As Windows 10’s death looms, Linux fans still promote “no ads or telemetry” for your old laptop instead of buying a Copilot+ PC

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The deadline for support on Windows 10 is fast approaching – it’s set for October 14, 2025 – yet Microsoft remains firm in their decision not to extend support despite numerous appeals from users and organizations like Public Interest Research Group who argue that this could lead to a significant increase in outdated computers.

In essence, Windows 10 users find themselves with only a few choices: they can upgrade to Windows 11, purchase extra support for another year via the Extended Security Updates, or switch to a different operating system altogether.

It seems clear that Microsoft encourages people to switch to Windows 11, but the high standards for the system’s compatibility are posing challenges during the transition. Many users of Windows 10 might find themselves needing to replace their existing, incompatible gadgets with newer Copilot+ PCs or other Windows 11-equipped devices.

Microsoft has been actively promoting its Copilot+ PCs, highlighting them as offering an intuitive experience with Windows 11, superior battery life, performance that outperforms the Apple MacBook Air M4 by a significant margin, and speeds up to five times faster than a five-year-old Windows 10 device.

As a tech enthusiast, I’ve been following the buzz around the supposed demise of Windows 10 with great interest. But here’s something intriguing: a compact team named End of 10 is offering an alternative and surprisingly familiar approach to prolong its life.

Instead of purchasing a new device that complies with Microsoft’s rigorous system specifications for Windows 11, they consider abandoning the Windows ecosystem and opting for Linux as an alternative on their older Windows 10 systems.

I noticed that according to a report from Canalys, around 240 million computers may not be compatible with Windows 11 due to the strict system requirements.

Will Microsoft ever lose a chunk of its market share to Linux?

To provide some background, the final team (referred to as “End of 10”) comprises individuals who are part of the Linux user base and contributors to the KDE initiative. This KDE endeavor encompasses the KDE Plasma desktop environment, a Windows-like interface for Linux systems.

Although the exact response from Windows 10 users about this revived concept is still uncertain, there’s a possibility that it might challenge Microsoft’s market dominance if a specific Linux distribution manages to provide equivalent native app support in the future.

Instead of Windows, the End of 10 advocates for Linux because it doesn’t have ads or track user data (telemetry). Furthermore, they endorse Linux as a cost-effective option since it functions as a free and open-source operating system, making it less expensive than upgrading your current device to a new PC that runs Windows 11.

The team additionally emphasizes that this method is eco-friendly because it significantly minimizes electronic waste, a major concern associated with Windows 10 nearing its End of Life (EoL) phase.

At the close of 10, it is suggested that many individuals should be capable of running Linux on their devices. To start this journey, they recommend exploring beginner-friendly Linux distributions. In case you encounter difficulties, rest assured that the Linux community stands ready to offer assistance. However, it’s important to note that this won’t resolve issues related to anti-cheat support in popular multiplayer games or the absence of native Windows app compatibility.

According to Tom’s Hardware, you can find numerous stores and tech communities that provide Linux support, many of which are based in Germany, with others spread out throughout different regions of Europe.

• Editor’s note:

The proportion of usage for Windows 11 (42.69%) has been consistently increasing, but Windows 10 still commands the majority with 54.2%. Despite recurring predictions, the year when Linux desktops would become significant has yet to materialize.

Although the approaching end of support for Windows 10 poses a challenge, it will be tough for Linux enthusiasts to convince the masses to switch, and this isn’t a fresh development. The coexistence of Linux and Windows is ongoing due to broad application compatibility across both platforms. However, substantially reducing Microsoft’s OS market share would be an impressive accomplishment if it were to occur. — John Smith, Editor-in-Chief

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2025-05-08 15:25