A Windows user tries out Linux Mint

The project is to build a Linux Mint machine to have the identical functionality and ergonomics as the existing Windows 10 machine. Having established that there is no way to migrate fully from Windows to Linux , the project now needs to consider running Windows apps in Linux.   This is a big change to the strategy of the project.   This is a big change to the deployment of a Linux workstation, a crushing admission of failure, and the opening of a whole new world of risks to an otherwise secure operating system. Environment & required functionality For this blog post, Wine was tested on: The Linux Mint Xfce 19 virtual machine " Bilbo ", on host Windows 10 laptop " Saruman " The Linux Mint Xfce 18.3 virtual machine " Gimli ", on host Windows 10 host " Legolas ". Alternatives There are alternatives to Wine/PlayOnLinux, notably the paid software Crossover. Software selection Wine and PlayOnLinux are present in L...

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...

The project is to build a Linux Mint machine to have the identical functionality and ergonomics as the existing Windows 10 machine. After a few months of continuous use of Linux Mint – mainly for simple browsing during workday lunchtimes and weekdays –   the headline of the project remains that wholesale migration from Windows to Linux is not functionally possible , for the reasons cited therein.   In this instance, the short story is no Microsoft Excel, no Foxit PDF browser for Windows, no on-the-fly VPN client. Consequently, there is no further development use of Gandalf.   Gandalf has other issues as well: even in last days as a Windows machine, the hard drive had developed a nasty habit of intensive operation, wasting time and resources on misadventure not commanded by the user.   The habit has returned to Gandalf as a Linux machine, meaning that the user needs to sit around for up to fifteen minutes from time-to-time while Gandalf faffs around for no g...