An orientation: reading an e-book

A good orientation for a Windows user to Linux Mint is "The Linux Mint Beginner's Guide - Second Edition" by Jonathan Moeller, available from Amazon.

Almost immediately, the book reveals why the command line is so useful to the ordinary user. Linux Mint's graphical user interface is easy for a Windows user to navigate, but the command line is more efficient. This book sets out why, with examples that an ordinary user would typically need to do when building the computer to meet their requirements.

It sets out the ground work that gets the power user started.

Comments

Scanning & OCRring to PDF: Simple Scan, gimagereader and gscan2pdf v NAPS2 for Windows

The project is to build a Linux Mint machine to have the identical functionality and ergonomics as the existing Windows 10 machine. This stage relates to scanning paper documents to PDF and digitising the scanned text via optical character recognition. Environment & required functionality The scan-and-OCR function needs to run on the following machines: The Linux Mint Xfce 18.3 laptop " Gandalf "; A Linux Mint Xfce 18.3 virtual machine " Gimli "; The Windows 10 laptop " Legolas ". In any modern office - whether at home or at work - some transactional documents and documents from public authorities still arrive by snail-mail. This requires the ability to scan all documents, optionally with the digitisation of scanned text (typically via optical character recognition). The hardware is an old HP OfficeJet Pro 276dw, connected to the LAN instead of directly to a workstation. Alternatives There are two strategies: To use the software pr

Status report: wholesale migration from Windows to Linux is not functionally possible

As at mid-May2019 , it was clear that the path to migration from Windows to Linux was obstructed by a lack of apps that are fit-for-purpose being available in the Linux environment. Since May2019, there has been no change to the apps/functionalities then listed in the section, "Path to migration is obstructed by apps which are incompatible or otherwise unusable." Developments in the interim have merely confirmed that the apps available for the Linux environment are not fit-for-purpose, and are unlikely to be fit-for-purpose for the foreseeable future . So, it's time for a change of tack. The time is right to deploy Occam's Razor. In short, the Linux Mint offers a perfect solution to the jaded Windows user. The only problem with Linux Mint is not of Linux Mint's making. The problem is a lack of apps that are fit-for-purpose in the Linux environment. By fit-for-purpose, I mean apps that meet the hygiene requirements of office-based, corporate lackeys who

An attempt at full-disk encryption: Vera Crypt

The project is to build a Linux Mint machine to have the identical functionality and ergonomics as the existing Windows 10 machine. This stage relates to testing full-disk encryption using VeraCrypt . Environment & required functionality Full-disk encryption needs to run on the following machines: The Linux Mint Xfce 18.3 laptop " Gandalf "; The Windows 10 laptop " Legolas ". The objective requirement is to protect user data from the physical theft of the physical machine, to provide an additional line of defence against data loss. This is probably more important for Windows than for Linux Mint. Even so, in both cases, the operating system is likely to log activity which can reveal personal data and user (meta)data. Full-disk encryption does not mitigate against Microsoft’s sinister telemetry functionality, for which the main solutions seem to be: Either to use tools whose developers are constantly on the prowl, hunting for t

A Windows user tries out Linux Mint

Search This Blog