I actually did it. And I have abysmal knowledge of software but Linux is so fantastic. There isn't one thing that I can't do on it if it bothers me enough.
And even the one proprietary software that I do have to use (for work, plz don't ask) and comes only on Windows, works without flaw once I configure the WINE environment properly.
Tried Debian, Manjaro, Linux Mint, MX linux and loved them all. They are all fantastic. Finally settled on Mint (I know) because it is the right balance of stable and updated for me.
Windows 10 on a shitbox!!!! You and I have very different definitions of that - lol. The 'shitboxes' I have (two of them) find it difficult to run even Windows 7, but Linux zooms on it like a breeze.
I know the frustration though. I sometimes use cracked software - mostly for learning new stuff as a hobby (CAD programming, designing etc) and come only on Windows, SOo....
But these days free and open source have also come up so beautifully. FreeCAD is like this whole new thing entirely, so are LibreOffice, Inkscape, GIMP, LibreCAD, Scribus, Blender (never used this one though). Using LibreOffice has made it next to impossible for me to use MSOffice. But yes I do need that one or two shitty proprietary things because, just because...