Linux Mint and Ubuntu are real options to replace Windows for a bigger set of computer users.

I've been using either Ubuntu or Linux Mint on my daily driver computer since 2005, and it has been a great experience. For the most part, it has been so good that I haven't had to really be conscious about the fact I run a Linux distro for the most part.

Since 2018 I've settled on Linux Mint, mainly because changes on Ubuntu has made Linux Mint the better option for my needs. All the software I use on my personal life is available, and works great, on Linux Mint. The best part, is that it has been getting better over time, and I haven't faced any mayor issue with Linux Mint at all.

What has made the whole experience better, is that I'm able to work using Linux Mint from both the office and home. Since we need to connect to a remote desktop, no matter where we are, being able to do so with no issue from my laptops using Remmina, has meant that I can keep working as usual using my laptop without any problems at all. So much so, that the IT department at work are finding that is viable use an Ubuntu based Linux distro all the company's computers and only use Windows on the server where we have to work.

Mainly because both Ubuntu and Linux Mint are friendly for users that not have much technical know-how, with the added benefit that there are easy to manage by the IT department. On the up side, all of the software needed for work can be run and controlled at the server, and any of the extra software most of us use, like Chrome, Firefox, or Spotify, is available on natively on both Ubuntu and Linux Mint.

As times goes on, Linux Mint and Ubuntu have made it easier to advocate the use of Linux for more people. Specially since the question of what OS is better for a particular user has been more of a question of the apps they use rather than how good a particular OS works.

Besides, Linux Mint just works for most users that just need a computer to connect to the Internet, listen to music with a streaming service, or watch streaming services like Netflix or Disney +. It just works the way most people expects a computer to do, though there a minimal learning curve the first few days one starts using it, just as with any new OS.

Other than that, there is no real issue to prevent the move.

Technology is not what's pulling people apart.

Personally, what is pulling people apart isn't technology in itself. What is pulling people apart, is how people use technology. Most often than not, people use technology use technology to hide when the world they face isn't one that allows them to engage others in a healthy way.

When the world around them is one that facilitate the use of technology to connect with others in a healthy way, technology become another tool to do so. Yet, when the world people face is one that is toxic, technology acts as a shield to hide from it.

There is also how we were thought to interact not only with technology, but also with how to deal with our emotions when things don't go as we want, or expected, them go. If we aren't thought to deal with our emotions, and view technology as a tool and not as a replacement for the world around us, it becomes quite easy to use said technology to hide from our emotions and the world.

There is a need to stop blaming technology for people hiding behind it, and actually giving people what they need to interact with the world. If we don't do that, most people will keep using technology to hide since its easier to do so.

When we give people the tools to make meaningful connections with others, technology can actually be a powerful tool to create, and strengthen, connections with other people. Modern technology can actually bring people closer together when people have what they need to use it in that way.

The problem is not technology in itself, but why people use it either for connecting with others or to hide from the world. Unless we become conscious about this, and take steps to counter it, chances are the people will continue to use technology to keep shielding themselves form a world they don't have the tools to deal with in a healthy way.

We can se technology to change the world for the better, unless we don't give people way to do so.

Learning needs to become something that people just do.

The Internet has given society access to all the knowledge we could ever need about just every subject, and it keeps getting bigger with time. The problem is that, also there is a lot of misinformation and lies along with all the valuable information.

What makes the situation worse, is that our education systems don't give most people the tools needed to navigate the Internet to find the information that is valuable to the subject at hand, and disregard the misinformation out there. This makes moving forward a lot more difficult, since some refuse doing so based on misinformation.

There is a need to change this, and changing how our education systems work is one of that can have the biggest and most valuable impact to improve the situation. Even so, it can take years to actually make its impact felt.

Yet, there is a need to actually doing to do so if we want to build a better future for humanity. We need for all to be able to keep learning throughout their lives, as something that is something normal to do. There is a need to stop the idea that learning is something just done in classrooms.

That the Internet gives people access to knowledge is not enough, unless people can actually learn how to make use of that knowledge.

I'm a happy Android user.

Ever since I started using Android in 2012, it has been getting better. Currently the device I use as my daily driver has Android 11, and it has been quite the step forward.

When I made the jump, to be honest I had my reservations. I had become used to using Nokia devices running Symbian, so making the switch to Android was something I wasn't all to keen to do. Yet, the only other options I had at the time was a Windows phone, or an iPhone.

I ended up choosing an Android device, because there were no Windows Phones that I liked, and moving to the iPhone was not something I wanted to do if I could avoid it. So, I got an Android device and almost from the start Android just worked for me. All the apps I needed were available, and I could set the user interface to work just like I wanted it to work.

While in the ten years since there have been several changes to Android, most have been for the better or haven't really been something that took away from the experience. Actually, with time the idea of moving to iOS has become even less appealing with time, since Android is getting better and the competition among the OEM within the Android ecosystem has meant that there are always several smartphones that meet my need to choose from.

The only thing I have done over the years, is jump among brands within the Android ecosystem. All have had their ups and downs on the hardware side, but I've been always set Android itself to work as I like with in 10-15 minutes. Yet, since I got my current Motorola One Fusion, I don't really expect to jump to another brand unless they offer something Motorola doesn't do at the time I make the switch to a new smartphone in a couple of years time.

Linux has been getting better for the average user.

As someone who uses Linux Mint on daily basis on my daily driver, I can say that Linux is ready to be used by basically everyone. The only reasons anyone couldn't move to Linux, is if they need an specific software that isn't supported on Linux, like Photoshop, Microsoft Office, or some accounting suites. Other than that, Linux distros are fully capable systems that anyone can use.

Distros like Linux Mint and Ubuntu, can be used by anyone for most of the average user cases. Specially when used basic tasks like web browsing, and media streaming, Linux distros can handle them without any problem at all. With time, the user experience has been getting better since many distros have been working on making the average user experience better.

While there is some learning curve coming from Windows, or macOS, it has been getting easier to make the switch with time. Linux Mint is one of the best examples, specially with when using Cinnamon, which I've been using for 3 years now as my daily driver, and for about 6 months for work now. It has worked like a charm, even when using a two monitor setup.

The best thing for me about Linux Mint, is that it is based on Ubuntu's long term support releases. This make Linux Mint a solid and stable operating system, because it prioritizes stability and proven software. This means that I don't really have to worry about up dates braking the system unless something goes terribly wrong with an upgrade, or something get corrupted.

Linux distros have come a long way, and now they have become a solid option for almost everyone.

Mid-range Android smartphones give me more value for my money.

After about 8 years using Android smartphones, it has become my go to mobile operating system. Android just works for me, in a way iOS just can't compete. Not that iOS is bad, its just that it simply doesn't works how I want it to, and Android fits with how I use my smartphone a lot better.

Add to it, that with each new Android version it just keeps getting better for my use case, moving to iOS is less appealing. There is also the fact that Android OEM keep releasing better smartphones each year, it does feel like an upgrade each time I make the choice to get a new one.

Most importantly, the mid-range Android smartphones give a great value in the hardware the have. They might not have the greatest, and latest, tech in them, but they work great for the use I've for my smartphone. They actually find they give me more for the cost they have.

The fact that there are several options with in the Android ecosystem, making OEM having to compete among themselves, makes for appealing smartphones and choose the one that better fits my needs with some extra things that I want to have at hand. In most cases, I'm able to find the smartphone that gives me that extra without going out of budget, or for just for a little more if I can.

Android just works, and it keeps getting better.

Linux Mint just works for me.

Windows 11 release last week proved how Windows has become rather irrelevant for me. I only use it for work, and through a remote desktop client, as such I don't really have to worry about keeping the OS up to date.

For the better part of a decade now, I've been using a Linux distro on my personal computers. Currently, I run the latest version of Linux Mint, which just works for all my needs. Actually, I've much less issues with Linux Mint on all my laptops than with the computers I've used at work running Window 7 or 10. Specially on computers on the lower end of technical specifications.

Yet, what really solidify Linux Mint status as my go to OS, is the fact that since at work we moved to using the could for work Remmina has proved that I can keep working using Linux Mint without any real problem. What is better, since I use laptops, that has meant that I can keep working from any where with an Internet connection.

With how good Linux Mint has gotten in the last 4-5 years, it makes hard for me to make a case to move back to using Windows. Specially when I take into account that almost everything now can be done through a web browser, or a mobile app.

Linux distros like Linux Mint, and Ubuntu, that have a solid development team behind them make for a great OS for most people. Now, unless you have a need for a very specific piece of software that only works on Windows, or on macOS, Linux is quite a solid option for most user cases.

A nice update of Android by Motorola.

When I got my Motorola One Fusion a couple of months ago, it came with Android 10. Since I don't really don't care about having he latest Android version, just one of the last 3 released, it wasn't that big of the deal for me. Personally, that the smartphone I get runs Android and has at least 64GB of internal storage, about 4GB of RAM, is the baseline I go for.

Android 10 really was an improvement for me coming from an Android 9 smartphone. Besides, the OS actually worked rather well on the smartphone. Yet, on the 1st of October I woke up to the pleasant surprised that my smartphone had upgraded to Android 11 overnight. To be honest, I wasn't really expecting it to happen, but as an Android fan it was a nice thing to get.

In the week I've using Android 11 in a daily basis, it has actually improved my user experience in the same smartphone. Mainly, the user interface was a big improvement compared with Android 10, and as a whole my smartphone has worked better overall.

Each time I get to try a newer version of Android, it gets better for me. So much so, that I simply don't see myself jumping to the iPhone. If anything, I keep looking for better Android smartphones with at least the version of Android my current smartphone runs. Android just works for me in ways iOS would never do.

And with the update, Motorola has solidified itself as the OEM I'll give priority when I'd look into replacing my current smartphone. Now, I just hope that the Motorola One Fusion gets Android 12 in the near future.

Laptops work magic for me.

As time goes on, I've found that laptops are perfect for my computing needs. Laptops have more than enough computing power for my needs, and allow me to take them with me to work from pretty much most of the places I frequent regularly.

Laptops just fit perfectly my lifestyle, specially with Wi-Fi becoming so ubiquitous along side with charging spots. That make possible for me to actually be able to work from almost everywhere, or just get online when I need to access things for which a laptop is a better option than a smartphone.

It has been years since I've seriously considered a desktop as a replacement, or even as an upgrade to the laptop at the time I was considering getting replacing the laptop I'd at the time. Laptops just offer what I need from a computer, which is not really much on the computer power side. Portability is just far more important for me, since I like to be able to work from different places from time to time.

Fortunately for me, laptops have gotten to a point where they can cover all my work and entertainment needs without breaking a sweat. All this with improving the battery life by several hours, that make them a lot more useful for my needs.

The best thing, is that Linux Mint has worked flawlessly with my favorite brands of laptops. And with the on going development of Linux Mint, I expect for things to get better for me.

Linux Mint is my go to operating system.

As time goes on, Linux Mint has become the operating system that works for me for my computers. It simply works for me, and it has worked as a charm ever since Linux Mint 19 (Tara) came about.

I personalize prefer the version using the Cinnamon desktop environment, since the desktop environment that better suits my needs and system work really well with it. There is also the fact that it it works great with the dual monitor setup I prefer, and that Remmina works really well on Linux Mint.

The first Linux distro I ever used was Ubuntu, yet ever since they move away from using Unity I just haven't felt comfortable using it. Linux Mint, with Cinnamon, just gives me a better user experience.

With each new release since Linux Mint 19, at least the base experience has remained there. There have been some improvements, like being able to creating app Web App to create direct access to most used web pages that have served to improve my experience on the end user side, but the best thing is that overall the OS has been improving with each release.

Linux Mint is really the Linux distro that I can recommend the average computer user, or more advance users with specific needs. Specially since I've used it on my personal daily driver for over 3 years, and for work for about a year now.

Remmina enabling using Linux for work.

I've been using a Linux distro on my personal computers for about 8 years now. The two distros I've used from the start are Linux Mint and Ubuntu, though as of 2019 I prefer to use Linux Mint.

 

At work, most of the time I've to use Windows computers mainly because that was the operating system the computer I had to use had installed. Yet, since last year I've been able to use my laptop with Linux Mint installed for work since we have to work on a remote desktop.

I use Remmina, and it has work great for me. If I had issues with it, all can be attributed to a bad Internet connection or the server going off line. I didn't know much about it, but it has been really easy to configure to work as I want it to work. So much so, that I prefer it over the Windows option I was using before.

 

The best thing, is that it allows me to work from anyplace I can get an Internet connection. The flexibility I get from it means that I can use my time much more effectively. I don't have to worry as much about getting all I need to do at a certain time, since I can keep working almost from all the places I life to frequent.

I do recommend Remmina if you need to work from a remote Windows desktop and you want to keep using your Ubuntu based OS.

Going on with less cash.

After a few weeks working from home, I've come to use cash far less than I did before. Most of the purchases I do on regular basis, I can do using credit, or debit, cards of via electronic transfers. As such, I don't need cash as much as I used to.

To be honest, even before the start of the pandemic my use of cash had be declining for some for years now. Working from home only accelerated the trend, with no sign that my use of cash would increase any time soon. As it stands, there is no really a good reason for me to carry much cash.

The need of having cash with me, or at least large amount of it, is becoming less important for me. I just need small amounts, since most of payments I've to do by electronic ways. Most importantly, is that I can actually choose not to use cash on my every day life.

In a way, I've seen this coming a long way ahead. Yet, it still got me by surprise since it came in a way I wasn't expected to come by.

For me, not having to worry about having to have cash at hand, makes my life a lot easier. Mainly because I don't have to withdraw money often, which gives me a lot more flexibility of what to do with my time, and not having to worry about getting it stolen. As time goes on, more and more places are starting to accept payments by credit and debit cards, or by electronic transfer, which make my need for cash even less.

Time will tell if my use of cash will keep decreasing, or just stays the same.

Need to change the education system.

As time goes by, I've come to the realization that the problem isn't the amount of information that its available online, but there are many who don't have a way to process information critically in order to differentiate which information is relevant and useful from misinformation. Most people just are able to just memorize facts and figures, but not processing information.

The problem isn't the amount of information out there, but that our education systems put emphasis on memorizing, rather then on giving students the ability to actually process the information they come across, in order to learn new things and make decisions based on that information.

Simple memorization is not longer useful, but rather the ability to process new information and to internalize it in order to be able to act on it in the best possible way according to the needs we have at the moment. What we need now, is that people are able to go through new information and have the ability to use it almost in real time.

As technology is becoming taking over most of the repetitive stuff we do, we need to make sure more people can make the transition to jobs that require the ability to process information and make decisions made upon those new inputs. The main problem is that a large proportion of the population doesn't have that ability, and they are being left behind.

The world is changing at the pace, and direction, that makes it almost impossible for them to adapt to it. Many simply don't have the skills needed to be able to do so, and no place were they can actually learn them to be able to adapt. It isn't that they are unwilling to do so, they cannot adapt because they lack the skills to do so.

While the job market have changed on what it needs, workers haven't kept up to those changing needs because they can access the skills they need. The way we see education needs to change.

Having a good experience with a Motorola One Fusion.

Recently I got a Motorola One Fusion, since the device I was using for about 3 years nos was starting to show its age. After a couple of months of usage, I must say it was quite a good choice. It works quite well for me, since it cover all my needs and expectations about how a smartphone should work.

It also cements mid-range smartphones as my go to option, and Motorola as one of my top 3 brands. Motorola has been one of the brands I usually take as an option, but now having hands on experience with one of their devices it has really come to be one of the main options. It also gets extra points due to the fact that its easy for me to get it unlocked from the start.

The other one would be Nokia, because of the good reviews and of nostalgia, but its hard to get one of their devices in Mexico unlocked from independent stores.

I prefer to get my smartphones unlocked from the get go, mainly as a safeguard in case I need to change carrier for whatever reason. Specially since smartphones are quite expensive, and I don't really like to change them if the one I'm currently using still is in working order.

Though I've toying with the idea of trying an iPhone, my current smartphone kind of makes it harder for me to make the jump to the iPhone. With each new version of Android I get to use, the user experience keeps getting better for me. In more than one way, Android just works for me.

Challenges of adapting to the future workplace.

The kind of jobs performed by people has changed a substantially in the last hundred years. Most manufacturing jobs now are done by robots, or are done using tools that weren't available a couple of decades ago.

Many people have shifted to jobs either service industry, or an administrative position. For many, there is a lot more knowledge about the tools, or systems, needed to be effective in the job they do. They need to be able to use software, or a tool, on which there is a certain level of training needed to be able to even use it.

As time goes on, even a bigger share of the manufacturing jobs will be done by machines, with only a few minority be left to specialized workers. Most people will need to move other jobs, and receive the training to be able to do those jobs. That is why education needs to change faster, since the current system is educating people for jobs that most likely won't exist in the next couple of decades.

This will have a huge impact in all aspects of society, making it vital to make sure we can actually give society as a whole what it needs to make the shift to the new ways all this changes will make.

Society as it stands today, isn't fully ready to cope with the changes technology is doing to the way we work. Many people don't have the skills needed to shift to new jobs, and no way to access the training to get them. This puts them in a disadvantage, since they won't be able to get a new job to replace the income they lost, or get access to better paying jobs.

As a society we need to put in place the structure were access to education and training is accessible for all. If not, we face a future where a large amount of people won't be able to have access to a job because they don't have access to the education or training. Even today, there are people who can't get a better job simply because they can't access the training, or curses, needed to get them.

In a way, that future is now if we don't want to be overrun by it.

Working from home.

I've been doing home office full time for the last week, and it was better than I expected it to be. It help me validate that I can all do all my work, and be effective at it, from home. Since I can access all the software I need to do my work via a remote desktop, and I can contact my coworker vie a phone call, Whats App, or an email, there is little or no need for me to be at the same place than my boss or coworkers.

Besides, not having to go to the office itself saves me a lot of time and I find that even though at times work still piles up, I'm a lot less stressed about work. Though there is some adaptation to do, I do prefer to do home office. While I do miss seeing some of my coworkers in person, I do prefer working from home since I feel like I'm more effective doing home office.

If any change is required, I'd rather just having to go to the office once or a couple of times a week for a few hours. That way, I'll get to get out of the house a bit more while still benefiting from working from home most of the time.

To me personally, home office is something that works for me.

Changes on how, and where, we work need to come.

It's interesting to see how while some people already have the skills, and tools, to work from home effectively, most of the time they are reluctant to that option. It looks like that, while it could be more beneficial for them to do home office, the idea of making such a change is not one that come easy for them.

While it is true that home office is not the best option for everyone, many could be even more effective working from home. Specially those whose presence at the physical location of their company is not really required and the time to get to and from there is to long. Today, there are ways to get all the information they need from they coworkers without having to be at the same place, and with the advent of tools like remote desktops to access the tools they need from where ever they happen to be with an Internet connection, it becomes even more practical to work remotely.

Even a hybrid model, make people anxious about working remotely. Even when there is talk about the amount of time needed to get to work, or not having enough time for personal stuff, the idea of working remotely and getting some extra for personal use by not having to go work in other place, is a change not everyone is willing to make. It seems that they believe that not being present at the office all the time will make them irrelevant, even when they can give better results working from home.

To be honest, in many cases a hybrid work model would be most beneficial for most company and workers. Being able to work from home some days, while going to the office on others, would be both the companies and the employees more flexibility on their time management to be more effective at their jobs. With the benefit that people would be more happy and feeling more in control of how they work.

While it would require a lot of change to get the model to work, the tools are already there to make it work and the people already have the skills to use them effectively. The only thing lacking now, is the will to actually implement the changes, and to seem the through.

Falling behind with the technology that could help us get ahead.

I've noticed at work that there is a lot of misgivings about using technology we have at hand to work in better, even if it means doing things in a different way. It feels like people are scared of changing how we have worked so far, even when it has proved to work and it is better for us to make the changes to the processes to benefit everyone involved.

It feels like we are wasting valuable opportunities to improve things in ways that will benefit both the costumers and us in the long run. We could be finding ways to better serve our costumers, while making work easier and more enjoyable for us using the tools already in place. There is room for improvement, but the baseline is already there to start the move, and make in a way that that will help us improve our workflow with the input of those who will interact with tools directly.

As it is, I feel we are chasing what others are already doing instead of setting things in our own terms. Investment is done to catch up with were technology is now, instead of at least riding the wave. We are behind the curve, and its putting a lot of strain on how much we can compete in the marketplace.

The biggest hurdle is that there is a lack of will to do something about it, and it taking a negative tool on everyone. Hope time would prove me wrong, but it seems it won't be that way.

Right of repair should be a given.

The right to repair the things we own shouldn't be something that a president had to issue a executive order about. It should be a given, that if we legally acquired something, we should be able to have it repaired if that fits out needs.

Not only that, there should be a whole ecosystem of third party shops where we are able to get the repairs done if we so choose to have it done. There is a whole set of reasons why we should be legally able to do so, from price to convenience of access, that the manufactures of our devices shouldn't be able to stop us from getting repairs from third parties.

For third party shops to be able to repair our devices, there is no need for them to have full access to all the trade secrets of the manufacturer of the device. Just enough information to be able to perform repairs, just have access to the information needed to do the repair and the parts to make a quality repair.

Companies that block the right of repair of people, are not looking out for their customers. They are looking for their own bottom line, forcing their customers to either pay the what they ask for or buying new replacements for the device that broke down. Their best interest, is not always the best interest of their customers.

Repairing our things should be a normal part of the life cycle of all products. Extending the life our things, specially our electronic devices, is a good thing for the environment , since it helps to reduce e-waste. Most damage that most electronic devices encounter before they need to be replace is an easy fix, and as such it should be encourage to be fixed.

At the end, as owners of our devices, we should have the final say when we replace them and when only fixing them is what we need. When we buy them, they belong to us.

The companies that manufacture them don't have a say in when we replace them, or where we have them fixed.

Android vs iPhone.

The whole Android vs. iPhone thing is something that really has bugged my for quite some time now. As an Android user, I can see some ways iOS is better. The same goes for the hardware itself, there some things I really like about the iPhone that I wish Android devices had.

Yet, there is simply no motive for me to make the jump to the iPhone. Android, and the devices that run Android, simply work better for me. The only thing I really somewhat envy from the iPhone ecosystem is the amount of holsters made for it. Other than that, Android devices are just a better for my usage.

What irks me the most, is when the iPhone is directly compared to the low end of Android devices. There is no competitions there, and the manufactures of those devices aren't even trying to compete with the iPhone. Low end Android devices are targeted for people that just need a basic smartphone, with a low price.

To make matters worse, even high end Android manufactures most of the time try to cater users in ways Apple doesn't. They know that directly competing with the iPhone can be a losing proposition, so they try to make the sale by not directly comparing themselves with the iPhone.

In many ways, they even cater to people who wouldn't consider the iPhone for several reasons. For one, the price range of the iPhone can be too high for what some people are willing to fork over a smartphone. And even those who are willing to pay the price of an iPhone, the iPhone simply doesn't appeal to them since in certain circles is has become to common.

At the end of the day, smartphones are just a tool that should work for each user. For some the iPhone is the one, and for others an Android device is the answer.

Most importantly, as Android and iOS have been developed over time there has been cross-pollination between both OSes. Somethings have been implemented first on Android, to later make the jump to iOS and vice-versa. The idea that all innovation has occurred only on one side is just plain wrong.

So, instead of trying to push down the throat of people your favorite one let people just choose the one that works for them.

Android just works better for me.

When the first iPhone, followed by the Android smartphones that followed the form factor, I admit I was somewhat doubtful that it work for me. At the time I had a Nokia E63, and if I preferred a physical keyboard at the time. The first smartphone without a physical keyboard that caught my eye was the Nokia N8, since Nokia was my go to smartphone brand at the time, and I really like the Symbian OS at the time.

When the time came to change my smartphone, I decided to give Android a try with a device that had Android KitKat on it. It impressed my for the better, specially since Android does all what I want it to do in ways iOS doesn't do.

At the moment I just got a Motorola One Fusion with Android 10, and Android just keeps giving me what I expect, and need, my mobile devices to do. While I've tested some iPhone devices, Android based ones simply work better for me. I admit that the iPhone and iOS are pretty good, but Android just works better for me.

As time goes by, Android devices are just the best fit for my use of my mobile life. To the extent that when I have to replace my smartphone, to make the jump to the iPhone is something I don't really consider. I might jump between OEMs on the Android side of smartphones, but the jump to iOS is not worth it for me.

I just prefer the experience Android gives me.

A better office setup.

I've been using my laptop that runs Linux Mint at work as a test for a week now, and so far it has been quite a good experience. To do my work, I mainly use Remmina to access the remote desktop we use to access the software we use to manage things, and do invoices for our customers. I also use WhatsApp desktop app to communicate with the coworker that sends the remissions to be invoiced and fulfilled for our customers.

The current setup I use at work is the one showed in the picture, and it has proven to be far better than trying to use a single monitor or using my smartphone to monitor WhatsApp for the remissions to be invoiced and passed over to be fulfilled.

I never imagined that I could use my current setup as easily as I'm doing it now. While I have been able to work from home when needed using Remmina, the idea to be able to do so at the office was an idea I was playing with for quite sometime. I really didn't went tried it because I wasn't sure I could setup the network printer we use to print the remissions and the invoices from Remmina.

Turns out that it was quite an easy task to do, and it hasn't given me any problems at all. What has actually help me to work better, is that I can use the external monitor just for Remmina while I use my laptop's monitor to check the information needed to look for without having to minimize Remmina each time I need to check.

As time goes by, the benefits of my current setup become more obvious and it makes harder to go to using just one monitor. What is more important in a personal lever, is that it proves that Linux distros can be more widely adopted in more use cases by regular people.

Quite happy with the new system at work.

As time has gone by, I've gotten used to the new system we started using at work since April last year. For the most part, I actually like the new system over the one we used to work with.

Mainly because it allows me to get most of the information I need to do my job rather quickly, and in a way that allows me to do things faster and more accurate way. Mainly because I can set in the information I need in a way that helps accessing it faster and easier.

If any changes that it seems in need, there are on the warehouse administration side of things. The process of getting the stock of the products we have, can get to be a bit hard know in real time. Which can be a pain in the ass, since it's information that several people need to know with as much accuracy as possible at a moment notice.

Other than that, on my side of things it has been just a question of time to adjust my work flow to the new system. The amount of information about all what I need to know to do my job, can be accessed in no more than 3 pages deep. The whole process it doesn't take more than a minute, for most tasks. The most time I've waited to get the information I need has been a couple of minutes because the amount of information I was requesting.

What I like the most about the new system, is that I can actually access it from any place I'm at from my personal computers. Which means that I don't really need to be at the office if I need to do overtime or help if I'm out of the office if the needs arises.

There are still we have to work in to make the system work better for us, but so far I believe that the system is a good fit for our needs.

Freedom of choice.

All my personal computers run either Linux Mint or Ubuntu, while at work I use Microsoft Windows. If you told me a couple of years ago that I would be able to seamlessly run a Windows server desktop on either Linux Mint or Ubuntu I would have not really believed you.

Yet, since last year I've able to do so using Remmina without any issue at all. I've been able to bring some work home and connect to the server at work without any issue what so ever. So much so, that if I had to, I could bring to work any of my laptops to the office and keep working without much issue at all.

To be honest, that is something I have wished to be able to have the option to do so for a while now. Not only because it gives me the option to keep working for where ever I want to do so, but because it gives me the option to do so using the OS I prefer to use. And it finally it gives me the chance to use Linux as a viable option.

Ever since I began using Ubuntu, I've been looking for ways to use Linux when ever possible. Remmina has given me the chance to do so at work, since I can access all I need to do for work within the Linux distro I have install on the system I'm using at the time.

To me, it finally makes Linux a viable option at more space in my life.

Heading to a cashless society.

Since last year, it has become ever easier not to use cash. As time goes by, its becoming easier to pay via credit, or debit, cards, or just make a transfer via your bank's app. Even digital wallets are making it easier to pay without even having your usual cards on you when making a purchase.

To be honest, having to depend on cash as much was something I never thought I would see on my lifetime. Though we are still a long way from becoming a cashless society, big strides are made every day that are bringing it closer every day. The amount of cash I need to have on me has been steadily decreasing with time, and with the pandemic the pace seems to have being picking up.

The things I actually need cash for have been decreasing as time goes by, so much so that I find myself surprised when there is at least no an option for electronic option to pay for something. The only thing I have to use cash that I usually pay for, is adding founds for my prepaid mass transit card. Every thing else, I use electronic payments options.

From the places I eat to payments of services, paying with plastic or electronically is quite easy. Even paying back to friends and family, or helping them out with some money, can be easily via a direct transfer with the mobile app of my back.

As time goes by, I expect to use cash even less. To be honest, it is far more practical for me. Though using the ATM is not really all that hard, I prefer no having to go and find one to be able to get cash. I rather pay everything electronically.

Being able to manage all my finances electronically, has made making all my payments electronically all that easier. As time goes on, I expect to become even easier to manage my finances electonically even more convenient.

Make forums a real place of exchange of information and knowledge.

One thing that I recently has starting irking me on Internet forums, is that someone ask some basic question the just google it answers begin to pour in. For me, they are starting to feel like people lack a certain empathy for others that ask a question in a forum looking for an answer from a person that could help them.

Not only that, some who ask don't want to use a search engine either because they don't know how to phrase the question, or the amount of information that they get back is just to much for them to process. And when you add into that the amount of trash you get with it, the things get a lot harder to figure out for people who don't really know much of the issue they are asking about to begin with.

Sometimes, you just want or need the kind of answer you get from another person. One thing are the answer you get from the results you get from a search engine, and quite another the answers you get from someone who knows about the subject matter you asked about.

Not only that, in most cases is a lot easier to interact with those who answer to your question on a forum in order to a better answer than it is to do so in a page. If you add that the information in the pages shown by the search engines might be behind paywalls, complete trash, or out of date, things only get worse from that.

So, be kind to people who ask beginner questions on forums. Try to figure out who are the trolls, so you can help the people who are asking the honest questions. It's one of the easiest, and most with the most impact, you can help make the world a better place. Doing so, you are helping to make the Internet a better place, and a step closer to the place where ideas and information can be freely exchanged.

Freedom of speech is a two way street.

It seems that the people that complain about that now nothing can be said without offending someone, are those who get called out for being racist, misogynistic, or just plain offensive. They can't deal with the consequences of what they say, believing that freedom of speech means they don't have to deal with those consequences.

They seem to want to return to a time when they didn't have to face the push back for their actions the way do with the advent of the Internet, and smartphones, which gives voices to those who have an issue with what they say or do. Sure, the push back is not always correct, or proportionate, but that doesn't mean that there is push back that has substance to it.

There is an expectation that people should not raise their voices to change things. The people who express their disdain for those who point out that that certain things no longer have place in our society going forward, are the ones who just are unable to evolve and understand that society has changed and more people are able to express themselves as they do.

More people, specially minorities, are nor able to raise they voice and do something when someone does, or says, things that wrong them. No longer they have to just lay down, and take whatever others want them to take. Now the consequences of what is said and done, will be felt almost immediately. Not only that, they will have to face them personally.

It needs to be understood, that freedom of expression will not free the person of the consequences of expressing themselves. Besides, others are also free to express their anger, displeasure, and hurt when they feel that way. Is time for those who are angry because people can express themselves against them to man up and accept that they'll have to face the consequences of their expressions.

Freedom of speech is a two way street, so be prepared when someone fires back.

Remmina has proven to be a useful piece of software for me.

One of the main things that worried me if I had to work from home because of the the pandemic, was the fact that on my personal computers at home I use Linux Mint, while at work we use Windows based systems. As such, I was worried about not being able to work from home due to compatibility issues.

While I wasn't keen on trying out Wine, because some people who had used it for work have had some stability issues with. As such, I had to look for alternatives to be able to use the remote desktop I use for work. Worst part was that I just had a short notice to set it up to, and start using it in less than an hour.

So, after looking for options I ended up opting for Remmina, and it actually is a really good option to do work on remote Windows desktops. So much so, that now is routine for me to bring work home to catch up if I need to do so and I don't want to stay extra time at the office.

I have found Remmina to quite stable, and easy to use. It lets me to actually concentrate on what I've to do, and not having to worry about losing the connection. And the fact that I can connect from where ever I'm at the moment there is something I need to get done, makes Remmina quite a valuable asset for me.

What is more important for me at a personal level, is that Remmina has given me the option to be able to keep using Linux Mint on my personal hardware while given me the chance to do work on Microsoft Windows systems when the need arises. That means a lot for me, specially because I prefer to use open source software as much as I can.

I do recommend Remmina, it really is a great tool for those people who need to work on remote Windows desktops from Linux operating systems.

The normalization of violence against women.

After Dr. Seuss announced that they won't reprint 6 Dr. Seuss' books due racist images they contain; the New York Times ran an opinion piece by Charles M. Blow rising a point against Pepé Le Pew, who normalized rape culture; Speedy Gonzales, whose friends helped popularize the corrosive stereotype of the drunk and lethargic Mexicans; and Mammy Two Shoes, a heavyset Black maid who spoke in a heavy accent.

To be honest, I do agree with him about the issues he raised. Yet, the backlash about the possibility of Pepé Le Pew being cancelled got me worried. It really shows that violence against women is so normalized in our society that even the possibility of a cartoon where it is portrayed offends people more than the violence itself.

It mind blowing that people haven't have problem against the kind of behavior Pepé Le Pew displays just because it is shown in a funny way. Some even go as far as justifying it, saying that it is just a cartoon or it shows perseverance by Pepé Le Pew. Truth be told, such behavior should never be condoned by anyone. Besides, it has no place in a show directed to children, who have no way to knowing that what they seeing its wrong.

While it has to be understood in the context of the time the show was released, it doesn't mean that it still has a place today. At least not being shown to children, at a time when we are trying to eliminate all kind of violence against women. It is not about people being offended about everything, is about creating a safer society for everyone.

Home office saved many jobs and businesses.

How much telecommunication technologies have helped many people to keep their jobs, by allowing them to work from home is what one of the things that have impressed me the most of what has changed because of the pandemic. If it wasn't because of people being able to do home office, the level of unemployment might have been a lot higher. Also a lot more businesses could have faced bankruptcy if they have given their employees that option.

On the other hand, it shows that the capability to make use of home office has been there for quite a while. Seems that many businesses have been reticent to make use of this option because they were afraid that employees would not perform as they they do on site. Yet, the results may give more businesses the data they need to make home office something more of their employees use more often.

To be honest, it would be something that I'd like to make use at least once a week, and several of my coworkers would have the option to use with some regularity too. Sometimes just being able to work outside the office just helps reduce the stress levels, while being able not fall behind your work by taking vacations.

While most of my job can be done at home, there are still somethings I can do from home. Like being able to print orders, and invoices, at the printer at the office. That is something I need able to do, since the order pages are what the people who fill the others use to do so. And the invoices need to be given to the delivery drivers, or the sale agents, so out clients sign that they received they products when done so locally. Also the credit notes need to have a hard copy to prove that they were authorized.

To be honest, some of this could be done electronically. But there is some push back by some people to do the transition in fear our costumers would not approve of making the move. I personally that the change was made, since it would make my job at lot easier. Most of what is needed is in place, now is just a matter to make the move.

A case for multilateralism.

One of the mayor lessons that the COVID-19 pandemic, is that no country can truly and effectively, face such big challenges by itself. Multilateralism has become the best way to face not only problems like COVID-19, but to tackle other challenges like global warming and to bring more people out of extreme poverty.

Isolationism is not a long term solution. In many ways, it would only compound the problems each country has by not being able to access solutions other countries have, or make it viable to get outside help without being at a weak negotiating position since there isn't much to bargain with that other countries can't get else where.

Most importantly, multilateralism doesn't mean that a country has to give their identity away. It means that there is willingness to engage the rest of the world in a way that is beneficial to all parties involved, with a set of rules that have to be followed by all of those who want to participate in any given activity.

It doesn't have to be a zero-sum game. For multilateralism can work in a way where all can gain what they are looking for, without having to make everyone else lose.

Multilateralism means being willing to work together in way that benefits those involved. The idea is making it a win-win situation by negotiating within a set of rules agreed by those involved, accepting that something will have to be given in order to get what is wanted from the situation.

With countries, as with people, the way forward is working together.

Living through trying times.

The beginning of 2021 has been a lot rougher than expected, specially with the riots that led to storming to the US Capitol. It feels like all what happened on 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic is carrying over, specially since there is still no clear end in sight.

People are angry, and stressed, that the economy is still highly restricted. For many, it means that their source of income has been lost with little chance of recovering it. For others, it means a reduced income and for others a certain uncertainty about being able to keep their job for the foreseeable future.

For others, it has meant losing family or friends. Even seeing some loved ones battling the virus without certainty they make it.

The feeling of uncertainty we live in, is something that for many is proving to be to much to handle. People are scared, or exhausted, about not being able to at least be sure about the short term. In addition, for many is hard to come by with credible information almost about everything they care for. Misinformation, or plain lies, seem to be everywhere making it hard to know who or what to trust.

2021 is still, so there is hope things will change for the better.