Microsoft makes all the decisions for you.

Try using a virtual machine before doing a full switch

I think on laptops Windows i trying to encrypt the drives. Maybe online if you are logged in to a Microsoft account for bitlocker to save the encryption key. Encrypting the drives should be your decision to take.

Mandriva. Yes, old and no longer exist. Forst distro i started to to use permantly on desktop is Fedora. The server has always been Ubuntu since the Mandriva time when I first learned about Linux. I think 2005. CS server etc. Desktop was 2024 when MS screwed up Windows too much

Configuration gui standard. Usually there is a config file that I am suppose to edit as root and usually done in the terminal.

There should be a general gui tool that read those files and obey another file with the rules. Lets say it is if you enable this feature then you can’t have this on at the same time. Or the number has to be between 1 and 5. Not more or less on the number. Basic validation. And run the program with --validation to let itself decide if it looks good or not.

The user can choose. Please note you first much accept another client by its fingerprint.