Windows 10 is dead, switch to Linux!

Dear Lichess community,

You probably know that support for Windows 10 ended* on October 14 this year. And, you likely also know that Microsoft wants you to buy a new computer, as lots of devices won't fit Windows 11's strict system requirements. But instead of throwing away your current device, what if you could make it fast and secure again, so that you can keep using it for years to come?

Enter the world of Linux, where things are done your way, where you finally own your own computer, and where you finally control every aspects of your own system. It's a world of freedom, privacy, security, and peace of mind. Plus, you can explore and customize every inch to make it truly yours when you are comfortable with it.

Unlike Windows, most Linux systems are entirely free, with no ads or mandatory accounts, soley relying on user donations, just like Lichess. They won't track or sell your data to advertisers or data brokers, nor use it as training data for their commercial AI products. There aren't any surveillance tools built in by default, as your freedom, privacy and security comes first.

Another benefit of installing Linux is that it's better for the environment. A lot of Linux systems are lightweight and efficient by design, and as they don't include ads or spyware by default, there aren't unwanted processes slowing down your computer, or using more electricity. Keeping an older, yet functioning device longer is a great way to reduce carbon emissions, and as Linux systems are known for it's extensive long-term support even for legacy hardware, you can know for sure that you can continue to use your old computer, with fresh new software and regular updates.

If you are interested, go to https://endof10.org/ to learn more, find help, or volunteer!

It might be overwhelming to choose a system to install at first, as Linux isn't just one operating system like Windows with major releases like 10 or 11. I would personally recommend Linux Mint and Zorin OS as two of the best choices for beginners, as they offer familiar desktop layouts and come with many useful programs pre-installed. No prior knowledge required, just learn along as you get familiar with your new system.

If you'd like to have my personal assistance, feel free to reach out to me on SimpleX Chat, the first messenger without user IDs or any unique identifiers, not even random ones! You can connect to me via this link. If you feel hesitant to install another app, just DM me on Lichess. I won't ignore you, I promise.

I would like to express my gratitude for everyone who have supported me, and this blog post. I could never have done this without every one of you. In the meantime, I will invest time and effort in making this better and informative.

Why Linux?

• Linux distros are often free to download, free to use, free to inspect, modify and redistribute. Paid versions are often for enterprise use with direct support or bundled with lots of professional software.
• Linux distros does not include invasive ("personalized") AI assistants, chatbots, or suggestions by default. You are free to download a local model for offline use.
• Linux distros does not require an online account or internet connection to use, meaning anyone can use Linux, from anywhere.
• Linux distros support old hardware. Some distros might even support your laptop from 10, 15, or even 20 years ago.
• Linux can be tried from anywhere, in a VM, from a USB drive, even on Android (Termux).
• Linux can be installed alongside Windows (Dual-boot). This allows you to keep Windows so that you can switch back and forth whenever needed.
• Linux systems come from a variety of shapes and sizes. Below (next section) are some examples. Linux systems are everywhere, for everyone, for almost every use case. If one system doesn't fit for you, you can always try another. There's lots and lots and lots of distros to explore.
• Linux systems support a lot of different architectures, with virtually every distro having support for x86_64, wide support for aarch64, major distros having solid support for ARM, with distros like Armbian designed specifically for ARM, and ongoing efforts from projects to support RISC_V, while distros like AntiX still supports 32-bit architectures like i386 and i686.
• Linux distros offer various methods like direct HTTP downloads, mirror sites, torrents for ISO downloads.
• You can emulate Windows software with Wine, PlayOnLinux, Lutris (games), or Bottles (an app that has been gaining popularity), or you can use virtualization methods like WinApps or the worked on WinBoat (or just straight-up set a VM up). You can also emulate Android with Waydroid, and install various apps from the Aurora Store (Google Play Store), F-Droid repos or APKs.
• Linux is constantly evolving. Filesystems are getting faster, improvements are made, new tools are created (like the recent defrag.exfat from efatprogs 1.3.0), and you can hardly guess what will come next! Want to join the excitement?

Examples of Linux distributions

• Tiny Core Linux hundred times smaller than other operating systems (~10MBs)
• The portable Slax and MiniOS
• The portable Tails designed to help users maintain anonymity and cirumvent censorship wherever they go
• The declarative NixOS that can be configured from/with one file
• The ultra-secure Qubes OS that seperates everything using virtualization
• Linux Mint and Zorin OS, perfect for windows users
• The extremely stable Debian
• The bleeding-edge Arch
• The cutting edge Fedora, for those that want a stabler exxperience than Arch, but more regular updates compared to Debian
• Raspberry Pi OS that runs on a single board computer (SBC) smaller than a credit card..
• AnduinOS developed by a Microsoft employee

How to try a Linux distribution

Live mode (using a USB drive)

1. Choose a distribution like Linux Mint or Zorin OS.
2. Download the ISO image. If you want, you can select a mirror site close to your country for a faster download, or use torrent.
3. Download a software like Rufus or Balena Etcher to flash your ISO image and install if necessary (choose portable download options if available).
4. Prepare a USB drive you'll use for flashing the ISO image. Make sure that all contents are backed up, because all data on it will be erased. Remember to backup, or just get an empty usb drive instead.
5. Select the downloaded ISO image, USB drive, and flash!
6. When it's finished, reboot your computer while holding down the special key to get into BIOS/UEFI menu. This varies by motherboard manufacturers, and can be either F1, F2, F3, F8, F10, F11, F12, DEL, ESC or any other key. F2, F8, and DEL are the most common, so try with them first, or search online.
7. Select the USB drive's partition from the BIOS/UEFI's boot menu, and boot into it.
8. And you're all set! Enjoy using your first linux system from a tiny USB drive! No data from Windows will get deleted, but just make sure not to save any important files on your live Linux environment as those will.

Professional software on Linux

• Office suites: LibreOffice, OnlyOffice
• Image editing: Gimp (It's not hard! You can learn it in half an hour: Beginner Tutorial by Kevin Stratvert)
• Digital painting: Krita
• Vector graphics: Inkscape
• Video editing: Kdenlive, Openshot, Davinci Resolve (Proprietary)
• 3D modeling/animating: Blender
• CAD modeling: FreeCAD
• Audio recording/editing: Audacity
• Streaming: OBS Studio
• Digital Audio Workstations: Ardour, LMMS, Zrythm, Bitwig Studio (Proprietary)
• Game development: Godot, Unity (Proprietary), Unreal (Proprietary)
• Development/code editing: VS Code (Proprietary), VSCodium, IntelliJ, PyCharm, Sublime Text, Zed
• Chess analysis: Encroissant

App support on Linux

• Almost all the browsers: Chrome, Chromium, Ungoogled Chromium, Brave, Firefox, Tor, Mullvad, LibreWolf, IceCat, Vivaldi, Opera...
• Lots of alternatives for your Windows apps. Try AlternativesTo!
• Games: Constantly improving.
  • Compatibillity layers: Proton, Wine.
  • Emulators: RetroArch, Dolphin Emulator (GameCube/Wii), DuckStation (PS1)
  • Launchers: Lutris, Heroic
  • Steam, GOG, Itch.io, Minecraft, Luanti, 0AD, Unciv, Battle for Wesnoth, Mindustry, SuperTux, SuperTuxCart, and many more.

Software I recommend

• Pinta, KolourPaint as alternatives for MS Paint.
• VLC or MPV for media players.
• Dolphin or Nautilus for a file manager.
• KeePassXC or BitWarden for offline password manager.
• Bottles to emulate Windows software, Wine but easier.
• And many more..

Gaming on Linux

This section was written with the help of generative AI. Main source: https://news.itsfoss.com/linux-mainstream-gaming-2025/

Single-player gaming on Linux is now excellent, with over 80% of the top 100 Steam games working seamlessly via Proton (Valve’s compatibility layer). Performance is often on par with or even exceeds Windows, especially in Vulkan-optimized titles. The setup process is now minimal, and gaming-focused distros like Nobara and Bazzite make it even easier.

Multiplayer and anti-cheat remain the biggest hurdles. Games requiring kernel-level anti-cheat (e.g., Fortnite, Valorant) are still largely unplayable on Linux, as these systems are deeply tied to Windows. However, native Linux anti-cheat is improving, with Counter-Strike 2 being a notable success.

Hardware support is strong for AMD GPUs, but NVIDIA users may still encounter issues, especially with HDR/VRR or multi-monitor setups. Performance can vary, with some users reporting FPS drops in DX12/RT games, though the gap is narrowing.

Linux far outpaces macOS for gaming. Proton and native Linux ports mean thousands more games are playable compared to macOS, which relies on Wine (less effective than Proton) or Apple’s limited Game Porting Toolkit. Mac gaming has seen little recent development, and most Mac-compatible games are also available on Linux.

Macs, especially those with Apple Silicon, are not designed for high-end gaming. Linux runs on a wide range of gaming hardware, including handhelds like the Steam Deck, which has driven much of Linux gaming’s recent growth.

What others say

All YouTube links are replaced with Invidious redirects. Sorry, YouTubers.

I installed Linux (so should you) by PewDiePie
Why I Don't Use Windows Anymore ... by Michael Horn
Linux Desktop Has Hit Peak Maturity by Switched to Linux
Do I Do Any "Real Work" On My Linux PC? by DistroTube
Windows 10 Is Over, So What Now!! by Brodie Robertson
Zorin OS Review - The BEST Linux Switch from Windows? by SavvyNik
Zorin OS 18 - Replace Windows With This ... by Michael Horn

Footnotes:

1: Support for Windows 10 ended on October 14, 2025.

It's technically not the end, as Extended Security Updates will be available, but you would need either a Microsoft acount, 1000 reward points, or a purchase to qualify for it. It's likely that enterprises and individuals that have newer hardware, but prefers Windows 10 will continue to use it with ESU enabled. Extended support for Windows 10 will end on October 13, 2026, and it would be the same situation next year, at this time of the year. While the extended updates seem free, are they really? Pay with Microsoft Reward Points so that Microsoft products get more attention, link your computer with a Microsoft account and upload your data to the cloud, or purchase the updates. That doesn't sound free to me. Others would have to buy the newest Microsoft certified device. However, just like paying for Chess.com when Lichess.org is entirely free, why would you buy an expensive Microsoft Copilot & PC when you can run any Linux system of your choice on your current machine, for free, without additional costs? Think about it.

Ending this blog

Linux might not be for everyone, but it could be, for you! Whether you're interested in switching or just curious, give a try to Linux distros today! I think everyone should know Windows and Mac OS aren't the only choices, and if you switch over to Linux, frankly endless. Before you buy a new computer (whether Windows or Mac), you can consider this free, yet better option, that requires nothing more than a bit of courage and determination, and also curiosity and time. You don't need to be a computer expert to install a Linux distro, there are GUI installers that simplify the job, installing apps are as easy as opening a GUI app store. Just keep in mind that you have a choice to entirely change your life, from something ordinary, to someting fun and exciting, just by installing a fresh new operating system on your "old" device. That's all I've got to say, cheers.