Any fellow Linux users on here?

[Gerontius]

I finally got a new laptop; can I join?
2016 Acer, built as a Chromebook but was converted into a Linux computer. I bought the machine on eBay for $65 plus shipping and it came out to about $71 total.
The keyboard feels like it's pretty great, the screen is very smooth and easy on the eyes(it's touchscreen too), the whole thing is so fast compared to the 2010 model HP, a Win7/Win10 conversion, that I was running.

The software is super intuitive, but I don't know how to do all the cool coder-type stuff yet. I may have to start learning how to code eventually so I can make stuff. It's really a wonderful software. I've never had such a nice computer before.

I bought a Windows 10 computer a couple years ago, winter 2020, but it didn't set up easily. Too many strings attached. This thing took all of maybe five minutes to set up right out of the box. I've got LibreOffice suite on here, RhythmBox, all KINDS of excellent stuff.

Yes, am noob, but I think I am glad I bought a computer with Linux instead of Windows or MacOS. Won't be buying one of those expensive mistakes again.

 

[Angular Chap]

I finally got a new laptop; can I join?
2016 Acer, built as a Chromebook but was converted into a Linux computer. I bought the machine on eBay for $65 plus shipping and it came out to about $71 total.

Welcome to the cult club! As you can see from this thread, we aren't all arrogant elitists and condescending armchair experts.

Good call on buying a machine preinstalled with Linux, most people go the choosing, downloading and writing an OS to USB or DVD route, then have to mess around in the BIOS trying to get the machine to boot from another drive. Looks like you got a great deal there.

The software is super intuitive, but I don't know how to do all the cool coder-type stuff yet. I may have to start learning how to code eventually so I can make stuff.

Let me give you a little inspiration then: when you are ready to shutdown or reboot, open up a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T on most distros these days, or find it in the menu, usually under accessories) and type "sudo poweroff" or "sudo reboot" and type your password, if prompted. There, you just shutdown or rebooted your machine using a terminal command. Feel like a coder yet?

Ooops, for got to ask, which Linux distribution is on the machine?

 

[tkcartoonist]

Let me give you a little inspiration then: when you are ready to shutdown or reboot, open up a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T on most distros these days, or find it in the menu, usually under accessories) and type "sudo poweroff" or "sudo reboot" and type your password, if prompted. There, you just shutdown or rebooted your machine using a terminal command. Feel like a coder yet?

You don't even have to type "sudo" for that command. Just typing "shutdown +[variable]" or "shutdown now" is enough to shut everything down. No password required.

 

[Gerontius]

which Linux distribution is on the machine?

Ubuntu Linux. It's super easy to use.

 

[Angular Chap]

You don't even have to type "sudo" for that command. Just typing "shutdown +[variable]" or "shutdown now" is enough to shut everything down. No password required.

Indeed, you are quite correct. I'm just used to using some setups where only root can shutdown/reboot.

Ubuntu Linux. It's super easy to use.

Nice. Ubuntu was the first distro I ever used, back in 2011.

 

[Judge]

I can't imagine having to use any more keystrokes than a mouse click or two just to turn off my system. And unlike Windows, when I use my shutdown applet, the system turns off immediately. Poof...and it's gone.

In Linux Mint 20.3/21.0 (based on Ubuntu) I simply right-clicked the panel (tray for you Windows folks) and selected "applets" to download DeathMD's "Shutdown Applet". Installing this applet puts a small on/off icon on the panel that allows generates a drop-down menu with the following choices: Shutdown, Logout, Restart, Suspend or Screen Lock.

There are a few of these applets out there. Some more fancy than others. I like this one as it's simple.

 

[Angular Chap]

I can't imagine having to use any more keystrokes than a mouse click or two just to turn off my system.

Oh, absolutely! I'm just a dumb masochist for this stuff, which usually gets in the way of me using computers like a normal person.

 

[tkcartoonist]

This isn't specifically Linux (since the program can also be downloaded for Windows and Mac as well), but I installed a program called Artem last night just for the fun of it. It can be used to make an ASCII version of any image file in the bash terminal.

 

[Slime_Punk]

This isn't specifically Linux (since the program can also be downloaded for Windows and Mac as well), but I installed a program called Artem last night just for the fun of it. It can be used to make an ASCII version of any image file in the bash terminal.

View attachment 91776

That looks awesome!

I've seen a lot of people do the same with Processing, which is a great excuse for me to get up and running on Linux again too (even though all of this can technically be done on windows, of course, but it's more fun to try something new with extra benefits!)

 

[Outdated]

By the way, you can still run most of your favourite Windows programs in Linux. It's a bit awkward to set up if you're not familiar with it but there's some compatability software called Wine. That's how I play all my games.

 

[tkcartoonist]

By the way, you can still run most of your favourite Windows programs in Linux. It's a bit awkward to set up if you're not familiar with it but there's some compatability software called Wine. That's how I play all my games.

I've used Wine before when I wanted to play Deus Ex for the umpteenth time and the only computer nearby was a Mac.

By the way, I mentioned Deus Ex. Somebody better reinstall it.

 

[Angular Chap]

By the way, I mentioned Deus Ex. Somebody better reinstall it.

Damn right! I see you are a person of good taste and culture!

 

[Shevek]

My new barebone system was just delivered, and my tentative plan is to install MX Linux on it. I have only done one other install, many years ago, and have forgotten all the jargon. Any advice on how to proceed?

 

[tkcartoonist]

First you need to download the ISO file, then you either load it onto a burned CD or, the more likely option these days, load it onto a USB thumb stick. I recommend a thumb stick bigger than 64 gigs. There are a couple different programs to boot the ISO, such as Etcher, Universal USB Installer, Rufus, etc. Once it's on the USB drive, have it plugged in and boot the computer to the BIOS screen on startup. Change the boot order so that the USB boots first instead of Windows/Mac/whatever other OS is there, save your changes, and have it reboot. It should go into the distro live from the USB, where you can decide if you want to install it or not. The distro's site usually has some tips on how to install it as well. Have fun.

 

[Angular Chap]

My new barebone system was just delivered, and my tentative plan is to install MX Linux on it. I have only done one other install, many years ago, and have forgotten all the jargon. Any advice on how to proceed?

Download MX from here (top link):

Download Links – MX Linux


Now, I'll try not to post a wall of text here, so let me give you a few links and a few terms or jargon to search:


As tkcartoonist recommends, Etcher, Universal USB Installer, Rufus.

Make Bootable USB from Linux | Category | Pen Drive Linux


Now if your old system is too outdated, you may have trouble with the above tutorials, so you may have to go the command line route:

dd command. (be ULTRA careful with your /dev/sdX letters and numbers to avoid mishaps!)

How to make a bootable USB from an ISO in Linux

How To Burn ISO Image To DVD And USB Using dd

or search "dd command write ISO USB"

Again, please be VERY careful with the dd command! Double and triple check the letters and numbers in /dev/sd[letter/number]. dd is nicknamed disk destroyer or data destroyer for a reason!


Next you want to either find out how to enter the BIOS on your new machine, or how to boot directly to external media from the boot screen, if possible.

Try keys Delete, F2 or F12 are the common ones. It may tell you briefly what key to press on the boot screen. You may get lucky and be able to press a key to boot directly from external media. If not, once in the BIOS, you are looking for the term "boot order" You want your USB drive to be at the top of the boot order list. Look for terms such as "USB drive" "external media" "external USB"

Search terms are "entering BIOS" and "change BIOS boot order" or "boot external USB" maybe with the manufacturer of your machine or any brand name displayed on the boot screen.

Once you have changed the boot order, look for terms such as "save and exit" "save and reboot" "save changes and reboot" either in one of the menus or maybe a keyboard key.


Once rebooted you will hopefully boot from your USB drive, ready to install.

Good luck!

 

[Outdated]

I'd go a little further in the bios settings if it's a newer motherboard.

There's an option for wether or not you're using Windows. Options are "Windows OS" or "Other". Switching it to other will greatly improve performance.

By default "Boot from external device" is disabled, you'll need to change that one. There should also be an option to "Enable F12 boot menu", That means if you tap tap tap on the F12 key during boot a little menu will pop up showing you all bootable devices and let you choose which one to go with.

There's no need to change the boot order, on the last page of the bios where you can save and exit there is also a "Boot Override" list, selecting your USB device from that menu and hitting enter will boot from USB regardless of the boot order.

Also, hang on to that bootable USB stick. It's a very handy little tool for doing recoveries if anything goes wrong. Also very handy for recovering files from a Windows box that won't boot, you can use a graphical file browser to just copy and paste files.

 

[Angular Chap]

Good call.

@Shevek, it may be useful to add the term "UEFI" when searching for BIOS info, if you have a newer system.

You may be working with a newer UEFI, in which case Outdateds post above may be of more use and relevance.

You may be working with a legacy BIOS, in which case my post still stands.

Or you may be working with an in-between compatibility mode.

I'm sure you will get it all figured out with Google (or your search engine of choice) and the right jargon.

 

[Outdated]

Just thought this might give you a laugh, correct advice I gave to an old female friend who wanted to know how to install a printer in Linux:

Linux is a bloke's system - throw the disk away and ignore the instructions in the manual. Just plug the bastard in and cross your fingers.

 

[Slime_Punk]

I'm starting out 2023 in style. All (old) systems go!

 

[Outdated]

I'm starting out 2023 in style. All (old) systems go!

Fedora on the left, Ubuntu on the right, what's the one in the middle?