Before the turn of the millennium, computer hardware was advancing so quickly that upgrading your machine every few years made sense, because you got so much more power than just a few years prior. That rapid evolution has ended; the average home user (excepting hardcore gamers and crypto miners) should only need a new machine every decade, if not less frequently. Any computer bought new in 2015 should be perfectly capable of running an operating system, a web browser, email, video meetings and an office suite without feeling slow. Microsoft suggesting people have to toss their devices is not only discriminatory — not everyone can afford to do this — it’s also horrible for the environment. E-waste is one of the world’s fastest-growing waste streams, and while some of it is being repurposed, the trash piles are rising a reported 5x times recycling efforts.

The article gives practical suggestions, and argues the migration from Windows 10 to Linux Mint is easier than Windows 10 to Windows 11:

Linux Mint is a desktop version of Linux that is meant to appeal to people familiar with Windows. It comes with everything the average home user needs, and just works. I would argue, in fact, that switching from Windows 10 to Linux Mint is less jarring than switching from Windows 10 to Windows 11. The user interface is actually more similar.