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#AskFedi #LaptopLinux best system to load on a Dell Latitude 7490 which has Windows OS (10, I think) after a fresh factory reset.
This one's so old it still has a mechanical hard drive in it. All I've heard of is Mint, so please fill my ear about other versions and what's what in detail, thanks. #newbie to Linux although I've had a class in Unix a bazillion years ago.
in reply to Radio Free Trumpistan

This entry was edited (1 month ago)
in reply to Unus Nemo

@Unus Nemo
Thank you for such a detailed response. I'll say that I've heard not so nice things about Fedora but since I haven't tried any distro at this point, I have no idea what that was about....some dust-up re: Git Hub or something, I don't remember.
Since I do have a laptop with a digital drive in it, the HDD in this experimental laptop isn't an issue, really. This is me dipping my toe in Linux water for the first time and am looking for a good place to start dipping the toe. Of course exploration is part of the experiment, but as time permits.

Thanks again, very much!

in reply to Radio Free Trumpistan

@Radio Free Trumpistan

In all honesty most differences most people point out are moot. The important thing is to find a distro you work well with. A high percentage of Developers use Fedora. So some people view it as a developers distro. Though there is no real bases for that conclusion.

This entry was edited (4 weeks ago)
in reply to Radio Free Trumpistan

Okay, so I d-loaded Fedora Workstation and Rufus to make a bootable thumb drive, loaded those onto the laptop, tried running it and Rufus demanded to be able to go on the Internet, so that was the end of that. What's next, now?
in reply to Radio Free Trumpistan

@Radio Free Trumpistan
I do not use rufus so I am not sure about rufus. I am at work though I will get back to you tomorrow.
This entry was edited (4 weeks ago)
in reply to Unus Nemo

@Unus Nemo
I appreciate that, thanks. I just want to add that Rufus can only run on the laptop with no internet connection and not my connected desktop because the desktop is Win7 and I suspect Rufus insists on Win10 or later. Setting up the laptop for internet will disturb other people on the LAN.
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friendica (DFRN) - Link to source
Radio Free Trumpistan
@plan-A @Unus Nemo
Thanks, plan-A--I did manage to access the internet via the laptop in question last night without disturbing people. I then successfully created the thumbdrive last night. I'm at the point where I can boot up on the drive to see if the configuration is the correct one, so I'm not there yet--but it's all still in progress. Thanks!
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friendica (DFRN) - Link to source
Radio Free Trumpistan
@plan-A @Unus Nemo
Heh. One step at a time. This is my first time and I'm still not familiarized with even the first installation. YET. I need time.
At the point of this writing I have it installed on the laptop but don't have the required disk space to install it on the HDD, so the thing remains thumb drive dependent.
in reply to Radio Free Trumpistan

@Radio Free Trumpistan

Let me know if you are just trying to get a different experience in Desktop Environments (DE) or if you are actually trying to learn the CLI (Command Line Interface). For an average user it really isn't necessary to learn the CLI. You can install everything from Gnome Software and about any software you would want for the average user (and then some) will be available. Then again maybe you would like to learn both? It is up to you and your needs. I do have some advice for some useful Gnome Extensions once you have an install. In the screenshot below you will notice there is more going on in my status bar than on a default install. This is provided by Gnome Extensions. And this is true on any distro if you are using Gnome as your DE. So it is not just useful for Fedora. Let me know more of you intentions and I will be better able to help you. Though for now I need to get some rack. I have not been to sleep yet since I left work and I am exhausted. I will no doubt be around this evening.

This entry was edited (4 weeks ago)
in reply to Radio Free Trumpistan

@Radio Free Trumpistan

It only requires like 8 gigs or less for a pretty complete install. Did you make sure to format your HDD? I need some sleep but I will help some more when I get up. I really do not think you could possibly not have enough space on the HDD. I think either you did not chose the right device (perhaps the HDD is not showing up?) or you did not tell the setup to partition and format the drive for a GNU/Linux installation. Not sure, some screenshots will help though, even if you have to take them with your phone until you have the system up.

Though you will be able to get an idea from running it on a USB. It will just be a bit slower than if installed on an actual hard drive.

This entry was edited (4 weeks ago)
in reply to Unus Nemo

@Unus Nemo
This laptop is intended for use as-is, so the HDD stays. It wasn't formatted because I wasn't sure I wanted to burn the Windows bridge, as it were, just yet. The installer gives me the option to free up more memory by deleting specific Windows space, and all I deleted was the thing called something like Windows bit reserve or some such. Welp--since this is a spare nonessential laptop, I guess I gotta go all the way with burning my bridges to Windows.
in reply to Radio Free Trumpistan

Well, none of the apps are working at this point, and when I click on Install to Hard Drive, that's not working now. Intuitively I'm guessing that I need to start all over booting from the thumb drive. Expecting all of it to be intuitive is too much to ask I guess.
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friendica (DFRN) - Link to source
Radio Free Trumpistan
@plan-A @Unus Nemo
Well guess what--I booted off the thumb drive and went into setup without clearing any more memory as I thought I might have to. I did a search on "laptop lid" and got no results. What I want to do now is force the laptop to stay off when I lift the lid. There's a setting for that in Windows but I can't find one in Fedora. I need to disable that thing.
in reply to Unus Nemo

@Unus Nemo
I can't say that I know what I need in terms of CLI but I'm thinking it would come in handy. I'm still exploring and Job One right now is to disable the lid from turning on the laptop when I lift it. I want it to be power button only.
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friendica (DFRN) - Link to source
Radio Free Trumpistan
@plan-A
Adding VM means more stuff I gotta learn and I just ain't there yet.
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friendica (DFRN) - Link to source
Radio Free Trumpistan
@plan-A
I'm not doing a dual boot. It's all Fedora. Now if only I can make this thing stop powering up when I open the lid.
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friendica (DFRN) - Link to source
Radio Free Trumpistan
@plan-A
I wasn't aware of that, but I got it working now. The lid thing is in the BIOS, so mission accomplished there, too.
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friendica (DFRN) - Link to source
Radio Free Trumpistan
@plan-A
Didn't know that. I'm good now. FOR now, that is, ha.
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friendica (DFRN) - Link to source
Radio Free Trumpistan
@plan-A
YouTube blocks me because I use ad blockers. Nothing on YouTube is an option--sorry.
in reply to Radio Free Trumpistan

The laptop now boots on its own without the thumb drive, and now I'm figuring out apps--or trying to.Weird experience with Clocks. It's set "current location" for someplace in Virginia and it won't let me either delete it or set an accurate current location either. Got a "write a short review" tab and I commenced a one-sentence review about the "current location" bugbear and it produced an error "summary too short". I kept adding verbiage and still got the error, so I typed in the lyrics of Randy Newman's "Short People"--and it STILL complained that my short summary was too short.
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friendica (DFRN) - Link to source
Radio Free Trumpistan
@plan-A
Oh good lord--because you already lost me with all that. I'm still trying to determine which end is up.
Unknown parent

friendica (DFRN) - Link to source
Radio Free Trumpistan
@plan-A
Well dammit, I could have used that for Monsterdon yesterday.Gonna keep that one in mind for next Sunday, by golly.
in reply to Radio Free Trumpistan

I've been playing around with Fedora WS 42 and already want to get rid of that infernal "World Clock" app because I can't change that infernal Leesburg VA "current location" crap. I just spun my wheels for an hour and better trying to find out how to delete it and it cannot be deleted even after I add a clock for my own location. I'll bet Satan wrote that app.
Unknown parent

friendica (DFRN) - Link to source
Unus Nemo

@plan-A

One of the reasons I left Meta was that they moderated your account for any mention of Distro Watch. Even in our Linux support groups. They called it a Cyber Security issue with absolutely no explanation as to why it was considered a threat. Then they started moderating your account for any mention of Linux period. Even in a Linux Support group. That really drew the line for me.

This entry was edited (3 weeks ago)
Unknown parent

friendica (DFRN) - Link to source
Unus Nemo

@plan-A

If you are having a hard time reaching Distro Watch it may be because of your anonymous browsing. Many sites block Tor these days because of misuse (spammers and trolls using it to keep from being banned). You could try a proxy.

This entry was edited (3 weeks ago)
Unknown parent

friendica (DFRN) - Link to source
Unus Nemo

@plan-A

Many scammers use domain names close to popular name in order to attack the unexpected. That is why it is important to do your due diligence and be sure you are on an official site. The other day number one search result for a common utility came back for a site that wanted to sell you a copy of what you could get from the official site for free.

Unknown parent

friendica (DFRN) - Link to source
Unus Nemo

@plan-A

A bridge only prevents your ISP from knowing you are using Tor, it does not in anyway stop your destination site from knowing. All exits are public knowledge and sites use that data to block Tor browsers. There is nothing to stop a site from knowing you are using Tor besides an online proxy.

I have used Tor and contributed off and on for decades. I am very familiar with the project and what it can do and what it cannot.

Unknown parent

friendica (DFRN) - Link to source
Unus Nemo

@plan-A

Tor does not use DNS so adjusting it will not change anything. You use a web based proxy at the end of the chain which will obfuscate your IP of your Tor exit. This is the only way to get past sites that block Tor. As I said bridges have nothing to do with it, as that is your entry point and is an entirely different topic and an entirely different reason to use them.

Unknown parent

friendica (DFRN) - Link to source
Unus Nemo

@plan-A

Right now I am busy reading a book but later I will get you some links to online proxy sites. Do not use a proxy browser or something that you would have to download. You need a proxy site that you can access while browsing. I will get you urls later. A site that lets you plug in the url you want to go to and then connects you to it. You should have to do nothing at all to your configuration to get it to work and they do not even require JS to work.

This entry was edited (3 weeks ago)