It can be whatever operating system you want it to be

Appreciate you taking the time to break it down and explain it like this. I might convert an extra ssd into Mint and start there. Another user mentioned Proton, if I don’t like Linux, do I just use Disk Management in Windows to “delete” the Linux partition and then re-allocate it and install proton?

It seems like I can get borderlands games and tanks up and running on Mint, I’m ok with LibreOffice over Office 2010, but how does one begin to move any of this to a new OS? do I need to like take an entire day re-installing everything? Can I open it, as other have said, on an external hard drive, move stuff to the new OS, and then let it have most of the rest of the PC? (keeping maybe 500gb for windows in case I can’t find something working) how does dual boot work then? Can I just have it boot Mint all the time and then “switch user” over to windows?

How is mint day to day? This is my big concern. Something going wrong and not having the time to go digging across a dozen pages to figure it out. (I’m savvy enough to know how to work Google and get answers, but I’d rather things just work you know?) Do Nvidia drivers work the same as windows as far as manually searching for them? Who do I turn to if I have a question noone has asked before? Is there like a catalog of commands and how do I learn how to use them?

I like the idea of switching to Linux to break the strangle of windows on my hardware but I don’t know if all my games on Steam, Wargamings launcher and Automatic1111 will work properly if I made that switch. I installed Mint for a friend because I’m semi-literate and feel like messing with that…cmd window “terminal” to do…literally anything installation wise would get irritating.

I want a Linux that is as easy to use out of the box as windows. Will Mint be that way or will I have to spend 5 hours figuring out special words for commands any time I want to install something?

Apple doesn’t allow it. Users do , when they agree to share whatever let’s the funny nightmare rectangle play trendy and pleasant sounds from car sound nozzles. While also an automated voice reads texts aloud in the name of hands-free, for all occupants (and some outside if the volume is up). And also it needs to contact info, to make calls for all the silly-fillies that want to use siri while driving. And shoot to reply to meemaw with a family photo siri needs to access your images.

Meanwhile your new infotainment system is sending all this off like a $45,000 copier that it is, sending it off in packets when it gets wifi signals, because the kids needed in-car wifi for their Xbox on road trips.

Hard agree. I got a friend trying to get me on linux, and I’ve just been on windows since my first pc.

But fuck it. I’ll maintain 10 until eol and then whatever Linux supports will be the games I play on steam.