I was able to install without google services completely: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ml#post5566847
and then through F-Droid enabling microG repo offers a FakeStore and services so can install apps that would normally have to have google junk to run... sweet!

http://forum.xda-developers.com/andr...vices-t3217616

I really appreciate your post.

In response to the original question, Me!

I've been using Linux since 2000, my current box, a second hand HP Z400 workstation came from the brokers with Windows 7 Pro on it which I've left on a small partition but I've only used it to pull in a Firmware/BIOS upgrade for the box before loading Linux Mint. All the software I need is Linux based.

Play Bonny!

You have malformed your question. What you MEANT to ask was "who has totally ditched Microsoft Windows?".
I, for example, have totally ditched all Microsoft operating systems, but run KOLIBRIOS, BSD, FreeDOS, ReactOS, amd IBM-WARP 4 in addition to various distributions based upon Linux. (Oh, and Android which is based upon Linux but with some serious hardware blobs for phones and table specific hardware.)
Thus I will never be able to claim to run Linux only, yet I think this would qualify for your intent.

Perhaps you should restate your question to achieve your proper goal in a new posting. This thread is growing rather over-long.

I have installed my first Linux ("Kurumin") back in 2007, and deleted Windows back in 2016. ─ I finally had to change my work flow, otherwise I would always "need" Windows. ─ Yes, I should see it before. Happy to finally see it.

I have had to change my work flow a few times, before, as from Apple 8bit to CP/M, and then to MS-DOS, to DR-DOS, to former Windows. ─ Yes, I could think and change earlier. But glad to finally do it.

I quit fooling around with Windows at home at least 10 years ago, after WinXP corrupted itself one too many for me to want to continue fooling around with it. Early on, there were strange problems that I ran into when using earlier version of StarOffice or OpenOffice to deal with Word or Excel files. Lately, I haven't had the same problems but, frankly, people outside of work don't often create the more complex documents that one encounters in an office environment.

Yeah, I can't play Windows games any more. (Cue the tiny violins.) But the last 2-3 of years that I had WinXP installed it was only there to play some older games. That last corruption episode made the decision to leave Windows behind pretty easy. Not enough of a reason to jump through the hoops to keep it around. FOSS games keep me amused.

Linux (openSUSE and Slackware) and Raspian get the job done around here. Do I still touch Windows? Sure. Work systems typically have Windows but installing Cygwin/X keeps me from wanting to gag all the time. And the missus's laptop is still on Win7 and I assist where I can when she runs into trouble. Of course, Cygwin is on her system, too. (And she even uses that from time to time to ssh into my desktop to use the software I have installed there.) Happily, though, using Windows at work isn't the universal experience it once was. The last few of places I've been working at had -- in chronological order -- Red Hat, MacOS, and MacOS.

Have a lot of fun!

me

...and I don't regret it either!

I finally got around to ditching Windows completely a few weeks ago (been running a home server for years). For a long while I was compelled to stick with it, mainly because of the hardware I plugged into it and proprietary drivers, etc. I stuck with Win7 (which is shortly to be unsupported) and really didn't want to be forced to "upgrade" to Win10 (yuk). So I did an audit and found there was pretty much nothing that prevented a move!

To turn this around a bit I keep being forced to consider dual-booting into Windows which, basically, would leave me using Windows all the time.
I just built a fairly high-specced PC with Ryzen and RTX card and, yes, I can play two of the Tomb Raider games but not the RTX one. I have Quake II RTX, which is nicely RTX but not interesting. Can't play any anything else RTX or exciting graphics-wise.
I am one of the three people who still like to use Second Life. It works well but the next-level system that Linden Labs (the creators) have is not available on Linux either.

So, yes, apart from a VM in case I need to do something, I'm running Linux and have been for at least a decade. However, with current hardware Linux is a harder sell.
Colleague: Ah, great RTX, you can play Battlefield awesomely!!!
me: No, they don't support Linux
...

Linux on workstations, desktop PCs, router, thin PCs, RPi 3 B+, laptops ... NO Windows.

We do own 2 Macbook Air laptops ... bought one for the daughter to use at university,
and an identical one (except the color) for me to use and learn it to support her. I
used mine exclusively at work for 2 weeks, after which time I put it up and went back
to using Arch Linux on my Lenovo ThinkPad P50 that the employer provided. Compared to
the Gnome3 desktop, macOS seems like some hobby kit that's Not Yet Ready For PrimeTime.

I'm Windows free but not iPad free... I use Ubuntu 19.10 and Gnome 3 on my main machine and Cinnamon and Mint on an elderly backup. I'm hoping to somehow ditch the iPad for Linux.

I tried shifting to Linux in 2016. It was fine for a bit but then Skyrim became unstable (the only reason I use computers now really) so I dual booted for a bit until my PC had to return to base for repairs and came back with Windows 10 on it... We limped on together until August and then I threw a tantrum and wiped the whole caboodle. This time round the gaming is *much* easier and Linux is being taken seriously by Steam. The Linux community has been welcoming and helpful.The kindness and the incredible knowledge is what has got to me - so no going back... And of course, the machine is now mine again. I'm Google free, iTunes free, Amazon-free, no daily patches that take hours to install and then don't work... I'm no longer there for big companies to lob adverts at...

As Bruce Hill says, Gnome 3 is seriously elegant and it doesn't keep jumping up and down saying: I'm your interface. Look at me. Unfortunately, Windows 10 thinks it's the dog and not the tail and iPad needs standing on the naughty step for being so silly... Both think they are mediums for pumping adverts and they haven't quite understood that as the user I have the right to decide what appears on the screen... I'm a late convert yes, but completely won over.

It's funny you should say that about the iPad. I hope you are able to ditch it.

I've been Windows-free since 2004-2005ish and pretty much a hobbyist: sure, I'll help people with their computers for a few bucks but I've never received a paycheck for tech support or had any need to mention Linux or computers on a job application or resume.

I was given an iPad as a gift a few years ago and couldn't figure it out. I couldn't agree more: it seemed to serve no other purpose whatsoever than advertising. When I figured out that it was supposed to be a gift instead of a desperate cry for help from a family member who needed tech support, I put it in a drawer somewhere and I'm sure it wound up at ewaste by now.

I use an old Thinkpad X60 tablet/laptop convertible for a book substitute. It's 32 bit only, but it works.

Since you're a gamer, I'm sure you need a much more powerful PC than I do. You might get more relevant advice on #libregamenight if you are into IRC. You'll catch up just fine--I felt like a late convert fifteen years ago but it's been a great fifteen years.

Debian Buster only on my main PC, no windows. No pitfalls because 20 years ago I made an effort to ditch windows and relieved myself of any and all software dependencies. I did dual boot for a few years for gaming only but now only game on Linux. I have absolutely zero software dependencies on windows and will keep it that way. I do have a MacBook Pro to use for digitally signing PDFs if I need to.