Welp… My mom is apparently done with windows (yay!) Anf wants me to move her laptop to Linux (oh nooo). I personally use Ubuntu studios but im not sure what to get for her. She is getting her masters in nursing online so it def needs to be able to accommodate that. Do y’all have any suggestions on where to start? TIA
ZorinOS. Looks modern, works 96% of the time.
Checkout https://youtu.be/27O31t94w0Y
I’ve never really used Ubuntu, but I’m going to agree with others here. If its what you use, it would be better in the sense that it would be much easier for you to give her phone assistance when she needs it, rather than giving her something you’re not used to and possibly having to go over and troubleshoot for her.
If she wants something more in the line with Windows, you could try Kubuntu, but I think the rigging behind KDE is pretty complicated for a casual user. You may want to help her set up the way she wants her desktop to look at first if you go this route. The only other Windows-like desktop is Cinnamon, but Cinnamon-Wayland is still in alpha and once they officially drop it that could make more work for you later.
Admittedly, I have 0 experience with the Unity DE, so that’d be your call if you think you can familiarize it for her.
Linux Mint or Debian running Cinnamon DE. Stable and predictable.
Get her the same one you have so you can see what she sees and help her. Or standard Ubuntu. For real. Don’t overthink it. She’s gonna be interested in your help.
Seconding and thirding the use of an immutable OS. I specifically like Bazzite Gnome. People know it for gaming, but many don’t know it has a fantastic desktop mode, suitable for children, mums and grandmas.
Almost all the software a casual user needs is available from their Flatpak App Store, and it’s pretty as hell (looks very Apple-like and shiny). I have been using it for about a year and I am still impressed how fluid, polished and solid everything feels.
Use the exact same setup you have, then when she calls and asks you how to do something then you either already know or can check on your own machine!
I recommend LFS. It’s the most user friendly distro there Is.
In all seriousness, a Ubuntu derivative is gonna be the easiest, mostly because it’s what you use OP
If not Ubuntu, I’d at least stay in the Debian realm.
Ubuntu. Simply because you use it as well. You will be the primary tech support. So something that you are familiar with is important.
If her router supports it I would set up a VPN and ssh on her computer so that you can help her. Maybe RDP or Sunshine/Moonlight as well.
Yeah I’m really surprised people are suggesting things other than that. The value of being able to exactly see what she does on her screen on your own and describe things you do on yours that you know you do will be very useful.
My mom was not interested in the surface cause she only need Mail, Browser, Whatsapp web and here Background image. So she used Ubuntu with the side bar as good as with Mint. Same goes for gmy Granny. I propose, Ask what possibilities are important for here - Do not ask about Application - and show here afther that where to do things.
For showing the new PC. Do it with some work she has to do. Learning curve is way better thatway.
It uses X and not Wayland
I installed Debian on my dad’s laptop recently,
My grandma got along with Mint for Facebook browsing and KPatience.
If your mom is more into using real apps, plus the Windows UI, and you’re comfortable with some setup, I’d highly recommend Debian 13 with KDE Plasma and Flatpak, with the Flatpak-Discover integration. That’ll allow her to use lightweight, stable apps from apt, or more recent, but larger apps from Flathub, and install it all herself through Discover. Honestly, there should be a distro for that.
I’d be using that myself if it weren’t for some very specific software I need from the AUR.
Have you heard of Distrobox?
You can run Debian and still get access to the AUR. I moved from Arch to Chimera Linux and but I still get a few things out of the AUR.
With Distrobox export, you can even add them into the app menu in KDE. So you do not even have to manually launch Distrobox to use them.
I would put her on the latest Ubuntu LTS, make a single-user Ubuntu pro account so she keeps getting security updates and don’t do major OS updates on that machine for the next decade. You and her can decide which DE, either Gnome (more mac-like) or Budgie, Mate, or KDE (more windows-like. Those are my win-like preferences in that order)
Ubuntu all the way
