'End of 10' offers hope and help to Windows 10 users who can't upgrade

Windows 10, it’s almost time to bid you adieu. Support ends soon, and many of those PCs simply aren’t powerful enough to run the successor to what has been one of the most widely used desktop OSes on the planet. But users have choices.

• They can purchase a new computer, one with enough oomph to run Windows 11 (an expensive proposition in an unstable economy).
• They can run the risk of using an unsupported OS (not wise in a world that is getting ever more dangerous).
• They can install an operating system that will happily run on that aging computer (aka… Linux).

It’s that last option — touted by a campaign called End of 10 — that should pique the interest of most Windows 10 users. Why? Because it makes the most sense. 

What is End of 10?

End of 10 is more than just a website with an opinion. It’s a movement with a digital purpose that aims to help those who aren’t sure A) what to do with their Windows 10 PCs, and B) aren’t sure what Linux is all about. 

Also: Microsoft still has a massive Windows 10 problem – and there’s no easy way out

The End of 10 campaign states up front: “Support for Windows 10 ends on October 14, 2025.”

Microsoft wants you to buy a new computer.

But what if you could make your current one fast and secure again?

Also: I’ve used Linux for 30 years. Here are 5 reasons why I’ll never switch to Windows or MacOS

The above statements aren’t hyperbole or meant to scare people into switching to the open-source operating system: it’s about truth. Each statement is a fact.

• Support for Windows 10 ends on October 14, 2025 — fact.
• Microsoft wants you to buy a new computer — fact.
• Linux is faster and more secure — fact.

End of 10 offers help

The campaign could end there, but End of 10 takes it a couple of steps further. First off, it offers a bit of help. There are links for finding someone to help you. That link takes you to a page that lists several PC shops around the world willing to help, such as Serious Cybernetics, and user groups such as Bruxelles Linux User Group (BxLUG). The list is fairly extensive.

Also: Can’t upgrade your Windows 10 PC? Here are you options before it all ends in 5 months

Then there’s a link that takes you to a how-to on installing Linux yourself.

There’s also a list of five reasons to upgrade your old computer to Linux, which are:

1. It’s waaaaay cheaper.
2. No ads, no spying.
3. Good for the planet.
4. Community support.
5. User control.

Also: Why this Linux distro is my new favorite Windows replacement

There’s also a page that lists repair cafes, independent shops, organizations, and groups where you can find Linux support.

A well-thought-out resource

And if that wasn’t enough, the site also has a page of Upcoming Events where you can get help with Linux. 

You’ll find events in Germany, Venezuela, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Italy, València, Thailand, Massachusetts, and many more. You can even add an event of your own. This reminds me of the old Linux Install Fests we used to hold back in the 90s/early 2000s, which have always epitomized the heart and soul of Linux because it’s all about Ubuntu, an African word expressing a philosophy of interconnectedness and communal humanity.

Also: Can’t upgrade to Windows 11? This is the Linux distro alternative I recommend to most people

End of 10 isn’t just a haphazard collection of rah-rah for Linux but rather a well-thought-out resource to help users find a way to keep their computers running without having to pay Microsoft or worry their operating system is going to fall out of support, leaving them unprotected.

This collective was made possible by several people:

• Tobias Bernard (GNOME Design Team)
• Joseph P. De Veaugh-Geiss (KDE Eco)
• Tobias Diekershoff (FSFE)
• Nico Düsing (Web Development)
• Bettina Louis (Outreach, Events, Lifelong learning)
• Bernard Sadaka (Outreach)
• Carolina Silva Rode (Outreach Latin America)
• Nicole Teale (KDE’s Opt Green)
• Geoffrey Teale (Website)
• Gerardo Zamudio (Outreach)

The group is serious about Linux and serious about helping Windows 10 users find a solution for their current dilemma.

Also: 5 most Windows-like Linux distros because old habits die hard

For those who want to get involved, the End of 10 campaign uses one of two public channel:, Matrix and a mailing list. It is also on the Fediverse, which you can follow and help boost its posts. There are also flyers you can use, and it even invites individual FOSS communities to help promote the work.

A movement

End of 10 isn’t just a site — it’s a movement that hopes to help users avoid the added burden of purchasing a new computer, bring them together with a sense of community, and avoid another onslaught of PC waste from piling up.

Also: Ready to ditch Windows? 5 factors to help you decide between Linux or MacOS

As someone who’s been shouting the benefits of Linux to the heavens for decades, I wholeheartedly applaud this movement and hope every Windows 10 user will join in, so they can enjoy an operating system that works with and for you, not against you.

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