I consistently say the same thing to everyone: no computer or OS today is good for more than 5 years.  The entire industry is pushing us onto that treadmill, and you only get >5yrs through... well, basically, luck. 

If you don't want to run Windows or MacOS, and just want something that will *work* with minimum surprises, run the latest Ubuntu LTS release.  Period.

There are a few niche exceptions to this, but almost everything else available is aimed at either "enthusiasts" who enjoy constantly upgrading, or IT professionals who want something they can transfer skills to and from. 
Fedora, for example, is good OS, but has a rolling release model - if you want assistance from anyone, you have to keep upgrading - about once a year, at minimum. 
With Ubuntu LTS, you're (a) using the same system a *lot* of other people are, so it's easier to get help, and (b) you don't have to face a major upgrade until the 5yr mark - at which time you're typically looking at new hardware anyway.

Most of the MUUG membership are either professional users or "enthusiasts" (I wish there were a better word...) who are not looking for something that Just Works and they Never Have to Think about it.  That even applies to me :-)

But in supporting family & friends, I've found the Ubuntu LTS releases - no matter how much I personally dislike the UI and some of their architectural decisions - fits the bill for the "average user" far, far better than anything else out there today.  And it's almost *entirely* because of that 5yr support cycle.

YMMV.  Everyone has different needs.
-Adam
From: Roundtable <roundtable-bounces@muug.ca> on behalf of eh@eduardhiebert.com <eh@eduardhiebert.com>
Sent: Monday, May 27, 2024 9:40:55 PM
To: Continuation of Round Table discussion <roundtable@muug.ca>
Cc: Adam Thompson <athompso@athompso.net>; almastrauss@outlook.com <almastrauss@outlook.com>
Subject: Re: [RndTbl] Intel Mac linux recommendations?
 
Alex, should you still be looking for verifiably sound information as to
which Linux OS to choose from among an overwhelming array, since your
post I stumbled across the following simply searching when my newly
acquired used Windows 10 computer would no longer be supported as I too
have the intention, having deliberately started with on Osborne's CPM
system in the early 80's, but at some time the better mouse trap was
superseded by Gates cornering a large part of the PC market.

Not only did I find Windows10 support ends Oct 14, 2025
https://www.zdnet.com/article/when-windows-10-support-ends-you-have-5-options-but-only-2-are-worth-considering/

I found the following article quite informative in differentiating
between whatever kernel means and OS.  As well it provided some good
comparative information on why Ubuntu is good but in the greater detail
Fedora may actually be somewhat more robust.  Whether this is sound
would welcome others weighing in.

However at one point it added the following teasingly interesting
information bu without any helpful link.   Perhaps MUUG members can fill
in the gap?

Good Luck and would be interested if you or others can fill in what is
still missing in this article.

Eduard

PS if I find the time in a day or say may add with my poor eye-hand
coordination I strongly prefer key-board systems or having to move
between the board and the mouse and so many inferior steps to a word
processing program like Wordstar that even today provides superior
editing capacities to any of the newer bells and whistles Word type
applications.


On 2024-05-24 13:56, Adam Thompson wrote:
> There are multiple reports online of people successfully installing
> Ubuntu on that vintage of Mac Mini (late 2012, not necessarily
> _exactly _the same model#, but plenty close enough).
>  Since Ubuntu 24.04 LTS has now been released, I would start with
> that.  I don't like the UI, personally, but Ubuntu has good hardware
> support and is very popular, so easy to find support on.  Ubuntu 22.04
> LTS will get security updates for 5yrs; do not update to 22.10 or any
> other non-LTS version unless you're sure you know what you're doing...
> The one catch is that the install and initial configuration must be
> done with an ethernet cable connected, as WiFi will NOT work until
> Ubuntu has downloaded the drivers for it from the internet (this
> should happen automatically during installation).
>  -Adam
>
> -------------------------
>
> From: Roundtable <roundtable-bounces@muug.ca> on behalf of Trevor
> Cordes <trevor@tecnopolis.ca>
> Sent: May 24, 2024 14:31
> To: MUUG RndTbl <roundtable@muug.ca>
> Subject: [RndTbl] Intel Mac linux recommendations?
>
> Can someone help out here with this Linux distro on Mac question?
> Please cc: almastrauss@outlook.com on any replies, thanks!
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> Date: Thu, 23 May 2024 10:00:18 -0500
> From: Alex <almastrauss@outlook.com>
>
> Dear Sirs:
>
> I would like to migrate from macOS to Linux, and would very much
> appreciate it if you could please recommend me the most stable, fast,
> secure, and user-friendly Linux distribution to install on my Mac mini
> 2012 (https://support.apple.com/en-us/111926) computer based system
> comprising of:
>
> · 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 CPU
>
> · 16GB (two 8GB) of 1600MHz DDR3 memory
>
> · 2TB SSD
>
> · Logitech Bluetooth Easy-Switch Keyboard K811
> (https://support.logi.com/hc/en-ca/articles/360023464673-Logitech-Bluetooth-Easy-Switch-Keyboard-K811-Technical-Specifications)
>
> · Logitech T651
> (https://support.logi.com/hc/en-ca/articles/360023466673-Logitech-Rechargeable-Trackpad-T651-Technical-Specifications)Rechargeable
> Trackpad
> (https://support.logi.com/hc/en-ca/articles/360023466673-Logitech-Rechargeable-Trackpad-T651-Technical-Specifications)
>
> · HP ZR30w monitor
> (https://www.hp.com/canada/products/landing/monitors/files/ZR30w-data-sheet-June-2010.pdf)
>
> I am thinking along the lines of Ubuntu or Linux Mint (various desktop
> environments!), but it is extremely hard to understand which one is
> the
> most suitable for me… Or, perhaps, I am barking at the wrong tree?
>
> Please help a newbie!
>
> _____________
>
> Respectfully,
>
> Alex
>
> -------------------------
>
> From: Roundtable <roundtable-bounces@muug.ca> on behalf of Trevor
> Cordes <trevor@tecnopolis.ca>
> Sent: May 24, 2024 14:31
> To: MUUG RndTbl <roundtable@muug.ca>
> Subject: [RndTbl] Intel Mac linux recommendations?
>
> Can someone help out here with this Linux distro on Mac question?
> Please cc: almastrauss@outlook.com on any replies, thanks!
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> Date: Thu, 23 May 2024 10:00:18 -0500
> From: Alex <almastrauss@outlook.com>
>
> Dear Sirs:
>
> I would like to migrate from macOS to Linux, and would very much
> appreciate it if you could please recommend me the most stable, fast,
> secure, and user-friendly Linux distribution to install on my Mac mini
> 2012 (https://support.apple.com/en-us/111926) computer based system
> comprising of:
>
> · 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 CPU
>
> · 16GB (two 8GB) of 1600MHz DDR3 memory
>
> · 2TB SSD
>
> · Logitech Bluetooth Easy-Switch Keyboard K811
> (https://support.logi.com/hc/en-ca/articles/360023464673-Logitech-Bluetooth-Easy-Switch-Keyboard-K811-Technical-Specifications)
>
> · Logitech T651
> (https://support.logi.com/hc/en-ca/articles/360023466673-Logitech-Rechargeable-Trackpad-T651-Technical-Specifications)Rechargeable
> Trackpad
> (https://support.logi.com/hc/en-ca/articles/360023466673-Logitech-Rechargeable-Trackpad-T651-Technical-Specifications)
>
> · HP ZR30w monitor
> (https://www.hp.com/canada/products/landing/monitors/files/ZR30w-data-sheet-June-2010.pdf)
>
> I am thinking along the lines of Ubuntu or Linux Mint (various desktop
> environments!), but it is extremely hard to understand which one is
> the
> most suitable for me… Or, perhaps, I am barking at the wrong tree?
>
> Please help a newbie!
>
> _____________
>
> Respectfully,
>
> Alex
> _______________________________________________
> Roundtable mailing list
> Roundtable@muug.ca
> https://muug.ca/mailman/listinfo/roundtable
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