I own the Convertible 17 7773 from DELL. Up until now I had Windows installed until my hard drive broke and of course there was no additional backup.
Now I would like to switch to Linux in general and regardless of the above facts.
There are now countless different versions and each has advantages and disadvantages.
The question I'm now asking myself is which version is suitable for both tablet mode and laptop mode.
About Ubuntu, I had convertible owners tell me that it runs well in laptop mode for a while and at some point does not boot anymore, and that it can only be used to a limited extent in tablet mode.
Which version do I use better now, or are there free operating systems other than Windows and Linux that are more suitable for a convertible?
Very few distros are designed for convertibles. You also have to be aware that there are no Office desktop applications for Linux. I would recommend Ubuntu and Linux Mint for a notebook. But as I said, Linux and touchscreens are more associated with problems.
* Microsoft Office desktop programs are not available for Linux. There are enough alternative Office programs for Linux 😉
But nobody uses them in everyday work and school. And the compatibility between e.g. LibreOffice & MS Office also leaves a lot to be desired
But everything is possible with this. And you can't blame LibreOffice for not adhering to standards. MS is solely responsible for this. I've been using LibreOffice for years and haven't had any problems with it. Only with messed up MS files, which MS office also did not display correctly.
I have nothing against Libre Office, but you can't use it in everyday work if everyone uses MS Office. Linux is great as a server operating system, but as a desktop operating system it is just as good as dead.
We note: on this point we differ 😉
If you only know Windows so far and this is your main PC / only PC, I advise you to stick with Windows. Convertibles are a difficult product category.
Personally, I would always prefer Linux because you can work better with it. It can be a bit difficult for people switching from Windows, because you have to get used to a few things and it is stupid if the drivers don't quite play along, which is more common with convertibles.
With my notebooks before, I usually had Ubuntu running alongside Windows. But the topic 2 in 1 was not there either. If I had Windows with a valid key, I would have done that too. But since backups and no license key were enclosed with me by the previous owner, it looks bad because the necessary change is also not available.
Because of all of this, I'm now looking for an alternative for both notebook and tablet mode.
Then try Ubuntu in live mode. That will show how well / badly this supports. Ubuntu's interface is also quite suitable for touch displays, as far as I know. And you can't lose anything through the live mode, except time 😉
And what is best to do now when you look at Windows finance. Can't afford and is forced to switch to Linux & Co. The computer is almost 3 years old and without a real alternative it is ready for a museum. This is just unreal.
Windows 10 license costs 15 euro, you won't go broke now…
It's good that you tell me that. For the last few years I have always written my documents with LibreOffice and then saved them as .docx and received no complaints.
Thank you for your information that what I've been doing for years doesn't work at all…
This works as long as you do not format much and most likely with a document. If you have Excel sheets with formulas, presentations with transitions etc. It looks completely different and there's no alternative to Outlook including Office integration.
If he is so young, it may be that the Windows key is stored in the mainboard. 😅 Check it out.
I agree with you on almost every point. But I throw in:
In the last 15 years I have not come across a Word document in my working life that I would not have been able to edit with LibreOffice and there were heavily structured and illustrated catalogs with over 700 pages, tables of contents, links and all sorts of bells and whistles.
The formula support in LibreOffice Calc is very good, only hopelessly overloaded Excel sheets, for which you should better use your own program for data protection reasons, cause trouble. Prominent example: Datev.
Personally, I see the smooth transitions in presentations as a pure luxury problem. It may be that something like this (i.e. The external form) is the decisive factor for some companies and not the content. But personally I don't miss any PowerPoint - which is of course purely subjective and not a generally valid criterion.
I'm happy to admit that there's no alternative to Outlook. But after I had a personal encounter with Outlook at the end of the 90s, during which the said program activated a contaminated email attachment when auto-archiving emails (!) - I haven't used it since. Outlook is more than just a small security hole for me, it has proven to me that it is a serious threat to my systems and has triggered one of two virus infections that I have caught in the last few decades. I don't get such software on a computer anymore and due to the long habituation I don't miss Outlook, of course, but work comfortably with Thunderbird and Lightning. But yes, I agree: I don't know a direct alternative to Outlook either.
Yes, but this concerns Lizengo and not the end user. Buying an OEM key is not illegal for private consumers; used software can be purchased in the EU. If the seller violates MS terms and conditions, the seller is liable.
Afterwards you will probably be left without a valid license. Not that great either.
I have no idea how to proceed in the most sensible way. WIN provides from the finance. No option there. I've now installed Ubuntu for the first time, but I want to use the computer as a convertible and not just as an ultrabook due to the overall topic.
It is to despair.
Does he accept touch inputs?
That's right, I can't say how likely that is, at least it hasn't happened to me with 3 licenses in 4 years. With a difference of 170 euro it was worth the risk…
Try it out, look for drivers.
You can also try https://ubuntu-touch.io/
