With respect to my original title of this thread...
There is something that WIndows (users) cannot do... and that is to take the HDD/SSD out of the machine and put it in to another machine, and continue ....
Linux users, on the other hand, can do this.. and it is a great advantage over windows, especially if a user decides to upgrade his "old" old machine, to a more modern one. I also have a working version of Linux Mint 21.3 available to run from a USB memory stick..that I have on my keyring, . I don`t know if you can do that with Windows....
When I notice a "new" version of Linux Mint is available,... I usually download it and install it on a clean HDD/SSD on my 10 inch laptop. while keeping my working laptop - working...
As for a "steep learning curve"... wouldn`t call it "steep" .. but certainly it does take a while to "get used to..." Linux workings. My missus hasn`t a clue that she is using Linux Mint on her laptop. Her "steep learning curve" was .. "how do I start it up.... and how do I close it down!" ... she uses it to find our holidays, and stuff she wants on ebay, just the same as she used to do on the same machine running windows 7.....
Another advantage of Linux ( talking about MINT versions, as that is my "bag"! ).. UPDATES are done with two or three clicks, and usually completed within 30 seconds to a minute or so. 99 times out of 100, there is no need to shut down. and wait for it to be configured, and then restart and wait again.... ( sometimes for 20 minutes or more with WIndows )
shutting down, is "normal time"... and restarting, is "normal time".. so no delays. Often the re-start can be left "on hold" until you normally shut down... at the end of you session or day.. and the new start does not need to be a waiting game for "configurations" .
As for software... each version comes with an installed "software manager" which contains 100`s of apps/softwares ready to be downloaded and installed.
Although, if you install WINE, you can run 95% of WIndows softwares that you are familiar with and use. For those that do not "run", generally there is a Linux "similarity" type in the software manager.
I run about 45 windows software programs with no problems, all work just as they did, when I was running WIndows 7.
Using the "Terminal" ( "Command line" in windows) . is generally "copy and paste" line by line. from a "instructable" page on the web. You do not need to know all the "ins and outs" of command line workings, to be able to do that.
Windows used to be "for the people" when it first started out...and users could buy a set of 24 floppy discs to install it.
( oh happy days ! ! ! (not ) - it usually took a couple of hours, and at the end, it failed ! )
Now, WIndows is "so complicated"... and after install, to actually start using it, you need to "register" and log in and jump through hoops before you can actually get started on doing what you wanted to use the computer/laptop for.
It is so complicated. that "the people" need to spend a lot of money, buying a machine with the latest version already installed, rather than have the confidence in themselves, to buy just the software on a disc, and install it on their own machine.
It has become so bloated with security devices due to so many years of being "hacked". As for running "the latest version". ( win 11 ) you needed to buy a new machine, if your old one did not comply with the tech specs demanded by Microsoft.
WIth Linux Mint ( and ZORIN ), you can still use your old(er) machines ( up to 15 yrs old - and some times older than that) and you can run the latest version ( for FREE ) with no problem, other than being a bit careful, with the initial download and install from a FREE source. As others have said... generally, there is plenty of advice, help and suggestions, available on line, and in particular on this forum, should you have any problems.
