The "Linux questions (and other stuff)" thread

[MoodyBlues]

After a false alarm a couple years ago, it looks like Linux Journal has now reached its end-of-life. This makes me very sad.

 

[GameTheory]

For those of you that like to test different distros, but hate having to download isos and burn them to a thumb drive, check this out...

This free service lets you test the distro in your browser without installing or downloading anything.
https://distrotest.net/

Do keep in mind that because it runs in your browser it will be a bit slow.

 

[MoodyBlues]

For those of you that like to test different distros, but hate having to download isos and burn them to a thumb drive, check this out...

This free service lets you test the distro in your browser without installing or downloading anything.
https://distrotest.net/

Do keep in mind that because it runs in your browser it will be a bit slow.

Wow, what a great find! Thanks for sharing.

 

[palmtree5]

I found it interesting that Steam seemed to be at least somewhat preinstalled on Manjaro (just switched the linux distro on my laptop from ubuntu to manjaro this past weekend actually)

 

[GameTheory]

I found it interesting that Steam seemed to be at least somewhat preinstalled on Manjaro (just switched the linux distro on my laptop from ubuntu to manjaro this past weekend actually)

I haven't tried it yet, but from what I've seen it's a nice distro. It's been in the top ten for a while now. Which desktop did you choose?

I've seen a youtuber who's channel is all about Manjaro.

 

[MoodyBlues]

"Some say it's the BEST Linux laptop money can buy.

New Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition Announced, Powered by Ubuntu."

Well, I'm partial to System76 laptops, but this one does look good--with one exception: its tiny 13" screen. What's up with that?

 

[GameTheory]

"Some say it's the BEST Linux laptop money can buy.

New Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition Announced, Powered by Ubuntu."

Well, I'm partial to System76 laptops, but this one does look good--with one exception: its tiny 13" screen. What's up with that?

That XPS is absolutely stunning! Looks like carbon fibre which happens to be my favorite look. I'm however partial to lenovo which also have systems pre-installed with ubuntu.

It's funny, throw windows on a machine and it's just another machine. Throw linux on it and it's a "Developer Edition".

13" is great for developers on the move. Then you can just plug in a large monitor when you're stationary.

 

[MoodyBlues]

That XPS is absolutely stunning! Looks like carbon fibre which happens to be my favorite look.

I like that look, too.

I'm however partial to lenovo which also have systems pre-installed with ubuntu.

I'm thrilled to see more and more computers shipping with Linux pre-installed, and as a very early adopter of Ubuntu, of course I love that it's the distro of choice. But it hasn't eliminated one initial step I've performed for decades when getting a new computer: installing my own favorite distro. It used to involve wiping window$ off the drive...and now it involves changing Ubuntu to Kubuntu. I'm still pleased, though, at Ubuntu's prominence.

It's funny, throw windows on a machine and it's just another machine. Throw linux on it and it's a "Developer Edition".

Well, I'm sure it has something to do with Linux's built-in tools, which window$ lacks. And, really, any developer worth their salt is probably using Linux. At least I like to think so.

13" is great for developers on the move. Then you can just plug in a large monitor when you're stationary.

Yes, you're right about that. But despite its name (since I'm not developing anything but bedsores these days), I'd be interested in it, at a higher price-point of course, with a 17"+ screen. I'm so used to my System76 laptop's 17.3" display, I really couldn't/wouldn't want to step back down.

 

[Dngrsone]

The 17.3" display was just a little too big for me-- too hard to find a decent bag for toting it around, heavy, and awkward.

I'm fine with my 15.6" lappy; though I'm sorely tempted to go to a hybrid machine.

 

[GameTheory]

The 17.3" display was just a little too big for me-- too hard to find a decent bag for toting it around, heavy, and awkward.

I'm fine with my 15.6" lappy; though I'm sorely tempted to go to a hybrid machine.

I had a dell studio 17.3" and my experience was identical to yours. Too big!

 

[MoodyBlues]

My situation is different from yours, so I haven't had the need to carry it around. I do have a bag big enough for it, but it's lost somewhere in my closet.

The few times I've picked up the laptop, it didn't feel unusually heavy. But that would likely change if I had to carry it around all day.

 

[palmtree5]

I haven't tried it yet, but from what I've seen it's a nice distro. It's been in the top ten for a while now. Which desktop did you choose?

I've seen a youtuber who's channel is all about Manjaro.

GNOME cause it's what I've generally chosen/used in the past

 

[MoodyBlues]

My how times have changed! Micro$oft wants to bring exFAT to the Linux kernel. They're even publishing its technical specifications for all to see.

This snippet from the article is interesting:

"Microsoft and Linux used to be mortal enemies — and some in the Linux community definitely still think of Microsoft as anti-open source. These days, though, Microsoft has clearly embraced open source and Linux, which is now the most popular operating system on Azure and, optionally, part of Windows 10, thanks to its Windows Subsystem for Linux."

...especially the part in blue.

You all know I'm one who still sees M$ as anti-open source--but if they keep this up, I may have to change my mind!

 

[GameTheory]

My how times have changed! Micro$oft wants to bring exFAT to the Linux kernel. They're even publishing its technical specifications for all to see.

This snippet from the article is interesting:

"Microsoft and Linux used to be mortal enemies — and some in the Linux community definitely still think of Microsoft as anti-open source. These days, though, Microsoft has clearly embraced open source and Linux, which is now the most popular operating system on Azure and, optionally, part of Windows 10, thanks to its Windows Subsystem for Linux."

...especially the part in blue.

You all know I'm one who still sees MS as anti-open source--but if they keep this up, I may have to change my mind!

I'm not OK with MS getting too involved with our wonderful Linux. They have a history of "embrace, extend, and extinguish". This seems to be exactly what they're doing by embracing linux then extending it with exFat and whatever else and finally extinguishing it (or at least they can try).

Linux is clearly dippin into their coin and MS is not known to stand idle. I know there's many places around the world dumping MS for Linux since it's cost effective, I can't imagine MS takes that lightly. I believe some part/s of Italy not long ago switched to ZorinOS.

Don't know. Maybe I'm being over-protective, but MS still hasn't lived down the Steve Ballmer days for me or prior history.

 

[GameTheory]

I'm not OK with MS getting too involved with our wonderful Linux. They have a history of "embrace, extend, and extinguish". This seems to be exactly what they're doing by embracing linux then extending it with exFat and whatever else and finally extinguishing it (or at least they can try).

Linux is clearly dippin into their coin and MS is not known to stand idle. I know there's many places around the world dumping MS for Linux since it's cost effective, I can't imagine MS takes that lightly. I believe some part/s of Italy not long ago switched to ZorinOS.

Don't know. Maybe I'm being over-protective, but MS still hasn't lived down the Steve Ballmer days for me or prior history.

Oh and if MS really wants to help the linux community they should make a linux version of MS Office. This would make linux a true viable solution in a corporate environment. Bet they would never do that.

Ok, I swear my rant is over now.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Ok, I swear my rant is over now.

Oh, by all means, rant away! You've made nothing but good points--and you know *THIS* rabidly anti-M$ person loves reading it.

 

[mikedt]

Oh and if MS really wants to help the linux community they should make a linux version of MS Office. This would make linux a true viable solution in a corporate environment. Bet they would never do that.

Ok, I swear my rant is over now.

FWIW, WPS Office is available for Linux.
https://www.wps.com/linux/

Some of the office PCs are running it in our school.

 

[GameTheory]

FWIW, WPS Office is available for Linux.
https://www.wps.com/linux/

Some of the office PCs are running it in our school.

I was aware of WPS, but I'm not particularly fond of chinese products. I opted for installing MS Office in a virtual machine instead.

To my point though, if MS really wanted to help linux, they would make Office for linux. It's the most widely used and preferred Office in the world.

MS adding exFat support to linux which they're not even making the actual code open source, is not much help considering that exFat support on linux is already excellent.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Elementary OS, a Linux distro I'm not familiar with, has discovered that users are more than happy to pay for it and its app store's apps.

I'd happily pay for my fave, you know, Kubuntu, if they switched to a pay model; meanwhile, I just make sure that I donate regularly.

Where are you on the pay-vs-donate idea? Would you pay for your favorite distro? With Elementary, it's completely optional; payment amounts start at $0.

 

[GameTheory]

Elementary OS, a Linux distro I'm not familiar with, has discovered that users are more than happy to pay for it and its app store's apps.

I'd happily pay for my fave, you know, Kubuntu, if they switched to a pay model; meanwhile, I just make sure that I donate regularly.

Where are you on the pay-vs-donate idea? Would you pay for your favorite distro? With Elementary, it's completely optional; payment amounts start at $0.

ZorinOS has an interesting take on it. They made a couple versions which are free and an ultimate version which is paid.

I don't mind purchasing or donating if I really need it. I donate mostly to android developers because I share their pain. I've also donated to ubuntu since I've only ever used ubuntu or its flavors.

 

[MoodyBlues]

ZorinOS has an interesting take on it. They made a couple versions which are free and an ultimate version which is paid.

I don't mind purchasing or donating if I really need it. I donate mostly to android developers because I share their pain. I've also donated to ubuntu since I've only ever used ubuntu or its flavors.

Yeah, even though I've never written an Android app, my years programming make me appreciate good apps, and as I've said I think talented developers should be rewarded for their work.

I regularly donate to projects/foundations whose products I depend on. That includes...GNOME Foundation! Yes, this ardent KDE-loving, GNOME-hating person regularly donates to GNOME--but for one specific project, the GIMP.

There's a handful of other regulars, including SeaMonkey and Kubuntu, and then there are one-off things as they pop up. I want to do my part to keep software I like, use, and appreciate alive.

In that article I linked to, it said that one little change--'donate' to 'pay what you want'--caused a 10x increase in Elementary's revenue. Nice!

 

[MoodyBlues]

Manjaro Linux just made a massive announcement about its future.

I've never tried Manjaro, but I wish them all the best.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Huawei just started selling laptops with a beautiful Linux OS pre-installed:

"Some of the best and most affordable premium laptops on the market are now shipping with Linux pre-installed. More specifically they’re shipping with Deepin, a beautiful and polished desktop Linux distribution which, like Huawei, are based in China."

Deepin is yet another Linux distribution I'm not familiar with. But it looks nice. And, as the article says:

"It’s also worth noting that all three of these Huawei laptops run any Linux distribution like a dream, not just Deepin."

About the China thing:

"...the distribution is open source and the code is available on GitHub. Politics and privacy stances aside, Deepin is one of the most stunning Linux desktops out there..."

Sounds pretty good to me.

 

[mikedt]

Huawei just started selling laptops with a beautiful Linux OS pre-installed:

"Some of the best and most affordable premium laptops on the market are now shipping with Linux pre-installed. More specifically they’re shipping with Deepin, a beautiful and polished desktop Linux distribution which, like Huawei, are based in China."

Deepin is yet another Linux distribution I'm not familiar with. But it looks nice. And, as the article says:

"It’s also worth noting that all three of these Huawei laptops run any Linux distribution like a dream, not just Deepin."

About the China thing:

"...the distribution is open source and the code is available on GitHub. Politics and privacy stances aside, Deepin is one of the most stunning Linux desktops out there..."

Sounds pretty good to me.

Well I'm very tempted to hit the BUY button now, but it's got to wait till the end of the month.

Of course I'm aware of the "China thing".

 

[MoodyBlues]

Well I'm very tempted to hit the BUY button now, but it's got to wait till the end of the month.

View attachment 144477

Oh, I want to know all about it if you do!

Of course I'm aware of the "China thing".

Yeah, I kind of figured you would be.