Windowsfx: Windows 10 look-a-like Linux distro

[buster]

"Your friend who upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 and said it seems pretty well the same it used to be, is obviously a computer novice,"

Not sure why you say that Jason. I've done it for at least 3 people so far, and they all felt the same. Here's what I do:

- Get them to give me a list of the programs they use,  such as photo software, browser etc.
- Put shortcuts for all these programs on the bottom bar.
-Show them how to use the home folder on the desktop to find folders such as pictures, music.
-Any folders that are difficult to track, I put a shortcut on the desktop.
-If they are adventurous, I show them how to use the search space at bottom left.
-Show them how to use the alphabetic menu ignoring the flashy icons. But the menu is almost never needed anyways.

And that's how they had used Win 7.

I set the updates to automatic and the antivirus to automatic, and it takes care of itself

[Jason]

Ah, that's the crux. You're using shortcuts all over the place. The only thing I put on the desktop (Windows or Linux) is files that I've created. Once they're finished or no longer important, I move them into Documents. I have quite an extensive subfolder network under that one. If it's a program that I use a tonne, like games, I'll put a shortcut on the desktop. I like keeping my bottom bar clean. But you're right, if you do it that way, you can switchover from Windows 98 to Windows 10 and it'd be the same. Compare that system to using the tiles which is supposed to be the big reason to use Windows 10 and you can't say it's the same! Also, the search wasn't in Windows 7, so that's a change, too.

I like the search. I use that all the time. I rarely use the menu structure because it's bloated. It's too bad, Windows 10 doesn't make it easy to sort the programs in a smarter way like the way Linux does it, by use. Most people think that way, not by names of programs. There is a way to do it but it's not obvious. It is with Linux, at least I think it is.

The update system in Windows 10. I'd hardly say it takes care of itself. Sure, it's automatic, but you have reboot after reboot. And I know several friends that have had issues after an update, both knowledgable and unknowlegable about computers. I always defer updates to a month or so later other than security updates (they get a week). That way, the beta testing that Microsoft inflicts on its users is done and I bypass that mess. On top of that, and this is only an issue for us, you have to leave Windows as the default or it can't do it's updating job properly. I don't care what you say, the Update system in Windows 10, while it works, is horrendous. Windows 7 didn't take full control of your machine so you couldn't do anything else while updating. You still had to do it for a service pack I recall but those didn't come often. Add to that that if you're using a notebook, you have to leave it on all the time when you do updates or if you choose when it does it then you have to leave it one for a while then. And then watch when it has a problem with an update and has to roll it back. All that wasted time!

People just put up with that kind of shit because they think they have no choice. I bet you could put Linux on it and they'd be happy, even Linux Mint or Ubuntu MATE. That is, unless they have specialized programs that need to share files with others, like Office.

As far as antivirus goes, if it finds something, do they know what to do with it, or do they contact you? That's a bit different too, because Microsoft uses a different system for detecting and cleaning malware. Sure, you can install another antivirus by why bother when the Windows 10 one gets high marks and costs nothing.

Windows 10 isn't the same as Windows 7, you've just made it easier for them. They don't do that in the computer stores so the initial user is going to face a drastically different landscape. Dragging shortcuts to programs to the desktop, not so bad, but can you do it with tiles? How do you add tiles? If you're not used tiles why bother with the upgrade? Switch to Linux and you save time and can ignore all that crap. You have a 'stuck on Windows' mindframe when you could put Linux on those machines. Shame on you, Buster! Don't worry, I'm just kidding. They're lucky to have a friend like you to help get Windows 10 setup to be easy.

[buster]

Here's something interesting.

I set up my own computers, Linux and Windows, exactly the way I set up the computers for these 'novices'.