Having a familiarity with linux isn't a bad idea, it introduces them to the command line. This may be an essential skill to have in this era of automation with

Having a familiarity with linux isn't a bad idea, it introduces them to the command line. This may be an essential skill to have in this era of automation with LLMs. People who have never programmed before are writing cli scripts to save time and enhance their work. Ubuntu is easier for beginners to program with, and Windows has WSL so the skills can transfer over.