Recent Articles From Valnet About GNU/Linux and Free Software

posted by Roy Schestowitz on Nov 22, 2025

• GNU/Linux

  • XDA ☛ 5 pitfalls I fell for when moving from Windows to Linux

    Moving from Windows to Linux wasn't as difficult as I first thought, but that doesn't mean it was smooth sailing. In fact, there were a few things I never had to worry about in Windows that became pretty important when using Linux, and the only way I learned that I wasn't paying attention to those elements was when it was far too late. But hey, that's just part of the learning process, and getting myself properly set up felt really good once I had some notches on my belt.

    That being said, there's no reason why you can't learn some of the basics now if you're planning to make the jump. So, here are some errors I made when swapping from Windows to Linux.

  • HowTo Geek ☛ New to Linux? Choosing your first distro is easy with this list

    Choosing your first Linux distro can be a daunting experience. Ask the community where you should start, and you’ll get ten different answers. If you know what to look for in a Linux distro, then you'll be able to choose on your own. The key is to do a little research and understand what actually matters when you’re starting. Your first Linux experience depends less on the distro's name and more on a handful of practical things I'm going to cover here.

    The truth is, not every Linux distribution is built with beginners in mind, and that’s perfectly okay. Each one has a different philosophy and audience. Let's explore these factors to help you identify a distro that not only works for you today, but also supports you long-term in your Linux journey.

  • Compatibility or Packaging

    • HowTo Geek ☛ The Homebrew package manager just got a big update

      It’s also supports Linux systems, though, which can be helpful for packages you want isolated from your primary system or other edge cases.

  • Games

    • HowTo Geek ☛ The new Steam Machine looks great, but there's one big problem (and it's not the price)

      Although it was pretty much only a rumor for the longest time, a new Steam Machine from Valve is now a cold hard fact. Valve announced its new SteamOS-powered gaming PC on the 12th of November 2025, and it looks like we're about to see another Steam Deck-level market disruption.

      The Steam Machine is almost everything we hoped

      Valve had tried the Steam Machine concept years ago, but it failed for a few main reasons. For one, the hardware was too expensive and too underpowered, and Valve relied on third-party companies to make their own take on Steam Machines, based on reference specifications. Second, barely any games ran on that early version of SteamOS.

• Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

  • HowTo Geek ☛ These open-source DNS tools block annoyances and speed up your browsing

    Most people don’t think about DNS at all. I know I didn’t, at least not until I started running into those little internet headaches that never quite go away. You know the ones I'm talking about, pages that hang for a second before loading, apps that stall when they try to reach the internet, or smart home gadgets acting like they're waking up from a long nap. A lot of that slow, messy behavior can be traced back to DNS, the quiet system your devices rely upon to look up every site and service. When your ISP’s DNS is slow, unreliable, or quietly gathering more data than you realize, you'll likely feel it even if you're not sure why.

    Open-source DNS tools can help fix that. You do not need to be a networking expert to use them, and many people notice improvements right away. They can speed up lookups, improve privacy, reduce tracking, and help you get a clearer picture of what is actually leaving your network. Some tools even let you block junk domains before they ever reach your devices. Whether you want faster browsing, more control, or a cleaner and more reliable home network, these tools are worth exploring. Here are the ones that stand out.

  • HowTo Geek ☛ Why open source isn’t free (and never was)

    Open source software is a vital part of modern computing; it’s involved in much of the software we use every day. But is it too good to be true, and is it really free, in either sense of the word?

    Open source software licensing

    First and foremost, open source licenses are about individual freedom. In contrast to closed—or proprietary—source programs, open source programs guarantee that you can view their source code, modify it, and redistribute it to others.

    The concept of open source goes back a long way, although the name is a bit more recent. In the early 70s, with the creation of the internet, software was often distributed among peers via Usenet and bulletin boards. As home computing took off in the 80s and 90s, a range of models developed, from pre-boxed, paid software to shareware, freeware, and public domain.