One of the questions I often receive from people I talk to is, “Why should I use Linux?” Let’s be honest—most department stores and online retailers are selling Windows machines from various vendors. Most of our neighbors use Windows, and while many people have Android phones, which run Linux in their pockets, very few use … Read more
In 2026, privacy isn’t a niche concern — it’s a daily negotiation. Every device, every app, every operating system wants a piece of your data. Windows and macOS increasingly tie core features to cloud accounts, telemetry, and background analytics. Linux stands out because it flips that relationship: instead of your computer watching you, you decide … Read more
Desktop Linux has been prematurely declared “dead” more times than can be counted. The operating system continues to evolve, adapting to the changing technological landscape and meeting user needs. With a diverse range of distributions and a passionate community behind it, Desktop Linux remains a vital option for many individuals and organizations seeking flexibility, customization, … Read more
I just finished volunteering at the local library, where five Dell Optiplex All-in-One computers were replaced by several newer All-in-One PCs running Windows 11. The library’s tech support does not support Linux, so the older PCs, which have i5 CPUs and 8 GB of RAM, were deemed obsolete. These Dell computers were manufactured in January … Read more
Recently, I came across a blog post about the latest release of Plasma KDE Neon, and it piqued my curiosity. I decided to download the KDE user edition, which is approximately 3.2 GB. I created a live USB installation stick and inserted it into one of the USB ports on my Dell Latitude 7410 laptop. … Read more
Linux adventures come in many distributions, and Manjaro is no exception. I decided to download the KDE Plasma version of Manjaro and install it on my Latitude 7410 laptop. Last year, I installed the Fedora version of KDE Plasma and really enjoyed the experience.I got used to using KDE tools like Spectacle, which are invaluable … Read more
I decided it was time to explore a distribution I had no experience with, so I downloaded Manjaro Cinnamon. I regularly listen to podcasts and read blogs where people discuss using Arch Linux. Since I have very little experience with Arch, my curiosity was piqued. Throughout my Linux journey, I have primarily used Red Hat, … Read more
Recently, I was helping a Windows-using friend transition from her ten-year-old Windows 10 laptop to a new Windows 11 laptop. All of her important files had been backed up by Microsoft OneDrive, which was a great relief when we logged into the new computer. My friend is a Microsoft Publisher user, and you guessed it: … Read more
System76 is celebrating 20 years, and they did so by officially releasing Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS and the COSMIC desktop. I got an email from Carl Richell today that said, “COSMIC is built on the ethos that the best open source projects enable people to not only use them, but to build with them. COSMIC is … Read more
1. Classic Utilities: Top and Htop One of the earliest lessons in managing a Linux machine is learning the top command. This lightweight, text‑based utility comes preinstalled on all Linux distributions and provides real‑time information about running services, CPU usage, and memory consumption. It also allows administrators to selectively kill processes that are misbehaving, making … Read more
