Tsikbal: from my perspective

Spotify just added the capability of being able to run on the background on Linux Mint at the last update, and with that it got the 100 score for me as a music streaming service. To be honest, I might be nip picking about it, but being able to close my music player, and it being able to stay open on the background while playing music, is something I expect. I use Rhythmbox to play my music local music library, and it has continually supported playing music on the background when I closed the window, so Spotify not supporting the same behavior kind of baffle me for a while. But, now that the capability has being added to Linux Mint, it has improved my perception of it. While not being able to do so wasn't a deal killer for me, since it is something nice to have but not vital for the user experience, being able to do so now is one of those thing that it's really nice to have. To be honest, I was weary of media streaming services when they first came out. But, Spotify won me o...

A few years ago, when Bluetooth headphones where starting to be pushed to consumers on smartphones was starting to be pushed on consumers by omitting the 3.5mm jack connector on some models, my problem was pricing. At time, finding a decent pair of Bluetooth headphone under $25 USD was almost impossible. Now, you can find some well under that price point easily, since the tech has become common place not only in smartphones, but also in other consumer electronic devices like smart TVs , most smartphones, and laptops . That has helped to bring down prices of devices with Bluetooth connection, and the price point of a decent pair of Bluetooth headphones will only come down with time. While the audio quality of most Bluetooth headphones will not be what an audiophile wants, it will be more than good enough for casual use. I use wireless headphones on the go with my smartphone, and at work with my laptop when I need to focus, and they work quite nicely. So much so, that I won't go...

After a few months of coming back to the office, after more than a year of working remotely, I've come to affirm how important is for me to be able to work remotely. Working remotely make work a lot less stressful, cut down on transit time, and makes me a lot more effective. It also helps me to focus more on being more productive, since I don't face most of the interruptions I face on the office, like coworkers coming to ask about unrelated stuff of having to fix printer jams when they occur. Not only that, not having to face the transit times, means that I can use more of my time to actually focus on my job and not worrying if I'd be able to make on time to the office, or if I'd be able to do personal stuff when I go out. Working remotely also saves me money, since I don't have to pay for transportation or meals if I can't prepare food at home. Most importantly, since I can better manage my work and personal time, I stress less about it making me more productiv...

For about 4 years now, I've relied on a remote Windows desktop for work. At first I used a desktop using Windows 7 provided by employer, and it did a great job. To be honest, Windows 7 and Windows XP are the two best OSes released by Microsoft, but I prefer using Linux Mint as much as possible. Then, the pandemic hit and forced us into home office to keep going. To be honest, I was a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to work from home since at home I used Linux Mint on my laptop, and I wasn't sure I'd be able to connect remotely to the work server in order to keep my job. After a few hours of research, I found Remmina . Since I know my way around computers, yet I'm my technical skills are no really all that advanced, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to configure it correctly. Yet, it was easy to set up the remote desktop quickly. So far, I still use my laptop even after we have come back to the office. I prefer to use it, because since we use WhatsAp...

Every time I hear that Windows , macOS , or Linux is the best operating system , I can't help to ask the best operating system for what? Each one has its strengthens and weaknesses, that make each the best solution for different set of use cases. The best operating system for me is Linux, in particular Linux Mint . Linux Mint just works for me, but I'm sure that it isn't the best option for everyone. Some of the people I know are better served by Windows while for other macOS is the better option. At the end of the day, it comes down to what each person does with the computer they own and/or the apps they use to get things done. For example, I LibreOffice does all what I need from an office productivity software , even at work. For others, Microsoft Office is a most have, so Linux wouldn't make sense for their use case. If a user used Final Cut Pro , then macOS is the only way to go, since it isn't available for Windows or Linux. Most of the most used CAD(compute...

After a month of reading good reviews of Mozilla Thunderbird 115 , I decided to give it a try getting the Flatpak version. I've using Thunderbird for about 7 years now, ever since I made my move to Linux as my go to OS on my personal daily driver. While I've tried to use other email clients , like GNOME Evolution and Claws Mail , I kept returning to Thunderbird since I just adapts better to my needs. I can set it up faster to my liking, and just works as I want my email client to do. Yet, with Thunderbird's new user interface, called Supernova, it really got an upgrade. It doesn't just looks better, but its also easier to use from configuring your email accounts to just using it. The whole experience feels a lot more intuitive, and the fact that my emails are store locally is a big plus for me. When Mozilla dropped the Thunderbird to focus on Firefox, I was saddened and worried that it would stop being supported in time. Since then, the decision was reversed and it be...

After a week of upgrading to Linux Mint 21.2 Victoria , I must admit that while I notice some of the visual improvements, of the most part I'm glad that for the most part all has been the usual for my daily use. Which, to be honest, is a great thing. Things just keep working great, nothing has broken and I can continue to use by laptop as I expect to be able to do on a daily basis. Which is something I want to be able to do as a user, I just want upgrades not to make my life harder. Linux Mint is really an elegant OS that just works. Linux Mint has become a Linux distro that I can wholeheartedly recommend to new Linux users, and to experienced Linux users that want a distro that isn't that hands on and just works allowing them to focus on what they use they computer for. In a way, Linux Mint slogan that from freedom came elegance is true. The whole user experience feels modern, and elegant. I can't talk for the MATE and Xfce versions of Linux Mint, since I use Cinnamon a...