Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Thoughts on Linux

I’ve been test-driving a few Linux operating systems (OS) out of curiosity. You all know I’m a proponent of Linux. I absolutely know that 99% of you non-business computer users could switch to Linux and do everything you do now, and do it simpler, faster, and with fewer headaches. More importantly, with far fewer system issues, no spying on your use, no ad tracking, and no surrendering control of your computer to Microsoft.

So...here are my thoughts on three Linus OS for when you’ve finally had enough of Big Brother’s tyranny.

If your computer originally ran Windows 7, look at Zorin 16 Core. Chances are, you might not even know you’d switched to something new except that your machine will run a lot faster and have a whole lot of hard disk space left over. All the basics programs you need are there, from Firefox to Libre Office, plus an email client, utilities, maps, weather, photo manager and editor, calendar, contacts, video and audio players, basic games, and more. Plus a software store where you can find whatever you need to replace most of the bloated Windows programs you use now. Zorin is clean, elegant-looking, and familiar. It’s a great way to transition to Linux. ZORIN

If your computer came with W10, you should by all means look at Linux Mint Cinnamon. The current version is 20.3. It includes everything in Zorin noted above, and lots more. There’s even an app that allows you to watch streaming TV and movies. It’s a Cadillac but it still takes up less disk space and memory than Windows. Again, you’ll feel right at home switching from 10 to Mint. Things are where you expect them, run like you’d expect, and do everything you want. It’s my favorite. MINT

Then there’s MX Linux. This is a mid-weight program that is simply stunningly beautiful. It will not be as familiar to Windows users and is probably not the best choice for a true newbie to Linux, but it is an amazing OS. Give your self a year or so learning Linux before you tackle this one, but when you’re ready, give it a test drive. MX

Now here’s good news: You can test drive any of these (or hundreds more!) at a website called DistroTest. Go there and select an OS. It will load and you can explore it for 30 minutes absolutely free. The OS won’t run as fast or as smoothly as if it were installed on your box, but most functions work. You’ll get to see and actually use the OS of your choice. DISTRO TEST

Zorin and Mint websites have complete installation instructions, from how to create a bootable USB stick with the OS of your choice, to how to test drive the OS in live mode or actually install it. There’s nothing to lose and no risk.

Tag.

Might be the trick for an old slow machine.

I thought this was going to be about the Peanuts comic strip

Yup. Especially Zorin. I'm running it on a laptop that was Windows answer to Chromebooks. It has 4 gigs of memory but only 64 gigs of disk space. Installed, Zorin 16 Core uses less than 12 gigs of disk space and purrs along using under a gig of RAM. And it's lightning fast.

A distro called Linux Lite uses so little resources that I swear it would run on a flashlight - yet it provides internet browsing, an Office suite, and lots more.

Why fool with all that? Just buy an iMax and never look back.

And be saddled with Apple's intrusive monitoring of everything you do, the inability to install anything they don't approve of, and pay through the nose to get anything? Linux is free, private, secure, and does everything most users need.

I just bought a 12-yo Dell laptop with crude resources fro under a hundred dollars. It runs every Linux OS I've loaded (four so far) and runs like a scalded cat.

Thanks, very clear explanation.

Pardon my total ignorance, if a neophyte were to start from scratch, buy a clean new laptop, take it to a techie and have them load Zorin (I was sold the second you mentioned windows 7 similarity)....what laptop would you recommend? The only things I do are, email, internet browsing, an occasional pdf download and print, google earth pro, infrequent ebay and craigslist sales, and a few photos. Keep in mind, I was on a party line just a few years ago, was happy with the bag phone, challenged with the flip phone, and lost with a smartphone. I went to the community college for a beginners/dummy course and the female instructor instantly hated and ridiculed me (I get that a lot) and I dropped out after 2 classes. And there I be.

Damn near any laptop will load and run Zorin, Flint. Get a rufurbed laptop (anything but a Chromebook) with or without an operating system. Your techie guy can install Zorin in half an hour.

Its my understanding that they have the internet on computers now

Thanks Rocky...done deal...the next you hear from me will be a post describing the results of the 9.3, 286 gr H Mantles repeatedly impacting a Chrome laptop. No, it may not be a moose, but I bet it will kill this worthless sonofabitch with it's Pravda program that redirects every political fact search to DNC headquarters.

That’s right, Homer.

I hear ya. I have a Chromebook that I use for travel, because there's no personal data stored on it - and because it's cheap enough to be a throwaway if it's stolen. But I hate using Google or Chrome. Now that I have the Zorin machine, I may just powerwash the Chromebook and give it to the thrift store.

You could do the same, BTW. There's a Powerwash option on Chromebooks that sets everything back to factory and deletes everything of your info. Some poor kid might be delighted to get it.

If you want complete anonymity download Tails, make a bootable USB drive with it and enjoy complete freedom from snooping.

Built a NAS with Linux Lite, its been running for a couple years. They include a very simple to use SAMBA file sharing template that's perfect for a simple cheap home file server.

Cloned a win10 box with a failing HDD yesterday. Micro$oft sucks and HP sucks right along with them. I thought I had been set free of them after I retired but family insists on abusing my good will by dropping off screwed up computers.

Been running Manjaro on an older thinkpad.

Works well.

I don’t run any specialized programs, that seems to be the hiccup for some swapping from windows.

Been using Linux since 2001 or thereabouts. Was Ubuntu up until last year when you (RR) induced me to try Mint. I set that up as dual boot and use Mint 99% of the time. There are a few files that I need on rare occasion and haven't brought them over to the Mint partition, so I go back to Ubuntu to use them.
RB

That's true, but it might be a bit beyond a lot of folk's abilities. I haven't explored it yet, but isn't Tails an Arch-based OS? If so, it's probably a booger to install.

The OS I recommend are either Ubuntu or Debian based and have very simple installation tracks. Arch is for geeks.

tag

Dave, the only thing that kept me from switching to Linux was my absolute desire to use Quicken. I couldn't get an older version of Ubuntu to run it even with the Wine translator of the time. Then, years later, along came Mint. Ta Daaa! Updated Wine ran it perfectly. The only two Windows programs I use now are Quicken and Starr Envelope Printer. Wine and Mint run them just fine. I will never go back.

There are only two areas where Linux is not optimal: running certain Windows programs, and running high-resource games. There are translators for both, such as Wine and Steam, but neither of them run everything. Some things are just too "Windows specific" to carry over. I'm speaking here of non-business apps. Many programs like CAD/CAM and such can't be run on Linux no matter what, and so far there are no free and open source alternatives.

But home users can do almost everything they did before. Maybe with different software, but the important thing is that you can do the job, not whose tool you use to do it. Graphic design, 3D modelling, video and audio editing, photo editing, spreadsheets, writing, and more are either built in or easily installed in Linux.