By Martin Jansen, Owner of Jansen-PCINFO
Other articles may focus on the differences between Windows and Linux Mint, but this article will examine the similarities.
Installation
Let’s start with installation. You can install Windows on most common desktops and laptops. The same can be said for Linux Mint. Both operating systems will require enough space on the hard drive, solid state drive or NVMe drive. Windows will require at least 64 GB of space while Linux Mint requires half of that space. More space is always better to allow for installation of apps and storage of files. You may have to pay for Windows on some computers, while Linux Mint is free of charge.
Both operating systems require a decent CPU or processor. Rather than get into specifics, a computer that is 7 years or newer should have a processor that can run Linux Mint. Windows 10 will also run on these computers, but Windows 11 requires a TPM chip that may not present on some older computers.
And, finally, you need at least 4 GB of RAM to run both Windows and Linux Mint. Windows works better with 8 to 32 GB of RAM. The sweet spot for both operating systems is 12 to 16 GB of RAM.
User Interface
Windows 10 and Linux Mint are similar in their screen layouts and navigation. The start menu in Windows is on the left bottom which gives access to applications and utilities. The same can be said for Linux Mint which organizes your applications into categories. Here is an image of the standard Linux Mint desktop:
Both Windows and Linux Mint have system information in the lower right for connections to WIFI, Bluetooth and other system related stuff. Also, both operating systems have a quick launch (one click instead of two) section on the panel for frequently used apps.
Applications
Applications work exactly the same on both operating systems. There is a wide selection of internet browsers for both Windows and Linux Mint, although Microsoft really wants you to use the Edge browser – just ask them. LibreOffice is installed by default in Linux Mint and can be installed in Windows as a free replacement for Microsoft 365. The difference is the software manufacturer who should develop for both operating systems. Many open source apps like Audacity, VLC, OBS, TeamViewer, GIMP and many others all work the same in Windows as they do in Linux Mint. Linux Mint also has portable programs in the .appimage format. These are self-contained apps in a single file that runs on just about any linux operating system.
Printing, Scanning and other Peripherals
Once the drivers are installed for a specific printer, scanner or combination of the two, printing is almost the same for both Windows and Linux Mint. Unfortunately, Microsoft has a long history of dropping support of older printers and scanners when new versions of Windows are released. Linux Mint is better about automatically applying drivers for older hardware. This used to be called ‘plug and play’ in Windows parlance. When supporting Windows users, however, I called it ‘plug and pray’.
Hardware manufacturers, meanwhile, have no real interest in supporting their older hardware with new drivers. They would much prefer that the consumer buy their newer products, but I digress.
The point is that finding drivers for Windows and Linux Mint can be a bit of a crap shoot, especially for older hardware.
That is why, for scanners, I appreciate the work of Hamrick’s VueScan which has reverse engineered drivers for thousands of older scanners.
Conclusion
For me, switching from Windows to Linux Mint was not a totally foreign concept. I instinctively knew how to navigate the operating system and found software that I could use that worked the same as in Windows. As I worked with Linux Mint more I learned that it worked very well and was totally reliable – never a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death). Yes, I became an expert in Windows due to my job, but privately I enjoyed Linux Mint at home: learning how to do things in Linux Mint that I normally did in Windows, even complicated things.
Now I can work in Windows (in a virtual machine) and Linux Mint equally well on my home computer.
Some people have started using Linux Mint in dual boot situations with Windows being their primary operating system. As they worked with Linux Mint more, they have completely wiped Windows and gone with Linux Mint as their only operating system.