Jack Wallen / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Lubuntu. Say it with me. Looboontoo. Has a nice ring, doesn't it? Lubuntu isn't just an adorable name that rolls off the tongue like caramel. It's also a Linux distribution that combines the Ubuntu distribution and the LXQT desktop. LXQT is a lightweight Linux desktop based on the Qt cross-platform application development framework. LXQT is fast, simple, works well on older hardware, is customizable, and includes a decent collection of software to get you started. Also: 5 lightweight Linux distributions that will bring your old PC back to life Lubuntu greatly benefits from the combination of the LXQT desktop and its Ubuntu base, so it's fast, reliable, and easy to use. Thanks to some components borrowed from KDE Plasma (such as the Discover app store), it's very user-friendly. What, exactly, makes Lubuntu so user-friendly? Let's take a look. It's all about the desktop There are two different routes to designing a Linux desktop: Stick with what's familiar. Make something modern and different. The general consensus is that if you want to attract new users (specifically, those who typically use Windows), you should go the familiar route. The last thing you want is to attract new users only to have them shy away because they can't figure out how to use the desktop. Lubuntu went the familiar route. Also: Want to save your old computer? Try one of these 8 Linux distros for free On the desktop, you'll find a panel, a start menu, a system tray, and clickable icons. For the average user, the Lubuntu desktop looks as though it could be designed by Microsoft. Click on the "start" button and you'll see a menu that's as familiar as any you've ever used. The applications are broken into simple categories, and you can use the search field to find what you're looking for. You'll also find two buttons at the bottom right corner of the menu, one for the power option and one to open the Configuration Center. The Lubuntu menu is simple to navigate. Jack Wallen/ZDNET The Configuration Center is your settings app, where you can customize the appearance, brightness, date and time, the desktop, file associations, keyboard and mouse, monitor, notifications, power management, and more. The Configuration Center is the perfect app for new Linux users who want to do a bit of customization but don't want to get lost in a collection of complicated options. The only thing that might confuse you about the Configuration Center is the Openbox entry under Other Settings. Openbox is the default window manager for Lubuntu, and within the Configuration Center you can change the theme, appearance, fonts, windows, and much more. Also: 6 most Windows-like Linux distros because old habits die hard One of my favorite customizations for Openbox is within the Mouse section, where you can configure "focus follows mouse" by clicking "Focus windows when the mouse pointer moves over them" and then enable "Raise windows when the mouse pointer moves over them." On top of that, you can enable "Shades the window" for the "Double click on the titlebar" option. When you "shade" a window, the window rolls up into the titlebar. By doing this, you can keep all of these apps on your desktop (without taking up too much space), so multitasking is even easier. I've always loved the Shade option for Linux app windows. Jack Wallen/ZDNET I find this setup to be about as efficient as it gets. The one missing piece for Lubuntu is the ability to easily share folders on your LAN. Unfortunately, the default file manager doesn't offer this, so you might consider installing Dolphin. Even then, you have to install Samba and the kdenetwork-filesharing package. You can install them all together with a single command: sudo apt-get install kdenetwork-filesharing libsmbclient samba smbclient dolphin -y Also: While Windows 10 users panic, Ubuntu makes extending support easy - here's how If you don't need to share folders across your LAN, don't worry about the above. Performance Beyond ease of use, one of the most impressive aspects of Lubuntu is the sheer speed of the desktop. It's fast. Really fast. If you're coming from Windows 10, you'll be shocked at how fast this desktop operating system is. Also: The easiest way to try out Ubuntu Linux Everything you do on Lubuntu is fast. Click to open an app and it's immediately there, ready to go. Even apps like LibreOffice open lightning fast. Because of this, you'll find Lubuntu is a great option for replacing Windows 10 and will vastly outperform the Microsoft OS. In the end, Lubuntu is a simple operating system that isn't going to trip you up and throw you for a loop. With speed to spare, it's capable of bringing older hardware back to life with astonishing speed and ease. If you're interested in giving this OS a try, download an ISO from the official Lubuntu site, burn it to a USB drive, and install it on a spare machine. You won't regret the time spent. Get the morning's top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.