Windows 10 doesn’t actually need to be activated to receive security updates. You’ll just deal with an annoying watermark in the bottom right all the time. IoT may be different, though.

Regardless, I recommend taking a look at this project:
https://massgrave.dev/

• Voicemeeter and Virtual Audio Cables for separate audio channels with separate volume controls, macro keys, and easily adjustable toggling between outputs (more easily adjustable and less latency than JACK)
• Eartrumpet for easy and immediate per-program control over audio channels
• FL Studio
• Adobe Premiere
• MX Ergo drivers that have full functionality including remapping and holding down mouse 4 and mouse 5 and toggleable precision mode with LED indicator
• No sudden troubleshooting mid-way through working on projects to break my flow
• A Windows testing environment
• 100% compatibility with every game I own

There may be a few more, but these are the big ones. JACK, at the moment, just isn't a replacement for Voicemeeter and while there are some DAWs for Linux, they're not FL and I don't know if they're compatible with Guitar Rig. I've used OpenShot for video as well, and while it's not terrible it isn't really comparable.

I'm sure that Linux is a good fit for many users. Personally, as an operating system alone if it weren't for these issues, I'd prefer it. I'd love to be able to do what I need to do and also have a plasma, it's much nicer. But at the moment it isn't a real option without sacrificing things that I actually need. I also really can't be dealing with suddenly needing to sort out how to make a finicky program work at the drop of a hat when I'm in the middle of working on a project.

I've been dabbling with Linux since the early 00s. I like it and I wish it were a substitute for Windows for my use case, but it isn't. No amount of people being rude and obtuse in threads will change that. Time might, but it hasn't yet.

Ah I see. Pipewire has made audio production a lot easier with far fewer latency issues. I know the FL Studio crowd is pretty diehard, but if you're ever feeling adventurous there's a lot more in the audio space now. I personally use Reaper to record my guitar through my Audient interface and have no issues. I'm not much of a beats and loops guy though so YMMV.

Does it have separate audio channels and input/output controls with volume sliders and hotkeys? That would still leave a few other issues, but progress is progress and I do like to keep myself aware of the options so that I'll know when it finally ticks all the boxes.

Bruh...I'm still running windows 7 in one of my VMs hosted by Debian

Don't and done. No problems, highly recommend it

I'm not sure I understand the question. Pipewire is the audio server, replacing Pulse. It does have frontends that allow routing from different devices, channels, software etc and distributions that are using Pipewire now have interface elements that allow you to control application use of audio devices. I'm not sure I answered your question at all lol.

Yeah, sure. But I don't run a shop anymore and just picked up an off the shelf machine from a retailer.

Turned it on, connected it to wifi, then it took forever to try and update itself, which failed, required another reboot, then made me sign in, which also failed, needed a reboot

I dont want a fucking ms account, I don't want to wait for every update, just ask my name and take me to the desktop

Sorry answered it elsewhere, yep windows 11.

The forced update took forever and failed and then it also fucked out with the Microsoft account. It was legit 2 hours from boot to seeing a desktop. I wanted to skip the updates and the Microsoft account.

The start menu is full of ads for software I don't want. If I buy software off you, stop trying to upsell me.

Linux Mint would like a word. Best choice tech wise I ever made. Shit just works and it's dead simple, polished, easy to learn and read programs. Fuck Windows. I will never go back. Make the jump!

I'm likely going to because windows update is embarrassingly bad if you have 32gb as your goddamn boot drive.

• Davinci? Yup
• Adobe? Not even remotely.
• Unreal....yes? I'm pretty sure th development tools still run on Linux at least.
• Crossplatform work? As long as it's in the same format from the same application, you should be fine. Just format the drive in something Windows can understand.
• Steam? Works flawlessly as do most games now. You will need to change one option in settings, because Steam will by default only show games that are verified by valve to work (most games do though). Your biggest hurdle will be the developers that specifically block Linux.
• Non-Steam games? You'll need to do some work, but you can get them running just as well as steam games
• Xbox App/Xbox GamePass? Nope.

I use pipewire with Ardour and Neural DSP VSTs (over wine) with zero issues on EndeavourOS. I really hadn't expected that. Now, I generally just use this stuff to not have to buy many physical pedals so I rarely do recording, but that has worked as well.

You seem to be way more advanced than me in that regard, so I can't say if it would work for you, but it was so much easier and better than when I tried the same thing years ago. I'd suspect that GuitarRig works as well, though I haven't tried. I may just do so this weekend, but can't promise.

I have GuitarPro running with wine as well.

That's good to know. Mint was going to be my distro of choice

Sounds like a personal skill issue. Especially if you bought some crappy off the shelf laptop.

Also you dont need any of that to use windows so again pushing false narrative since you can use windows with an offline account perfectly fine. Since I use mine for school and dont sign into Microsoft.

Yeah I’ve been considering switching to Linux but I’m not a tech person. I know enough to play some games and install some Minecraft mods and that’s it. Since I was thinking about getting a new lightweight laptop I was gonna get one with Linux instead of windows to give it a try but every time I found one that said Linux I’d look at the specs and it says the operating system is actually windows. I’d be willing to learn how to get Linux myself but I’m worried about ruining my computer because I don’t understand even half of the technical stuff. If anyone has any up to date very beginner friendly guides, I’d appreciate the recommendation

It doesn't have to be one or the other. You can do most of your work in linux and boot windows as a 'secondary' OS for stuff like adobe? I do this, and share NTFS SSDs/hard drives between them.

You are hitting weak points of linux though. I do all media work on linux (a lot through vapoursynth or 'lower level' frameworks than resolve I suppose), but TBH do most of my gaming on Windows, not just for convenience but for performance reasons too.

these articles offer ms office alternatives acting like most people write their shopping lists in excel or something. i remember my friend asking for a cheap key for office, and i asked him when was the last time he opened a file in office. after a few seconds of waiting he told me that he opened up an rtf manual for an ancient tomb raider game...told him that almost anything can open an rtf. he lives an officeless life since.

While I'm pretty sure you're correct on majority of cases, there's still some stuff, like non-steam games, which just won't work no matter what you do. So, on paper these things work but your mileage may vary.

photoshop, multiplayer games, excel specific macros, 99% of the accounting programs, drivers wificard soundcards, multimonitor support that doesnt shits itself within 10 seconds...2 years ago i tried mint, ubuntu, manjaro, they all failed.