Free Republic

ransomnote: This is just one of the countless articles and videos about installing Linux. It's written using Ubuntu as an example, but it also lists 5 popular distros (e.g., versions) of Linux in the article, and there are over 1000 different distros beyond those. Learn how to install Linux with this detailed step-by-step guide, covering everything from system requirements to post-installation setup.Linux, a versatile and powerful open-source operating system, has gained immense popularity among developers, IT professionals, and everyday users alike. Unlike proprietary systems like Windows or macOS, Linux offers unparalleled flexibility, security, and control over your computing environment. Whether...

[H/T openurmind]PlacesEventsDIY InstallSupport for Windows 10 ends on October 14, 2025.Microsoft wants you to buy a new computer.But what if you could make your current one fast and secure again?If you bought your computer after 2010, there's most likely no reason to throw it out. By just installing an up-to-date Linux operating system you can keep using it for years to come.Installing an operating system may sound difficult, but you don't have to do it alone. With any luck, there are people in your area ready to help!Find someone to help you → [ransomnote: I removed the link. Only one...

With Microsoft ending support for Windows 10 in October 2025, millions of Windows 10 users will be left behind by the company. Upgrades to Windows 11 may be out of the question, due to stricter system requirements. While these can be bypassed, many Windows 10 users may lack the expertise to do so. This leaves Microsoft's recommendation to buy a new Windows 11 PC or subscribe to one year of extended security updates as the only options that Microsoft highlights in its recommendations. There are at least two additional options available to users, but Microsoft makes no mention of them....

I’m writing this article mainly for Windows users who’ve decided to switch to Linux. If you’re already a Linux user, chances are you’ve learned most of what I’m about to share—whether the easy way or the hard way.The main goal of this article is simple: to help you figure out whether a “Linux for Windows users” really exists—and to bridge the gap between what you might expect and what you’re actually likely to experience.Let’s start by taking a quick look at a niche group of Linux distributions that insistently want to look like Windows and then explain why that makes...

Never mind blocking workarounds to sign in with a local account, just give us a straightforward choice in the installation process. Microsoft just blocked a popular workaround to install Windows 11 with a local account Some people like to avoid having a Microsoft account linked to the OS due to privacy (or other) concerns While alternative workarounds remain, it’s likely they could be cut off too – and Microsoft is very much going down the wrong path here Microsoft appears to be moving to block Windows 11 users who want to install the operating system using a local account, meaning...

It’s official: after 10 years of noble service, Windows 10 will reach its end on October 14, 2025, and what a great decade it’s been. For many users, Microsoft redeemed itself after a run of disappointing operating systems – the mere mention of Windows 8 still sends some people into a rage – but Windows 10 got it right. That’s why the announcement of Windows 11 came as a shock. It felt too soon, too rushed – and unnecessary. Many believed that Windows 10 deserved more time to marinate. At least until it finally managed to migrate the whole Control...

Desktop Windows Version Market Share Worldwide- January 2025 Win10 60.37% Win11 36.6% Win7 2.24% Win8.1 0.3% WinXP 0.27% Win8 0.16% Desktop Operating System Market Share Worldwide - January 2025 Windows 71.91% OS X 15.02% Unknown 7.43% Linux 3.71% Chrome OS 1.92% FreeBSD 0% Tablet Operating System Market Share Worldwide - January 2025 iOS 52.85% Android 46.99% Linux 0.11% Unknown 0.03% Windows 0.01% BlackBerry OS 0.01% Mobile Operating System Market Share Worldwide - January 2025 Android 72.24% iOS 27.28% Samsung 0.31% Unknown 0.1% KaiOS 0.03% Windows 0.01% [All platforms] - January 2025 Android [based on modified Linux kernel] 46.18% Windows 25.46%...

Come October 14, 2025, Windows 10 support dies. Despite that, more users than ever are using Windows 10 rather than moving to Windows 11. I can't say that I blame them. Windows 11 sucks almost as much as Vista – remember that stinker? In addition, Windows 11 is less of a desktop operating system than it is a remote Microsoft client equipped with AI-powered Recall, telemetry, and data collection. You may see these as features. I see them as spyware. All this and more is why I use Linux for my primary desktop.True, I've been using Linux as my desktop...

It's official SteamOS will be released this year for all and also Lenovo is an official SteamOS partner with the launch of the Legion Go S, SteamOS edition in May, GeForce NOW app is also coming to the Steam Deck and we also cover the latest beta news and updates!

As the year winds down, it’s that time again when the internet is flooded with articles declaring which Linux distribution was the best of the year—this time, for 2024.These pieces can be fun to read, but let’s be honest: almost no one fully agrees with the opinions they present. If I dare say, even the authors themselves might not be entirely convinced by the conclusions they’ve written.The reason is simple: there has never been—and never will be—a single “best Linux distribution.” It all comes down to one essential question: what is the specific use case for a given distribution?I’m trying...

1. Modern Encryption Methods Will Be Rendered UselessFinancial technologies are completely dependent on modern encryption methods. Any password or key can be cracked by brute-force attack, but currently, computing power does not allow attackers to succeed in a reasonable time. With the release of quantum computing into the public sector, all encryption becomes useless, and currently, the industry has no answer on how to deal with it. - Pavlo Sidelov, SDK.finance2. Web Interactions Will Be At RiskThe breakdown of prevalent cryptographic technology is an infrastructural risk. Most security technology is based on our current inability to quickly find the prime...

Run Dialog box is something that is one of the favorite utilities for an avid Windows user. Its been around since Windows 95 and became an important part of Windows User Experience over the years. While its only duty is to quickly open apps and other tools, many power users like us at TechCult, love the handy nature of the Run dialog box. Since it can access any tool, setting, or app as long as you know the command for it, we decided to give you the cheat sheet to help you breeze through Windows like a pro...pressing Windows +...

Over the last 2 years the famous Linux project has attacked and mass-banned non-Leftists. Now there's nobody left to run openSUSE.

Despite Microsoft's push to get customers onto Windows 11, growth in the market share of the software giant's latest operating system has stalled, while Windows 10 has made modest gains, according to fresh figures from Statcounter. This is not the news Microsoft wanted to hear. After half a year of growth, the line for Windows 11 global desktop market share has taken a slight downturn, according to the website usage monitor, going from 35.6 percent in October to 34.9 percent in November. Windows 10, on the other hand, managed to grow its share of that market by just under a...

Wind River’s new Debian-based server and edge Linux distribution was born out of a need to create a CentOS replacement that would remove Red Hat from the equation.Wind River, the Alameda-based software company that once upon a time was part of Intel, on Tuesday announced eLxr Pro, a commercial Linux offering tailored for enterprise use.In a way, this release represents something of a new chapter in the brouhaha that started in 2020 and which resulted in several new Linux distributions after Red Hat ended support for CentOS, the community clone of its commercial operating system.This time, however, the new distro...

Last week it became clear to me that although Microsoft has “loved” Linux for more than a decade now, that love still doesn’t extend to the Linux desktop.This realization came to me as I read news of a Windows security update that borked Grub, the open-source boot loader that’s used by most Linux distributions and which is used to load Windows in dual-boot situations.After the Windows update was applied, an untold number of Windows’ dual booters were unable to boot Linux, but instead were served the scary and cryptic error message: “Something has gone seriously wrong.”According to Ars Technica, the...

Its a small difference, but a real one.Go into your operating system and for all WiFi connections set MAC address randomization.For Windows 11 it is under Network & Internet -> WiFi right at the bottom -- "Random hardware addresses."For Android it is on by default for WiFi connections -- check all of them you use, and it should be on.I suspect IOS on Macs has a similar feature.Unfortunately for most systems there is no similar setting for hardware connections (e.g. cabled.)This didn't used to matter much in the world of IPv4 because MAC addresses do not travel beyond the local...

Microsoft is known for their signature, “my way or the highway” approach when it comes to their offerings, with the Windows operating system being the most prominent one among those.Many in the FOSS community disagree with that approach, with a strong rejection of such practices, suggesting people go for more open options for their operating systems and applications, and I agree with them.Unfortunately, that same approach has now affected many Linux distribution users, who were sent scampering searching for a fix to a problem caused by a Windows update (who would've expected that?).Microsoft Slips Up: Linux Users Beware!Source: paku1234First spotted...

I have a question for LINUX users: We ran updates for LINUX last night, and when I turned on the computer this morning, I had no sound. It doesn't seem to be a problem with the speakers, and my Bluetooth ear buds are still getting sound when I listen to various YT sites; but nothing is coming out of the computer/speakers otherwise. Has anyone experienced this? We have Mint, I think it's 21. We have never had an issue like this. Thanks to anyone who has time to respond.

Linux Desktop Market Share Climbs to 4.45% The Linux operating system has reached a notable milestone in desktop market share, according to the latest data from StatCounter. As of July 2024, Linux has achieved a 4.45% market share for desktop operating systems worldwide.Desktop Operating System Market Share WorldwideWhile this percentage might seem small to those unfamiliar with the operating system landscape, it represents a significant milestone for Linux and its dedicated community. What makes this achievement even more thrilling is the upward trajectory of Linux's adoption rate.Table of ContentsLinux Desktop Market Share Between July 2023 and July 2024Why more People...