Posted on 12/29/2024 11:58:47 AM PST by ShadowAce
Another tip: if you haven’t tried macOS yet, do yourself a favor and give it a go. I promise it’s worth it!
Linux is still the choice for people who like computers. Not a big market but self sustaining. Back in 1995 I was angry with having to reboot Windows all the time. I finally got around the issue by buying a laptop pre loaded with Linux. I’ve been a Linux user ever since.
We came to Linux because we were fed up with MS and their shenanigans. We’ve been very happy with it.
I’m surprised Linux doesn’t have a larger market.
Thanks for the post. A lot of what was in the article right right over my head (too detailed to understand) but the part about Winamp caught my eye. I had seen recent efforts to upgrade the software, but I had no idea what was going on behind the scenes. I still use it! Even in it’s legacy form, for me, it’s the one I like the most.
My goal for 2025 is to build a fresh PC and move completely to Linux and away from Windows. I’ll probably set it up as dual-boot just in case I need to do something with Windows, but I’d like to be free from the beast.
The laptop is now set up as a dual boot rig with a separate SSD for Linux and another just for Win 10 and some files. I also switched my media rig attached to my TV from Win 10 to Linux Mint.
I haven't used Windows on my laptop, at all, for three weeks now. I already prefer Linux Mint over it. My experience to date is that Linux Mint 22 absolutely smokes Windows 10 for speed and reliability - no annoying download prompts and setup suggestions, no lags or quirky behaviors either. My media rig, which suffered occasional lags and crashes, is now blazing fast and trouble free. It just works beautifully!
In terms of 'daily driver' stuff like email, the web, docs/spreadsheets etc., chatting, printing, watching vids and listening to music goes, the adjustment from Win to Linux has been a total breeze.
I highly recommend giving it a try.
Yeah--I used Winamp back in the '90's when I was still using Windows.
I've been using vlc since then. It's great.
Because folks see this in their head:
When it is actually this :):
I am elated you are liking it! I’m going on 9 years now and love it!
I try to tell people that it works almost exactly as Windows does, now; but they don’t want to make the slight effort to change...
So I have been playing with “Easy OS” which is a derivative of Puppy Linux and I am liking it. Not super polished and fancy but the utilities and capabilities are leading edge. Made by the same Dev as Puppy Barry K.
Less than 1 gig and it comes as an Image file instead of an .iso file with installer. Just download it and copy it to a bootable USB drive and go...(Everyone needs to go to this format and dump the “installer” protocol!)
It is made to simply run from the stick and leave no trace on the machine, or it can be permanently installed on internal drive, any drive.
By default it runs as two isolated drives and two isolated operating systems. One locked that remains on the USB drive, and one that loads into RAM and runs temporarily from RAM as the “Working” container. But it is more than just containers, they are basically virtual machines. And with a couple clicks you can create as many “clones” as you like and with different operating systems and switch between them on the fly. You can even run selected apps alone in their own isolated containers.
It lets you save custom containers if you like and boot into them as the working container. The Dev encourages customizing the Distro and sharing it as your own Distro if you want. I really like the whole concept, tools, and it is FAST!!! Not quite for the normal user yet because it needs some polish but a fantastic base to work on! And NO SYSTEMD! As you know, finding an out of the box stable 99% complete distro that does not have systemd is quite a chore. You have to do quite a bit of custom work to set one up and even then it is pretty limited with software available. Barry has ported a LOT of apps to work on EASY OS and Puppy.
https://easyos.org/about/how-and-why-easyos-is-different.html
“I try to tell people that it works almost exactly as Windows does, now; but they don’t want to make the slight effort to change...”
While there is absolutely a lot of that I think most of it is fear. Fear of learning something new, Fear of voiding their warranty, fear of needing to set up the bios so that the machine will boot from an external operating system USB first.
And there are a LOT of misconceptions about Linux. They think they are going to have to spend a couple years leaning how to use a new OS. They just do not listen when you explain that it is just like using Win XP or Win 7. If you can use these old Windows OS you can jump right on a distro like Mint and fly!
Like anything even a new windows version, there is always the work that needs to be done to figure out the apps and what they do because they are labelled differently. But it is simple to figure out in a few days of poking around. The menus and file system work just like Win 7. Once you actually try it you find it is a breeze to use!
I like Linux and have been testing it in one form or another for years.
It’s not catching on because there is no standardization between distros.
Yes, an organization can decide on one and then implement, but Joe Blow tries a few and just gives up.
Fedora 41 KDE - I want to run a remote desktop. What is the default name for the server software for said desktop? Well, it looks to be Krfb. Well, shit and shinola! Why didn’t I guess that?!
And what does Krfb stand for? Well, KDE Remote Frame Buffer. Well, Hells Bells! I feel like such an idiot for not knowing this was a desktop sharing piece of software.
I’m glad to see OpenSUSE 15.6 mentioned favorably. Yes, I’m aware of the bat sh*t crazy leftist activist developers but I’m been using the product for many years and happy with it.
” I want to run a remote desktop. “
Install the free NoMachine and make your life a lot easier on any distro.
A couple of things.
Wife had a w10 box. I got tired of “fixing” it every time an upgrade came out. This went on for a couple/three years, finally got irritated and disgusted enough to do something about it.
Did a backup of her machine to an external drive, loaded a “spare” machine with Linux Mint. Ran her backup into the Linux machine, pulled the Firefox bookmarks backup in, made sure everything worked.
Yanked the w10 machine out, installed the Linux machine, showed her how to get around on the Desktop. The biggest problem she has so far is remembering to turn the printer on. It’s been several months now. All I have had to do is pull and install updates about once a week - it’s painless.
Also found the drivers for her Canon printer/scanner on the Canon website. That was a concern until I stumbled across the drivers. Drivers went in, no or minimal setup. Canon Maxify, Model MB2720. They have a section with Linux drivers for their printers.
I’m a FreeBSD guy, have been for over thirty years. Linux Mint was a “science project” based on a few pings between myself and openurmind. I could have set up a BSD box for wife but the Mint went in so easy and the operator interface was great so I just didn’t bother.
Right now I’m on FreeBSD, Xorg is running, FVWM3 for the window manager, nine xterms open, and Firefox. I’m a Dinosaur, started with toggle switches on an Altair 8800 I assembled from a box of parts. If you remember those you are an Old Fart, just like me. Gimme a keyboard and a text terminal - Me Happy. I have three BSD machines running 24/7, no problems.
Windows just gets in my way. Had to use it at work but when it broke I’d holler at the local IT guy to “come on down and fix this piece of junk - I’ll put some coffee on”. He was a Good Guy, lotsa fun. He understood windows was job security.
Great article Ace, thank you!
Well done! Thank you for sharing that!
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