The days are very much numbered; official support for Windows 10 will end on October 14, 2025. After a decade of ongoing-support, it's perhaps no surprise Microsoft is finally laying this operating system to rest. However, millions of users are now staring down the question of what to do next. For instance, what if you don't meet the somewhat stringent minimum hardware requirements to straightforwardly upgrade to Windows 11?
Is paying Microsoft for Extended Security Updates, or upgrading to a fresh Windows 11 Copilot+ PC really your only options? No, absolutely not. Ian's guide from last year explains you have a few avenues to explore, but End of 10 zeroes in on one possible solution for Windows 10 users who'd rather not part from perfectly serviceable hardware: jumping ship to Linux (via TechSpot).
Put together by a number of folks involved in Linux development, the End of 10 website argues that there's no need to buy an expensive upgrade if your post-2010 hardware still runs to a satisfactory standard (obviously, gaming rigs aren't really a huge part of this particular conversation). Instead, End of 10 claims users can make their possibly more than decade-old hardware "fast and secure again" by switching to the latest version of the open-source OS—even offering a list of places worldwide that will assist with installing Linux for those not confident attempting it alone.
Obviously, learning Linux is far from a novel proposition, especially with Windows 11's very particular system requirements. To upgrade to Windows 11, you will need a processor from either Intel's 8th-generation or AMD's Ryzen 2000 series at least. Without either of these or something newer, the system requirements for Microsoft's latest OS leaves a lot of pre-2017 setups out in the cold. There are ways around this, with Flyby11 circumventing the installation processes' hardware checks. Otherwise there's ISO burning tool Rufus, though Microsoft only endorses this specific method for actually compatible rigs.
But End of 10 strikes me as targeting Windows 10 users with limited tech literacy who feel The Fear at the thought of sneakily sidestepping official hardware requirements—so, definitely not folks who emerged from the womb knowing that the penguin is called Tux. The simple language the website uses and its easily accessible, helpful links feel very much in keeping with Linux's open-source spirit.
Granted, anyone going this route then has to try and learn how to actually use Linux. If you've been a lifelong Windows user, that's definitely an adjustment, but arguably not impossible—especially with End of 10's gentle nudging of visitors towards Linux-based communities.
Furthermore, I appreciate End of 10 at least gesturing towards the concern of mounting e-waste. A 2024 investigation by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research shared that a record 62 million tonnes of e-waste were produced in 2022 alone. UNITAR highlights that that's 82% more than 2010, with the world on track to churn out another 82 million tonnes in 2030. With this in mind, why not repurpose an old bit of kit with plenty of life left to run Linux?
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