Want to go OSS: I'll Help you! Tech support re: Linux/BSD!
Steemians: do you need help migrating to open source software? Want to try linux, but not sure where to start? Got OpenBSD installed, but not sure what to do next? Fear not, I have you covered!
I've got decades of experience with the stuff, and have been a real proponent of OSS for most of that. The intent of this post is to act as a support thread for people making the move to open source. So, if you have questions, ask them, and I'll do my best to help you. I can help you:
- Pick a distribution
- Find good software
- Figure out how to try it, before committing
- Figure out how to offload your data
- Etc.
My personal philosophy is "secure, lean, mean", so I opt for OpenBSD, and the smallest, simplest applications I can find. That said, I have lots of experience with larger distributions and fancier applications, so, I can probably help you there too.
Anyways, do with that what you will: the offer is there.
Image credit: Openbsd.org
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Still no questions? I'll go first, then...
I've got an iMac 3.2 GHz Intel (I know, I know better now...) running OS X 10.11.6. I'm fed up with Apple and I've always hated Windows. I have downloaded and loaded onto a USB Trisquel but can't seem to install it on my Mac: I've been trying to install it on a separate partition but am getting the impression (read a few blog posts etc on the subject) that Apple won't let me do so and that the only way I'll ever be able to install it is by wiping the hard disk totally clean first (i.e. not just creating a separate partition, but entirely eradicating the Apple OS from the disk first). I also have an old (circa 2000) Apple snow white iBook I've been thinking of resurrecting as a server/firewall. As for the rest: my VPN is Nord VPN, my browser Firefox, my e-mail is Kolab Now (with Thunderbird) and ProtonMail, and I use Wickr Me for texting friends. Most of that works fine, but I have a nagging feeling that none of it is quite as secure and respectful of my privacy as it claims to be.
So, questions:
A lot of different questions, I know, but nobody else is asking so here's hoping they'll get things started ;) Oh, and thanks again for the offer!
Alright, a question!
I have run linux on a couple of macs and it has always been a pain in the ass, for one reason or the other. They definitely do not make it easy for you. I think it is possible to make work, but you might be better off just grabbing another hard drive and using that .. keep your Mac drive "just in case". You could also try running a Live USB version of linux .. and then when you're comfortable enough, nuke the Mac drive. If you are going to play around with this stuff a second bootable drive is always nice to have around. You might be able to just boot off an external drive, but I don't know if they'll let you do that. I assume so. I Do not have good experience with later model macs, and my older ones, I always wiped the drives and just ran OpenBSD.
For a VPN provider, I like Mullvad, though I have heard good things about Nord too: they are definitely one of the more respected ones. Mullvad is maybe a little more privacy/security focused. I have been very happy with them. Nord would be on my short list though.
For email, I can't suggest anything.. I don't particularly trust protonmail. My email is done by some people I know personally, so I feel pretty safe with them. If I didn't have that, I'd definitely roll my own, probably using squirrelmail as a client (over a vpn.) I wish I had a better answer here, but it comes down to trust, and .. trust no one!
As far as applications and whatnot, yeah, there are LOADS.. except for gaming, and maybe some niche software, you'll find everything you need. Do you need anything strange?
On the ibook, YES, it would probably make a great little server. You will want to find a minimalistic Linux or BSD though, as that hardware is going to be very taxed trying to run any of the larger linuxes. Puppy Linux might be an option, and if you are feeling brave, OpenBSD. If it were me, that is where I would start.. OpenBSD on the old iBook.. see how it goes .. see if you can make the environment work. And if that works well, do it on your main machine. That is probably a 32 bit processor, eh? Definitely check that, and make sure you get a suitable distribution. I think a lot of the linuxes nuked their 32bit trees recently, though some are still available.
Let me know what else you need to know - happy to help.
Come to think of it, that laptop is probably not even an intel processor.. more likely g4 or g5? Should still be ok, something will run on it .. but you'll definitely want to be sure.
I'm just stopping by to say it was awesome of you to put that offer out there :)
Thanks for the support. Just let me know when you're ready to make the jump!