Posted on 08/10/2022 11:22:47 AM PDT by ShadowAce
I've been preaching the gospel of the Linux desktop for more years than some of you have been alive. However, unless you argue that the Linux desktop includes Android smartphones and ChromeOS laptops, there will be no year of the Linux desktop.
But there should be. For example, as GitLab recently revealed in its onboarding document for employees, staffers can run macOS, and they can run Linux on their desktops. But Windows? Forget about it!
Why? GitLab explained: "Due to Microsoft Windows' dominance in desktop operating systems, Windows is the platform most targeted by spyware, viruses, and ransomware."
Today's Windows is still built on a standalone PC operating system foundation. It was never, ever meant to work in a networked world. So, security holes that existed back in the day of Windows for Workgroups, 1991, are still with us today in 2022 and Windows 11.
Most of these problems come down to Windows having Interprocess Communications (IPCs) that move information from one program to another, which have no security in their design. Windows and its applications rely on these procedures to get work done. Over the years, they've included Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs), Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) Control Extension (OCXs), and ActiveX. No matter what they're called, they do the same work, and they do it with no regard for security.
Adding insult to injury, Microsoft's data formats can hold programming macros. That's why Microsoft Office formats are commonly used to transmit malware. Microsoft finally bought a clue that they should block Office from running macros by default. I mean, this has only been a major security hole since Melissa wreaked havoc on the Windows world in 1999.
But guess what? Showing that Microsoft still doesn't know how to fix this fundamental security problem, the team in Redmond HQ have rolled back the Office macro block. Why? Because people use those IPCs to get work done. Given a choice between security and having applications work as expected, Microsoft often chooses the insecure status quo.
Making matters worse, another problem with Windows' single-user ancestry is that the default Windows user all too often must run as the all-powerful PC administrator. This means, of course, that when malware does break in – and it will – it gets to foul up everything and anything on a user's PC.
Now, you might ask, but what business uses Windows Home for work? Cheap ones do. And, if your people are working from home with their own PCs, as so many are these days, they are almost certainly not running Windows 10 Pro or Windows 10 Enterprise E5. And, even if your business is reimbursing your remote staffers, what do you think they'll buy? As GitLab knows to its sorrow, they'll typically be purchasing a laptop preloaded with Windows Home Edition.
So, instead, GitLab demands that its employees use either macOS or a Dell Linux laptop. As a long-time fan of Dell's XPS 13 developer Linux laptops, that works for me. Now, you don't have to run Ubuntu, which is the default Dell XPS 13 operating system, as Dell also supports Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Workstation – also a fine desktop operating system. Or you could opt for Arch Linux, or FreeBSD, or what-have-you, so long as it's actively updated and supported.
But, I'm sorry to say, GitLab won't support you with your Linux desktop. You'll need to do that yourself. Darn it.
I and many other Linux users can do that, but not everyone can. I understand why GitLab does it this way. Supporting end users is expensive. I'm sure most of their users work with Macs.
But, let's say you haven't decided to go with Macs, which are, after all, expensive. Let's say you're still using Windows. That's a safe bet. But if you really want security and stability, Linux is your best choice. So take a look at what you're paying for Windows licenses, support, and your often futile attempts to secure it. Then, look at what it would cost to use a business-supported Linux distribution such as RHEL Workstation, Canonical Ubuntu Desktop for the Enterprise, or SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED).
Chances are it will be cheaper to go with Linux. And no matter how the numbers work out, I can guarantee you it will be far more secure. ®
In 2013 my Windows machine worked quite well.
Microsoft network programmers are like Biden administration workers, the more they work, the more of a mess they make.
A PC should never lock up due to being on a network. The start menu button, the x (close the program/window) controls, and the window slider bars should always be responsive. The Notepad and Word programs should not be stalled by network access and by updating.
Office docs, any graphics operation, play/edit/create any media file, surf the web, download videos from hundreds of different websites including youtube, bitchute, rumble and most any video on a web page, email clients, unit conversion, Spotify app, VPN app, file archive of any type - not just zip, torrent client, Nextcloud desktop client, ebook library and editor, burn USB thumb drives and optical discs, full blown accounting app, screenshot tool with instant upload to imgur with url auto-copied to my clipboard. Haven't paid a dime for an OS or software in that same 10 years.
Specialized business apps like my auto repair stuff is not available but for a personal desktop, general purpose business desktop/client, it works fine. Microsoft locked up the rare use software over the decades because Gates cornered the OS market.
Ha ha. They’ve been saying this for decades. And the few that tried it typically go back to windows.
I don’t think anything on the Internet is secure, but google now tracks me surprisingly well.
I don’t have to explicitly search for something for google to know what I’m trying to do.
To limit ransomware dangers, drives that can be written to and read from should be developed that don’t allow erasing.
These would permit databases to be rebuilt.
Looks like my Kubuntu needs and update. (2:20pm central) - it’s a big one - 442mb
Be right back
One of the problems with modern computers is that their memory can be used for both data and programs, permitting programs to be easily corrupted.
“442mb”
Back in the old days it would take me about a year to write 64K worth of code.
Update done in 7 minutes with a few minutes being download time on my DLS internet, no closing down programs, no restart.
These days, Linux can even upgrade the running kernel without a reboot/restart.
My Chromebook has a very small screen.
I prefer my Windows machine for its larger screen size.
I’m thinking of buying a large screen Chromebook. I’ll just hate owning so many computer devices.
The Ipad is of a small size with a good screen. Unfortunately, Apple has its own way of doing things, one that I don’t seem to be able to just guess at. By the mid-1980s, I thought menu-driven programs were thought to be the way to go.
It did tell me I need to update to complete the process but I can do that whenever, not a forced 30 minute thing like Win 10.
My linux laptop has a 17" screen, but a lot of my work is on my external 38" monitor that I plug into the DisplayPort.
I worked for a utility company for the last fifteen years of my IT career.
The company hired an ex Amazon IT exec as their Director of Desktop IT Services. He told me that Amazon is a huge Linux shop and expressed interest in introducing Linus into our environment (we were a predominantly Windows shop). But he couldn’t get any traction - nobody wanted to be bothered.
He asked me it I was interested in taking on a project and I agreed to explore incorporating the Foghat Imaging solution into computer deployment infrastructure. I did my research, requisitioned surplus servers, and built out the test system. I devised a test image using Ubuntu and built a driver utility library to accommodate dropping my image to a variety of desktop and laptop hardware.
I could remotely image a desktop to my Ubuntu image - as long as the target was in the same subnet as the imaging server. So I needed permission from Network Services to extend my test server to other subnets in order to complete my test project. No go. They refused access because I wasn’t a member of the Network Services team, nor was I anyone of sufficient stature in IT to warrant any special dispensation.
My director did what he could to intervene but even he didn’t rank high enough to break the barriers of the good ol boys club.
I presented my project (such as it was), my director was suitably impressed as he was suitably annoyed. All the gear was broken down and returned to stock. And that was the closest to a hybrid Windows/Linux shop they ever came.
That’s what my husband did. Now we’re looking at mini desktops and will do the same thing.
Just virtualize windows. On my deb home server with multiple passthoughs I can game locally, and do rendering/cad remotely when latency isn’t an issue. On a T480 with 28 hours of screen time thanks to Arch I can access 1kw worth of processing power and never worry about the battery, or my processes ending when I shut it down.
FYI- on the Microsoft licensing side (which you need courses to understand their convolution) they have now intertwined Enterprise licensing with their M365 products as a package to keep you locked in their ecosystem.
An example would be my company purchased E3 licenses for standard office workers and the Windows 10 Enterprise desktop license is rolled into it with their 365 (Sharepoint department portals, Teams, power automate stuff, etc).
The server side is just as bad, but at least you have the option of running Linux with Azure integration.
Linux: Those Windows 11 Laptops are nothing more than bloatware tracking lollipops.
I often times use a text editor offline to write posts for online commenting. That is the case here. What is also the case is that I am doing this in LibreOffice. Not much you can do in Microsoft Word that can’t be done with the free Libre that comes with Linux/Ubuntu.
Perhaps ten years ago I began to realize that Billy Boy Gates was going to mess up with windows. And he did. Repeatedly. It has never been secure. Even with adding Anti Malware; Anti Spyware; AntiVirus; Anti this and that.
Even Cleaners to keep the desktop environment clean and running well. Windows simply messed up.
Then I discovered Linux around the Windows xp time and experimented with it. At that point it was not as usable for the average person, and needed to have a lot of bug fixes.
Still it worked and what was best was the price. It was indeed free, and it continues to be so, and there is a program out there for nearly every one of those available for the windows systems today. In fact some of the free ones like Gimp for images is pretty darn good. Linux/Ubuntu much improved.
When I went with Windows ten I didn’t want to. But because I had a treasure trove of Windows compatible only programs I needed and paid a ton of money for, I didn’t make the switch.
[I knew at some point..probably from Win10 to 11 they would force me to switch.] So I began some program migration.
I was ready when my i5 laptop told me Bill Gates would not let me use it for win 11. [guess he thought I had stupid written all over me] [[he doesn’t know me, but I know him] ]
What I had written all over me was Linux Distro. Downloaded and ready for the switch.
I was running three systems, all Win 10. Two of them i3 desktops, an i5 desktop and an i5 Laptop. Not a single one of which according to Bill was compatible with win 11. Further my wife had a nice laptop not compatible. If ever I was going to do it, now was the time for the switch.
My wife went ahead and bought the Win 11 super tracking laptop lollipop, and says she loves it. I personally do not like any tracking or adds or anything else that is billy gatey oriented. Sooo…
I copied all my files to separate hard drives, bought several new Solid state drives for my systems, downloaded the latest 22.04 distro and loaded it onto a new USB stick.
[kept the old Hds for the files just in case] And for less than 60 bucks created three new Ubuntu systems that were screaming fast.
I have everything on my new systems I had on my old Windows ones. I knew this day was coming and I was prepared for it having saved thousands of files over the years in formats that I knew Ubuntu could handle in their various free programs. I even had an Ubuntu loaded computer with an older distro to test some programs and files with.
As the OP is trying to say folks. Business or Personal. If you need to be secure, and you do not want everyone knowing what you do, where you go, or what you buy online.
Linux is your baby. All those crazy windows programs running in the background? Not now. Its even worse with windows 11.
The latest Linux for me is Ubuntu 20.04 which is free and comes with 5 years of support, which you probably won’t need. But best off all, even beyond the free part is the fact that if you need to, LibreOffice can even open and save Microsoft office files. So if you have been using Office from Bill, you can open those files and work on them in office from Linux. And save either way.
This is one free thing that is actually the real deal.
Linux has been around for a while, but it has markedly improved over the years, and there is no longer a need for Windows based systems. Neither at home or for work.
I am D’Andrew and I approved this message [sorry folks, but it really is close to election time]
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