7 Ways Using Linux Helps You in a Hard Economy

Make Use Of ^ | 12/3/22 | Bertel King

[ProgressingAmerica]

There are economic good times and economic bad times. When times get tough and money's tight, it's good to have Linux on your PC.

1. The OS and Apps Are Free

2. Your Current PC Will Run for Longer

Running Linux means you can expect to use the computer for as long as you want. Rather than running into the artificial limitation of a company declaring your machine end of life and unsupported, you know you will receive free updates until your computer physically falls apart or becomes too underpowered to do what you need it to do.

This makes each PC purchase a more dependable investment. And if times are hard, you can put off making hardware upgrades for longer.

3. You Can Revitalize an Old PC if You Need To

Linux's lower system requirements and lack of product license mean you can breathe new life into older machines.

4. Second-Hand PCs Become More Appealing

5. You Don't Need to Pay More for Features

6. Protection From Companies Going Bust

Linux offers a great deal of insulation from the market. Rarely does open-source software go away, since someone can fork the source code and continue the project even if the original developer steps away.

7. Linux Nudges You to Keep Your Data Local

Many apps have transitioned from living on your desktop to living on someone else's server. These web apps are easy to charge a subscription for.

Linux Makes Good Financial Sense

Linux is what we call a good investment. It's free to acquire and free to maintain. It provides you with access to other free programs that can help you make more money. And you keep access to all of this software, even when you don't have a dollar to spare.

[krizzy]

Mint is the easiest I've encountered so far.

I would like to find a better way to "share" a windows drive on a mint system.

[dayglored]

> I spent quite a few hours playing Rogue on a VAX 11/780 running Berkeley Unix at my college, circa 1981. Fun times. :)

As did I, a few years later on a similar machine at Cornell. Was thoroughly addicted for a while there. It was a slightly hacked version, in which someone had done string patches directly into the binary executable, substituting a few professors' names for a few of the monsters.

Rogue is, of course, available for Linux these days, and AFAIK it's the original.

[Openurmind]

“It was a slightly hacked version, in which someone had done string patches directly into the binary executable, substituting a few professor’s names for a few of the monsters.

LOL!!!

“Rogue is, of course, available for Linux these days, and AFAIK it’s the original.”

I ran across that fact a couple times... :)

[Pollard]

I haven’t paid a dime for PC software or OS in 20 years. I but off-lease business model Thinkpads. Currently running a $280 Thinkpad W530 - Intel 17 - 8 core - 2.70GHz -16 GiB RAM. Kubuntu 22.04 LTS

When it’s time to replace this one, I’ll probably go with w Thinkpad P series, the successor business model to the W series. Thinkpads get along very well with Linux. Some even come with Linux pre-installed.

[Pollard]

Just have to get past installing it which is not quite as easy as installing Windows. No shortage of tutorials out there though so as long as you can read and follow directions ...

That kind of does mean having a working PC or even a phone to follow said tutorial while installing.

Setting up a network on Linux sucks. I’ve done it many times with Windows but never had any luck with Linux/Samba.

I use the command line for downloading youtube and other videos. I could use a browser addon to do the same. Other than that, it’s a GUI and clicking the mouse for everything.

[Openurmind]

Check out “Warpinator” Pollard. It is a new networking app that autodetects and such. Probably and upgraded verson of Samba. It comes in the Mint 20.0 bundle. So if they bundle it then it should work.

I have not tried it yet. But plan to soon. Might today... :)

[Openurmind]

Warpinator is in the Mint/Ubuntu repository, or

https://github.com/linuxmint/warpinator

[Pollard]

Look interesting. There's a Flatpak - https://flathub.org/apps/details/org.x.Warpinator

Warpinator is a free, open-source tool for sending and receiving files between computers that are on the same network. All you need do is install Warpinator on the computers, choose a group code, edit your firewalls if necessary, and that’s all.

Only two PCs here. Me and the boy. He runs Win10 and I run Kubuntu. We're on the same wifi but I don't know what they mean by "network", wifi or a network set up. Typically, you would run the Win networking wizard, allow file sharing for the Public folder and have a network group named WORKGROUP or HOME etc.

This site answers that question. https://linuxiac.com/warpinator-transfer-files-between-your-linux-pcs-and-android-devices/

Server configuration (FTP, NFS, Samba) is overkill for casual file transfers between two computers, and it’s a real pity to use external media (Internet services, USB sticks, external HDDs) just to share files when there’s a local network which could do just that.

Son and I sit right next to each other, have email and plenty of USB sticks. It was something I wanted to be able to do back when we were a family of four but we're divorced now and the daughter went with momma. Kids are adults so it was their choice. Son stayed here.

I run KDE Connect on Kubuntu and have the app installed on Android so I can send files either way. I mainly use it to send pics taken with the phone to the laptop. It also allows using the phone as a remote control of sorts. Any video I have running on the laptop can be paused using the phone. I can also send and reply to sms messages using the laptop which is a little dangerous because of the ease of typing on a keyboard. You can end up sending a really long text to someone's phone. LOL I also get phone notification popup on the laptop. Kinda cool not having to pick up the phone every time it makes a noise.

• Shared clipboard: copy and paste between your phone and your computer (or any other device)
• Notification sync: Read and reply to your Android notifications from the desktop
• Share files and URLs instantly from one device to another including some file system integration
• Multimedia remote control: Use your phone as a remote for Linux media players
• Virtual touchpad: Use your phone screen as your computer's touchpad and keyboard
• Presentation remote: Advance your presentation slides straight from your phone

https://kdeconnect.kde.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KDE_Connect

No config required. Just have to have it installed on both devices and they'll find each other. Then you request a pairing of one to the other and accept the pair on the second device. I don't know if it would work PC to PC. Probably but they don't have it for Windows. Only Linux/Android.

Warpinator does have a Win version and sounds like the equivalent to KDE Connect, albeit with only the single purpose of file sharing.

Here's KDE Connect sms window.

Phone screen for controlling multimedia on laptop.

Handy if I'm using the laptop connected to the TV to stream. I have a dumb TV with no apps. Will pause multimedia when you answer a call on the cell phone.

Can also ring the phone from the laptop in case I misplace the phone. Can send several commands from phone to pc like shut down, reboot etc. Use the phone as a touchpad for the PC.

[Mr170IQ]

We should have a Free Republic Nethack tournament for us classic 80’s Unix gamers.

[rellic]

“The average user will probably never need to touch the command line interface.”
I use it all the time.
Scanners, WAN, printers can be interesting.
I have wireless internet coverage on my 5 acres.
Everywhere.
Very rural Hawaii.
Place of Pele’s hair and Volcano ash.
You need a CLI to do that.

[Openurmind]

Try Mint Cinnamon... You might be pleasantly surprised... Just test drive it on a stick. I should autodetect everything you have on and set you up. Even running off the ISO test drive install stick.

[Openurmind]

Yes, hat is one of my next projects. They have a few apps that will sync PC, phone, TV, and other devices. You can even answer your phone with your computer, or send a text or FAX from your PC through your phone.

And this SMS/FAX concept is what I want to play with as last ditch alternative communications. No internet needed. Just text or FAX PC to PC. :)

[rellic]

Been there done that.
I use it on my Pandora laptop.
We don’t get much radio or TV here.
I have an old beater I use for music
in the shop.
Ubuntu everywhere else.

[Openurmind]

Man you are out in the sicks like I am. Here is what we do... If you have good phone service. We buy prepaid phone plans with unlimited data. Then hot spot off our phones as a modem/router. Most will let you hot spot three devices at a time to each phone. So my wife hot spots the TV on hers, and I hot spot both of our computers.

But this is the only way we can get internet here... There just is no other option.

[rellic]

The first Federal stimulus money also authorized Rural Fiber connections. The guy that installed my fiber complained he could not get it because where he lived, Kamuela was too Urban. Look up zip code 96743 and tell me that is urban.
They still have hitching posts at the Ace hardware store.
I have a good fiber connection and installed my own WAN system for my property. Cell service is no good here and regular phone was very unreliable. it goes out every time it rains hard. Guess what happens regularly in Hawaii wet side? Satellite had same problem.
Happy with fiber. I’d call it FTC but we don’t have curbs or sidewalks.

[Openurmind]

We that is good then, at least one connection to the outside world. Guess you could make internet phone calls too.