Can I upgrade my computer, or should I totally replace it?

[jim584672]

I guess I need to be educated. In order to run Windows applications like MS Word/Excel, Adobe Acrobat Standard, etc., plus Linux, is the virtual machine on Windows to run Linux, or is the virtual machine on Linux to run Windows?

Virtual machine on Linux to run Windows as a guest. QEMU or Virtualbox.

 

[Golden Mean]

I guess I need to be educated. In order to run Windows applications like MS Word/Excel, Adobe Acrobat Standard, etc., plus Linux, is the virtual machine on Windows to run Linux, or is the virtual machine on Linux to run Windows?

Yeah, if you are going to stick with MS and Adobe, then (as mentioned above) a VM on the Linux box would be better than something like Wine. But it's not a great compromise. You'll still be stuck buying the M$ OS and having to keep it updated and it'll take up a ton of disk space. The upside is, with something like VirtualBox the VM image is portable and rollbacks and backups are fairly easy.

Any reason you can't switch to GDocs/Sheets and any open source pdf viewer? In fact I think all of my browsers (Vivaldi, Brave, Firefox) have built in pdf viewers.

 

[statsman]

Yeah, if you are going to stick with MS and Adobe, then (as mentioned above) a VM on the Linux box would be better than something like Wine. But it's not a great compromise. You'll still be stuck buying the M$ OS and having to keep it updated and it'll take up a ton of disk space. The upside is, with something like VirtualBox the VM image is portable and rollbacks and backups are fairly easy.

Any reason you can't switch to GDocs/Sheets and any open source pdf viewer? In fact I think all of my browsers (Vivaldi, Brave, Firefox) have built in pdf viewers.

I will not be uploading my Word documents and Excel spreadsheets to Google's cloud.

Adobe Acrobat Standard has a PDF editing capability. It's not just a PDF viewer. Acrobat Standard also has a PDFmaker add-on for MS Office, which I find produces better PDFs than "saving as PDF" in Word/Excel.

Preferably, I would like to keep my Windows 10 PC offline and use Linux for any Internet activity (accounts, browsing, downloading, etc.). Dual booting is not a solution. I want to be able to use my applications while also being able to access the Internet at the same time.

I'm probably going to bite the bullet and move from Windows 10 to Windows 11. I don't want to, especially for any Internet activity, but I don't think I have much choice. I was just inquiring to see if an alternative solution existed that would work. Sounds like a lot of compromises.

 

[MC Rider]

Preferably, I would like to keep my Windows 10 PC offline and use Linux for any Internet activity (accounts, browsing, downloading, etc.). Dual booting is not a solution. I want to be able to use my applications while also being able to access the Internet at the same time.

Then it's 2 computers for you. You can try Linux but not give up MS. Yet. I don't miss Windows but don't need the MS programs anymore.

 

[statsman]

Then it's 2 computers for you. You can try Linux but not give up MS. Yet. I don't miss Windows but don't need the MS programs anymore.

I've used Linux Mint off and on for over five years (v19.2 -> v20.1 -> v22.1). It's been on our backup PC that I use from time to time. DW also uses it if she needs something better than her tablet to access some online accounts. I also installed Linux Mint on my laptop that was previously with Windows 7. I've since moved to an iPad Pro for my occasional mobile uses. I'm very much a desktop PC user.

I have several Windows-applications that either don't have a replacement in Linux, or the Linux equivalents are less user friendly. If I were mainly using the Internet, moving to Linux would be a no-brainer.

 

[MC Rider]

If I were mainly using the Internet,

That;s me these days. Libre office works fine for me the little I want, and I don't need MS office anymore, or w*rk specific programs.

 

[Golden Mean]

I will not be uploading my Word documents and Excel spreadsheets to Google's cloud.

Adobe Acrobat Standard has a PDF editing capability. It's not just a PDF viewer. Acrobat Standard also has a PDFmaker add-on for MS Office, which I find produces better PDFs than "saving as PDF" in Word/Excel.

Preferably, I would like to keep my Windows 10 PC offline and use Linux for any Internet activity (accounts, browsing, downloading, etc.). Dual booting is not a solution. I want to be able to use my applications while also being able to access the Internet at the same time.

Then a VM would be a good compromise for you. You can really lock down the VM, too. Which is nice with WIndows, which is such a security mess and wants to phone home all the time.

Been awhile since I tried it, but VirtualBox (or VMWare?) had an "integrated" mode. In this mode, the windows in the VM could "live in/be pulled into" your base OS's desktop. In other words, your VM windows weren't restricted to just the VM desktop/window.

Also, fairly modern hardware (CPU) has support for VMs. So you take almost no performance hit in a VM, like you might "back in the day".

I'm probably going to bite the bullet and move from Windows 10 to Windows 11. I don't want to, especially for any Internet activity, but I don't think I have much choice. I was just inquiring to see if an alternative solution existed that would work. Sounds like a lot of compromises.

Yep. If you restrict yourself to MS and other propriety software packages, you are at their mercy.

 

[jim584672]

Three programs I need for Windows, H&R Block, Think or Swim, and Office. Office I don't even need but like to have it available, Think or Swim for the CNBC feed, and H&R Block for taxes.

 

[Koolau]

Once you download Linux and make a bootable DVD or thumb drive, it's really easy.
Start here.

Home - Linux Mint

Hey, thanks! I'll try that when I get home to my old computer. Aloha

 

[Golden Mean]

Three programs I need for Windows, H&R Block, Think or Swim, and Office. Office I don't even need but like to have it available, Think or Swim for the CNBC feed, and H&R Block for taxes.

AFAIK, the Think or Swim desktop client runs under Java. I had it working in LInux with jdk-11, last year (pre Schwab). That said, I just use the web interface since I don't do anything but track the market throughout the day and eyeball options prices. Also run a paper trading account in it.

 

[MC Rider]

Hey, thanks! I'll try that when I get home to my old computer. Aloha

I did find this part confusing to do if using Windows which I was. So, I skipped it, and did not have problems.

 

[jim584672]

AFAIK, the Think or Swim desktop client runs under Java. I had it working in LInux with jdk-11, last year (pre Schwab). That said, I just use the web interface since I don't do anything but track the market throughout the day and eyeball options prices. Also run a paper trading account in it.

I just tried the Linux version and it doesn't have Trader TV as a gadget. Also it isn't officially supported.

 

[MC Rider]

Over a month on Linux here and not problems. Working good. Firefox is no different to the user vs MS. The update manager pops up things fairly often, but the updates mostly take a few seconds. Quick.

 

[statsman]

Over a month on Linux here and not problems. Working good. Firefox is no different to the user vs MS. The update manager pops up things fairly often, but the updates mostly take a few seconds. Quick.

For browsing and online account activities, Linux works well, even on a relatively under-powered PC.

Sadly, I have too many Windows-centric applications that have either mediocre or non-existent replacements in Linux. Dual booting is not an option, and VM'ing isn't much better.

 

[MC Rider]

Well, it's one of the advantages of being retired. I was in that boat, but now don't need windows except the ones I look outside through. It's a good option for some.

 

[statsman]

Well, it's one of the advantages of being retired. I was in that boat, but now don't need windows except the ones I look outside through. It's a good option for some.

In my case, I "play" with a lot of data. Editing photos (Nikon DSLR & software), editing videos, and editing music files. I've created numerous spreadsheets to perform all sorts of functions.

Even the few PC games I play deal with data. I have three MLB (baseball) simulators. They don't have high levels of graphics, but they can generate a lot of data. I'll do what-if scenarios and auto-play seasons, writing programs to analyze the data.

Weird, I know. None of this was what I did while working. DW thinks this is good for me, as it keeps my brain sharp.

 

[Golden Mean]

In my case, I "play" with a lot of data. Editing photos (Nikon DSLR & software), editing videos, and editing music files. I've created numerous spreadsheets to perform all sorts of functions.

Yeah, I've used RawTherapee and GIMP for DSLR stuff. It's totally workable, but isn't anywhere near as powerful as the software that comes with the camera and/or Photoshop and the like.

DaVinci Resolve is seriously powerful video editing software that runs in Linux, but the free version can't do mp4 in Linux due to licensing stuff. With the paid version you get into all the silliness with copy protection (dongles/needs to be online to run), so I'm not interested.

I use, and enjoy, Shotcut (FOSS), but it's nowhere near the levels of the prosumer Windows stuff. Blender is a performant video editor, but it's a bit like using your riding lawn mower to get the groceries. It'll work, but is a bit clunky.

Even the few PC games I play deal with data. I have three MLB (baseball) simulators. They don't have high levels of graphics, but they can generate a lot of data. I'll do what-if scenarios and auto-play seasons, writing programs to analyze the data.

Note that Wine/Proton/Steam/Lutris can play many Windows games. In some cases they run better than on Windows.

Weird, I know. None of this was what I did while working. DW thinks this is good for me, as it keeps my brain sharp.

I agree. I'm into business financial stuff and spreadsheets, in retirement. Something I didn't even think about when working.

 

[Davidhelp]

I have a 10 year old desktop pc with Windows 10 Pro 22H2.
Gigabyte Z97X-UD5H motherboard, Intel Core i5 4690K @ 3.50GHz, 32gb ram and 2TB SSD.
Have had no hardware issues just Windows acting up from time to time. I replaced the cmos battery once over a year ago (watch battery). Updated ram and graphics card and hard drive over the years.

I will build a new one some day but it will have Windows 10 on it.
You can buy used pc's very cheap at Amazon. I bought a used HP z240 SFF with 16gb ram and 1TB ssd for $135 made in July 2018. It is faster then my 2015 pc and when it was new it sold for $3,200 !

I also use VirtualBox and have installed Windows 11 and decided I do not like Windows 11. Basic copy and paste is not reliable! It stops working and Microsofts fix is for you to restart the pc... then it will fail again at random times. Been an on going issue now for years so it will never will be fixed by Microsoft.
BTW do not use Bitlocker encryption or one day all your files will be gone if the drive fails or Windows gets corrupted. Better have a backup of your files to an external drive with no bitlocker.

 

[GenXguy]

BTW do not use Bitlocker encryption or one day all your files will be gone if the drive fails or Windows gets corrupted. Better have a backup of your files to an external drive with no bitlocker.

Drives can have total failures at anytime, so you should always have backup on other media, also offline backups and cloud backups will help cover you if you lose everything at home.

 

[Golden Mean]

I've started upgrading my (linux) desktop in preparation for playing Borderlands 4 this winter. I had a decision of either building a new rig with the latest AMD socket (AM5) or upgrade my AM4 stuff. Decided to stick with AM4. Went from a Ryzen 3700x to a 5950x.

Next step is to upgrade my 3060 gpu to... something. Probably a 4070 ti or 5070 ti. Freaking things are $800+ bucks! And all the high VRAM ones want 285 watts to 500+. Little space heaters.

Anyone upgrade based on upcoming game releases?

 

[Al18]

The Nvidia RTX3060 is still the 2nd most popular video card used for gaming, according to the Steam survey. It was beat out of the top position a month or two ago by the Nvidia RTX4060 laptop. I’d stick with the 3060 for now.

 

[Golden Mean]

The Nvidia RTX3060 is still the 2nd most popular video card used for gaming, according to the Steam survey. It was beat out of the top position a month or two ago by the Nvidia RTX4060 laptop. I’d stick with the 3060 for now.

Yeah, it's a great card (12 GB version), but I'm looking for more vram. 16 GB min. And the 3060's performance is going to be the bare minimum for BL4.