I think I am near your age. I learned spreadsheets on Lotus 123 on DOS and programming with Microsoft Qbasic.

I have now learned to use libre software, like Qgis, Inkscape,Gimp, etc. It is the way to go, for resilience and for the world we want to leave to our descendants. I thinkfreecasd can be harder, but librecad is pretty similar to classic AutoCAD, if I am not wrong.

I thibk it’s a good AutoCAD 2000 replacement

What about LibreCAD?

Mx linux with fluxbox

Totally. Please keep kids away from screens as long as possible.

For this laptop I recommend mx linux fluxbox edition. You also have a 32 bit version.

Because of bandwagon effect. The more people use linux, then even more will. And itll get more support from software and hardware developers. And the world will be more free, safe, and not controlled by a big corp.

I still haven’t found a web service that really needs a chrome browser or that you cant’ just trick with changing the user agent

If it is a second hard drive… Probably the win bootloader is on the first still? Check bios boot options

Maybe its destiny telling you you can do it without windows

For grandfathers nad mothers I personally install an inmutable distro. If they come from windows, KDE Plasma will probably be easier for them than gnome. So I would say Fedora Kinoite, but Silverblue Aurora is IMHO even best fitted for the case.

Vheck out chuwi tablets

This is important. In sturdiness, hinges and so, MSI usually scores very low. Mine is now a desktop laptop because if I move it is hangs and wont let you boot it again for an hour or so. Strange behavior. Lousy wuality computer.

I have a 2020-2021 MSI Alpha and quality is horrendous. It has great components inside a lousy case that is almost completely through. Wouldn’t go MSI again at all.

Website states: "It is however not being done as an open source project & there are other options out there if that’s something you need your software to be. It does rely on open source libraries & a number of modified plug-ins for which their changes are being provided to comply with their code licensing requirements.

Ultimately I don’t want to spend the time to run a properly done open source project when there’s no guarantee of any assistance vs the overhead involved & my time management isn’t great so spending more time on project management isn’t imho a good use of my time."

I also hold to the view that source code without at least 1 developer is pointless & implies a dead / abandoned project. I do appreciate that it does allow for taking things on if it’s then entered into such a state without any developer(s) attached as I’ve done with some of the plug-ins which has benefited WACUP. So whilst I’m in a position to keep making WACUP I don’t intend on open sourcing all of it & view doing that as the end of my time developing it.

Chuwi tablets work fine with linux in my opinion

couldn’t make it work

what do you mean with “set executable location to visual c++” ?

Its working completely offline? You might want to add it here https://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=application&iId=1815

Ok I understand the technical reality you poin to, I just refer to the user experience. For a normal user, you probably won’t notice that technically manjaro is not arch and EOS is. IMHO Manjaro breaks a lot and EOS just works and needs less manteinance.

Endeavour os was the great manjaro replacement for mw

Being a linux user for 23 years and a linux promoter and installer for newbies, I don’t agree with so many of your recommendations and priorities.