Ok, so, for the 2008-2010 machines, depending on the memory available, you can try Linux Mint, EndeavorOS, or, maaaaaybe (on the ones with dGPUs and more memory), Pop!_OS.
For everything post-2010, Pop!_OS. Maybe Endeavor OS of you happen to like it, but I think Pop!_OS has really done a lot of work to become the new, de facto “where to start with Linux” distro after Ubuntu got enshittified (Linux Mint for older machines)— especially because popOS has a custom-spun NVidia version that is one of the few out-of-the-box distros that “just works” with NVidia cards.
Edit: after some tinkering, you may pick LM over Endeavor for the older ones, or just Endeavor for all. I’ve never used it, so I don’t know how well it will do on older hardware, but LM is great for that.
popOS, on the other hand, is great for hardware that can run it (and a lot can), so check that out. It’s my favorite, and a daily driver in my server and another machine I have, both older Macs.
Thanks, that’s very kind of you to offer.
I’ve got quite a few older machines. I’m pretty keen to figure out the top four, at least.
Any advice on the following and/or on the method of identifying viable distros and versions in general is very appreciated.
Ok, so, for the 2008-2010 machines, depending on the memory available, you can try Linux Mint, EndeavorOS, or, maaaaaybe (on the ones with dGPUs and more memory), Pop!_OS.
For everything post-2010, Pop!_OS. Maybe Endeavor OS of you happen to like it, but I think Pop!_OS has really done a lot of work to become the new, de facto “where to start with Linux” distro after Ubuntu got enshittified (Linux Mint for older machines)— especially because popOS has a custom-spun NVidia version that is one of the few out-of-the-box distros that “just works” with NVidia cards.
Edit: after some tinkering, you may pick LM over Endeavor for the older ones, or just Endeavor for all. I’ve never used it, so I don’t know how well it will do on older hardware, but LM is great for that.
popOS, on the other hand, is great for hardware that can run it (and a lot can), so check that out. It’s my favorite, and a daily driver in my server and another machine I have, both older Macs.
This is great! Thank you so much for giving me some direction here.
I’m going to give this a whirl on one of the units and see how it goes.