I went Linux cold turkey because I had done enough research first to know Linux could cover basic stuff like documents, email, etc. When I found out about GnuCash that was the deal-maker. With basic needs coveed, I'd find a way around the rest. I manged even to run needed business software with help from Win4Lin at first, then Wne or a VM. I forced myself to do it because I knew if I didn't I'd just keep making excuses not to instead of learning and finding solutions.
I understand the reluctance to give up Windows and that it just may not be possible for some. Not to pick on anyone, but just for example, hanging onto a NTFS partition. To me, if you're serious about Linux you approach this as Linux gets priority as the primary OS. So the approach becomes not leaving a NTFS partition to cater to Windows needs. Forget that Linux reads NTFS, the question is how to get Windows to read ext4. Which is easily done.
Do you (or anyone else) have a preferred method to do this? I see
Ext2Fsd Project as a real possibility with ext 4 access available at boot time. Anyone have experience with this? I'll have some free time next month to completely rebuild my main desktop and I want to get it right the first time.
I really appreciate your candor/advice. To be perfectly honest I haven't used Linux
exclusively on any of my boxen until somewhat recently (mostly for use as a dedicated machine to more easily work with Android devices).
Superr's kitchen is a prime example. Though I've dabbled for many years with various distros, it seems that I still fall back to Windows (mostly because I'm the "go to" guy when someones computer is fubar or otherwise goes tits up). Seemingly everyone runs Windows, and rather than spending hours ridding virii, etc., I recover as much data as I can (via Linux tools usually), then wipe & clean install. If it's older hardware, I tell them that they will HAVE to run Linux or be SOL. The vast majority use their computers for Internet and not much else, so Linux is perfect and way more secure. While most are happy (and truly surprised at the speed/ease of use), there are still some who just can't stand something different. I've acquired several older units for free due to their insistence of using Windows. Bad for them - good for me, and my grand-kids love them
.
While fixing these is currently more of a hobby than anything else, I am considering this a means to earn a few bucks doing so after (hopefully soon) retirement. Win10 "as a service" has changed my thinking. I want an
operating system that is ALL mine, where "I" control everything and NO data tracking/mining is possible. The
recent announcement that M$ had partnered with chip makers is nothing more than an attempt at world domination. Won't be long before any pre-manufactured computer is locked to Win10. It's already happening with them making
Secure boot lockout a reality. If the mfg wants to pre-install Win10, that's ALL it will be allowed to run? Cripe! It will soon be build your own (which I usually do) or be enslaved to M$. Apparently my future plans may well be to convince the ordinary user to run Linux or be at the mercy of the "Geek Squad" (or whatever).
IOW, make Windows kneel to the will of Linux, not Linux to Windows.
Now
THIS I like!
BTW, I trust spinning disk hard drives even less than optical disks.
I didn't mean to imply optical storage as the ONLY means to preserve data, but in conjunction with cloud based backup (be it remotely or ones own). I always have more than one means to save/secure/access it.
