It’s #BlueFriday and let’s celebrate by doing something good for the planet. The most eco-friendly device is still the one you already own!
Install GNU/Linux and run new & old HW more efficiently and for longer, reducing the disproportionate #carbon footprint from device production.
Donate the savings to #KDE and #FOSS projects to show your love for all the amazing things we achieve when we work together:
I don’t have experience with post-2015 models, so don’t know what your issues with that model are. Wireless is easily solved with 3rd party drivers, don’t know the state of more exotic stuff (touch bar?). The base functionality shouldn’t be a problem. Have you tried booting it off the live USB?
Mint isn’t appropriate for relatively new hardware, although you can certainty make it work and your laptop is right on the cusp. A bigger issue is that it’s X11 as opposed to the default Wayland and not very up to date on modern laptop paradigms, like gestures, seamless transitions between states, etc., especially if you have macOS muscle memory.
I’d recommend Ubuntu as a first distro and once you have everything working, look into other options, like Fedora.
If you choose btrfs as your file system, you can install multiple OS with the same home so you can experiment away.
That all helps, thanks! I didn’t realize it with Mint - I’m more in line with Linux muscle memory 😁
Mac for work, Windows for my last role (15+ years IT), Linux was my daily driver for home (Ubuntu on desktop, Xubuntu on laptop) until my Win10 desktop (which is next in line for an OS replacement)
then you got no problem, Jules.
as to wireless, that’s solved with 3rd party drivers getting enabled in Ubuntu-like distros (which Mint is) and installing the driver from the drivers control panel pane. how do you install it without internet? you tether your phone to the laptop via USB and allow it to access the wifi. on Android that’s done via the USB Tethering menu.
on fedora you enable rpmfusion and install
broadcom-wlafter you’ve done the full system upgrade post install and rebooted; otherwise you won’t be able to boot.it’s possible you’ll need firmware for the webcam; 2011-2015 models don’t need it, no idea what the deal is for yours. and especially no idea for the abomination that’s the touch bar.
after install, install and enable
mbpfanormacfanctld(just one of those, depending on the distro) so your laptop don’t explode.