The trick is to realize you hate Windows and find a distro that ISN'T like Windows.
That being said. Normies first getting into Linux shouldn't complicate things. Just install, Ubuntu and use it for a while. You can go distro hopping later after you are over the worst of the learning curve.
Ubuntu 24 is coming out at the end of the month-ish.
Give Pop!_OS a look. It's not like Win7; it's a lot better. You can run it off of a memory stick just to see what you think.
To be clear when you say "closest to win7" you're referring to the DE (Desktop Environment). That's only a portion of the battle though since there are all of the internal processes that sit between the desktop and you. There is no Linux distro that's close to windows. There have been a few DEs that tried to mimic the windows DE (none of which I recall, sorry) but the base OS remained substantially different.
Just like everyone else said, use Mint. It's not that it's exactly like Windows, but it's close enough that you can pick up on it really quick. But I'd second the guy who suggested Pop!_OS. It's a lot more efficient once you pick up on its way of doing things. It's not like it is difficult or meant for experts or anything. It's just a different approach.
I installed Mint on my boomer dad's laptop. He's not a technology guy, needs help with everything. I don't think he even realized it changed. He picked it up and is using it like it's nothing. If he can do it, literally any one can.
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 2446812 3 points 1 yearApr 13, 2024 06:33:12 ago (+3/-0)
[ + ] Master_Foo
[ - ] Master_Foo 2 points 1 yearApr 13, 2024 09:49:13 ago (+2/-0)
That being said.
Normies first getting into Linux shouldn't complicate things.
Just install, Ubuntu and use it for a while.
You can go distro hopping later after you are over the worst of the learning curve.
Ubuntu 24 is coming out at the end of the month-ish.
[ + ] Sector2
[ - ] Sector2 0 points 1 yearApr 13, 2024 16:26:39 ago (+0/-0)
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 2351740 2 points 1 yearApr 13, 2024 08:57:57 ago (+2/-0)
To be clear when you say "closest to win7" you're referring to the DE (Desktop Environment). That's only a portion of the battle though since there are all of the internal processes that sit between the desktop and you. There is no Linux distro that's close to windows. There have been a few DEs that tried to mimic the windows DE (none of which I recall, sorry) but the base OS remained substantially different.
[ + ]anon
[ - ] deleted 2 points 1 yearApr 13, 2024 08:23:16 ago (+2/-0)
[ + ] anon
[ - ] anon 1453804 [op] 0 points 1 yearApr 13, 2024 10:41:18 ago (+0/-0)
[ + ] anon
[ - ] anon 1762095 0 points 1 yearApr 13, 2024 11:56:51 ago (+0/-0)
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 1251018 1 point 1 yearApr 13, 2024 10:41:01 ago (+1/-0)
[ + ] v0atmage
[ - ] v0atmage 1 point 1 yearApr 13, 2024 10:20:17 ago (+1/-0)
[ + ] PotatoWhisperer2
[ - ] PotatoWhisperer2 1 point 1 yearApr 13, 2024 09:14:43 ago (+1/-0)
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 2114727 0 points 1 yearApr 13, 2024 14:59:34 ago (+0/-0)
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 2749684 0 points 1 yearApr 13, 2024 11:15:38 ago (+0/-0)
[ + ] anon
[ - ] anon 2446812 1 point 1 yearApr 13, 2024 16:12:56 ago (+1/-0)
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 1168711 0 points 1 yearApr 13, 2024 06:07:09 ago (+0/-0)*
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