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MakeUseOf and XDA on Desktop/Laptop GNU/Linux
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Make Use Of ☛ I Made the Switch to Linux—These Surprises Caught Me Off Guard
Whether it's bringing a dead PC to life or getting rid of Windows, there are now more reasons than ever to switch to Linux. However, the switch does come with surprises that can catch you off guard, just like they did for me.
5 Troubleshooting Issues Is Vastly Different
If you're used to Windows' troubleshooter tools and overall point-and-click approach to troubleshooting, fixing issues in Linux will feel much different. Perhaps for the first time, you'll be forced to read through log files and command-line outputs to figure out what's going on.
When something breaks in Linux, the system logs (generally found in /var/log/) will usually tell you exactly what went wrong and where. These error messages are also far more detailed than the confusing error codes that Windows throws at your face.
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XDA ☛ I didn't like ChromeOS Flex, and I prefer this Linux distro to revive an old laptop
Not too long ago, my colleague Chandraveer Mathur wrote about how he preferred to ditch Windows for ChromeOS Flex over switching to a more typical Linux distribution. That article sparked a lot of... opposition in the comment section, and while I understand his position, I'm also on the other side of the fence on this topic. There are tons of Linux-based operating systems out there, and I would rather choose one of them than switch to ChromeOS Flex.
Specifically, I recently went hands-on with Zorin OS, an Ubuntu-based distro that offers a few options for customizing your desktop out of the box, making it feel a bit more like Windows, while having some of the modern design elements of ChromeOS and other alternatives. Here's why Zorin OS is a great option for reviving your old PC.
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XDA ☛ 4 simple things I did to customize my Linux desktop
From their privacy-first design and secure roots to their resource-efficient nature, Linux distributions offer plenty of neat perks compared to Windows and macOS. That’s before you consider the endless customizability offered by Linux systems, with most general-purpose distros letting you modify practically every aspect of their UI, be it the desktop environment, dock, or even the terminal interface.
That said, you don’t need to spend hours just to beautify your favorite distro. Sure, window managers (especially those of the tiling variety) and compositors can make even the most unimpressive distributions stand out. But there are just as many quick and easy ways to fine-tune the Linux interface to your liking.
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XDA ☛ I tried this secure and privacy-first OS that runs inside a VM
In an age where malware runs rampant and online privacy is hard to achieve, it’s a good idea to set up multiple levels of security on your daily driver. Although Windows is far from secure, certain operating systems are built specifically to provide top-notch security and privacy. There’s Tails OS, which relies on the Tor network and is meant to be run via a flash drive, while Qubes OS relies heavily on virtualization to offer greater security.
Then there’s Whonix, which not only offers certain novelty features like the aforementioned distros, but also does something completely different. Rather than a dedicated operating system that requires barebones installation, Whonix is meant to be run inside a virtualized environment. As outlandish as it may sound, Whonix works surprisingly well, and here’s everything I’ve learned after experimenting with the quirky OS.
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XDA ☛ 5 operating systems that can revive your ancient laptop
Tech obsolescence is a major issue for computing enthusiasts, as even the most expensive system you can buy today will be surpassed by new components in a few years' time. And then there’s the OS side of things, like Microsoft’s plans to cease updates for Windows 10 later this year.
Luckily, there are plenty of cool operating systems out in the wild that are purposefully built to grant old PCs and laptops a new life. In fact, I’ve been testing different operating systems to revitalize my Lenovo G510 and Acer Predator Helios 300 laptops for the last couple of weeks, and here are the best ones I’ve found so far.