Computer Help and Support

The last Microsoft product I used on my personal machines was Windows 98SE.

Two of the friendlier Linux communities are Mint and Raspberry Pi OS.

https://www.linuxmint.com/

https://www.raspberrypi.com/

LibreOffice works very well these days, and it's free.

https://www.libreoffice.org/

One of the reasons I use Linux is that there's much less hassle when I upgrade my computers. I install Linux on the new machine, grab the applications I normally use, and then I simply transfer the entire home directory of my old machine to the new machine in its own folder.

I don't throw anything away. I've got most of the computers I've used since the 'seventies emulated on my desktop. When I upgrade to a new machine all the old stuff comes along and generally it just works -- old MSDOS apps, Windows 3.1 apps, my Atari eight bit stuff, and more. None of my data gets orphaned by the operating system or the applications I use. I've got stuff I wrote in the 'seventies that still works.

The transition from Windows 98 to Linux was my most difficult machine upgrade in terms of getting everything to play well together, but it's been smooth sailing since. I first signed on to DU using a Windows 98 machine.

I don't suggest you learn Linux on your main computer. It is, however a great upgrade for an older computer you are not using any more, or the sorts of computer you can purchase for $100 or less, including the Raspberry Pi.