[GLLUG] Experience installing Linux with EFI boot

[zylum at peacenews.info]

Hello,
       I have become very used to installing GNU/Linux (usually Debian 
based) for visitors to our weekly Free Software clinic in Brighton.

People have begun to come in with fancy new laptops, which usually have 
two boot options in the BIOS (is it bios or something else these days?)

The two options are EFI boot or Legacy boot. Windows (probably Windows 
10?) will only start-up if EFI is selected, but a Gnu/Linux live USB 
will only start-up if Legacy is selected. Assuming that most people want 
to dual boot their machine, until they get used to Free Software, I am a 
bit scared to start messing around re-partitioning things.

I found this page, which looks very informative:
http://www.rodsbooks.com/efi-bootloaders/index.html

I thought I would try to draw on other people's practical experience as 
well doing the reading. Secure boot seems specifically conceived to make 
it harder to escape from the Micro$oft empire.

Until now, mostly people have brought in old laptops which need giving a 
new lease of life, eg. because they are still running Win XP, and/or 
because Windows has become too bogged down with rubbish extensions and 
malware. Mostly if a computer has ground to a halt, people are grateful 
for whatever we can do, but with newer machines, people might be more 
choosy. This EFI thing is quite new to me.

Any advice much appreciated.
Benjamin.