Saif Madadha

Can someone please tell me of their experience as an academic, specifically social sciences, using #Linux distros? Along with #FOSS? Im curious to know if people were satisfied with this combination for several years.

#Linux_Mint #Foss #opensource #academic #academia #socialscience #humanities #research #software

Jun 24 at 6:39pmWeb
Show threadYaqub. M1d ago
@Saifmadadha25 I use arch, libreoffice plus zotero along with other tools, Its minimalist and does the job
Show threadPeter Vennemann1d ago
@Saifmadadha25 Hi, I am using solely Linux since 2002 in academics. I would never change to MS Windows. Linux is fast, full of very productive tools, there is no hassle with licenses, vendor lock-in, exploding cots, intransparent data use and so on. I am an engineer, but I do not see any trouble in social sciences. LibreOffice offers higher compatibility to MS office documents than MS 365 Web-Apps, you can use the R programming language, which is wide spread in social sciences, and much more.
Show threadEdTheDev1d ago

@Saifmadadha25 I use Linux full time in an academic environment.

All of our web collaboration tools work the same on Linux Mint as on MacOS or Windows. I've had no issues with Google Docs, Box Notes, Microsoft 365, Teams, Zoom.

CrowdStrike was easy to install and protects me quietly from the system tray.

Most of these provide native Linux apps as .deb installers. Just like on Windows or Mac, many apps don't have enough additional features for me to bother to use them instead of their website.

Soemtimes someone asks if I can send them something as a Microsoft specific closed document format.

I actually create Microsoft closed files through Office 365, but I'll ask first if they can use the PDF I already generated.

My PDF files are open format inside and accessible, so I've never been asked to do the conversion. I think folks just copy out what they need.

And, of course, for some more sciency things - like various Python scripts - Linux gives me access to the premier version, instead of an emulator, container or port.

Overall 10/10. I'm glad I switched to Linux Mint at the end of life of Windows 10.