Hanno Zulla
Brian
LinuxUser@prime
I know that lovely feeling when you are in control of your OS.
Incident Creator ❎@prime
You just wait for the feeling you get when you start liberating other people's devices for them.
On second thoughts, don't wait.
ticho
boksy
deBaer@prime I was 30 years into my Linux (and Solaris and Darwin and FreeBSD) journey when I started to work for a company where using Outlook, Teams and SharePoint is necessary. As long as Microsoft exists, you can never be safe.
aquarius@deBaer @prime even in such environment using Linux may be an option. Outlook can be replaced by Thunderbird where search actually works, Teams work too if the corporate policies don’t ban using Linux (some do, some don’t). VPN may be a tougher call but I’m seeing some attempts to allow Linux users become first class citizens in corporate environments.
Climate Jenny 2.1@prime I decided to try Linux as experiment on a cheap used laptop, keeping the old Windows machine at the ready in case it didn’t work. I think I may have booted up the Windows machine once since then.
Beko Pharm@ClimateJenny @prime exceptional. most people, that try Linux on a toaster first, set themselves up for disappointment and switch back to their main soon. Especially when that toaser is an old laptop. which usually suck only slightly less than printers 😆
sunweaver
James Tweedie@sunweaver @prime If so, check out these guys...
https://murena.com/smartphones/
Or (diy)
https://e.foundation/e-os/
I've been using a Fairphone 6 for a couple of months. Over a period of 30 days it blocked over 11,000 attempted leaks from trackers in Apps and cookies.
About 60% targeted to Google.
W6KME@prime Isn't that wonderful? I had the same experience; by existing Windows experience was more than enough to find my way in the Linux world with surprisingly little effort.
Walking away from MS and Apple has never been easier. We've been trained to believe we're trapped in their economies. It's not so.
Linda Rose Smit@lindarosesmit @prime I was using Thunderbird before, so it was just a matter of exporting a backup then importing it on the new machine. I also use the web site for Protonmail, so no transfer was needed.
If you're using Outlook, there are some aids to importing into Thunderbird, but I doubt Microsoft will make it easy. First step might be to wean yourself from Outlook, which I did several years ago.
Coach Spore DieselI got laid off last June and converted my personal computer to Debian shortly thereafter. I'm partially afraid of getting hired because I may be required to use Windows again.
Dźwiedziu@springdiesel
You can get somewat far with replacements or cross-platform software, far with Wine/Proton and wrappers (like Bottles), and furthest with VM's.
(OFC depends on the case.)
Also welcome both of you to the Unemployed Fedi Club 🥲
Nazo@prime It's been a little bit harder for me because I'm a gamer and have had to deal with some annoyances, but in the end I just don't ever want to ever go back. Even if Microsoft suddenly realizes what they've done and the way they screwed over every single one of their users and chased away people who used their software for literal decades and makes a Windows 12 that goes back to XP/7 goodness, it's too late. The bridges are all burned. I will never ever trust Microsoft ever again no matter what they do.
Plus the feeling of actually owning my own blasted PC truly is hard to underestimate. No fighting against systems determined to force stuff on me against my will... (Except systemd FFS.)
Ecomate@nazokiyoubinbou @prime I haven’t tried it on Linux yet but it performs very well on other OS’, so you could consider trying the free GeForce Now tier giving you access to lots of games from Steam and other stores
@Webwasp @nazokiyoubinbou I'm going to be ditching my NVIDIA card as soon as I can (as soon as I have income again), and switching to AMD.
@nazokiyoubinbou I too am primarily a gamer, so this was a big part of my hesitation before switching, but Valve has done the damn thing and really made gaming on linux a mainstream-accessible idea.
StarravenI have used Linux before, in an old, bare bones capacity. The only reason I am currently using Windows is gaming.
@starraven Unless you're playing games with anti-cheat that doesn't support Linux, gaming is pretty good now.
Eggs now in different baskets.@starraven @prime I have been running debian based Linuxes since around 2009. Our mac laptops stopped getting MacOSX updates over ten years ago and have been running Linux since then.
I bought a relatively modest gaming PC recently as the junior members of our family now want to play more advanced computer games. It is running LinuxMint 22.
All the Windows Steam games we have tried so far have run perfectly under Steam's Proton compatibility layer.
Which is a pretty impressive achievement.
Phil RudlandLinux even runs Star Citizen.
Robert0
Alex 
OldCoderWork. Some businesses are Windows houses. However, remember, Windows comes with Ubuntu now:
https://linuxvox.com/blog/how-to-enable-wsl-in-linux-windows-11/
This said, Linux has fewer programs for some purposes, but they're free, open source [and so more trustworthy], and sometimes far less limited and locked-in.
#Windows is there to farm you. Moo-oo. #FOSS is there to enable you.
https://linuxvox.com/blog/how-to-enable-wsl-in-linux-windows-11/
This said, Linux has fewer programs for some purposes, but they're free, open source [and so more trustworthy], and sometimes far less limited and locked-in.
#Windows is there to farm you. Moo-oo. #FOSS is there to enable you.
Enabling WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) in Windows 11
The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a remarkable feature in Windows 11 that allows users to run a Linux environment directly on their Windows machines without the need for a virtual machine. This integration provides developers and users with the best of both worlds: the familiarity and tools of the Windows operating system combined with the power and flexibility of Linux. In this blog post, we will explore the fundamental concepts of enabling WSL in Windows 11, its usage methods, common practices, and best practices.
KhleedrilMy most recent employment was for a large firm. It was one of the majors in the oil and gas industry. The company was of course, a Windows house.
I did most of my work in the Windows WSL [aka Ubuntu] subsystem. This allowed me to use my usual Linux scripts and tricks. So, I only needed to pick up some of the Windows software and workflows that the company used.
For example, instead of learning Visio and doing laborious point and click procedures to draw architecture diagrams, I whipped up a Python diagram script framework and used that.
You mentioned Support.
Support per se for essentially anything was largely non-existent. One would open a ticket with an overseas call center. A few months later, one would check and the ticket would still be there. You could open another ticket to request an escalation. That ticket would still be there months later as well.
If you ask, how did things get done, the answer is that it was largely about tribal knowledge.
My favorite story from that company is that I wrote a CLI script for a manager to enable her to do something. The script needed to be stored somewhere formally.
Management convened a team of about a dozen senior people to review the matter. I had to explain what CLI was. What a script was as well and the concept of storing a file.
There was a lot of pushback about, couldn't the company simply use some sort of outside SaaS tool that it could rent from its usual vendors?
The discussion took about two weeks. In the end, a subcommittee was designated to manage the storage of a single file and to keep an eye on it so that it couldn't go rogue. Everybody seemed proud to have worked this out.
It isn't solely about Windows.
Note that #Windows supports its own scripts. PowerShell, not just Linux type. But the culture in some firms has shifted entirely to online #SaaS. Even long-term developers, in some cases, don't know that #CLI even exists. They do things by click, move mouse, click, move mouse. It's incredibly slow.
I did most of my work in the Windows WSL [aka Ubuntu] subsystem. This allowed me to use my usual Linux scripts and tricks. So, I only needed to pick up some of the Windows software and workflows that the company used.
For example, instead of learning Visio and doing laborious point and click procedures to draw architecture diagrams, I whipped up a Python diagram script framework and used that.
You mentioned Support.
Support per se for essentially anything was largely non-existent. One would open a ticket with an overseas call center. A few months later, one would check and the ticket would still be there. You could open another ticket to request an escalation. That ticket would still be there months later as well.
If you ask, how did things get done, the answer is that it was largely about tribal knowledge.
My favorite story from that company is that I wrote a CLI script for a manager to enable her to do something. The script needed to be stored somewhere formally.
Management convened a team of about a dozen senior people to review the matter. I had to explain what CLI was. What a script was as well and the concept of storing a file.
There was a lot of pushback about, couldn't the company simply use some sort of outside SaaS tool that it could rent from its usual vendors?
The discussion took about two weeks. In the end, a subcommittee was designated to manage the storage of a single file and to keep an eye on it so that it couldn't go rogue. Everybody seemed proud to have worked this out.
It isn't solely about Windows.
Note that #Windows supports its own scripts. PowerShell, not just Linux type. But the culture in some firms has shifted entirely to online #SaaS. Even long-term developers, in some cases, don't know that #CLI even exists. They do things by click, move mouse, click, move mouse. It's incredibly slow.
Deborah Preuss, pcc 🇨🇦
Zeki Çatav 🤔 ☕ 🕯️🎶
Deep Pandya@prime Nice
you can share your #freedomladder like https://deep-pandya.codeberg.page/freedom-ladder.html
c. just c.@prime Same here! Also, the sheer joy of having a computer that starts up in under 30 seconds.
Lyrial@prime Welcome! I've been using Linux as a daily driver for years now. There's a few applications that just up to par yet (in my experience CAD/CAM things - but there's more).
No matter your distro, the Arch Wiki (https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Main_page) is amazing for reference, no matter the issue.
No matter your distro, the Arch Wiki (https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Main_page) is amazing for reference, no matter the issue.
Koen Hufkens, PhD@prime Correct observation. Have fun!
Mike Torr
Open Risk
Janneke@prime
Just in case you were one of those people who always thought switching to GNU/Linux would be impossible, or even if you just had some minor hesitations, would you like to consider writing a blog about what shifted your perspective and how it happened?
I suspect still being able to have a feel for how it was to be a Microsoft user, you may be able to inspire others who feel that they're stuck in/imprisoned by Microsoft.
Attilax@prime Out of curiosity are there things that you did under Windows that you now do on an Android/iOS smartphone? Such as IM?
I am going to ditch my WhatsApp account soon and in preparation have switched family members over to Wire.
Wire, while it does have smartphone apps it also offers desktop clients and a website version that offer full functionality (including video chat) under Linux.
Whereas most other messaging apps, secure or otherwise require you to have a smartphone.
@the_wub I use Signal, and most of the people I am closest to use Signal as well. Works fine on the desktop, has a fully-supported native Linux client, and I use it on my Android phone as well.
@prime 1/2 You have to first install Signal on an Android phone or an iPhone.
Then you can install the linux client on your PC and you have to link it to Signal on your smartphone.
(A Wire account can be created and used with just a web browser and an email address. No phone needed.)
"To use the Signal desktop app, Signal must first be installed on your phone.
Source:
@prime 2/2 If you delete Signal from your smartphone then the Linux client will stop working.
"Deleting Signal from your phone will cause your Linux client to stop working because the Linux client depends on the primary phone device being active and connected to the Signal service. Without the phone, the linked Linux client cannot function properly."
Wire does not have this dependency.
ehtron 
🖥️🚲
@ehtron @prime I expect to be alive and needing to communicate with other people for longer than three months.*
Most other secure IM systems have such a dependency. You have to have a phone with the app installed.
The only ones I know of that do not have such dependencies are Session and Wire.
*Although the way that the Orange Skinned Friend of Epstein is carrying on it is not a given that any of us will be here in three months time.
@ehtron @prime Aber ich habe keine Android Handy das ik kan gebrauchen.
Es ist zu alt, ohne Sicherheitsupdates seit drei Jahr.
Ich wil keine neues Handy kaufen. Ich wil keine Google und keine Apple mehr gebrauchen.
Wire IM (Die Schweiz/Deutschland) und Session gibts es möglichkeiten um zu chatten ohne Handy.
R
OldGeek