A Primer On Linux For Non Computer Nerds

A primer on Linux for non computer nerds

What is Linux?

Linux is an operating system, like Microsoft Windows or Mac OS. Specifically, Linux is free open source software, as opposed to private software sold and developed by a corporation like Microsoft or Apple.

Why would I want to use Linux?

Windows and Mac OS (but especially Windows) are including more and more bloatware as of late - software that takes up space on your computer and may use computing resources that can't easily be turned off or deleted.

In addition to being free of the anti-user practices that have become the norm on Windows and Mac OS, Linux has other advantages, like not requiring antivirus software (as a consequence of its design decisions and its relatively low usage, comparatively).

As a result, lightweight Linux distributions are often used to resuscitate old computers that have become too slow to use on other operating systems.

It should be noted here that for any aspiring computer nerds reading this, Linux has a lot of other advantages in terms of the customization it offers and the tools it encourages you to use, but that's not as relevant to your average user.

Why shouldn't I use Linux?

There are two main drawbacks. First, the smaller userbase means software companies are less likely to develop with Linux in mind. This is especially notable for gaming, which is generally considered better on Windows than any other OS.

If you have specific software you want or need to run, you should check in advance if it can run on Linux, or if an equally good open source alternative exists. Linux developers are working hard on this and have made great strides in recent years, and personally I've been running games on max settings (4k display) with high FPS and no issues on Linux.

Second, Linux is more work to install and run. On a user-friendly distribution, it should be pretty easy for anyone who is comfortable using google to look up solutions to computer problems, but if computer problems are especially anxiety-provoking or stressful for you, you may be better off sticking with your current OS.

What's a distribution?

Linux is an umbrella term for free open source operating systems that use the same "core" (the Linux kernel). Each Linux distribution has different features.

Which distribution should I use?

Linux Mint. Specifically, the Cinnamon edition, unless you're trying to revive an old computer, in which case you may prefer the more stripped-down MATE or Xfce editions.

For computer nerds, this is a hard decision, and there are lots of arguments on the internet about it. But if you're looking for a distro that prioritizes easy, intuitive installation and use, reliability, stability, and community troubleshooting resources, the consensus pick seems to be Linux Mint by a mile.

To make the switch, you'll need a USB drive with at least 4 GB of space and another device to search for troubleshooting advice/view a guide. After that, follow the advice on the Mint website, or look up any of the myriad tutorials online (there are plenty of video tutorials on Youtube, for ex).

Advice for the switch

If you're switching your OS on a machine you've used for a long time, be sure to back up your files beforehand, and don't switch on a machine that you need to be perfectly functional in the near future, like a work computer. Odds are very good that everything will go smoothly, but you shouldn't count on that.

Make sure that you have another device with internet access (I used my phone) to google troubleshooting advice in case anything goes wrong.

WiFi in Linux Mint doesn't work always work out of the box - the driver manager will get it working for you, but it often needs to be connected to the internet to do so. There are two main ways to connect without WiFi - connecting directly to your router (ethernet) or sharing your smartphone's WiFi (USB tethering). If these are unfamiliar concepts, there are plenty of online resources easily found on google that explain both.

Fellow computer nerds: if there's anything you think I should add or change, let me know in the replies/reblogs.

I also had a weird issue where the driver manager told me I had no updates left, despite my drivers clearly not working. The solution to this was restarting not once but twice - after that everything worked like a charm. Remember the golden rule of computer troubleshooting: try turning it off and on again.

EDIT: Did this again with a friend, the actual solution that works here is updating the kernel to the latest version. Open the update manager, go to View -> Linux Kernels, and install the latest one.

I have … a tip.

If you’re writing something that involves an aspect of life that you have not experienced, you obviously have to do research on it. You have to find other examples of it in order to accurately incorporate it into your story realistically.

But don’t just look at professional write ups. Don’t stop at wikepedia or webMD. Look up first person accounts.

I wrote a fic once where a character has frequent seizures. Naturally, I was all over the wikipedia page for seizures, the related pages, other medical websites, etc.

But I also looked at Yahoo asks where people where asking more obscure questions, sometimes asked by people who were experiencing seizures, sometimes answered by people who have had seizures.

I looked to YouTube. Found a few individual videos of people detailing how their seizures usually played out. So found a few channels that were mostly dedicated to displaying the daily habits of someone who was epileptic.

I looked at blogs and articles written by people who have had seizures regularly for as long as they can remember. But I also read the frantic posts from people who were newly diagnosed or had only had one and were worried about another.

When I wrote that fic, I got a comment from someone saying that I had touched upon aspects of movement disorders that they had never seen portrayed in media and that they had found representation in my art that they just never had before. And I think it’s because of the details. The little things.

The wiki page for seizures tells you the technicalities of it all, the terminology. It tells you what can cause them and what the symptoms are. It tells you how to deal with them, how to prevent them.

But it doesn’t tell you how some people with seizures are wary of holding sharp objects or hot liquids. It doesn’t tell you how epileptics feel when they’ve just found out that they’re prone to fits. It doesn’t tell you how their friends and family react to the news.

This applies to any and all writing. And any and all subjects. Disabilities. Sexualities. Ethnicities. Cultures. Professions. Hobbies. Traumas. If you haven’t experienced something first hand, talk to people that have. Listen to people that have. Don’t stop at the scholarly sources. They don’t always have all that you need.

dam…….. that website “you feel like shit” (it’s like a questionnaire / troubleshooting guide for when you feel like shit) really works………………….. im not even all the way thru it and i even half-assed a lot of the suggestions and i already feel loads better

I had one of my comments removed from the r/pcmasterrace subreddit for breaking a rule that's not even listed on their ruleset and you have to go to an entirely separate website to view the full version (including the one I broke), so I'm going to post this shit here: NEVER FUCKING PAY FOR WINDOWS. EVER. Never buy it from Microsoft and never buy a cheap activation key from a shoddy website.

when you install windows, if the option shows up, select the 'pro' edition and skip entering the product key. once you're finished installing and booted into the system, open powershell and run:

irm https://massgrave.dev/get | iex

that command will download and run the microsoft activation scripts runner, which activates your Windows installation for free, without Microsoft ever knowing. they cannot revoke your self registered keys, and you get shit like group policy editor for free. you can also use it to freely activate Microsoft Office.

here's some other tools I use to make windows installations at least somewhat useable:

Chris Titus's WinUtil script: powershell script that can be run to quickly debloat, customize, and optimize a windows installation. disables useless bloat and lets you install a selection of useful software, as well as perform a number of optimizations to improve system responsiveness and privacy. free and open source.

WingetUI: a powerful UI package manager for installing packages via Winget, Chocolatey, Pip, NPM, and other sources. available via Winget (SomePythonThings.WingetUIStore) or WinUtil

WizTree: disk space analyzer to determine what's consuming the most space on your hard drive. displays the results in a list view as well as a visual block-based view. incredibly fast and easy to use. available via Winget (AntibodySoftware.WizTree) or WinUtil

SysInternals: a set of diagnostic tools and utilities that allow you to poke around at the components of the operating system, useful for all sorts of things. namely, process explorer allows you to figure out what's using a file or device. available via Winget (sysinternals) or WinUtil

7zip: file archive manager supporting almost all compression types. available via Winget (7zip.7zip) or WinUtil

WinSCP and PuTTY: SCP/SFTP and SSH/Telnet clients for Windows, with intuitive GUIs. available via Winget (WinSCP.WinSCP, PuTTY.PuTTY) or WinUtil

CPUID CPU-Z and TechPowerUp GPU-Z: hardware identification apps that allow you to view the stats and specs of your CPU, GPU, memory, and motherboard. available via Winget (CPUID.CPU-Z, TechPowerUp.GPU-Z) or WinUtil

CrystalDiskMark and CrystalDiskInfo: hard disk drive / solid state drive benchmarking and health check software. available via Winget (CrystalDewWorld.CrystalDiskMark, CrystalDewWorld.CrystalDiskInfo)

VirtualBox: virtual machine software that's highly user friendly, makes it super easy to run old software or isolate a program from the host system. available via Winget (Oracle.VirtualBox)

VLC Media Player: media player supporting playback from files, from disk devices, and from network streams. supports all codecs and highly configurable. available via Winget (VideoLAN.VLC) or WinUtil. fully free and open source.

Windows Terminal: a tab-based terminal emulator for easier multitasking in the terminal. integration with Powershell, CMD, visual studio developer powershell, and windows subsystem for linux. available via Winget (Microsoft.WindowsTerminal) or WinUtil

this concludes my software recommendations. also when you install windows be sure to turn off the following services: BITS (Background Intelligent Transfer Service), and DiagTrack (Connected User Experiences And Telemetry). also make sure you disable cortana.

FAQ: Q: Activating paid products for free? isn't that piracy? A: suck my fucking tits this concludes the FAQ. no further questions

things i wish i had known when i escaped my family household and couldn't ask my parents for help

invest in a good mattress early on. there are many other ends you can save on - sleep is not one of them. this is key to how much energy you'll have throughout the day

you don't need a bedframe but you do need a slatted bed base (even if it's just pallets)

opening a bank account is easy

there's youtube tutorials for everything. how to install your washing machine, how to use tools, fixing stuff around the place. channels like dad, how do i? are a godsend

change energy provider as soon as your old deal runs out. you'll get better offers elsewhere and avoid price gouging

assemble a basic first aid kid at home: painkillers, probiotics, alcohol wipes, bandages, tweezers, antihistamine tablets - anything you might need in a pinch

and an emergency toolkit: flashlight, extra batteries, a utility knife, an adjustable wrench, multi-tool, duct tape

set your fridge to the lowest temperature it can go. the energy consumption is minimal in difference and it'll give you +4/7 days on most foods

off-brand products are almost always the same in quality and taste, if not better, for half the price

coupons will save you a lot of money in the long run

there's no reason to be shy around employees at the bank/laundromat/store; most people will be happy to help

vegetarian diets are generally cheap if you make food from scratch

breakfast is as important as they say

keep track of your budget in a notebook or excel file - e.g. rent, phone and internet bills, food, leisure so you'll have an overlook on your spending over the months

don't gamble

piracy is okay

stealing from big stores and chains is also ethically okay

keep medical bills and pharmacy receipts for tax returns

also, file your tax returns early

take up a hobby that isn't in front of a screen. pottery, music, going for a run every now and then, stuff that'll keep you busy and sane

and most importantly... you're allowed to get the stuff you want. treat yourself to the occasional mundane thing. a good scented candle. a bath bomb. that body lotion that makes you feel like royalty. the good coffee beans.

you're free and you deserve to be happy.

for the past few years i’ve had a personal rule that i do not sign anything i haven’t read - mostly because i genuinely think it’s a good idea, but also as a kind of social experiment - and i wanna share some observations

when i worked at an amusement park, i was one of like two or three people in a group of around twenty young adults who read the employment contract

i gave up on reading every TOS and privacy policy early on - now i only read them if it’s a website or company i’ll be giving personal information to (and even then i only skim them) - but i’ve never found anything super suspect in one

i also have an exception for when i’m made to feel like i’d be an asshole for stopping to read something. notable examples of this going into effect include the patient-intake paperwork at the ER when i went in a few months ago. (i really wish i’d just gone ahead and been the asshole in that situation, even though i have no reason to think there was anything bad in it)

i think the only time i was the only one to read something that the people who gave it to us actually wanted us to read was the waiver at a cat café, which included a lot of safety information about how to interact with the cats

one time i was approached by a guy with a petition who told me it was an anti-fracking petition (which was a real petition that was going around at the time), but the paper he handed me was a petition to instate a “citizenship requirement” for voting. i pointed this out to him and he tried to convince me that even though that’s what it said, it’s not really what my signature meant, and then named the university he graduated from as though it gave him some level of extra credibility??

i have more than once been given a HIPPA form at a doctor’s office where my signature certifies that i’ve been offered a copy of their privacy practices, when i had not, in fact, been offered a copy of their privacy practices. the last time this happened, the receptionist didn’t actually have a copy of their privacy practices, and had to get me to me sign it several days later once she got a copy from her manager

99% of people are very accommodating when you tell them “i want to read this before i sign it,” but it’s never what they’re expecting

on a related note, if someone thinks it’s important that you know what’s in something they’re giving you to sign, they won’t wait for you to read it - they’ll go through, point to each section, and tell you what it says. this is what happened when i signed my lease, and it’s actually a pretty common instance of using my asshole exception, because then i feel like i’m calling the person a liar if i stop to read it myself

the moral of the story is… like… we treat a signature like it’s the absolute most surefire way of saying “yes i understand this and agree to it,” but in practice there’s not even a pretense that a signature means you’ve READ whatever you’re signing. in fact, handing someone a piece of paper and saying “sign here” is one of the LEAST effective ways to make sure they understand and agree to something, and PEOPLE KNOW THIS, and we do it ANYWAY because what else are we gonna do? notarize it??

i don’t have a solution but like. that’s kinda fucked up, you know?