#pop_os

Them: "Oh, cool! And Linux really works just as well?"

Been awhile since I've had one of these posts part deus: but I figure with all that's going on in the world it's time to make another one and get some stuff out there for people. A lot of the information I'm going to go over you can find here:

https://www.privacyguides.org/en/tools/

So if you'd like to just click the link and ignore the rest of the post that's fine, I strongly recommend checking out the Privacy Guides. Browsers: There's a number to go with but for this post going forward I'm going to recommend Firefox. I know that the Privacy Guides lists Brave and Safari as possible options but Brave is Chrome based now and Safari has ties to Apple. Mullvad is also an option but that's for your more experienced users so I'll leave that up to them to work out. Browser Extensions:

uBlock Origin: content blocker that blocks ads, trackers, and fingerprinting scripts. Notable for being the only ad blocker that still works on Youtube.

Privacy Badger: Content blocker that specifically blocks trackers and fingerprinting scripts. This one will catch things that uBlock doesn't catch but does not work for ads.

Facebook Container: "but I don't have facebook" you might say. Doesn't matter, Meta/Facebook still has trackers out there in EVERYTHING and this containerizes them off away from everything else.

Bitwarden: Password vaulting software, don't trust the password saving features of your browsers, this has multiple layers of security to prevent your passwords from being stolen.

ClearURLs: Allows you to copy and paste URL's without any trackers attached to them.

VPN: Note: VPN software doesn't make you anonymous, no matter what your favorite youtuber tells you, but it does make it harder for your data to be tracked and it makes it less open for whatever public network you're presently connected to.

Mozilla VPN: If you get the annual subscription it's ~$60/year and it comes with an extension that you can install into Firefox.

Mullvad VPN: Is a fast and inexpensive VPN with a serious focus on transparency and security. They have been in operation since 2009. Mullvad is based in Sweden and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for payment methods that allow it.

Email Provider: Note: By now you've probably realized that Gmail, Outlook, and basically all of the major "free" e-mail service providers are scraping your e-mail data to use for ad data. There are more secure services that can get you away from that but if you'd like the same storage levels you have on Gmail/Ol utlook.com you'll need to pay.

Tuta: Secure, end-to-end encrypted, been around a very long time, and offers a free option up to 1gb.

Mailbox.org: Is an email service with a focus on being secure, ad-free, and privately powered by 100% eco-friendly energy. They have been in operation since 2014. Mailbox.org is based in Berlin, Germany. Accounts start with up to 2GB storage, which can be upgraded as needed.

Email Client:

Thunderbird: a free, open-source, cross-platform email, newsgroup, news feed, and chat (XMPP, IRC, Matrix) client developed by the Thunderbird community, and previously by the Mozilla Foundation.

FairMail (Android Only): minimal, open-source email app which uses open standards (IMAP, SMTP, OpenPGP), has several out of the box privacy features, and minimizes data and battery usage.

Cloud Storage:

Tresorit: Encrypted cloud storage owned by the national postal service of Switzerland. Received MULTIPLE awards for their security stats.

Peergos: decentralized and open-source, allows for you to set up your own cloud storage, but will require a certain level of expertise.

Microsoft Office Replacements:

LibreOffice: free and open-source, updates regularly, and has the majority of the same functions as base level Microsoft Office.

OnlyOffice: cloud-based, free

FreeOffice: Personal licenses are free, probably the closest to a fully office suite replacement.

Chat Clients: Note: As you've heard SMS and even WhatsApp and some other popular chat clients are basically open season right now. These are a couple of options to replace those. Note2: Signal has had some reports of security flaws, the service it was built on was originally built for the US Government, and it is based within the CONUS thus is susceptible to US subpoenas. Take that as you will.

Signal: Provides IM and calling securely and encrypted, has multiple layers of data hardening to prevent intrusion and exfil of data.

Molly (Android OS only): Alternative client to Signal. Routes communications through the TOR Network.

Briar: Encrypted IM client that connects to other clients through the TOR Network, can also chat via wifi or bluetooth.

SimpleX: Truly anonymous account creation, fully encrypted end to end, available for Android and iOS.

Now for the last bit, I know that the majority of people are on Windows or macOS, but if you can get on Linux I would strongly recommend it. pop_OS, Ubuntu, and Mint are super easy distros to use and install. They all have very easy to follow instructions on how to install them on your PC and if you'd like to just test them out all you need is a thumb drive to boot off of to run in demo mode. For more secure distributions for the more advanced users the options are: Whonix, Tails (Live USB only), and Qubes OS.

On a personal note I use Arch Linux, but I WOULD NOT recommend this be anyone's first distro as it requires at least a base level understanding of Linux and liberal use of the Arch Linux Wiki. If you game through Steam their Proton emulator in compatibility mode works wonders, I'm presently playing a major studio game that released in 2024 with no Linux support on it and once I got my drivers installed it's looked great. There are some learning curves to get around, but the benefit of the Linux community is that there's always people out there willing to help. I hope some of this information helps you and look out for yourself, it's starting to look scarier than normal out there.

I finally installed the entire single-player Ultima games.

Game manager: Lutris

Mostly running under DOSBox

OS: Pop_OS! Linux

Icons by Griddark

Also see the Ultima list I made: https://im.youronly.one/yuki/kb/timelines/ultima-video-games-release-timeline-202323/

Nobody could make Linux simple.

It is as complex and layered as the biological world, if not more. Arch users can feel free to get their snickering out of the way now.

You can however, simplify the way you make Linux—a Linux distribution, that is.

And that’s exactly what the teams behind three leading Linux distributions, or distros for short, have done by implementing user-friendly environments that can be setup in minutes.

Perhaps you have heard of them while perusing CNET, TechRadar, or even Reddit.

Pop!_OS: maybe the most popular entry on this list. It is developed by System76, a Colorado based computer company, to run smoothly both on their own machines as well as virtually any 64-bit computer you pull from the shelves.

Solus OS: the open source underdog compiled from the ground up with no reliance on prior code.

Elementary OS: a long running and trusted Ubuntu derivative, which isn’t exactly free like most distros but has features to far outweigh its price tag.

Each Operating System (OS for short) has been designed to be accessible to the casual computer user, Linux novices and FOSS veterans alike.

Today we are going to take a look at why these three distributions are ideal for the beginner and for those who would like to speed date through the world of open source software.

We’ll begin with Pop!_OS

POP!_OS

Pop! Was System76’s brain baby to be used as their exit strategy from only offering stock Ubuntu on their machines. When Ubuntu’s parent company, Canonical, announced the system’s reversion from the Unity desktop environment to its predecessor GNOME, System76 went in pursuit of options.

And ended up at GNOME, themselves, ironically.

Not just any GNOME desktop environment, though. GNOME found here has been specially tweaked for the brand of System76.

The theme, design, and system options make it apparent that this OS is as brilliant with personality as it is with usability.

For instance, graphics driver support for AMD, Intel and NVIDIA chips right out of the box is a milestone for those interested in Linux gaming.

A slick and trimmed software center called Pop Shop makes it a joy to navigate through both open source packages and proprietary 3rd party apps. This comprehensive design is likely to shift focus from installation via terminal, though the function is still there for old-school code junkies.

The OS installer also allows easy disk encryption for assured privacy in an evolving digital world.

The standout feature of this distribution is its effort to minimize the learning curve. Every feature and application seems to be right in place. Within a few minutes you could fool your friends into thinking you’re a red-pill swallowing reality hacker whose DNA is coded in Python—or just that you’re a tech guru.

You can download Pop!_OS here: https://system76.com/pop

SOLUS OS

Solus OS was like an outlaw busting through the swinging doors of the Open Source saloon.

Not everyone was sure what to say when it arrived on the scene. It wasn’t derivative of Ubuntu or Debian or Redhat. It wasn’t taken from a slightly repackaged rib of Arch.

It was just Solus. And this was the concept they ran with.

It was the Solus team who introduced the Budgie desktop. Budgie has since been adopted by Ubuntu, Manjaro, and more.

Why? Because it’s so damn beautiful is why! The Budgie flavor contributes largely to Solus OS being on this list (no discredit to its other groundbreaking features)

Budgie has roots in the GNOME 3 Desktop as well, but wears its heritage more as an innovative badge of honor than a developmental burden.

Budgie is twice as simple to traverse and uses a fraction of the hardware resources of its relative.

It’s an office professional’s Linux distribution. Frills and endless tinkering are sidelined in favor of sensibility and ease of use. You want Spotify, Plex, or Skype? Don’t go hunt down the source code or even type t for terminal in the app search.

Solus OS makes licensed 3rd party software available to download straight from the software center. You can even find studio quality Audio mixers like Bitwig Studio.

The included office suite, Libreoffice, comes loaded with free and open source alternatives to Word, Excel, Publisher, and more.

You’ll have the ability to save in ‘open document’ formats as well as the proprietary DOC and DOCX. So you never have to worry about files not opening when they reach the other side.

And of course the Raven widget makes a calendar, notifications, and even system tweaking just a mouse hover away. Always there to be seen but never intrusive.

I’d like to think that Solus took the introduction of a new package system as an opportunity to create distance from hardline terminal use. Updates and software installation can be run solely from the software center. No more lines of dizzying code.

I’ll consider it a tipped hat to us m’normies.

You can download SOLUS OS with desktop environments including Budgie, GNOME, and MATE here: https://getsol.us/download/

ELEMENTARY OS

The oldest of the bunch despite its name.

Like many modern Linux distros, Elementary OS found its code in Ubuntu and expanded from there. It simply took a few left turns, rerouted and dropped off some baggage along the way.

It’s specifically marketed as a “fast, open, and privacy-respecting replacement for Windows and macOS.”1 No, really, it says so on their homepage.

It even resembles MacOS to a degree, if that’s any indication of the company’s target.

The lightweight interface was designated as a friendly tool for everyone. A system you could open up right from where you left off. The fiddling, the minutia of customization, the daily disaster-prevention management—all tossed aside.

It’s in no sense incapable of anything a Linux system is expected of. It just doesn’t make you think about those things.

You shouldn’t always need to adjust the ribbon or unjam the keys of a typewriter. Sometimes you just need ‘pen on paper.’

You could say that Elementary OS is the pen on paper of open source computing.

It’s still a Mont Blanc on a high quality moleskine. Simple, but satisfactory.

The stage of Elementary’s application is set by the Pantheon desktop, which you’ll find to be less customizable than say GNOME or Cinnamon. This could be said to act as “damage control” for the inexperienced Linux user.

It’s easier than you would think to break your environment in the excitement of mix-matching themes, icon packs, and installing widgets designed for other DE’s.

That headache is alleviated with Elementary, which adheres a straightforward take me as I am approach.

And when you take your first look at the home screen, I doubt you’ll find it a drawback.

For those who want to get some work done in peace and quiet, you’ll find:

Epiphany Web Browser

a file manager

Music and Video players

a Photo Viewer

a dedicated mail client

As well as a handful of other neat applications. Nothing too neat that it stops being essential though. Zero bloatware or spyware.

The key to Elementary is simple essentialism.

Writing that novel at a lakeside cabin? Tuning up this year’s budget? Or are you finally going to email that someone you met over Winter break?

In any case, it’s Elementary.

You can find and download Elementary here for a fee of your choice: https://elementary.io/

OVERVIEW

It would make sense, all features considered, that Pop!_OS would suit the likes of media professionals, avid gamers and developers.

Where Solus OS might be optimized for the business professional with a full schedule.

For casual home use, or emailing your family and friends your new favorite Youtube video, I’d recommend Elementary OS.

The question is, which one best suits you?

Stay tuned for more Linux and Tech news here, and thanks for reading!

Been awhile since I've had one of these posts part trois: but I figure with all that's going on in the world it's time to make another one and get some stuff out there for people. A lot of the information I'm going to go over you can find here:

So if you'd like to just click the link and ignore the rest of the post that's fine, I strongly recommend checking out the Privacy Guides. Browsers: With the recent updates and trend towards AI in a number of browsers we’re going to need to update this list. I had previously recommended Firefox but sadly they have fallen to the enemy. At this point my list of trusted browsers has changed to, in order: Vivaldi, Helium, Mullvad, and Ungoogled Chromium. Browser Extensions:

uBlock Origin: content blocker that blocks ads, trackers, and fingerprinting scripts. Notable for being the only ad blocker that still works on Youtube.

Privacy Badger: Content blocker that specifically blocks trackers and fingerprinting scripts. This one will catch things that uBlock doesn't catch but does not work for ads.

Bitwarden: Password vaulting software, don't trust the password saving features of your browsers, this has multiple layers of security to prevent your passwords from being stolen.

VPN: Note: VPN software doesn't make you anonymous, no matter what your favorite youtuber tells you, but it does make it harder for your data to be tracked and it makes it less open for whatever public network you're presently connected to.

Mullvad VPN: Is a fast and inexpensive VPN with a serious focus on transparency and security. They have been in operation since 2009. Mullvad is based in Sweden and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for payment methods that allow it.

IVPN: Has servers in 41 countries. Picking a VPN provider with a server nearest to you will reduce latency of the network traffic you send. This is because of a shorter route (fewer hops) to the destination.

Email Provider: Note: By now you've probably realized that Gmail, Outlook, and basically all of the major "free" e-mail service providers are scraping your e-mail data to use for ad data. There are more secure services that can get you away from that but if you'd like the same storage levels you have on Gmail/Ol utlook.com you'll need to pay.

Tuta: Secure, end-to-end encrypted, been around a very long time, and offers a free option up to 1gb.

Mailbox.org: Is an email service with a focus on being secure, ad-free, and privately powered by 100% eco-friendly energy. They have been in operation since 2014. Mailbox.org is based in Berlin, Germany. Accounts start with up to 2GB storage, which can be upgraded as needed.

Email Client:

Thunderbird: a free, open-source, cross-platform email, newsgroup, news feed, and chat (XMPP, IRC, Matrix) client developed by the Thunderbird community, and previously by the Mozilla Foundation.

FairMail (Android Only): minimal, open-source email app which uses open standards (IMAP, SMTP, OpenPGP), has several out of the box privacy features, and minimizes data and battery usage.

Cloud Storage:

Tresorit: Encrypted cloud storage owned by the national postal service of Switzerland. Received MULTIPLE awards for their security stats.

Peergos: decentralized and open-source, allows for you to set up your own cloud storage, but will require a certain level of expertise.

Microsoft Office Replacements:

LibreOffice: free and open-source, updates regularly, and has the majority of the same functions as base level Microsoft Office.

OnlyOffice: cloud-based, free

FreeOffice: Personal licenses are free, probably the closest to a fully office suite replacement.

Chat Clients: Note: As you've heard SMS and even WhatsApp and some other popular chat clients are basically open season right now. These are a couple of options to replace those. Note2: Signal has had some reports of security flaws, the service it was built on was originally built for the US Government, and it is based within the CONUS thus is susceptible to US subpoenas. Take that as you will.

Signal: Provides IM and calling securely and encrypted, has multiple layers of data hardening to prevent intrusion and exfil of data.

Molly (Android OS only): Alternative client to Signal. Routes communications through the TOR Network.

Briar: Encrypted IM client that connects to other clients through the TOR Network, can also chat via wifi or bluetooth.

SimpleX: Truly anonymous account creation, fully encrypted end to end, available for Android and iOS.

Now for the last bit, I know that the majority of people are on Windows or macOS, but with Windows 10 sunsetting if you can get on Linux I would strongly recommend it. pop_OS, Ubuntu, Fedora, Zorin and Mint are super easy distros to use and install. They all have very easy to follow instructions on how to install them on your PC and if you'd like to just test them out all you need is a thumb drive to boot off of to run in demo mode. For more secure distributions for the more advanced users the options are: Whonix, Tails (Live USB only), and Qubes OS.

On a personal note I use Arch Linux, but I WOULD NOT recommend this be anyone's first distro as it requires at least a base level understanding of Linux and liberal use of the Arch Linux Wiki. If you game through Steam their Proton emulator in compatibility mode and the Heroic Game Launcher for GoG, Epic, and Amazon Games works wonders, I'm presently playing a major studio game that released in 2025 with no Linux support on it and once I got my drivers installed it's looked great. There are some learning curves to get around, but the benefit of the Linux community is that there's always people out there willing to help. I hope some of this information helps you and look out for yourself, it's starting to look scarier than normal out there.

I tried the one fix I found for it online and it Did Not Work so I guess I'm gonna have to do more digging to get this to work, but apparently this isn't an uncommon problem with East Asian languages on Pop!_OS

I think the funniest thing about this Linux journey is that I started with struggling with KDE Linux distros, found Pop_OS, left Pop_OS because I thought it was old, found CachyOS and used it and troubleshoot it for a whole week, then found out about the driver issue and I'm now using Pop_OS again and a good chunk of the issues I was dealing with in CachyOS just...evaporated lol.

Anyway, I should have chosen Pop_OS in the first place once I noticed I was spending more time fixing issues than using CachyOS.

Then again, its an Arch distro soooo you know you know lol.