Upgrade to Freedom Campaign Shifts to End of 10

Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 on Oct. 14 and this will likely trigger a surge in unnecessary electronic waste (e-waste) on International E-Waste Day, which is a day designed to raise awareness about the global issue of e-waste and promote responsible recycling and disposal practices.

The openSUSE Project’s Upgrade to Freedom campaign urges people to extend the life of their device rather than becoming e-waste. Since millions of Windows 10 users may believe their devices will become useless and contribute to the waste of fully functional devices, installing a Linux operating systems like openSUSE or another Linux distribution is more reasonable.

A new initiative called End of 10 has launched that shares the purposes and origin of openSUSE’s Upgrade to Freedom efforts. As the #endof10 initiative also intends to help people extend the life of devices that would otherwise become e-waste, rather than dilute the messaging and narrative, members of openSUSE marketing have decided to transition the Upgrade to Freedom campaign to joining the End of 10 initiative.

The project will update all its previous Upgrade to Freedom content to reflect these changes.

Many articles in the media report that Microsoft demands new hardware or extended support payments for continued use of Windows. Many users own computers that still run well but fail to meet Windows 11 upgrade requirements.

Most computers built after 2010 can run Linux operating systems like openSUSE, Fedora, or Debian with excellent performance. The campaign encourages users to upgrade their software, not their hardware.

Volunteers developed endof10.org as a resource hub. Users can find local repair groups, download installation tools and offer support to others. The site connects people who want to switch away from Windows with those ready to help.

The End of 10 organizers have launched the first phase with outreach to FOSS communities, Repair Cafes, and media outlets. Over the next several months, they will promote install fests and coordinate local outreach events. They will continue promoting the campaign throughout 2025 as the Windows 10 deadline approaches.

Organizers encourage teachers, developers, and students to join the effort.

We encourage everyone to learn more about the campaign at endof10.org.

Additional Information

What does the “End Of 10” campaign have planned? At the moment, activities include traditional media outreach, social media campaigns, and in-person install events ramping up to 14 October. As an example, we are planning a “Lists of 10” campaign with the hashtag #EndOf10, with topics like:

• “10 reasons to switch to Linux”
• “10 Free & Open Source apps to try on your new Linux computer”
• “10 Free & Open Source apps you may already use but didn’t know it”

Important: End Of 10 wants the larger FOSS universe to be at the center of everything the campaign does. The goal of the campaign is to speak as a big FOSS family and therefore there is no tolerance for negative messaging about other FOSS communities.

We hope you and other FOSS members will join us in the End Of 10 campaign, so we can promote Free & Open Source Software as a solution for Windows 10 users who wish to keep their devices safely in use, together.

This is part of a series on End of 10 where we advocate for Free & Open Source Software as a solution for Windows 10 users who wish to keep their devices rather than contributing to e-waste of functioning devices.