I feel like I’ve been gaslit into running FOSS but every success only brings me closer to fighting god

  • hangonasecond@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    Reddit death > installing mint on my second PC > realising I can run most of the games I play and installing mint on my main PC > start learning Rust as a first foray into programming in a long time > realise I want to go back to uni and study info tech to get out of my shitty marketing job > get a shitty second hand laptop off my parents that struggles to run windows and install endeavourOS to try something different.

    It really is a slippery slope. When does it end???

    • Blaster M@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      It never ends

      The next step, you’re handwriting a fixit code because said ancient one off laptop won’t compile linux from scratch properly and some stupid piece of essential hardware is blocking your efforts to get to the shell first time.

    • linearchaos@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      You still have yet to get through some pis, then a couple of OSX boxes, a Windows VM on proxmox or when you find something in particular you want that’s easier in that direction. Then move into kubernetes.

      You’ll end up with a couple of everything living their best life.

    • Karna@lemmy.ml
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      2 years ago

      Watch out Boy! It’s a dangerous drug; it’s called Curiosity 🙂

    • cygnus@lemmy.ca
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      2 years ago

      It really is a slippery slope. When does it end???

      Given that you’re learning Rust, probably getting programming socks and a Blahaj, and then…

    • xlash123@sh.itjust.works
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      2 years ago

      My slippery slope started with buying an old laptop off my company and deciding to install Ubuntu on it. Now all of my devices run Linux, I switched to Android with a FOSS ROM, degoogled myself in almost every way, and I run Nextcloud on an old laptop. Feels great to really own my devices and data.

  • GameGod@lemmy.ca
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    2 years ago

    Your post couldn’t be more true. Decades ago I was sold on MythTV, this PVR software but it only ran on Linux and you had to compile it yourself. So I gave Linux and MythTV a shot. As it turned out, both MythTV and early desktop Linux were a buggy, frustrating mess. X broke all the time. Incomprehensible, ungoogleable compile errors all the time.

    I spent so much time troubleshooting MythTV and compilation problems that I ended up learning Linux inside and out and the C programming language to be able understand the compile errors. I went on to lead a major open source project and have had a long career as a programmer, using all the knowledge I gained that started with fighting MythTV.

  • FrostKing@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    I don’t run Linux (though I’m admittedly more interested in it than I used to be) but the reddit API stuff definitely made me learn more about foss, and value it more.

    • mexicancartel@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      2 years ago

      I do value FOSS sodtware and like linux for it being foss(there are many other reasons too though). I do think understanding importance of Free software is much important than admiring one of the(most important) free software projects. I can see yku usibg linux soon or later in the future, along with other free programs

      • FrostKing@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago

        I think maybe I’m misunderstanding—are you saying that valuing free software is more important than valuing FOSS? FOSS is inherently free, no? Free Open Source Software. I would understand if I was talking about open source in general, but FOSS does include being free. Maybe that’s not what you meant.

  • bnjmn@lemm.ee
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    2 years ago

    I got pissed off at Google Photos, which led me down a self-hosting rabbit hole. Ended up installing Linux everywhere, even my “gaming” one eventually (I do development, and WSL was a resource hog).

    The hardest thing to degoogle has been email - I’ve used the same address for years. But I use Thunderbird so at least I don’t have to see ads in my fucking inbox

      • bnjmn@lemm.ee
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        2 years ago

        Yes… They don’t seem to show up in the primary tab, but they’re there nonetheless. Nowhere is safe, and nothing is sacred.

          • bnjmn@lemm.ee
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            2 years ago

            I DO have an ad blocker. I still ended up seeing an ad, that one time. It might’ve been on mobile. Or I might have had my ad block turned off. Either way, I’ve gone out of my way to make sure I never see an ad in my email again. Used mobile devtools to uninstall the Gmail client, Firefox with uBlock add-on, etc…

    • EuroNutellaMan@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      May I recommend Proton Mail? I used gmail for years then decided to finally switch and it was easier than I thought, tho tbf I also don’t have a lot of people who need to email me, it was mostly services where it’s easier to tell them to switch over to the other mail.

      EDIT: I read your later comment nvm

      • bnjmn@lemm.ee
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        2 years ago

        I’ll have to check it out! Same here, mostly services on my end - but I’ve accumulated enough of them to make it tiresome. Still, I’ll have to do it at some point

    • sadcoconut@lemm.ee
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      2 years ago

      What are you using instead of Google Photos?

      I’m the other way round, email was the first thing I degoogled. It’s Photos I don’t know how to replace.

        • targetx@programming.dev
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          2 years ago

          “The project is under very active development. Expect bugs and changes. Do not use it as the only way to store your photos and videos!”

          • bnjmn@lemm.ee
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            2 years ago

            I’m aware :) really, anyone that backs up anything at all shouldn’t be using ONE THING for backups.

            Personally, I use it to “sync” photos from my phone to my computer. I run nightly backups via a cron script.

            Still, can’t say I’ve had any issues so far

    • BlanK0@lemmy.ml
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      2 years ago

      You could switch to proton mail and synchronize the gmail account to proton, saves the hassle 👍

  • piracysails@lemm.ee
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    2 years ago

    If you ever get bored of Ubuntu. You could try fedora kde, the recent versions are so good.

    Don’t forget to install codecs though.

    • limelight79@lemm.ee
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      2 years ago

      I run Kubuntu on my desktop and laptop machines but I’m seriously considering switching to Debian (which I run on my server). Any reason I wouldn’t want to do that on my desktop or laptop?

      (Previously I ran Slackware on everything, so both of them feel like gliding softly on a cloud to me.)

      • gayhitler420@lemm.ee
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        2 years ago

        There’s no reason. I switched to Debian after leaving Slackware around the reiser4 time. It’s real good.

        • limelight79@lemm.ee
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          2 years ago

          Thanks. I often wonder why I don’t see people recommending Debian as a potential destination from Ubuntu/Kubuntu. Why not go to the Free source?

          • I really do not know. But what I can say for sure is that during the installation of Debian, it allows you to choose the desktop environment at installation time, so you can have your Debian with KDE at minute 0 after installing it.

            On the other hand, remember that Kubuntu is derived from Ubuntu. I don’t see Ubuntu fans very enthusiastic about creating another Debian-based distro with KDE preinstalled when they even offer it (live images) to you here.

    • Swarfega@lemm.ee
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      2 years ago

      Weird. I’ve been trying to find a distro I’m happy with and was setting Fedora KDE up today. Ran though my bookmarks and found no videos played on Twitch. Had to install codecs to get it to work. I hadn’t seen this in previous distros. Is this specific to Fedora? Other than this hiccup I’ve enjoyed it so far.

      I liked how straight forward Linux Mint is but prefer KDE Plasma. Plus Mint seems quite far behind in versions.

      • baseless_discourse@mander.xyz
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        2 years ago

        In their gnome version, during the setup process (first boot, not install), they would prompt for third-party repo and codec (Enabled by default, IIRC).

        I think you might have unchecked that? or KDE not offering such experience?


        EDIT: NVM, I just checked, and I have never installed the codecs… LOL.

        Fedora is notorious for avoiding shipping proprietary software with their distro even at the cost of new users.

        I think this might stems from the fact that fedora used to be a distro aimed for advanced users. It is slowly getting better at being new user friendly.

        • MiddledAgedGuy@beehaw.org
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          2 years ago

          I wonder if it is notorious?

          Do most Linux users (in this context we’ll say people who specifically choose to use Linux and by extension chose a specific distribution) look unfavorably on proprietary software being excluded by default?

          For me, I prefer it so I don’t see it that way. But it is also an extra step and an annoyance if you want things to “just work”. Which is an understandable position.

          Food for thought, I guess.

          • piracysails@lemm.ee
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            2 years ago

            It is definitely not, at least for me when I switched to Linux.

            I noticed weird issues while watching a video through VLC, posted about it on Reddit and someone suggested that I had not installed the codecs.

          • baseless_discourse@mander.xyz
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            2 years ago

            Yeah, I was wondering why I have desync issues couple days ago watching videos with my wife.

            Modern YouTube videos are generally fine, but many other site has poor support for popular codecs.

        • Cosmic Cleric@lemmy.world
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          2 years ago

          Save the pain and install Nobara.

          I mean, it’s one dropdown/checkbox click, to enable codecs sources. I get your point though, having to remember to enable that.

          I’d used Nobara if I knew it was being supported by more than just one (great/special; I’m aware of his contribution to gaming on Linux) guy (please correct me if this is no longer the case?), since it would be installed on my daily driver box, and it’s important for me to have a high level of reliability, even though I do more gaming tasks than non-gaming tasks on it.

          I’m aware that Nobara is based from Fedora, but am nervous about having a single point of failure, support wise.

        • Swarfega@lemm.ee
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          2 years ago

          I started this way today but kept coming up with an error with rsync during install. I tried in Virtual Box and had the same error. I gave up and just installed Fedora in the end.

          • ikidd@lemmy.world
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            2 years ago

            No clue what rsync would be doing. Maybe there’s an issue with the current ISO, but I’ve installed it on a few systems in the last couple months with no issues.

  • Ashen44@lemmy.ca
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    2 years ago

    Fuck did we all go down the exact same pipeline? I just installed Linux last week and I haven’t booted up windows since.

        • honeyontoast@lemmy.world
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          2 years ago

          I like it, but I’m not exactly a power user and the only other distros I’ve used are Ubuntu and mint. I think if you want a Debian based distro that’s not tied to Ubuntu then Mx is a good choice. I know there’s LMDE too but as far as I know that’s only available with cinnamon, so Mx having KDE plasma is nice too.

          There’s the whole sysvinit Vs systemd but I don’t have a dog in that fight and enabled systemd, which Mx makes very easy even though they advise against it.

    • pirrrrrrrr@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      2 years ago

      No. Some of us were already there.

      Lifetime Microsoft expert here, I have had machines with Linux in one flavour or another for 15+ years at least.

      But for ease of use I just keep coming back to Windows… Because I know it backwards and upside down.

      The structure of it makes sense to me. And I have ADHD so I have a terrible working memory and Linux relies FAR too much on command console to do anything effective.

      But Linux is hands-down the better system to get away from Microsoft’s enshitification of Windows. But I personally like Windows better.

      So I will always run both. But if I need to be really productive, Windows Desktop it is. If I need a server, Linux every time. (Unless it’s MS SQL or a website).