Tsikbal: from my perspective

After coming back to Linux Mint about a month ago back from Ubuntu, I've decided to stick with it from now. Ever since Linux Mint started using Cinnamon as it's desktop environment, I've been a big fan of it; though I liked Ubuntu's Unity shell a bit better since it did a better job for me. I've never really liked GNOME 3 all that much, I simply don't finish to feel comfortable using it. As such, Ubuntu going back to using it was an issue for me and one I'm not really willing to live with after about 3 months of using it daily. Although I can install both Unity and Cinnamon on Ubuntu, its an extra step I'm not willing to make. Also, I had some bad experiences with Ubuntu breaking my Cinnamon install with each upgrade. Finally, Linux Mint has been one of my 2 favorite Linux distros ever since I started using Linux. So, I see no reason to keep distro jumping when there is no good reason to do so. Besides, when Cinnamon 4 comes with Linux M...

As a free and open-source software advocate, I try to help people make to the move to software that its at least open-source . Personally, I run Linux Mint on my personal laptop, Mozilla Firefox my go to web browser, Mozilla Thunderbird my email client, and LibreOffice as my office suite. Rhythmbox is my go to audio player. All this apps work for me, so much so that I consider them indispensable to have on my system and are the ones I recommend the most since I used on daily basis. Yet, with time I've seen that not everyone would be served as well by these apps because their needs are completely different. Even for me, at work I can't use Linux Mint since we use SAP ERP , and Microsoft Office . As such, I've to use Windows for work. I still use Firefox for when I need to keep track of certain things I need to for my work. This has thought me that if you don't give people the right app, you are asking for trouble. There are some proprietary apps that...

Since I got some Otium Beats Bluetooth headphones about a mouth ago, they have become one of my favorite headphones. The sound rather good, and they are comfortable to wear. Yet, I still find myself going back to my wired headphones from time to time. Those are Miniso berry edition, which I got because they are hands free which is a nice thing to have when on the move. I fall back on them when I want to extend battery life, specially when going out for a walk. Yet, the best thing both have in common is that both are in-ear headphones. I find this to be the go to solution when I'm picking headphones to pair with my mobile device. I find them more comfortable to wear on the move, and more practical to store on my bag. All this while packing quite a nice sound, which is a nice thing to have. Still I continue to feel strongly about the 3.5 mm jack on smartphones. Personally, its a must have on my device as an option to be able to continue to listen to music if ...

With the advent of the Internet, and the proliferation of smartphones, we got access to a wealth of knowledge and knowhow like it has never been seen. Almost any tidbit of information we might need to know, or be interested in, is at the tip of our fingers. Yet, this ease of access has also allowed misinformation to be as easily distributed. Sometimes, its hard to know if the information we are accessing is reliable or not. It used to be that how information was distributed, was heavily controlled a few interests. Today, while some of those gatekeepers still hold a strong influence on how information is distributed, its a lot easier to access more sources to be able to get a wider view on whatever issues you are interested in. The main problem now, is how to make sure that the content you are accessing is reliable and the sources where they got the information from. This is why critical thinking is becoming ever a more important tool to understand the content you're in...

I've wanting some Bluetooth headphones for a while, and recently I got a pair of Otium Wireless Sports that a family member gave me. I'm rather pleased with them, since I've found them to be rather comfortable to wear and the sound quality is quite good. The best thing for me, is that they are the form factor I prefer when I'm out. Being in-ear, I find them a lot more comfortable to carry when going out. Not to mention that they are far easier to store on the bar I usually carry, and are that much lighter. Pairing them to my Android device was as painless as it can be, just took me a couple of minutes to do so. Another feature I like, is that it clearly announces when I turn them on or off, and when the connection is made. This not made by some tone, but its announced with a voice recording making it hard not to know what action just happened. Until now, I've always relied on in-ear headsets with the traditional 3.5 mm jack. They did the job for me, bu...

I really enjoy the experience that Android gives me as an user, which has been getting better with time. When I first made the jump to Android about 4 years ago, from Blackberry, I was somewhat weary about the whole thing. I've been a Nokia fan for quite some time, and only moved to Blackberry Bold because it was the only device available when the battery died on my Nokia E63 . While the Bold was quite good, I preferred by far Nokia's experience as a whole. To be honest, I was planning to move to a Nokia C3 or a Nokia N8 . From the Nokia C3 I liked that it had a physical QWERTY keyboard, at the time something really important for me. From the N8, it was a way to tryout a smartphone with a touchscreen from a company I trusted using and Symbian , my favorite mobile OS at the time. But time, and money, conspired against that.  So when the time came, I decided to give Android a chance. It was a Mobo MB405, and it cemented Android as my go to mobile OS. It ran Androi...

As time has gone by, smartphones have become both a fashion statement and a way to stay connected with what matters to us. In more than one way, it has filled the niche that many said would been filled by tablets. And is easy to see why, the form factor of the smartphone is better suited to be carried around a lot easier, while giving us a quick way to access information or share with others with ease. Smartphones allow not only share existent content, but to create content to be shared in real time without having to be physically at the same place with those we want to share it with. Just as important, it allows to do it in an asynchronous way if we choose. There is no need to be connected at the same time to be able to share the experience, since we can access the content later on. Why I consider smartphones fashion statements as well? Because, we choose what model of smartphone we'll buy considering its design. So much so, that in from the entry levels models to the...

Browsing though YouTube , I ran across KaiOS . Its a new OS for feature phones , that allows Internet connectivity. KaiOS can be be seen like somewhat of a successor to Firefox OS , which is now discontinued by Mozilla. The main difference between them, is that KaiOS is squarely designed for feature phones, while Firefox OS was designed for low end smartphones . Personally, I really hope the project is successful. It brings a solid option for those who don't want, or can't afford, a smartphone; while it allows them to remain connected. And being 4G capable, the devices that run it will be supported by carries since it runs on the same networks that smartphones do. Several things give me some hope KaiOS will become an option. To begin with, it already was the support of at least manufactures, including Alcatel and Nokia . Also that Google invested $22 millions on KaiOS . I know that we'll have to wait and see how all it plays out, but this gives me a bit mor...

As a long time Linux user, this article on Forbes by Jason Evangelho about his experience using Ubuntu after ditching Windows is a great example that the Linux desktop is more than good enough for most users. Personally, I would rather go for Linux Mint, but his overall experience comes to show how much the Linux desktop experience has come usability wise. Nowadays, the main reason to use Windows or Mac is mainly specific apps that don't exist, or have a replacement on Linux. Which, is less common thing to happen nowadays. Ever since I moved to Linux, I haven't missed Windows. Skype, Firefox, Spotify, and Dropbox have native support on both Linux Mint and Ubuntu. As such, I still can use them as I did on Windows. The only two apps that didn't have direct replacement where Songbird mainly because it was discontinued, and the Microsoft Office suite . The former was replaced by Rhythmbox , which has become a favorite of mine, and the later with LibreOffice , whi...

I admit that when music streaming services stared coming available, I was somewhat skeptical about them. Being used to having my music on physical form(being tapes or cds), or on my devices on a digital format, instilled my with a sense of security, control, and in a way of ownership. So, the idea of moving to a streaming service made me feel like I was losing something, while not having much in return. After being recommended Spotify by several of my close friends, and some family members, and reading several good things about it, I decided to give it a try. And to be honest, I was pleasantly surprised by how good the experience has been so far. While I still own quite a significant collection of music, I've come to enjoy using Spotify. I haven't lost any of the security or any sense of control over how I experience music. In several ways, it has been enhanced since I can discover new music while enjoy the music I love. One of the things I enjoyed from the ...

For me, the whole Android vs. iOS is starting to feel dated and more about fan boys arguing for argument sake. Both mobile operating systems are quite good, both having their own strengths and weaknesses depending on what Google and Apple believe their respective OS should work. The question for the costumers, is which is better for the needs she or he has. For some, an Android device will be the best option. For some others, an iPhone is the way to go. Personally, I prefer devices that run Android because it the platform that better fits both my needs and expectations. Though I do like some of the features of the iOS, and the design of the iPhone, they simply don't fit the way I use my smartphone, how I expect it to work, or my lifestyle. And I've people close to me that it goes the other way around. The iPhone does a far better job for them than an Android device could ever do. Its time to stop trying to fit people to Android or to iOS, and start fitting t...

I've been using MATE as my desktop environment(DE) for a week now, and I must admit it has become my second favorite DE after Cinnamon . As you can see, I like to keep my desktop itself rather clean. Yet, MATE feels rather snappy and it looks rather good for my tastes. It really makes me feel nostalgic about the all GNOME , but at the same time it makes me feel good about having a nice modern option. The personalization options out of the box are not all that many, but it you can get many more if you want. Yet, if you want to get your hand dirty you can go to their home page , or wiki , to help them out or just get some nifty options to make your desktop ever more of your liking. Personally, one of the best selling points for MATE is the fact that there is an official Ubuntu distro shipping with it as its default DE: Ubuntu MATE . Ubuntu is one of my favorite Linux distros, so having the option of installing with MATE as default to begin with is the way to go fo...

I've never been a big fan of GNOME ever since the version 3 was released. GNOME 2 was one of my favorite desktop environments , but it's place was taken by Cinnamon and Unity . I used Ubuntu 17.10 with Cinnamon, and I love the experience. But, when I jumped to 18.04, I've been having trouble using it, and I still don't really like using GNOME. Then I remember MATE , a fork of GNOME 2 which I've read many positive reviews and I used for a while. For the couple of weeks I used it, I enjoyed the experience. So, I've decided install it and see how it goes. If past experience is any indicator, it should do great and become my go to desktop environment on Ubuntu.

Though I've learned some technical stuff on the course of using Ubuntu and Linux Mint as my main operating systems, I understand why overly technical talk can be a turn off for many people when considering making their jump to Linux. Even some of the philosophical part of why someone should consider making the jump can be off putting. Most people care more if they can use Linux just as easily as they can use Windows or macOS. And the answer is yes, there are distros that are just as easy to use. Some are already using one, since they are using Android on their phones on the daily basis without giving it a second thought. For some users that might have some technical questions, those concerns tend to be more specific to their end use than on the whole operating system at large. They just need to know if their going to have the apps they need to make the move, and keep being able to work without that many problems. There is a need to stop using language that obfuscat...

Among several reasons why Linux isn't more popular on the desktop, is the culture that surrounds it. For the most average, not to mention beginners, Linux seems like a really difficult OS to use. It's not hard to see why, when the distros being push by most the experienced, or advanced, users are the ones like Debian or Arch . While both are solid distros, they are not ideal for most users. Beginners simple don't have the experience, or skills, to deal with the issues that come setting up  those distros. And for users with more experience, and skills, many simply don't want to deal with them, or need a distro that allows them to concentrate on what they need they computer for. Personally, I just want a distro that I just need to set up once and then just can use it without much of hustle. For that, there is a need for distros like Ubuntu and Linux Mint . These two distros as user friendly as they come, and allow the user to just focus on what they wa...

Nowadays, is easy to forget how much smaller the world has become with modern telecommunications, car, and air travel. The Internet, and mobile telephony, allows us to be in contact with just about anyone instantly no matter the time or distance between the people. And with the cost of entry, and of the services themselves, becoming lower with time, more people are joining the networks. In some cases, with the right tools or apps, teleconferences are possible; even when not everyone being at the same physical location. This allows for meetings that couldn't be done before because it wasn't possible to connect more than two points in a single call, or it was simply to expensive to do so. Even some international calls are becoming so cheap, that they are becoming trivial for a larger amount of people to make on the regular basis. For example, calls to the US and Canada are unlimited for me from Mexico for around $10.00 dollars a month. Cars, airplanes, buses, and...

For me, one of the biggest misconceptions about science is that its out there trying to prove religion wrong. Even worse is when someone say that its a religion itself. In reality, science is a method we have to understand the why, and how, the world around us work. Its true that doing so, it has forced us to redefine the role that religion plays in our lives. Some religious tenets have been proven false as our understanding of how the universe works, but that doesn't make the whole religion false. Yet, that doesn't make science the enemy of religion perse. Science doesn't have the answer to everything, or we want to use it for everything. In some cases, we can find that religion is where we can find things that we can't find in science. A place where we can find some peace of mind, or deep connections to other people in ways that science doesn't afford us to make. Science isn't out there trying to prove religion, or spirituality at large, wrong...

I remember when cell phones where startinting to become popular, feature phones were the norm, with smartphones on the other hand being rare; relegated to business executives, government officials, or geeks with Blackberry being king. Now, smartphones are what most people have, with the market being ruled by iPhone and Android devices; with feature phones being few, and far between, so much so that its odd seeing them. The transition took several years, so much so that the current state of affairs seems to be how things are supposed to be. While many of the predictions made didn't come to pass, or at least not as they were thought to unfold, it seems that smartphones will continue to be a part of our daily lives, even shaping how we live our lives and interact with people, but with business and governments. My first smartphones was a Nokia E63 , which I selected because I was already a big Nokia fan. Before that, my favorite Nokia device was the Nokia 6170 . Now I...

For many, technology seems the perfect scapegoat to explain their lack of empathy or why society doesn't seem to fit their expectations. They say that technology dehumanize. I say that technology changes what it means to be human, since it changes how we interact with each other. Not only that, technology changes also changes they way we interact with our surroundings. It has changed how, and when, we engage with other people and our environment. What we have to keep in mind, is that each individual is the one who choose if he or she will use technology to connect with others, or to isolate himself from such contact. At the end, technology is only a tool and each decides what use is to be given to it. At the end of the day, technology does our biding. We have to make a choice on how to use it. Technology will change how we do things, and things will not remain the same as time goes by. We might feel nostalgic for what was, but we need to keep adapting to the times. ...