A friend of mine has an old macbook air. It still works, more or less, but the OS isn’t getting any updates anymore, and updating to the latest OS seems dicey.

Has anyone had experience installing linux on an old macbook? From a quick internet search it looks like you can just make a bootable USB and have at it. Thinking mint because it’s popular and my friend is a pretty basic user. The laptop will be mostly used for like youtube/netflix and basic web browsing.

Edit: a little extra context: I am moderately comfortable with Linux. I ran mint for a while on my desktop, and I’ve done software development for a job. I can install docker and start a python project fine, but I’d use a GUI for like partitioning a hard drive.

  • just_another_person@lemmy.world
    12·
    22 days ago

    If it’s x86, it’ll run almost anything like a dream. Fedora stock with Gnome is my rec as it will actually behave a lot like MacOS.

    • Dariusmiles2123@sh.itjust.works
      3·
      22 days ago

      That is what I’m using on a 2012 MacBook Pro with some upgrades.

      It works really well except for when there is an update to the wifi broadcom drivers. Then I have to use my phone to provide internet through USB.

      Otherwise it’s a beast but gaming is out of the question.

        • Dariusmiles2123@sh.itjust.works
          1·
          22 days ago

          I tried running Frostpunk 1 on the MacBook Pro 2012 (upgraded with an SSD and 16gb of Ram) and it wouldn’t boot despite the fact that it’s an old game and that I tried some special settings and commands.

          I guess you can still play some games on ot, but many are out of reach, even some of the ones you’d think would be playable…