Linux can be used by anyone, given they are given the correct distro for their needs.

Linux has stopped to be just for techies for quite some time now, with distros like Linux Mint and Zorin OS it has become far easier for people with not much technical skills to actually use a Linux distro with ease to do what they do on Windows or macOS. Both Linux Mint, and Zorin OS, come with all the software that most people already uses on Windows, or macOS, or something that can be a direct replacement for what they have been using so far.

Besides, most distros now come with a software store that allows to install with a few clicks the software that doesn't come installed by default. Dropbox, Zoom, and Spotify can be installed quite easily this way. Most distros use either Chrome or Firefox as default, or both can be easily installed via the software store used by the distros.

Since Chrome and Firefox are supported, accessing Disney+, Netflix, or Amazon Prime Video is something you do as you do on Windows or macOS using said web browsers. The same can be said of all the web sites people have become used to accessing using said web browsers.

The only Linux distros that aren't recommended for non techies would be purpose built distros like Kali Linux or SUSE Linux. Both of these distros are purpose built for a specific set of users, so they aren't recommended for use by the general public.

Personally I use Linux Mint, and have been using for the better part of five years, and before that, I used Ubuntu for the better part of a decade. I can recommend both of them to anyone that want a OS that will allow them to browse the Internet, do some light office work using LibreOffice, or use streaming service like Spotify, or Netflix. Even if you have quite a substantial music library, you can use Rhythmbox to manage it with ease.

Linux has become something more people can use without having to be computer experts, specially if the right distro is given to them to use.

The importance of choice of a desktop environment.

One of the things I like the most about Linux, is that the user can pick and choose the desktop environment that works for her/him. When I made the jump to Linux, I Linux distro of choice was Ubuntu using GNOME 2.

Now, Linux Mint using Cinnamon has become my favorite Linux distro. This combination just works for me, and it runs like a charm on all laptops I've installed it on. For while I used Ubuntu with Unity, but when they decided to drop it in favor of a highly customized version of GNOME 3 I decided to move to Linux Mint.

The idea that the user can choose the desktop environment that just works for her/his workflow, is a big benefit. Computers are a tool, an as such users have to be able to make it work according to their needs. The desktop environment they use is one of the most important ones, since its one of the things users interact directly when using a computer.

While the number of desktop environments on Linux have consolidated somewhat over the past five years, there is still enough for users find one that works for them. From lightweight ones like LXQt or Xfce, to ones with power feature sets like KDE or MATE, there is a desktop environment that will have what fits any workflow. Most importantly, they all have some level of customization to fine tune them even more to the particular needs of a particular user.

Desktop environments like GNOME and Cinnamon don't need users to have levels of technical knowledge to customize them. That is one of the main reasons I use the version of Linux Mint that runs Cinnamon, I can set it up easily to look and work to suit my needs without much trouble. I could go deeper into customizing it if I wanted to, but why bother if it already satisfies all my need with little extra work.

It has been a while since Linux can be used by anyone who is willing to give it a try, and the desktop environments have been a big part of that.

Hacking is not bad in itself.

The idea that computer hackers are bad by default is not true. While some hackers are malicious, many hackers are not out to do bad things. Many hackers got into hacking out of curiosity, wanting to know how computers and software work or extend their capabilities.

Hackers have a set of skills that can be used for good or bad, depending on the individual. This is true for anything that people do, skill sets are not good or bad in themselves. Yet, in a world that ever more dependent on computer systems to work, hackers are described as people who are out  to no good by many media outlets.

Yet, hackers can be a force for good. In fact, a good proportion of them use their skills to actually improve computer systems we use. Some by helping patching vulnerabilities in the computer systems, others by finding ways to extend their capabilities, while others help keep systems alive that have been dropped by their original developers.

As computer systems become more important for our daily lives, it would be in our best interest that more people learned to hack in order to keep in check the interest of private companies to control the data that we generate daily. We need to have people who can independently verify what companies say their systems are capable of, and what they do with our data.

Along with hackers with a strong skill set to do so, it is also paramount that open-source software become more prevalent. The software itself shouldn't be what is protected, but the information contained in the software is what should be protected. Most importantly, it is important to understand that just because software is open-source it means that everyone can use it as they want to use it. All open-source licenses have some limits on how the software it covers can be distributed, the ownership of the software, and how derivative works can use the source code and its redistribution.

Most importantly, open-source software development makes harder for companies to hide things on the source code of the computer systems we use, since third parties outside those companies can legally revise the code to make sure that the software it runs actually complies with what its said it does.

Hackers have the skill set and knowledge to make sure IT providers, software developers, and computer system providers, actually do what they say they do.  Governments can use the help of private individuals, and companies, in policing that our computer systems work as intended while staying within the limits of the law. As such, having a thriving hacker culture is beneficial to the general public by keeping tech companies in check.

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.