I hate Microsoft and globalist vaccine pusher Bill Gates! I don't use Microsoft Edge as my browser because it's just Democrat propaganda. Google Chrome is much more user friendly and easier to use. In the last week Bill Gates has turned off my ad blocker several times, locked up my computer several times while I looking at a conservative website and turned off my WIFI (it's a Microsoft setting). Just before I posted this Hunter's Campfire was locked up with several ads visible.

😳😳😳🙄

Google isn’t democrat propoganda ???
When did that fugging change.
Sounds more like you got a virus or malware to me.

Get a Mac!

If anybody ever read the service agreement, they'd know that Bill Gates/M'Soft actually owns your computer - or at least full access to it.

Switch that laptop to Linux Mint and you'll truly own it. It really isn't that hard. And you'll never go back.

Googles at least as bad, if not worse than MSFT. Of the two Google is more anti-gun and uses more intrusive tracking.

As for browsers; Brave.

VPN's have their place as well.

Unless it cant, doesn't and wont do what you want it too. BTDT




Trying to get rid of everything Google puts on your machine is just as bad as trying to clean up Norton AV. Both are a virus in and of themselves

Thanks. I'll try Linux Mint when my Son is available to assist me. Bill Gates also wants access to my cell phone (if he doesn't already have it). I know Google is just as bad as owns YouTube. I've had a lot of comments deleted on YouTube.

I'm been thinking about that for a while.

Apple isn't exactly a bastion of free speech and conservatism.

+1 for Rock Chuck

Yep Tim Cook was just at a Biden state dinner as a mega donor.

My iPad does it all for me except the very rare times I want to burn a CD. Easy-peasy, trouble-free, and the interface doesn’t change.

NO!

Do not join The Borg.

Rocky's right. LINUX is the way to go.

BTW: As an interim solution, try loading CHROMIUM. It's freeware Chrome without all the Google extensions.

My iPad is the same way, it does have some quirks as in not liking my old printer. Not airprint certified. As far as CD’s I havent burned a cd in probably 15 years. But yes, 95% of what i do daily anymore is on an iPad.

Look for "ungoogled chromium" not just Chromium. Or get Brave. Both are much safer and trouble free. Brave even has a built-in ad blocker that's fairly good. Add in uBlock Origin and you're just about bulletproof.

I know Swifty has had trouble with Linux on a machine. But on at least 99% of hardware from 15 years to 15 days old, it runs perfectly. Read more HERE

I use, Apple, Windows and Firefox, have yet to find the holy grail of computers software, only been at it since 64.
As an instructor at the school, I was sent from the Survey Chief School by the commander at Ft Sill to assist Dr. Fountain in the development of the Field Artillery Digital Automatic Computer. That was an interesting project, an ambient temprature operating computer the size of a suitcase, you could load in the trunk of a car, drive around with it in the trunk n the heat of summer, stop and hook it up, and it worked. First models were slower than a fast person with a slide rule, but was repeatable and adjustable, so once it was set it was fast for correcting or adjusting fire by a single entry. The Comparison would be a 7' tall Honeywell, reel to reel, kept at a constant 62 degrees in a fire proof, sanitary room, people in hazmat suits, with spring loaded floors to prevent any vibration. I was sent by the college to assist the AIG affiliate company on their city block sized computer room. Ended up doing a statistical study of a department, their programming, had left off the data, for the company President. Found the department left off, that had produced 72% of the total company profit for 11 consecutive years. Got hired by that same department out of college.

Yup, never try to update a 2007 32 bit Vista machine that the drivers for most functions were proprietary to the manufacturer. 😳
Then add in that Linux was going to drop all 32 bit support within a year. 😳
Now as far as Linux I currently have Zorin on a hard drive that was originally set up as the C drive in the machine. Plug it in usb and boot to it functions just fine, updates, saves files etc.
I also fought with my command line skills for a few days and got Ubunto to run in win 10 & 11 using wsl2.
So Linux isnt the problem.

Just for info, Swifty, MX still offers and supports a 32-bit version. Damn nice of them to put in that amount of effort for a tiny fraction of users.

I have an ancient (came with W7) 64-bit HP laptop that had proprietary drivers but runs MX just fine - except for the camera, which uses one of those drivers. Meh, I don't need the camera anyway. I once had but gave away an even older little netbook (I think it came with XP) that I loaded with the 32-bit version of Linux Lite and it ran faster than when new. Not sure Lite still has a 32 version, as I haven't looked at it in years.

My main desk tower has now been running on Mint for at least seven years and several version updates without a single freeze-up, bobble, or hiccup. My travel laptop (on which I happen to be typing this) runs Zorin. It was $150 "Student" Gateway machine with a mere 4/64 gigglebiters of ram and disc. It also runs a lot faster than the stripped down Windows S it came with. Flawless.

I too am looking for altenatives. RockyRaab, what the heck is MX? I only know it as "mail exchange" in the computer world and "moto cross" for the rest of the world.
In context, I'm assuming you mean mail exchange. Thanks in advance.

Got no issues with my Commodore 64 and tape drive

No, MX is a version of Linux. Swifty would know that, which is why I didn't explain it to all. For your reference, however, go HERE

It's a very good Operating System. I don't normally recommend it to Linux newbies because it has so many configuration options and choices that it can be intimidating. You can truly make it look and work ANY way you like. But that's why it can also be confusing. For all its capabilities, though, it uses surprisingly little resources and is great on older machines. If I didn't like Mint so much, I'd use MX as my daily driver.

Just to be complete, the other two version of Linux that I do recommend are:

For most Windows users, MINT or ZORIN

(Zorin has a Pro version that you have to buy. It contains extra software for graphics designers and video creators. The Core version is free and has everything most people need.)

Thank you RockyRaab. I've been looking into seriously delving into the Linux knowledge base. I appreciate the response.

Good. I'm a Linux missionary, and love any and all "converts."

MacBook Air 13" screen all you'll need!

I will convert when Linux can run iTunes and talk to Apple products. Good luck.

1 word.

Linux.

Apple version updates would give us something to to do for sure. Folks running production printers could almost count on some change that would take them down or take away some feature they depended on. Lots of high end private schools run all Apple environments. They were a constant pain trying to get fleet management software and or embedded apps to work and keep working. Some had Window$$ servers on site as a go between that was easier to manage. They also had NAS devices to capture paper scans then allow the Apple boxes to access that. Direct scan to Apple back then was way more trouble than it was worth. I'm sure things have changed a lot since I was fooling with it all, hopefully for the better.

As bad as I detest Micro$oft at least we could get things going in that environment. I still have a Window$ box here to run tax software. I intend to so something different next year. Win 10 is on the way out for a lot of hardware Win 11 won't support. I'm actually looking forward to scarfing up some nice boxes just because Win 11 won't run on it.

I fixed up an old dell laptop with Mint for my wife, she loves it and she has been (and still is for work) a Window$ user from way back.

I'm sure you know that Linux systems can and will run many Windows apps using a go-between program like Wine. Some like Zorin come with Windows App Support built in.

I'd never try to "convert" somebody who truly loves Windows. But is there anybody like that? Really?

Works for me.

Yep Win 10 is on the way out 2025 is EOL. Whether or not MS gives out a permanent license with no support hasnt been divulged, if they dont the software just quits working after 1 year. At that point Zorin HD will be swapped into that laptop.
Now as to picking up cheap laptops 189.00 bucks bought me a 3 year old refurbished corporate lease return Dell loaded with Win 10 pro and updated to 11 Pro on registration. Quite impressed looks and runs like new, came with a 1 year no BS warranty.

Rocky, wine cant talk to itunes as its not a MS app, secondly Linux without iTunes cant sync or talk to Apple iOS which means without it I cant keep backups for my phone or iPad or the 2 iPods, nor can I load any music or podcasts or anything else onto the devices making the iPods worthless. Phone and iPad can use the cloud, but you cant store music on the cloud. I havent listened to radio or cd since 2006 since I can just plug in a USB cord to my stereo connected to phone, iPad or 1 of the iPods and have access to roughly 75 gig of music.
Do I love MS nope, but its a necessary evil in another couple ways, as in the logic software i need to talk to Siemens PLC’s wont run on linux or apple, neither will my software for Allen Bradley or GE Fanuc. Those make money.

Well, you've locked yourself into Apple. So naturally that's what you'll stick with. There are other formats for music which wouldn't lock you in, but it's pointless to tell you that because you've accumulated a huge library of iTunes. Ditto your logic software. Boxed in.

My message is to those millions of people who use Windows because that's what came on their machine, but they hate it. They don't use proprietary software and in fact do little on their computer above browsing the internet and doing a bit of word processing/spreadsheeting. Maybe a few games.

A Linux OS like Mint comes with a browser (and can install others with a click or two), a complete office suite, a video and audio player, support for thousands of games, and much more. All totally free, constantly supported, devoid of almost all data tracking, infinitely customizable or usable right out of the box, a graphical interface, and totally under your own control.

Lol, I started programming PLC’s in 87 which is before Windows and Linux. Cant hardly lock yourself in when the manufacturers only write programs in DOS until 95 then only written for windows. Thats their decision you either comply or give up your income.
Here again for someone espousing that Linux will keep old machines running and usable also thinks that giving up old functional devices that still do exactly what you want just because of an OS.

As far as my music library, that currently resides on a DLNA 1T drive plugged into my network, iTunes only comes into play for loading up devices for travel.