Jack

Dec 27, 2021

Please welcome Jack Wallen, @jlwallen Writer, Actor and Tech Journalist

Dec 27th to Jan 3rd on @imakefoss

@imakefoss is a Twitter rotation curation account. IUseFOSS is a new project of IMakeFOSS and about people who use FOSS every day. https://t.co/IFP3O0sEr0

Dec 27, 2021

This week I am doing a takeover of @imakefoss. I’ll be talking about how I arrived at #Linux, the software I use, why you should be using Linux, and other sundry topics. Join us.

Dec 27, 2021

I’ve been using #Linux since 1997, after I’d had enough of the ‘blue screen of death." After poking around a bit, I discovered word of a little operating system called Linux. It sounded exactly like what I needed. I quick trip to Circuit City and I had Caldera Open Linux in hand.

Dec 27, 2021

It took me most of the day to get it running (this was the first time I’d ever installed an OS). Very quickly I realized it wasn’t the one for me. Back to Circuit City and I purchased a copy of Red Hat 4.2. Another day, another install. It was the one.

Dec 27, 2021

I spent months tweaking that OS, hopping from window manager to window manager. Finally, I landed on AfterStep and it was the coolest thing I’d ever beheld (at the time). I had transparent windows and menus and my desktop was the envy of friends and family.

Dec 27, 2021

After a few years with Red Hat (I believe I continued with it until Red Hat 9 (this was, I believe, the last RHL before it became Fedora), back in 2003. That was when I shifted to Ubuntu and I’ve stuck with Ubuntu-based distributions ever since.

Dec 27, 2021

Why #Ubuntu #Linux? Mostly because I find it to be more efficient to use for day-to-day work. Most Ubuntu-based distributions are elegant, simple, and very user-friendly. I don’t have time in my day to deal with things like SELinux on a desktop. I want it to just work.

Dec 27, 2021

Currently, my distribution of choice is Pop!_OS, by @System76. I run it on one of their Thelio desktops and it’s a beautiful combination of performance, simplicity, and elegance.

Dec 27, 2021

One thing that often surprises people when they find out I’m a long-time #linux user is when I tell them I’m not a developer. People seem to assume Linux is only for software engineers. It’s not. It’s also for artists, businesses, and even general users.

Dec 27, 2021

The FOSS apps I absolutely depend on daily are: Firefox, Thunderbird, LibreOffice, GIMP, Audacity, and VirtualBox. Each of those tools never fails to perform for me.

Dec 27, 2021

@i0ape Yes, and I have been for (I believe) 4 or 5 years now (when I purchased my Thelio desktop).

Dec 27, 2021

@limako Nice. The oldest physical version of Linux I have is Red Hat 6.0. It even had a credit-card sized disk you could carry in your wallet and install from.

Dec 27, 2021

@i0ape Yeah. I think I first used it when it was in beta (to review it for one of the sites I write for). Back then it felt mostly like Ubuntu with a fairly vanilla GNOME UI. It’s come a long way.

Dec 27, 2021

For those who consider themselves FOSS evangelists, one of the most important things you can do for new users is focus on how user-friendly and reliable #Linux is (over the open-source aspect). Let them discover the open nature on their own. First they need to know it works.

Dec 27, 2021

@yezu I very much agree. Even over the past 5 years, the Linux desktop has become something anyone can use and rely on. It should be the primary selling point of every distribution.

Dec 27, 2021

@i0ape Arco is on my radar for review.

Dec 27, 2021

And now that #Linux can play 79 of the top 100 Steam games, there’s almost no use-case Linux cannot handle. It’s good for businesses, for users, for artists, for gamers, and more.

Dec 27, 2021

If I could say one thing to FOSS developers it would be to place a very high level of importance on UX. The user experience of Linux should rival the reliability and security the platform offers. For the most part, it’s there with desktops. Some applications have a ways to go.

Dec 27, 2021

Most of what I do with FOSS is write. Over the years, I’ve written 10s of thousands of articles covering Linux, open-source, and other topics. Since the very beginning, I’ve not used a tool like MS Word for a single piece of written or audio content.

Dec 27, 2021

I’ve used/tried just about every distribution you can imagine. The ones that I stuck with the longest include Red Hat, Ubuntu, elementary OS, Bodhi Linux, and Pop!_OS.

Dec 27, 2021

Of all the distributions I’ve used and reviewed over the years, the ones I would never hesitate to suggest to new users are: Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Deepin, PCLinuxOS, and Zorin. I would include elementary OS in that mix, but the lack of apps in their AppCenter is a problem.

Dec 27, 2021

Although I do not develop FOSS software, I use FOSS every day and it has helped me (in one way or another) to write over 51 novels (some of which even use #Linux for various plot points).

Dec 28, 2021

I’ve used just about every #Linux desktop imaginable. Two of my favorites were AfterStep and Enlightenment. I really loved those two because they were so highly configurable and could be made to look just about any way you could imagine. Someone should bring AfterStep back.

Dec 28, 2021

@limako I remember those days. Like the first Linux convention I went to. It wasn’t like what you see today. Instead of big business it was a bunch of smaller companies and a bunch of developers/hackers/users. It was such an exciting time.

Dec 28, 2021

Another piece of advice I would give to FOSS developers is to pay more attention to documentation. So many projects seem to lag behind in that area, not realizing how much users depend on that information. I’ve seen very large projects with documentation that languishes.

Dec 28, 2021

I think one of the most important things distribution developers must understand is that their goal should be to develop for the average user. If you’re developing for the Linux community only, you’re not going to win over new users. That’s the choir Linux should preach to.

Dec 28, 2021

I believe desktop Linux (and FOSS) could easily break the double-digit market share if every distribution/app maker would focus more time on marketing. The reason why so many aren’t using Linux is simply because they don’t know it exists.

Dec 28, 2021

@LawrenceHecht It’s not a low bar when it’s been in single digits since inception. Currently (according to https://t.co/rgjfbF5TV0) Linux is at 2.35%, macOS is at 9.54%, and Windows is at 87.56%.

Dec 28, 2021

Here’s an unpopular opinion of mine: I believe it’s time for the Linux community to drop the argument that #Linux is just a kernel. We need to do everything we can to avoid confusing new users and finally agree that Linux is an operating system.

Dec 28, 2021

One of the things I like about GNOME is that it’s such a minimalist approach to the desktop. I don’t like a lot of clutter. I never have icons or widgets on my desktop, because I don’t want to have to minimize windows to get to those things. Plus I like the clean look.

Dec 28, 2021

For me, one of the best things about the #Linux desktop is that it’s so efficient. I can be very productive without having an operating system get in my way. You don’t get that with Windows. macOS can be that way, but it’s not nearly as simple. Apple wants you to do it their way.

Dec 29, 2021

@LawrenceHecht I agree. The US market will be a tough one to crack. The only chance Linux would have would be if some manufacture created a must-have laptop - one that placed a high priority on form. Make it sexy like a MacBook Pro and people might consider it.

Dec 29, 2021

@obedisae the same budget so many artists (such as myself) use to market their creations. In today’s world, you have to get very creative with PR and a little money can go a long way. But it takes considerable effort and energy to make it work.

Dec 29, 2021

In your opinion, what one thing do you believe the #Linux desktop is missing the most?

Dec 29, 2021

I remember using the beta of GNOME 1 and I’ve used every iteration since. GNOME 3 (aka GNOME Shell) is my favorite version of that desktop, because it’s clean, efficient, and performs incredibly well. I don’t, however, believe it’s the best option for new #Linux users.

Dec 29, 2021

For new users, I believe either KDE or Cinnamon are the best desktop options, simply because they both offer instant familiarity. Of those two, I think KDE allows the user to grow more and Cinnamon is for those who don’t like change.

Dec 29, 2021

I’m currently reviewing XeroLinux and, WOW, am I impressed. If you’re looking for an Arch-based desktop distribution with plenty of eye candy, this might be it.

Dec 29, 2021

One of the biggest strengths of FOSS is community. I’ve witnessed some amazing examples of this over the years, some of which could never have happened within the world of proprietary software. Have you ever witnessed an example of that community within FOSS? Care to share?

Dec 29, 2021

@lopta Although it is a very beautiful desktop, it’s still kind of rough around the edges.

Dec 30, 2021

Good morning, FOSS fans! For those that are curious, here’s my review of XeroLinux. https://t.co/551r61iKQf

Dec 30, 2021

Here’s how I breakdown which distribution per usage:

For general usage: Ubuntu For new users: Linux Mint or ZorinOS For productivity: Pop!_OS

Dec 30, 2021

@makeratschool I look at ‘productivity" as a more encompassing term to include things like development, whereas “general usage” is more in line with what the average user would need.

Dec 30, 2021

@derikatwork I agree about Pop!_OS. But I think most new users would have a bit more trouble with the POP!_OS interface than they would with either Linux Mint or ZorinOS.

Dec 31, 2021

I’m not gonna lie, I’m pretty excited to try out the new Maui Desktop. I love how creative the Linux community can be with UIs. What about you?

Dec 31, 2021

If you could change any one thing in your #Linux distribution of choice, what would it be?

Dec 31, 2021

@dekuve And what is your dream DE like?

Jan 1, 2022

Let’s talk about what brought you to Linux. For me, back in ‘97, it was because Windows 95 continually crashed and I knew there had to be a better solution. Said solution was Linux. What about you? Why do you use Linux?

Jan 1, 2022

What I’d like to see happen for Linux in 2022 is more members of the community fully embracing new users with less ‘RTFM" and more, “Let me see if I can help.”

Jan 2, 2022

I believe 2022 will be just the beginning of the year of Linux. With the release of some fabulous desktops and the continued woes with Windows 11, people who might not have otherwise bothered, will take notice. What are your thoughts?

Jan 2, 2022

Giving the new Maui interface a try and I have to say, it’s pretty sweet. I look forward to what the developers bring to the table this year. You can try it out with the latest ISO of Nitrux, version 1.8.

Jan 2, 2022

By the way. I wrote a piece about this a while back. The LibreOffice team is in need of a developer willing to take on the task of fixing the remote save to Google Cloud feature. It’s been broken for years. If anyone has the time, let them know.

Jan 3, 2022

Here’s a question for you: Do you use only FOSS software? Or do you use a combination of free/open-source and proprietary software?

Jan 5, 2022

I wanted to say thank you to IMakeFOSS for having me here over the past week. It’s been an honor and a pleasure. If you want to follow me here on twitter, I’m at both @jlwallen and @JackOfAllTech1 Keep making and using open-source!