can/should i buy a preloaded linux desktop and skip the microsoft OS altogether? all my business data is stored on the cloud via qbooks online. so i just need a good web browser
just download and install yourself, I use ubuntu, but mint is fine also, the only thing I need windows for is Quickbooks, so I setup VirtualBox on Ubuntu 15 over the weekend and installed clean win7 and quickbooks, and will permanently switch to Linux this week.
Keeping your business in the cloud, in my opinion is even more dangerous than windows10
Here’s my approach:
Haven’t purchased a new laptop/desktop computer for a couple of decades. Instead I buy refurbished units (just recently a 2009 Dell Optiplex with Win 7).
I then bring Windows up to make sure all works then remove the drive and keep it in a safe place. This allows me to run Windows for the 1% or so of time that I need it, and also have a way to verify hardware independently should I encounter any problems.
Install a fresh drive, which typically brings a lot more capacity, and zero run time on the drive. Then install a downloaded Linux system, Mint 17.3 Rosa in this case. Had it up and running, surfing the web in 15 min. or so. My combo printer/scanner needed a driver downloaded from HP’s site (hplip), executed the driver program which after several prompts and had functionality within several more minutes. It can’t get much easier!
Don’t worry your information is all available to the government through the cloud, so just do whatever you want to about Operating Systems.
You can get a linux system preloaded by System76 (Ubuntu systems) or ZaReason (Pretty much any linux system you might want) if you want to go that route. If you’re not certain, you can download and install a linux system to a USB drive to try it out and see if it is what you’d like to do. I cut the Windows cord many years ago and haven’t looked back.
I wouldn’t buy anything at least not yet.
Get an iso like Ubuntu that has a live mode. Boot from it and let it load. It’s a full fledged OS with lots of applications built in. If it works out and you can do the things you need and the printer you have works, I’d dual boot it.
The installer is user friendly and describes each step of the way of what’s going on.
Whatever password you use, DO NOT FORGET IT! Recovery and reset isn’t as easy as it is in Windoze in my experience.