 using Open Shell;
- can install features found in other OSes (like the offline encyclopedia found in Endless OS);
- configuration that has more GUI options instead of using the command line;
- apps that make it easier to do any maintenance and recovery, like apps that monitor CPU and GPU temperature and drive conditions and warn users if something goes wrong, and free software that can do automatic, scheduled, and set-and-forget incremental, differential, and full backups to external hard drives, etc., with bare metal restore features so that the same system can be used in a new PC if necessary;
and so on. And if there are any paid software for any of these features, hopefully they won't be too expensive.
My understanding is that several of these flavors are based on Ubuntu, Debian, etc.
What do you suggest? I searched online and found out that Ubuntu and Linux Mint are the most popular. Meanwhile, Linuxfx resembles Windows, Endless looks great for home education and has lots of apps for offline use, etc.
Given that, I decided to install some OS flavors of Linux (so far, Elementary, Endless, Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Zorin, Linuxfx, and Makululinux) in virtualboxes to try them out, and so far I've managed to figure out any peculiarities in each one. My goal is to choose one to replace Windows for all future machines, that will allow me to configure it with the least difficulty and make it run like the present systems used, and basically to receive the least complaints from family members. It should probably have the ff. qualities:
- fast load and shutdown times, and long-term support (does that leave out flavors with very few users?);
- run what few Windows software that can't be replaced (like MS Cinemania and SizeMe) and have free apps that are good, if not better, than paid ones like MS Office;
- run many Windows (hopefully, some new ones, too, and multiplayer games like World of Tanks and shooters) and DOS games;
- customization of the UI so that it resembles the current ones, which is Win 10 that's made to look like Win 7 using Open Shell;
- can install features found in other OSes (like the offline encyclopedia found in Endless OS);
- configuration that has more GUI options instead of using the command line;
- apps that make it easier to do any maintenance and recovery, like apps that monitor CPU and GPU temperature and drive conditions and warn users if something goes wrong, and free software that can do automatic, scheduled, and set-and-forget incremental, differential, and full backups to external hard drives, etc., with bare metal restore features so that the same system can be used in a new PC if necessary;
and so on. And if there are any paid software for any of these features, hopefully they won't be too expensive.
My understanding is that several of these flavors are based on Ubuntu, Debian, etc.
What do you suggest? I searched online and found out that Ubuntu and Linux Mint are the most popular. Meanwhile, Linuxfx resembles Windows, Endless looks great for home education and has lots of apps for offline use, etc.