There’s a community-packaged flatpak for ProtonVPN, you should be able to get it from the software center with the click of a button. The app is very barebones, though, compared to the windows one. But it works.

I might also throw in a distro reccommendation: Fedora Kinoite. It’s an atomic distribution, meaning updates to the distro are applied all at once and the previous version before the update is still available at boot if something goes wrong. Very hard to mess up your installation that way. It uses KDE Plasma which has that windows-ish taskbar, and allows for mouse cursor customization. Updating the OS is done seamlessly through the software center. Applications are also installed through the software manager. If you want to learn to use the terminal and terminal-based applicications, it provides a tool called toolbx which basically lets you do all your terminal things in a container which you can easily replace if you mess something up.

Kubuntu is a good choice for a first timer, I ran it for years. KDE is easy to use and beautiful, and it’s easily themeable including the mouse cursor. You don’t really need to use the terminal if you don’t want to, but sometimes it’s the easiest way to do something when you just need to copy and paste a command from a website. It’s nothing to be afraid of or hate. It looks like Proton VPN does have Linux packages, although they’re all for the Gnome desktop. You can still install and use it KDE, the only issue is it might look a little different from your other KDE apps. Installing Linux is easier than installing Windows these days, you won’t fuck it up :) The way software updates work is better than on Windows; it works a bit more like the app store on your phone: You install all your software from the repositories (the app store) and then you get updates to all of them and the whole system at the same time. You can always decide whether to update or not, but there’s really no reason not to. Free software and Linux software are generally designed for users rather than to make companies money, so new versions typically bring security fixes, new features, and improved performance instead of “features” nobody asked for. As a plus, you can always go read a real changelog to find out what’s new rather than the lame “minor improvements” cop out we see elsewhere.

My advice to everyone curious like you is to not worry so much and just dive in! Lots of things could go wrong, but lots of things could also go right!

Try using Linux off a live boot thumbdrive. Then you can figure out what you need to figure out before committing. You can even test out different distros. Just get as fast of a thumb drive as you can or Linux will feel pretty slow.

Even if you do not want to use the command line/terminal very often, it would be worth just learning how to install, remove packages and update your system. Just those few things will likely make your whole experience much easier.

Ignore all the well-meaning geeks here urging you to become a full-time programmer, go with either of the choices you suggest, and just follow the prompts. You’ll find it’s all incredibly easy and that you’re worrying for nothing.

If you want to tweak things, then think about that later. Just get started.

This is from 20 years of experience. Personally I use nothing but the terminal and a web browser. But the reality is that you only need the latter in today’s computing.

Personally I’m a PopOS enjoyer over Mint but that’s really not a big deal.

1. As for not using the command line, you can get away with it for the most part but you’re eventually going to have to use it for something. Your distro, whatever you pick, will have an app called “shop” or “discover” or something similar that will let you download other apps and updates (yes you will generally want to keep your system up-to-date). It’s also likely that you’ll be able to download and use Proton this way. Since Mint and Pop (and Ubuntu lol) are Ubuntu based, any app that works on Ubuntu (like Proton) will also with with them.

2. Custom theming (including mouse) well be pretty easy. Go into your settings app, find themes, and pick from any of the pre-installed onboard themes. Or go into your shop app, or even the internet, and download someone else’s theme.

3. Keyboard shortcuts are also configurable and most of the time will be the same as windows

4. If you pick a distro with a gui installer (all of your distro candidates do) then installation is basically completely unfuckupable.

I went with Mint and it is great. Gives me Windows 98 vibes, inca good way. It is really intuitive.

You will need the terminal only for some more advanced stuff and maybe some setup steps, like getting Proton VPN. You really just copy and paste the commands Proton has in their instructions, that’s it. Mint is not officially supported but works fine - only issue I have is that while it launches on startup just fine, I have to connect manually. Support wouldn’t help as Mint is “not officially supported” but that’s about it.

Switching to Linux looks like a monumental task at first, but once you establish a beginer friendly distro you’d like to use it’s really straightforward. I can vouch for Mint in this regard.

The two big things for me are 1. I don’t want to use the command window for everything, or really much of anything, at least at the start. and 2. I currently use Proton VPN and I’d like to use it on this new laptop too. Unfortunately, based on what I saw on the Proton website, if I want to use it on linux it looks like the only way is to get it on Ubuntu, Debian, or Fedora using the console.

• Complexity: have been using Linux Mint for a few years and I’m not an expert at all (50+ years old lifelong ex-Mac user, to give you an idea I got my first computer in the early 80s and it was an Apple). Everything worked out of the box (including my Airpods, and back then at least it was the only version of Linux that was able to connect to them). I don’t think I never was forced or expected to use the command line… but I slowly started to use it out of curiosity and I learned to appreciate it’s efficiency and now I love using it but that’s by choice, not out of necessity ;)
• Proton VPN: you need to understand that most distributions (version of Linux) are ‘clones with a few variations’ based upon a very few limited ‘originals’ distributions. Ubuntu is one clone that has become very popular but in reality it’s based on Debian, and therefore it uses Debian installer package (DEB). MInt being based on… Ubuntu also uses Debian installer. And so is Kubuntu. So, if there is a DEB installer, there is a real chance it will work on most Debian-based distributions.

Proton: it’s command line. I use it too (I’m a paid subscriber to their service, just not their VPN, which is good), but the VPN I use is Mullvad… which is at least as good and has a graphical installer ;)

Just for reference, uhhh how easy is it to fuck up the process of trying and then installing a linux distro? Like completely-make-the-computer-unusable fuck up? Because that’s my biggest fear

1. Testing from the Live CD/USB, there is zero risk of damaging anything. That’s one fo teh first thing I fell in love with testing Linux myself ;)
2. Installing Linux on the computer, well, shit can happen. They are not usual but they can happen. Hence the importance to test it live before to see that most things are working all right. Using a distribution like Mint things should dead simple just following the graphical installer. The last time I installed Mint, it took me less than 10 minutes total (from the first click to me booting on the new installed system) and most of that was the installer downloading packages and installing them while I was drinking my coffee) But that’s the exception if you use something like Mint (I preach for my own chapel here because I know how reliable it is) with its integrated graphical installer. You simply click a few buttons and answer limited few basic questions like what will be your user name, what is your time zone and do you want to encrypt the disk (you probably want that at least on a laptop so if it’s stolen your data will be safe from thieves). It’s real quick process. That also was impressive coming from macOS (installing any new Mac takes way too much time, a lot more than it used to back in the old days.
3. No matter what version you decide to use ALWAYS BACKUP your personal files before installing a new operating system. It’s a bit like opening someone’s chest and removing their heart before putting an new one. It’s… well, better be safe than sorry. Do you value your personal files at all? Then you should have backups, and not just during install. At any time.

Also, I’m kind of confused about how updating things works on linux

With Mint, you regularly will get a little pop signaling there are updates. If you don’t like Notifications (I don’t), you can simply ask it to deal with updates for you and to not bother you (I almost never have to update anything myself). Then, from time to time there is a ‘major’ upgrade, from one version of Mint to the other. Here again, Mint will kindly let you know when everything is ready for your computer (which will not be the exact same day the new version is announced to the world, there is no hurry), it will tell you if anything needs your attention (and why) and do the upgrade for you (reboot required).

For all my life I thought in terms of simplicity Apple was the way to go. That was until I tried GNU/Linux Mint ;)

P.s. I’m sorry to make another “what distro do I use” thread, but I had some questions that I didn’t see answers for in the other threads. And honestly, I’ll feel a lot more comfortable with switching if I feel like I’ve actually talked it out with people who know what they’re doing.

Don’t apologize. The best thing to do do would be to:

1. test the the live CD and
2. keep using a ‘noob’ friendly distribution like Mint (there are obviously others, I’m just totally bluffed by how well Mint worked out of the box, and how reliable it has been for the now 4 or 5 years I’ve been using it. And, yep, I tried quite a few other distributions before settling on Mint ;)). Being ‘noob friendly’ doesn’t mean they’re a lesser kind of Linux, say, not as complete as Arch (which is another kind of amazing distribution, just less easy to begin with). It just means that the technical part, at least most of them, have been taken charge of one way or the other. The moment you need the more advanced/powerful tools, they’re already there, waiting for you to start using them: it’s 100% full GNU/Linux just less intimidating ;)

Unfortunately, based on what I saw on the Proton website, if I want to use it on linux it looks like the only way is to get it on Ubuntu, Debian, or Fedora using the console.

For official support, yes. Thankfully, ProtonVPN is also available as a flatpak. As such, any distro that allows installing (unverified) flatpaks through its GUI software store suffices. Though, not all distros are created equally in this respect. Focusing on Kubuntu and Linux Mint specifically:

• Kubuntu requires the use of CLI to set this up.
• Linux Mint, on the other hand, supports it by default. Though, by default, unverified flatpaks are hidden. Thankfully, you can change that in the preferences window of its software manager.

Don’t be afraid of using the commandline!

It might look like you are citing magical words to your computer at first. But, since Linux is extremely modular and has endless flavors, that’s one thing tutorial makers can expect everyone to have in common.

Ubuntu (and Kubuntu, which is just Ubuntu with KDE Plasma desktop environment instead of Gnome) and Linux Mint (based on Ubuntu, but with a different desktop environment) are all derivatives of Debian. Almost anything intended for Debian will work on both.

You can install Proton VPN just be copying and pasting the commands in their official tutorial.

Updates are handled similar to Windows, while not being intrusive. You will be safe updating only when the OS notifies you about it.

Side note: since you’ll be using a laptop, you’ll most likely use display scaling. Unless it has a very high resolution display where using 2x scaling is okay, you will want to use a fractional scaling factor. Linux Mint uses an older display technology (for stability purposes) that does not do that very well. So, I recommend going forward with a distribution with KDE Plasma desktop. That one has the best fractional scaling experience so far and Kubuntu has it.

Go buy like 5 USB sticks. You can turn 4 of them into distros that retain information. That is to say if you boot from that usb stick, and install a program that program would still be there if you reboot the PC. Normally it all reverts to default if you power down, but theres a way to make changes permanent. But you need 2 sticks. Which is why only 4 of your usb sticks will become distros, instead of all 5.

Now you can try out 4 different distros. I reccomend ZorinOS, but I can’t say anything bad about Mint.

Me personally, I hate Ubuntu. But thats the thing about Linux. My taste may not be your taste, and you can tell me to go fuck myself.

Zorin just seems like they at least TRY to make your life Terminal free. I recommend ArcMenu, and Dash to Panel.

I wish I could make a copy of all my tweaks, except as a “fresh install”, and give it to you. I have mine set up as basically “windows XP but modern”.

I use ProtonVPN on Mint, and I did have to type a command into the console to install it the first time, but I just click on the Icon in the start menu to launch it now. All the Major distros have an update feature that can be run from the desktop. My version of Mint (Cinnamon) has a little update notification icon on the bottom right just like Windows does. It’s pretty easy. I like Mint, but I have distro hopped for years, and I am mostly settled on Fedora, but I still have a Mint installer on a USB for rescue missions. Its Live Linux is great. Making the computer totally dead would require a lot of effort, since you can always boot into a live Linux USB and have a usable system. Heck, I have booted my Mind stick on a system with no Hard Drive and used the machine anyway. Linux is actually easier in that respect than Windows, since you never have to Putz around with licenses. My only caution would be to make sure you have access to another computer somewhere, in case you need to write a new USB installer. That’s about all for caution.

You can make the system stop booting for a bit if you screw up the install, but if you keep a Windows installer USb and whatever Linux USB installer handy, you can always get the system booting again. If you know someone who has done it before, dual-booting is a good way to dip your toe in. I keep a small windows install on most of my systems, just in case I have that one app or whatever I need to run, but I almost never boot into Windows anymore.