Linux Minty Freshness

Years ago I played around with Ubuntu and other Linux distributions. Ubuntu is easily the most popular Linux distribution and probably the best option for those moving from more user-friendly operating systems like Windows and Mac. However, that statement comes with a few asterisks***. First of all, no current Linux distribution is as user-friendly as Windows or Mac. Period. If you migrate to Linux, you will have to compromise some comfort and familiarity. You will also have to learn at least a few nerdy things you would otherwise prefer to avoid if you are a mainstream PC or Mac user.

That said, Linux is not a total cryptic nerdy nightmare... unless you are averse to typing command lines, then yes it's basically a nightmare. Good news is, as with most things these days, AI to the rescue! Ugh, I hate saying that, but it's true in this case. I have spent more time asking AI to help me set up various programs on Linux than I care to admit. Sadly, many Linux programs are not easy one-click installs like on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android. There are app stores (repositories, whatever) available, but finding the app you are looking for within those graphical installers is hit-or-miss at best. Plus, there are a stupid number of ways to install on Linux - app stores, sudo-apt-ish command line junk, Flatpak, AppImage, deb files, build from source (nightmare), and more!

A couple weeks ago I decided to take the plunge into Linux. There was a lot that went into my decision. I'll try to outline some of the reasons here, but I'll be neither concise nor complete.

The primary reason I switched to Linux is the concerning news about AI integration into both Windows and Mac. As most people know by now, big tech companies are pushing very hard to get AI installed natively on every device and OS in the world (and eventually chips in people's heads... not joking). The reason is obvious: information collection and surveillance, control. Governments and "the Deep State" have a hand in this as well, because of course they will require a backdoor into this information collection system. This is widely documented, not alarmist speculation or "conspiracy theory." I'll not cite sources for brevity, but you've probably heard politicians and tech CEOs boasting about their ability to watch, track and analyze every action we take. AI plays a big part in this ongoing effort and will score an information boon for the elitist clowns that run the world. This is why they love it when people are into gadgets. Information is power, and as we enjoy conveniences, freedoms and privacy are also eroded in the background.

For the moment, Linux is the only option for those who don't wish to have artificial intelligence watching their every move. Google, Apple, Microsoft (and all the big tech social media companies) track everything we do on the internet and on our computers and devices. How they use this information or who they sell it to via advertisements, partnerships, contracts and government demands... no one will ever know. Is this also happening on Linux? To be honest, probably. But the Linux culture is the best option for humanity today. Tomorrow, perhaps Linux will also bend the knee and install AI back-ends in the kernel and within every popular distribution. If they don't do that, I'd be pleasantly surprised. Pretty soon it won't even be possible to buy hardware without AI chips included, so I'm not sure the choice of operating system will make much difference for information privacy or freedom concerns. Maybe independent hardware manufacturers will experience a much-needed rise in prominence. Straight to the point: if all the big tech companies suddenly go bankrupt and disappear, the world will be a better place for all mankind.

I'll spare the boring details, but it has been a whirlwind of nutty tech wizardry over the last couple weeks to get Linux Mint running. I chose against Ubuntu mainly for these reasons:

• Ubuntu was bought out by a dumb corporation that doesn't have the best interests of the open source community in mind, nor do they care about stuff like privacy and freedom.
• By default Ubuntu uses the Gnome interface which is 100% garbage and not a good migration experience from familiar Windows or Mac. Watching videos about it made me question the sanity of the UI designers. Putrid. Unintuitive.
  
• Ubuntu is the most bloated Linux distribution of all of the dozens if not hundreds of options. So if lean, fast experiences on older hardware are desirable, Ubuntu is the worst choice.

Ubuntu arguably has the best software and hardware support, so it's not without benefits. Your printer, other device, or app of choice will likely be slightly less nightmarish to install on Ubuntu than other Linux distributions - maybe. For me, Linux Mint was a good compromise. Slightly less corporate dictation, but just about as widely supported as Ubuntu. Ironically, it's built on top of Ubuntu, which is built on top of Debian... the Linux hierarchy is confusing. So Mint benefits from the groundwork that has already been laid by other fine distros. Most things will generally just work... but with some mega-nerdy grunt-work and head-slamming-into-wall-shouting-at-the-screen. If you just browse the internet or edit documents, you'll not miss out on anything by switching.

Another reason I chose Linux Mint is that it is far more beautiful and intuitive than Ubuntu. No contest in my opinion. No cryptic menu and giant ugly icon interface that looks like it's made for touch screens. Makes me want to whack-a-mole the screen on Gnome / Ubuntu until my desired app launches. Obviously some might like the weird Gnome interface, and that's fine, but not me. Give me a standard start menu with concise entries for every program, categorized sensibly. You can still use keyboard shortcuts on Mint, so it it is not really lacking anything Ubuntu offers. There are 3 flavors of Linux Mint, and I chose the XFCE variety. It is a leaner, faster install than the Cinnamon variety, though maybe not by a huge margin. I have grown to like it quite a bit. It is light years ahead of Windows as far as being able to customize menus, task-bars, workspaces, and more. Plus, when you switch to Linux, you finally realize what it's like to not be in a swamp of bloated knee-high taffy-tar-stuff. Walk freely, my man. No more sticky goo of slowdown supreme. Programs open in a blink. List contents of folders with tons of files in a snap.

Linux Mint looks far better than Windows. That much is obvious. Even though Linux is thought of as nerdy and hard to use, it just looks better. Once you get used to a slightly different model, it's even as easy if not easier than Windows. I'm speaking of UI here, not software installation. Linux can be an absolute nightmare for installing software! As a whole though, the menus, icons, buttons and stuff looks considerably better in Linux Mint than Windows 10 or 11. I can't stand how Windows 11 looks.

Speaking of Windows 11... Yep, that's another reason I switched. No chance was I going to install that nasty junk. Windows 10 was fine, no real complaints. It was supposed to be "the last version of Windows"... free forever. Yeah, right. You knew that would never last. Now they are trying to force everyone to migrate to 11 because, yep you guessed it: direct AI integration. They want to track more of your information to sell to their partners. I'd go back to Windows 7 or XP if it was possible in a modern era... but not really. So Linux is the best option for now.

There are several pieces of software I'll miss out on, but I'm willing to make that sacrifice. Mostly what I'm missing is related to mapping software (I might write a dedicated post about that) and graphics software. I enjoyed the Affinity line of products for example. Don't even try to get Affinity or Adobe products running on Linux! Unless you want a one-way trip to an insanity ward. Wine doesn't work for most important, modern Windows apps. And most average computer users wouldn't even dream of trying such crazy junk anyway. Not even I wish to delve into the Wine or virtual machine territory. Instead, I've chosen to adapt to a new set of tools. Wine is a virtual Windows simulation where some Windows programs can run within Linux, for those who don't know.

Actually, a lot of the software I was using on Windows is also available on Linux (and in a better form in many cases). Hugin for panoramas. Inkscape for vector graphics and design. Blender for 3D animation (I don't do that anymore). NAPS2 and Scan Tailor for scanning documents and artwork. VLC and Shotcut for video playing and editing. Audacity for audio editing. OBS Studio for streaming and screen recording. LibreOffice for documents, spreadsheets and databases. XAMPP or WAMP for development stuff. In a way, I was living the Linux life before I even migrated from Windows. I've always been into free and open source software. I don't really support or use most mainstream commercial software, nor do I have need for it.

There is a host of software with packages in app stores for Linux. In addition, there are countless projects on Github or elsewhere to be installed from independent developers. It's quite possible there is MORE software available for Linux than any desktop OS in the world. But the large commercial companies seem to avoid it like the plague for some reason. I'm not much of a gamer, but gaming is gaining traction since the Steam Deck was made on hardware with a Linux kernel powering it. So many of your favorite games on Steam are playable on Linux. I have lots of retro and indie games on Steam, so that recent development was a bonus to hear about. Again though, I rarely game except when hanging out with friends.

Many apps I used for years on Windows and couldn't find on Linux have better alternatives than what I was using on Windows anyway. While Irfanview is completely amazing, and I've used it for years as my default image viewer and batch processor... nomacs on Linux is just as good if not better for what I need. Notepad++ on Windows had been my text editor and code writer for ages, but Geany is considerably better on Linux. VSCode is available too, but meh. I prefer homegrown, non-corporate options whenever possible. I had been using XM Player and Foobar2000 as music players on Windows. Audacious beats them both in many regards on Linux. So I'm not really missing out on much. If anything, it's kind of an upgrade to switch to Linux from Windows.

There are a few apps that I need Windows for. I have an Insta360 camera, for example, and their editing Studio app isn't available on Linux. If I had to, I could edit those videos on my phone... though I don't really enjoy that experience. Shotcut can edit the 360 videos indirectly, once they are exported out of Insta360's proprietary format. There are a few other things I might boot Windows up for, once every month or six. Otherwise, I'm not looking back with any regrets.

I wouldn't recommend Linux for everyone. It is considerably difficult to get set up if you have many app preferences. If you are set in your ways or don't like learning new things, Linux is not for you. If you are kind of nerdy and like to tinker, don't waste any time: switch to Linux instantly! I'm somewhere in the middle. I'll be happy when everything finally "just works"... but I don't mind tech tinkering a little to get there.

The cover image for this blog post randomly loads from 23 possible images made using a free AI art generator online. I gave it this prompt: "Create an image based on the Linux Mint logo with super detailed celtic design, with many ornate details and sullen colors. So many intricate details that it would take years to search them all and consider their details. rough, old metallic and stone textures. thousands of years old, cracks, broken corners, slight corrosion. The letters L and M in the shape of the Linux Mint logo should be pretty obvious, but otherwise there can be all sorts of loops and details. with slight technological light peaking through the stonework, energy glow or magical aura. LEDs with metal framing, halos and glow, slight glints and reflections. Fusion of ancient artifact or rune with sci-fi powerful talisman, monolith, talisman, nexis, relic, holocron, matrix." I always get "peaking" and "peeking" mixed up. But in this case either works to have meaning. Then there's Peking Duck, which I have no interest in whatsoever.

I enhanced my script that randomly loads images for blog posts today. This is the first post that benefits from that work.

If it's not obvious, taffy swamp man walker is also AI generated.