Stop Gatekeeping, Start Listening: A Better Way to Recommend Linux

As a Linux Mint user, and someone who advocates for Linux in general, I find that saying what distro should you recommend to new users, or the one users should have on their computers, is something that isn't useful in any way for a wider Linux adoption.

When helping new users choosing what Linux distro to begin with, we should actually listen to what they need from their OS. For some, Linux Mint will the best option, for others might be Zorin OS. Some might be better served by Pop!_OS, all comes down to what they need from their OS, and the computer they have.

Limiting new users to a single point of entry, is setting them up for failure to adopt Linux. Not every new user to Linux has the same same needs, skill level, computer, or expectations,  for what Linux should be or do for them. As such, there is no ideal or single distro that should be said to be for new Linux users.

As for the arguments for which distro is the best, or be the  Linux users should targets, is also one that should be more focused on the user instead of the distro itself. I've over a decade using Linux, and I've no intention to move to Arch or any other so called advanced distro. I plan stay on Linux Mint, with Pop!_OS being an option. The main reason is that both of these distros work for me without a problem, they just allow me to focus on my work without having to think about the OS.

This is why a prefer, and advocate for Linux. There is a distro that fits you, not perfectly but close enough. What Linux needs to be more widely adopted, apart for being installed out of the box on more computers, is people that actually listen to new users to guide them to the distro that best suits them.

After that, places where people can physically to get support when they need. Not only that, a place where they can talk to people about what they do on their computers, and get advice and tips to better use of their computer. Even learn about apps that can make their work easier.

While some people just need to read a wiki, go to a forum, or watch a YouTube video, to solve the doubts and problems they encounter, others are better served by meeting people in person to better understand and learn the same things. One the strengths of Linux are the communities that are built around it, distros, and other projects. We need to build them online and offline.

There more we focus on making Linux better for the people who actually use it, the better off Linux and its users will be in the long run. 

De-politicizing Awareness: Why Everyone Should Be Woke

Being woke, is being aware of social injustices around you. In a way, is the first step in making any society, or country, a better place for all those who make it up. No action can be made, if one isn't aware of said injustices.

So, being woke should not be considered to pertain to the left or right of the political spectrum. Everyone should be woke to the injustices happening around them, finding a way to correct them, and helping create a more just society. One could contend that a perfect society isn't something we can build, but we all should work to get as close to it as humanly posible.

As such, when anyone tries to use woke as an insult tells me that they are ignorant of what being woke means, or they don't want to be made aware of the injustice around them. Both are just as bad, and it makes it hard to move forward as a society.

While woke is something considered left leaning, it shouldn't be. Being aware of social injustice is something that people in the right and left should be aware of, and to work to fix. There is no reason why any one should argue that fixing systemic injustice is in the best interest of everyone.

Making a society more just for everyone, is something that benefits everyone in that society, directly or indirectly leveling the playing field benefits everyone. Being woke, and pointing to what need to be fixed is something that allows for actions to be taken that benefit everyone in the long run.

Yet, just being woke isn't good enough if it doesn't lead to action for the betterment of society. Pointing to an injustice needs to lead to actions to correct that injustice. We all have benefited from woke, but there is still much work to do and need to remain woke.

Geek Culture Didn't Turn Left—It Started There

As someone who is into tech, science fiction, anime, and other things considered nerdy, it baffles me when people say that they have become woke or left leaning on the political spectrum. They always have been woke, or left leaning, in some way.

How much to the left they have been, can de debated and even said that it depends on the subject, creator, or community being talked about. But, all of these thing have been woke and left leaning for a long time. Many have been one of the outlets for creativity, and expression, that people in the left and minority communities, have had for decades. The conservative right has always shown no interest, and even repulsion, for all of these thing.

The sole exception is when they want to profit from the people who use, want, or are interested in these things. Specially with tech, which is where the left and right crash more often and in the open on how to handle the balance between profit and users rights.

It is worse when those in the right accuse those left leaning communities to becoming radicalized just because they voice concerns, or even disagreements, with their behaviors or where they want to take something. Just expressing any of these isn't becoming a radical, is just a natural way to let it be know where those people stand on something.

And when people, or communities, become radicalized it in answer of something. Most often than not, is the response to a radical move to the right. Radicalization doesn't happen in a vacuum, it is an answer to something. And while the have been some radical left people doing questionable things, most of questionable things that have happen have come from the right or in answer to something that right did.

Honestly, more left leaning people in tech, science fiction, anime, and such need to start to take a stance on things. Not just to make a stance, but to start a dialogue with everyone that has an stake. We all not need to agree on everything, but at least we all should be part of the dialogue to make things better.

And not everyone has to have a stance on everything, but at least on matters that they claim are important to them. 

Software, OEMs, and Community: The Real Roadmap for Linux

As a Linux user, I do advocate for Linux knowing that not everyone can make the jump for a variety of reason. From the apps they need for work aren't available on Linux, and there isn't a suitable replacement app for their needs, to the computer they is loaned by their work.

As such, what is needed to for wider Linux adoption is to increase the number of apps in Linux. Not only that, is bring the apps professionals use to Linux, so that more professionals can make the jump to Linux. Not only that, we need more OEM of computer and laptops to offer Linux preinstalled, since most of the average users don't want to go through the extra step of installing Linux on a new computer no mater how easy it has become lately.

Granted, is easier to convince them to do so on a computer they already own, and have financial incentive to keep running for years to come. Yet, when buying a new computer is whole different matter where Linux coming preinstalled would make it a lot easier for them to make the jump. This would be easier if display computers are made available for them to test the Linux distro before making the purchase.

One of the things I'd like to see, are places where people interested in Linux could go and physically meet people who use Linux daily on their main computers. This way, they could ask questions, and for help, from people who have the experience and know how to actually help. This would make people trusting Linux a lot easier, since having someone at the same place helping you build trust faster then trying to do so online.

At the end of the day, Linux is build to be used by people. So, making sure it reaches the hands of as much people as possible is vital to get it adopted. The more people use it, and talk about it in a positive way, the easier it will become for more people to make the jump.

What Linux needs are not gatekeepers, but people who help people make the best use of it. 

Built for Work, Not Content: The Admin’s Guide to Real-World Desk Setups

As someone who works on the administrative side of things, I find it annoying that when I look for desk and home office ideas most of what I find is most often focused for content creators or designers, some with a gamer side to it. While the gaming side of the set ups is are things I'd make use of, on the work flow side of things most are things that I simply don't need.

While things like keyboards, monitors, desks, and chairs, are things that people who work with computers on the administrative side of things can also find quite useful, other like cameras, lighting setups, and stream decks are expensive additions that won't see much use on our daily work.

The same sometime goes for backpacks for our everyday carry. They are just to bulky, mainly because they more often than not tend to include pockets for camera gear that as an administrative worker one doesn't need. They also leave out things like pockets to carry food containers, something many admin workers do find useful.

For most admin workers, our main tools work tools are our laptops and smartphones. These devices give us access to all the apps we need to have on daily basis, like camera, music, email, communications apps, and whichever app needed for getting work done. In-ear headphones are most often than not what admin workers reach for, because they are more practical because of their size and are what they already use.

For most admin workers that have online meetings, the camera, mic and speakers on their laptop are  most often than not better than good enough for the takes. The again, some might go for in-ear headphone with mic included when they want some privacy, or not want to disturbe those around them.

When on the go, the laptop and smartphone combo is the most practical. While for some having a portable monitor is useful, for a quick online meeting, or work session at the cafe, the laptop and smartphone are all what is needed to be productive. The second monitor is better at the office, the place where most of the work that makes the best of it is done.

To be honest, while the home office and desk setups of content creators and designers are nice to look, most of the time they aren't what the best option for my work flow and other needs. 

You’re Allowed to Be Human: Why Hiding Your Pain Is Killing You

Something worse than feeling burned out, is the feeling that you got no one to turn to that won't make you feel like you are you blowing things out of proportion, that you are weak for feeling like that, or that you better get used to that because life is hard.

What makes it worse is the feeling that when you reach out to at least be listen to, you hit a wall of that make you feel like you aren't living to your potential. There is no way you can feel tired, angry, or frustrated, because you aren't doing enough to even begin to feel like that. And no matter what you do, you aren't doing enough to begin to feel like that.

Not only that, you are not entitled to feel any negative emotions. You are to feel happy, and show only positive emotions all the time and to everyone around you. There isn't even a good reason to say that something that happened, or someone did, made you feel anything negative, even if you controlled that negative emotion and didn't show it at the moment.

It only makes you feel worse, like you failed for feeling anything else than positive emotions.

What's worse, you start hiding or bottling negative emotions because if you even mention them the backlash only makes you feel worse about it. Even when all you want is someone to understand or listen to you, what you get is anything but support. All you get is the feeling of failing, or not being good enough.

The feeling of having to be perfect, or having not being able to feel anything else but happiness and positive things, pulls you down and makes you feel even more tired and burned out. The feeling that you have to always be positive, no matter how bad things around you are, only makes everything worse.

Not only that, that other people won't let you even mention that you felt anything negative makes you keep your guard up even among the people with who you are supposed to be able to relax and be free to at least say what makes you feel angry, sad, or tired without the accusation of being a bad person for feeling like that.

Life is though enough as it is, and not being able to at least talk about what make you feel anything negative to at least be a able to let it out make it even worse.

Having those negative feelings doesn't make you a bad person, or a less deserving one. It makes you human, you deserve to able to talk about them and to work them out.

The Best of Both Worlds: My Hybrid Laptop and Dual-Monitor Workflow

While I prefer the laptop and smartphone combo since I like to be mobile, I've come to realize that when at my home or work office I do prefer a dual monitor setup. Mainly because my workflow at the desk benefits from the dual monitor setup, while if I am on the road my laptop is what I need.

The work I do at my home, or work, offices benefits of dual monitor setups since I need to compare information or check the info on different apps often. Meanwhile on the road, I'm just doing stuff than a single monitor is enough. Besides, my ideal dual monitor setup is my laptop monitor along side a 27" monitor as my primary one while I'm my offices desk.

For my ideal laptop monitor size, it would be the 15.6" one. It gives me the balance between screen size and portability I seek on a laptop. I tried a 13" laptop once, and I found it to be to small for my use, and larger screens on laptops make them to bulky for to carry around on daily basis.

On my desk, a 24" or 27" monitor gives the display real state I prefer on my primary display, while the 15.6" inch of my laptop is the perfect second display for my perfect dual monitor setup. I prefer having a smaller display for referencing, while I work on the larger display. Though, I could happy work with both displays being 15.6".

It has been about 4 years since I starting working with a dual monitor setup at my desks, and I've found that this setup is the best for my workflow. I prefer to have one app per display, so a wide aspect display doesn't seem to be a good option for me, but I still got to try it out.