Windows 10's end-of-life date is fast approaching, and one route people are taking to avoid being left behind is moving to Linux. It's the same one I took, as I dipped a toe into Linux Mint back in May, eventually settling on Fedora KDE Plasma, which I'm using right now.

That's not to say my move from Windows to Linux was particularly smooth. There were a few moments when I felt like throwing in the towel and just going back to Microsoft's OS. However, with a few tools at my disposal, I managed to find my new home in the open-source space. So, here are some things I recommend you have on hand when making your own journey

A dual-bootable PC or a spare machine

Don't uninstall Windows just yet

In your bid to rid yourself of Microsoft's products, you may be tempted to replace Windows with Linux. However, that's a really bad idea. You should initially keep Windows around in some form as a fallback while exploring Linux. Instead, you should either dual-boot on your current machine or use a separate one as a test bed.

The reasons for doing this are twofold. First, as much as I support people moving from Windows to Linux, I'll be the first to admit that it's not everyone's cup of tea. Linux distros come with a demo you can use when you use their bootable media, so that you can use that as a taste test; however, if you go install it and then decide it's not for you, you'll still want your Windows partition around so you can just go back to how things were.

Second, even if you like using Linux and want it around, there's a chance you'll want to explore other distributions (also known as "distros") to see what they're like. This is totally normal, both for Linux newbies and veterans, and the act of checking out different systems to find the one you want is known as "distro hopping." If you initially settle on a distro, but discover that it does something that really ticks you off, I urge you to do some distro hopping to find an OS that truly resonates with you; it's how I found Fedora KDE Plasma. And to do that, you'll need an OS to act as a "safe haven" while you swap around, which will be Windows. You can always get rid of it if you really end up loving Linux.

Ventoy

A godsend for distro hopping

Speaking of distro hopping, Ventoy makes testing operating systems a breeze. The tool turns a USB drive into a full-blown ISO booter, and it's very easy to install. Once you install Ventoy on your drive, you can load your USB drive with ISOs for various distributions and test them all by booting into Ventoy via the USB. It's really useful even if you're planning on testing only one OS, if only because it lets you just drag the ISO onto your drive and you're good to go.

A nice, Windows-like desktop environment

You don't have to jump into the deep end immediately

The cool thing about Linux is that it comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Installing Linux on a PC isn't like installing Windows or macOS, where you install the latest version and use the default UI that the system provides. You can choose a Linux distro that uses a specific look and feel; some will look like Windows, others will have a macOS feel, and others still will design the OS their own way.

I recommend sticking to what's familiar and using an OS that resembles Windows in terms of appearance and functionality. That way, you're not being thrown into a whole new UI that you have to relearn your muscle memory for. Linux Mint is often recommended for this reason, and it was the distro that got me into the Linux rabbit hole, so I echo everyone's sentiment.

The best bit is, if you end up loving the operating system you chose, but you're feeling brave enough to try out a different desktop layout, you can just install a new desktop environment and give your computer a makeover without uninstalling anything.

Patience

Lots of patience

I love using Linux. I think making the pilgrimage from Windows to Linux was one of the best ideas I've had this year. However, I urge you: do not install Linux when you're under stress, frustrated, or otherwise feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Things will break. Things won't work as you expected. Things will act weird, and you'll have no idea why. Did you know that the Linux community believes the middle-click button should be reserved for pasting? Yes, I spent my first few days middle-clicking to activate quick scroll and ended up pasting my clipboard contents into whatever I was working on at the time. Very annoying until I learned how to turn it off.

Fix things. Tweak things. Wonder why you can't do certain things. And when you feel the blood pressure rising, boot back into Windows and take a breather. Then, once you feel better (for me, it was until after I've had a sleep at least), get stuck back in and try again. Maybe tweak the operating system. Maybe try a new distro. Whatever you opt to do, be sure to approach it with a mindset for experimentation and DIY, and refrain from doing it if you're not in the rightmindset for fixing things. Eventually, you'll find the OS for you, and it'll work for you, rather than the reverse.

Don't make the swap to Linux tough on yourself

While you may feel tempted to "tough it out" and jump into the distros that the Linux experts love, I advise against it. You can always distro hop over to the more advanced options if you want to explore them further down the line; for now, take the easy route and focus on learning what Linux is​​​​​​. You can do that by grabbing a Windows-like distro, loading it onto Ventoy, dual-booting into it, and then using it as your main workhorse for a week or so. Once you earn your Linux chops on that, you can get into the complex stuff if you want.