{"id":128,"date":"2026-01-01T17:56:21","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T08:56:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jiritsu-lab.com\/?p=128"},"modified":"2026-02-21T17:23:19","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T08:23:19","slug":"windows-10-end-of-support","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jiritsu-lab.com\/ja\/windows-10-end-of-support\/","title":{"rendered":"Windows 10 \u306e\u30bb\u30ad\u30e5\u30ea\u30c6\u30a3\u66f4\u65b0\u304c\u7d42\u4e86\u3059\u308b\u3068\u4f55\u304c\u8d77\u304d\u308b\u306e\u304b"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Is your trusty Windows 10 PC about to become unsafe? Don\u2019t panic. In this post, we\u2019ll explain what the end of Windows 10 support really means for you, and why switching to<\/em> Linux Mint<\/em> could be a smart, safe, and frugal alternative – especially for older Japanese PC users worried about waste (\u201cmottainai\u201d) and complexity. We\u2019ll cover what happens when security updates stop, how Linux keeps your computer secure, and what everyday life on Linux Mint is like (spoiler: it\u2019s not as hard as you think!).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Windows 10 end of support: What Does It Mean?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Microsoft officially ended free support and security updates for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025[1]<\/a>. This doesn\u2019t mean your Windows 10 computer will suddenly stop working on that date. It does<\/strong> mean that Microsoft will no longer fix any new security holes in Windows 10[2]<\/a>. If hackers discover a vulnerability in the system, Windows 10 will not<\/em> get patched – leaving your PC exposed to viruses or malware that could steal your data or infect your files[3]<\/a>. In short, continuing to use Windows 10 past its end-of-support date is like living in a house with the door left unlocked. The house is still standing, but it\u2019s much easier for unwelcome \u201cguests\u201d to stroll in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without security updates, the risk of using Windows 10 will increase over time<\/strong>. Newer software and hardware may also start to become incompatible, causing things to behave oddly or crash[4]<\/a>. And since Microsoft isn\u2019t providing technical support anymore[5]<\/a>, if you run into problems you\u2019re essentially on your own. For most everyday users, this situation is worrying. No one wants to deal with viruses, or wonder if it\u2019s safe to do online banking on an unpatched system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microsoft\u2019s official advice is to upgrade to Windows 11 or buy a new PC that can run it, in order to \u201cstay secure.\u201d But for many people, especially those with older computers, that\u2019s not so simple \u2013 or desirable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a> Stuck Between Buying New or Staying Unsafe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Upgrading to Windows 11 isn\u2019t always just a click away. Many older PCs cannot run Windows 11<\/strong> due to strict hardware requirements (like needing a special security chip called TPM and a fairly recent CPU). In fact, as of 2025, over 40% of PCs in Japan still ran Windows 10<\/strong>, and by one estimate around 20 million of those machines might be unable to upgrade to Windows 11<\/strong> due to hardware limits[6]<\/a>. That leaves a huge number of people with a tough choice: risk security problems on Windows 10, or spend money on a new computer<\/strong> (and e-waste the old one) just because of a software deadline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many Japanese users, especially in the older generation, tossing out a perfectly usable PC just because Microsoft says so feels wrong. There\u2019s even a cultural concept for this: \u201cmottainai<\/strong>,\u201d meaning a sense of wastefulness. As one Japanese user said when facing Windows end-of-support, his PC \u201cstill works but OS support ended\u2026 it\u2019s mottainai<\/em> to not use it,\u201d so he looked for a way to keep it alive[7]<\/a>. Another person noted they found it too wasteful<\/em> to replace good hardware solely due to an OS upgrade, which led them to try Linux Mint[8]<\/a>. This feeling is common \u2013 why throw away a functional computer if there\u2019s another option?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cost is another concern. Buying a new Windows 11 PC can easily cost anywhere from \u00a550,000\u2013\u00a5150,000 (hundreds of dollars), a significant expense for retirees or small businesses on a budget. Yes, Microsoft offers Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10 for a fee<\/em>, but it\u2019s not cheap (around $61 per PC for the first year, doubling each year) and is geared toward organizations[9]<\/a>[10]<\/a>. Home users are unlikely to qualify or want to pay for that. Essentially, the official path to stay secure is \u201cbuy new hardware or pay Microsoft more\u201d<\/em>. No wonder many feel pressured and frustrated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Linux Mint: A Safe, Free Replacement for Windows 10<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So, what\u2019s the \u201canother option\u201d<\/strong>? For a growing number of people, the answer is Linux<\/strong> \u2013 and specifically a friendly version of Linux called Linux Mint<\/strong>. Linux Mint is an operating system (just like Windows) that you can install on your PC for free<\/strong>. It\u2019s community-developed, doesn\u2019t require any Microsoft account or license, and crucially, it runs well on both older and newer computers. You don\u2019t have to buy new hardware just to use it. In fact, many folks use Linux to give their aging PCs a \u201csecond life\u201d<\/strong> instead of discarding them, and find the experience refreshingly fast and secure[11]<\/a>[12]<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One big reason we recommend Linux Mint<\/strong> to replace Windows 10 is because it\u2019s designed to be beginner-friendly and familiar<\/strong>. If you\u2019re used to Windows, Mint will feel comfortable. The desktop has a taskbar and a Start Menu-like button in the corner, just as Windows 7\/10 did[13]<\/a>. You can click a menu to find your programs, open folders and files in a similar way, and generally navigate without a steep learning curve. In fact, a Japanese tech reviewer noted that Linux Mint\u2019s interface is so similar to Windows that there was \u201calmost no stress\u201d in the transition[13]<\/a>. Another user even remarked that modern Linux desktops have become easier to use than Windows 10 or 11<\/em> in some cases[14]<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n


For example, Linux Mint\u2019s desktop layout will look reassuringly familiar to any Windows user. In the image above, you can see Mint\u2019s menu open on the left, showing applications categorized much like Windows\u2019 Start Menu. This traditional layout means you already know how to use most of it<\/strong> \u2013 you can launch your browser, open documents, or shut down the computer in the expected places. That familiarity goes a long way toward making new users (even less technical ones) feel at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speed and responsiveness<\/strong> are another huge plus. Windows 10 has a tendency to get sluggish on older hardware, especially with all the background processes it runs. Linux Mint, by contrast, is quite lightweight. Just by switching from Windows 10 to Mint, people often find their computer runs much faster<\/em> for everyday tasks[11]<\/a>. One Japanese blogger was amazed that a PC which was crawling under Windows became \u201csnappy like new\u201d<\/em> after installing Linux Mint \u2013 he literally could not believe an OS change made that<\/em> much difference[11]<\/a>. Linux Mint doesn\u2019t have all the bloated extras that Windows accumulates, so it can breathe new life into a 5-year-old or even 10-year-old PC. (Of course, Linux also runs great on brand-new PCs \u2013 it\u2019s scalable \u2013 but here we\u2019re emphasizing older machines where Windows 11 won\u2019t go.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a> How Linux Keeps Your PC Secure (Without the Bloat)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Security is often the number one concern, especially if you\u2019re moving away from the \u201csafety net\u201d of Microsoft updates. The good news is that Linux is built with security in mind<\/strong> \u2013 and you\u2019ll continue to get free security updates on Linux Mint long into the future, with no arbitrary end-of-support date in sight. The Linux community regularly updates the system to patch any vulnerabilities (Linux has its own global team of developers and even companies that contribute to keeping it secure). In other words, by installing Linux Mint, you are putting your PC on an operating system that is currently supported<\/em> and will keep receiving security fixes for years \u2013 for free[15]<\/a>. This immediately cuts out the big worry of running an unpatched Windows 10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond ongoing updates, Linux has several security advantages by design<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n