For a very long time, if you wanted to try Linux on a semi-permanent basis, you needed to shrink your Windows partition, install a Linux distro of some variety, and just suffer through any of the numerous problems that can occur with dual booting.

If you have ever worked with two or three monitors, you have probably run into the same problem. You arrange your workspace exactly the way you like it. Your editor sits on the main display, documentation is open on another monitor, and Slack, Discord, or a terminal stays visible on a third. Everything feels organized until you switch to another virtual desktop.

Did you know there are different Linux terminals, some with unique and special features that can genuinely improve your day-to-day experience? For the average user, the choice doesn't matter much, but if you're planning to get serious about the terminal—using terminal apps, Vim, or Emacs—the terminal you choose becomes almost as important as the Linux distribution you run. With that in mind, here's why I settled on my current terminal, along with how the other popular options compare to my daily driver.

I have broken Linux desktops in all the usual ways. I have installed a random PPA because some forum comments from 2018 sounded confident. I have removed a package that looked useless, only to discover it was holding the login screen together with tape and ancestral prayers. Not only that, but I upgraded at midnight, watched the system return with a black screen, and then pretended this was “learning” (copeeee!).

Are you fed up with Microsoft's invasive behavior? They're increasingly inserting themselves into your digital life, collecting your data and outright disrespecting your wishes. It would normally anger me, but there’s no Microsoft on my system, and I'll explain why.

When it comes to self-hosted alternatives to Google Photos, it doesn't get much better than Immich. The app is designed to provide a seamless experience for people switching from Google Photos—and it definitely shows.

Since Linux is so widely used for servers, it has a lot of utlities for monitoring network information and accessing remote resources. There are some networking commands people still use because they know them, but some are outdated and deprecated. Here are some deprecated utilities along with what you should use instead.

Pop!_OS has a strong following, and one reason is its COSMIC desktop. Being unfamiliar with both, I decided to take a look at COSMIC and see what all the fuss was about. Could it make me give up my go-to Xfce?

I bounce between Linux programs like a bad habit. I'm constantly trying new applications, suites of programs, and replacements—especially when I'm trying to find something that "just feels right." In my search for the perfect file manager, I've used GNOME Files (Nautlius), Thunar, PCManFM, Nemo, Krusader, and more.

While people think of Linux as a modern operating system, it embodies ideas that are more than 50 years old. Here are some of the oldest ideas and why they stick around in modern Linux distros.