Latest articles & site news

updated September 20, 2017, category: Software & security

Xfce, the final frontier. These are the escapades of the BSS Dedo. It's continuing mission, to seek out new goats and new distributions, to boldly tweak where no one hath tweaked before. Manjaro, a nice system, founded in the blood of sacrificial animals and that distro which reviles noobs the most, AKA the special distro what Dedo won't really test. But that's not the important thing here. What we want to do is tweak Manjaro, so it's even nicer than in its default guise.

Anyway, recently, I've presented you with a fresh new pimping guide for Xfce, which elaborates on several new tips and tricks that you can use to make here be desktop environment behave in a more productive, elegant and visually pleasing way, building on the experiences way back from Ubuntu Pangolin era. Now we shall expand, but with a very specific focus on Manjaro and how it does things. After me.

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updated September 18, 2017, category: Software & security

If you happen to write or review products, I warmly recommend you go back and read some of your earlier stuff, especially if you happen to be doing a fresh article on a topic you've already covered. You may be surprised by your own findings. I sure know I was. Anyway.

Calligra Suite has never featured strongly on Dedoimedo. It just ... hasn't. No special reason. I did review the product in my 2013 office suite comparison run, and back then, it behaved reasonably well, even though it had a rather quirky, non-intuitive workflow. Now, with Kubuntu 17.04 staring at me, goading me, I decided to give the de-facto KDE office suite its full, proper run. Follow me.

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updated September 16, 2017, category: Software & security

Back in the 80s, Tom Clancy contemplated writing this book, but instead, he went with a more submarine-focused bestseller. Fast forward to 2017, we still do not have a real file manager with tabs, at least one sponsored by Microsoft. Windows Explorer doggedly remains a one-view application.

This isn't necessarily bad, but there are times when you might want to have tabs, or even a saved session of tabs, so you can quickly restore your work state after a reboot. All of which calls for a supplementary program. Which one? A good question. Hence the hunt.

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updated September 15, 2017, category: Software & security

My HP pavilion laptop comes with roughly seven years of nice memories. I remember buying the machine, configuring its dual-boot setup, playing games, enjoying the benefits and thrills of the i5 family of processors, this be the first generation I believe, a nice Nvidia graphics card, and 4 GB RAM, which were not negligible back then.

I even used it to put together my very first serious Dedoimedo video production, the artistic Frankenstein movie, with kdenline and other sweet tools, and then for a while, it ran Linux Mint, and I did a lot of testing with distros installed to external disks, then it became a pure test machine, but now I've decided to repurpose it for a more permanent usage, Linux wise. The reason? The near-perfection that Kubuntu Zesty gave me, and the decision to have some near-future edition of this distro powering my next laptop. So this is a primer, if you will. Let's see.

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updated September 13, 2017, category: Software & security

How does one go about enabling and disabling startup items in Windows 8 onwards? Very simple. You open the task manager, click on the right tab, and then enable/disable items as you see fit. However, this is not the case if you run a limited account that does not have administrative privileges by default.

In this guide, I would like to show you several convenient methods how you can selectively enable/disable startup programs if you are running a limited account in Windows 10 without having to actually log into an (the) administrator user. Let us.

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updated September 11, 2017, category: Computer games

In between difficult, life-sapping missions in ArmA 3, now and then, you want to relax. Step back from the gritty realism and just enjoy the game for its wonderful graphics, smooth physics, and a colorful plethora of accurate weaponry. And then, also exploit the game's notoriously buggy runtime engine, which has almost become a tradition, even since the glorious days of Operation Flashpoint. Indeed.

So let me showcase some silly, crazy, pointless moments, captured for posterity through screenshots over the many hours of fun I've had this with ArmA 3 in the past few years. We're talking bad scripting, input validation, stupidity, and just pure nonsense. In essence, the same mature, sensible stuff we did in ArmA 2, and then some. Party time, excellent!

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updated September 9, 2017, category: Software & security

Welcome, children of the Internet. Uncle Dedo is going to show you some nice wizardly tricks on how you can improve the look and feel of your Xfce desktop environment. Simple things that are not always available by default, and yet they make so much difference, especially to people used to a higher level of functional aesthetics.

Say you've switched from Plasma, Gnome or Windows to Xfce, and now you're wondering why some things look so awkward. Not to worry. We will fix all them woes. Inspired by my recent testing and exploration of Manjaro 17.0.1 Gellivara. Now, roll your sleeves. We begin.

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updated September 6, 2017, category: Best of the best

The greatest list of best websites on, well, the Web, has grown plus two. Proudly suggesting, Atlas Obscure and Jupiter Broadcasting. In a few more words: weird historic facts, odd places, oddest facts about weirdest places, culture and nature. Atlas Obscura covers them all, but to make it more interesting, it usually goes for the less obvious, the less popular, the hidden and the forgotten in its narrative. Which is why it tickled my eye and left me browsing more than a day's worth of Internet.

And then, I am not fond of video blogs. Or any sort of casting. Normally, I do not have time nor patience to sit and listen/watch, in real time, other people debate topics of life, philosophy, science and technology. Without participating myself. The presenters must have exceptional skills to keep me engaged. Indeed, Jupiter Broadcasting is an exception to the rule.

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updated September 6, 2017, category: Software & security

If you've been reading Dedoimedo for the past elevenish years, you know that I'm not too fond of security software. But I do test security products, just to see how they behave in the wider scope of things. Such a selfless practice also allows me to compare and judge software, especially against the golden benchmark of Windows security programs, the most glorious, useful and no-nonsense EMET. There.

Anyway, a few months ago, I ran a scan with a MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) on a Windows 7 machine, and in the middle of the scan, I had a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). Not good. Upon recovery, I started the mother of all investigations. Follow me.

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updated September 4, 2017, category: Software & security

You know I have a soft spot for SUSE in my heart. This will always be the case with your first distro. Which is why my heart always breaks a little when there's a bad release, and it's been like this for a long while now. OpenSUSE seems to have lost the gusto that it once had, and releases are too rushed, and software support funky.

But then, I always reset the emotions meter and start fresh, whenever there's a new release out there, and there's one like that right now. Numbered 42.3, it's the third Leap edition. So let's test it a rather complicated multi-boot setup and see if it can deliver the perfect experience that it had once. Onward, commence.

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updated September 2, 2017, category: Car reviews

The Eurotrip saga continues. So far, we've visited a bunch of countries, in a bunch of cars. We started off with Croatia, in a diesel Opel Insignia, followed it up in a Ford C-Max through Italy, and then bravely ventured into Belgium and Germany in a very posh and elegant Skoda Superb estate. After that, we did our Netherlands journey, driving a Volvo XC60, and finally ended up on the British isles, with a variety of cars. It is time to ... go back to Germany and Belgium! Forsprung durch trip!

The car of choice is the most awesome BMW M4 - you've already seen it in my namesake review, but then I should tell you some more about the whole cross-country driving experience. Six days, seven nights, hi hi, and about 1,100 km of roads covered, with and without speed limits. And of course, how could we not, Spa-Francorchamps. Follow me.

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updated September 1, 2017, category: Software & security

Is there a perfect media player? Of course not. All right, then how about a reasonable one, combining a pleasant and intuitive interface plus a wide rage of great features? That sounds like a nice, ambitious idea, but I have yet to find the software that ticks all the relevant boxes.

For the past decade and a half, I've mostly resorted to using whatever default program operating systems throw at me, slowly gravitating toward VideoLAN (VLC) as my app of choice, mostly because of its super-powerful codec backend. But then I've also played with many other software, with a sweet spot for Amarok. Now, I think I may have found my unicorn, and Clementine be its name.

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updated August 31, 2017, category: Software & security

The quest for the ultimate desktop environment continues. In the last few months, we have looked at a range of Qt-based desktops, starting with Ze Papa, Plasma, and then looked at several other new and not so new players, the bold and the beautiful, the less successful and the more rad. The list covers the likes of LXQt, Liri, Nomad, and recently, Lumina, as well.

Today, we will explore Budgie. Now, this is a rather interesting one. First, we had a taste of it way back when. In the day, it was quite slow, buggy and not very appealing. But then, through my Solus OS testing in the past year or so, I've come across Budgie again, and I was rather intrigued by the look & feel and the obvious progress. While my endeavors with Solus were less glamorous, Budgie did impress me as something worth a deeper consideration. For the moment, it's Gtk and heavily interwoven with Gnome. Moving forward, it will also be using the Qt technology, starting with the upcoming release 11. Let's have a look.

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updated August 28, 2017, category: 3D design

Dedoimedo's XO writes: With the increased interest and Pinterest in my earlier Snail House design, I have decided to follow-up with another organically inspired interior scheme - the mushroom. While the connection to home design is rather straight forward with the snail shell, with the mushroom a slightly less obvious perspective does the trick. The room division becomes clearer from the chosen angle, allowing for a natural room flow from the entrance, through the hallway and into every other room of the house.

Yet again, this design wasn't easy. The curved walls influence the positioning of the furniture, and you will end up with what can seem as dead spaces. Fear not! Any nook and cranny can be utilized for either storage, decoration or even a creative lighting setup.

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updated August 26, 2017, category: Software & security

It's been a long time since I played with SUSE Studio. Eight years to be exact. That's a fairly hefty stretch of time, which means another review is due. Before you ask, no it's not a German alternative rock band, nor a night club. And yes, it is an online portal that lets you create custom SUSE images. Very clever.

In my original review, I focused on the simplicity and difficulty of use of the portal, assembling different packages into a working image, the testing, and the complexity of this whole deal. I built on my earlier experience with Kiwi and then Product Creator, and back in 2009, this was an amazing, revolutionary concept. Let's see what gives now.

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updated August 26, 2017, category: Software & security

Dedoimedo, tell us the next time you go a-gallivantin' on a conference, some of you politely emailed me. Well, that time is coming soon. Oct 23-26, Prague, Czech Republic, Open Source Summit Europe 2017 is taking place, and I am honored to have secured a speaker slot. The title: The Empire Strikes Back - We Just Need an Emperor.

If you think this fine topic - and other topics, of course - may be of interest, I invite you to join the conference, for some serious Linuxing, merry laughs, drinks, and preferably all of these combined. Then hopefully, you may even come to my session, and there shall be much rejoicing. Registration for the summit is happening pretty much as we speak, plus some discounts, so you might as well take a look what gives. Also, take a look at my presentations from 2014-2016 for deeper impressions. See you in Prague.

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updated August 25, 2017, category: Software & security

The good thing about Qt (as a framework and technology) is that it powers so many interesting products seamlessly, quietly, unassumingly. The bad thing is, sometimes you may use something that has Qt DNA, and yet, you wouldn't know it unless explicitly told. Such is the case with the Lumina desktop.

This less-known desktop environment powers mostly BSD operating systems, but it does not seem to have caught on in the Linux world that much. At the moment, you are most likely to find it gracing TrueOS, which uses it as its default interface. And yet, with modern architecture under the hood, it could be a suitable alternative to other mainstream desktop environments. Let's see what gives.

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updated August 23, 2017, category: Software & security

As you know, running Windows applications on Linux is sort of a trip. A crazy Kessel Run attempted while blindfolded, with a band of gypsy violinists playing Ennio Morricone's music in the background. That pretty much sums the experience.

On a slightly more serious note, I do 3D art. I think I've even produced a handful of decent models, including my steampunk crossbow, the amphibian assault ship, and the urban warfare set. I've created all these using Google SketchUp, with subsequent rendering and polish in Kerkythea. All of this, done in Windows. So what about Linux?

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updated August 21, 2017, category: Software & security

In my merry escapades through the Linux jungle, over the years, I started liking Fedora more, as it transitioned from a nucleus of bugs into a rather stable and fairly fast distro. I was particularly satisfied with the last two editions, Gnome no less, most imaginatively named Fedora 24 and Fedora 25. I did have to sweat some getting the apps and codecs in order, but after that, it was a pleasant, colorful and practical experience.

Now we have the latest edition of Workstation in our hands, and we need to see how it fares. I deliberately decided not to perform an in-vivo upgrade of the resident Fedora 25 instance on my Lenovo G50 box, as I wanted to see what the vanilla crop does without all the pimpage. To wit, let us commence the testing.

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updated August 21, 2017, category: Site news

This may be of interest to some of you. A few days ago I have installed an SSL certificate on Dedoimedo, properly signed and all. Which means that Dedoimedo can now be accessed over HTTPS, or if you still like, over HTTP like before. There aren't really any logins or forms to fill on Dedoimedo, so this shouldn't make much difference, but if you are conscious about Web security and your browsing habits, you may appreciate this little change.

Everything should work normally. However, I would like to ask you to report any bugs, glitches or errors you may encounter, so that I can look into them and fix them, should they need fixing. I did remove some social media sharing buttons as they were pulling non-HTTPS traffic. Other than that, it ought to be seamlessly same. Happy browsing.

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updated August 19, 2017, category: Software & security

Ever since Mozilla embarked on the Chrome-me-up journey a few years ago, my enthusiasm took on a six-weekly decline cadence, with each new release of the Firefox browser bringing in more of what Firefox shouldn't be and less of what made it such a cool program in the hands of its loyal users. But the best is yet to come. The true rite of passage. Only the most righteous will survive. WebExtensions.

While trying to salvage some of what it still has left while actively scuppering its fanbase and killing off its powerful extension mechanism, Mozilla is working on giving its browser a breath of fresh air. More speed, it seems, as though it is the critical factor that made people abandon ship. But assuming it is, does it make a difference? Let's test.

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updated August 18, 2017, category: Computer games

Normally, I hate DLC. Because it means either a) developers were too lazy, and they remembered to add valuable stuff only later b) someone is trying to milk more money from you for something you should have received in the first place, for the original price. Indeed, if you get a game that functions less than 100%, you are being stuffed.

However, there's a third option. The game works perfectly well, but then you get new stuff - maps, scenarios, campaigns, units. At no point are you asked to do any sort of upgrades or purchases. A very passive approach to DLC. When the game in question is Age of Empires, a legend kept alive 18 years after its inception, then I am more than willing to spend money on an expansion pack. Rise of the Rajas, here we go.

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updated August 16, 2017, category: Software & security

Hybrid things aren't usually the best option around. Like hybrid cars, for example. Technically, when you marry concepts, you change the energy state, and while this could make sense in that you blend the best of several worlds, when this is done in a forced manner over a short period of time rather than eons of evolution, you end with the worst bits as the product of your mutation.

I read about the United theme for Plasma a few months ago, and given that I've spent a fair deal of time fiddling with themes and icons and fonts and making different desktop environments look prettier than their defaults, I was intrigued. So I decided to see whether the notion of having Plasma look like Unity is a sane option. Let us.

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updated August 14, 2017, category: Software & security

Sorry. I should probably say icons and themes that are most likely suitable for the wider range of Ubuntu siblings and other kin, including all and any GTK-based desktop, and that covers Gnome 3 in general and even Cinnamon. But the thing is, I've done some extra decorative work in Ubuntu lately, including some essential pimping and thoroughly testing the super-awesome Macbuntu transformation pack for the third time, with rather good results, that is, so I'm in the mood for some more fun.

Today, I will show you a few more themes and icon packs that I've put through my aesthetic grinder, and which ended up gracing my box. Which means you may not find them tasteful enough. Or you may go, what about XYZ? Well, I cant possibly cover all of them, and some refused to install, some installed but did nothing, others yet were not suitable enough for this article. But let us proceed.

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updated August 12, 2017, category: Software & security

Intelligent desktop helper tools are not a new thing. Long before cloud-powered assistants with sexy female voices came about, we had these applications trying to help us make smart decisions. Clippy, for instance. Then, Mozilla had Ubiquity. More recently, Ubuntu unleashed a product of its own, and they named it Dash. This thing was popular before the Internet became hot, and it will be with us till the planet goes kaput.

Zazu App is another attempt to make an intelligent launcher, except it aims to please hackers, nerds and tinkerers, people who want to do things semi-dev-like rather than just click shiny buttons in a shinier GUI. Well, as a man on a holy mission of efficiency, I had to take this utility for a spin. Plus, it came about as a recommendation from Joe, and you don't argue when Joe writes.

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updated July 28, 2017, category: Software & security

Here's a bunch of interesting concepts. Rsync is the data moving workhorse of the Linux world, and I've blessed you with a detailed tutorial on this topic a while ago. Then, cloud is a new and brave concept where you can have your stuff saved to remote servers. You do this through a browser or a dedicated app.

But then, what happens when you have multiple cloud providers? The plot thickens and the complexity, uh well, biggens. Which is where programs like odrive come into play, except I never really got to master the finer side of things with this one. So, we need a browser, a dedicated app, and maybe command line? Aha. Enter Rclone.

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updated July 28, 2017, category: Books

Ladies, gentlemen, zombies et al, it's alive, it's alive! Decay, it's out there. Both paperback and Kindle editions are available, affordably and justly priced. Decay is a first-person zombie-themed novella, told from the perspective of a zombie. Hopefully, it justifies the narrative and the theme.

I've never done first person before. Zombies are another first. And telling the story from the perspective of a living dead is yet another novelty for me. Thrice the hype, thrice the risk, but you may yet be entertained. This is the first installment in the Humanz series, or more aptly, Humanz 1.0, one of many to come. If you are interested in reviewing the book, drop me a note, and I will gladly send you a copy. Onwards, readers, onwards!

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updated July 17, 2017, category: Software & security

Let us a-go distro-testing! Today, we focus on Linux Mint 18.2 Sonya, freshly released with a nice sprinkling of Cinnamon on the proverbial distro pudding. For years, this was one of the best performing distributions, offering a complete experience to the Linux user. Lately though, the experience has been slightly less amazing. Serena was just ok.

But then, this spring testing season - slowly moving into the summer, cue Vivaldi music - has been pretty good overall. The Ubuntu flock seems to be behaving reasonably, with the Flagship Ubuntu and in particular the KDE-flavored Kubuntu offering a splendid revival of hope and quality. Armed with this foreknowledge, we commence.

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updated July 15, 2017, category: Software & security

It is time to give Solus another shot. Approximately six months ago, I tried Solus 1.2. The test commenced with a promise of many good things to come, but then it was cut short by an installation error. Solus was unable to setup the bootloader, and subsequently, my system was rendered inoperable until I applied some rigorous fixing.

There's a new Solus out, and it carries the 2017 version label. I will try to get Solus running, because I liked what I've seen so far. Elegance, style, easy access to goodies, and continuous improvement of a solid baseline, with some rather impressive results from Budgie, a desktop that is growing to be an interesting contender in the Linux space.

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updated July 14, 2017, category: Software & security

Sharing is caring they say. But what do you do when you have a heterogeneous operating systems environment, with Windows and Linux and maybe other stuff, too, all different versions, filesystems, protocols?

For most people, the answer is not trivial, as you need to setup sharing services, install drivers, do all sorts of nerdy magic to get files copied from one machine to another. Most often, you will be hosting stuff on Windows boxes, as Linux has it easier accessing files on Windows systems than the other way around. Or you could try NitroShare.

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updated July 12, 2017, category: Software & security

In my long history as a distro tester, I've only tried pure Debian twice, version 5 in 2010, and then version 6 (Squeeze) in 2011. The former was an okay exercise, somewhat similar to my early endeavors with CentOS. The latter was an absolute flop. In both case, the network side of things was terrible, but it was a dealbreaker the second time around.

Fast forward to 2017, I am inclined to say Debian is a great foundation, like a great recipe, but a recipe and a tasty cake are two different things. If you're wondering, then by this analogy Arch Linux is harvesting your own corn and milking your own cow. Anyway, my tolerance levels for un-PnP features of the Linux desktop have dropped significantly, and so I was reluctant to try Debian. But a new version is out. Let's give it a try.

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updated July 10, 2017, category: Software & security

Some articles serve no higher purpose. Normally, when I write, I try to achieve a goal, usually an educational one. I try to teach people or help them work around their problems, and there's usually an issue at hand, which needs a solution, or a product that mandates a review. Either way, I follow a relatively familiar and predictable pattern.

Today, I have no such agenda. I'm merely sharing how I feel about Kubuntu 17.04, which I've been using with extreme delight for the past few months. True, it still graces a test box, but the more I'm running it, the more I'm pleased with the results. Hence this article, which is nothing more than a deluge of fanboyism. Enjoy if you will.

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updated July 8, 2017, category: Software & security

If you happen to be a person who finds the Linux font rendering to be good enough for your ocular sensors, you are a happy bunny. If you are like me, then it's only Ubuntu that gives you the right sharpness and contrast, and all other distros be heavily lacking in this space. Fedora, first and foremost, which is why I've spent months trying to perfect its layout and reading clarity.

I ranted about the whole font problem in Linux some time ago, and then we also discussed the use of Ubuntu fonts on top of Fedora a couple of months back in another OCS-Mag article. Now, I want to revisit the topic for a third time, and see if we can somehow improve on Fedora's stock Gnome look, and the way it draws text on the screen. Let us commence hence forth.

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updated July 7, 2017, category: Computer games

As big as the game industry is, in the past 17 years, the ONLY company making serious war simulators has been Bohemia Interactive. Everything else is just heavily-scripted movie-like arcade. It all started with the legendary Operation Flashpoint. Then we had ArmA 2, and now ArmA 3. A game that will test your soul, your persistence and your keyboard. Not necessarily in that order.

I've already written a handful of reviews on ArmA 3, most notably my first encounter plus a nice zombie mission, so it would seem another article is unnecessary. You'd be wrong. Having recently invested several hundred hours more in ArmA on private servers, with friends and whatnot, all ex-military, just like Bohemia's dev team, I found fresh passion and interest in this amazing first person shooter slash combined-arms simulation. So let's salivate a bit more.

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updated July 5, 2017, category: Software & security

What's the color of the boathouse at Hereford? This question has the same implication as asking someone, what's the best USB image writer for Linux? Since there can be no single definitive answer, one must embark on a quest of trial & error, frustration & glee.

Almost every distro has its own tool, different desktop environments have their own utilities, and each one comes with its own level of reliability. All of them work, but then, not quite. And yet, all you want to do, once you've downloaded an ISO file, is to have it committed to a USB thumb drive, so you can actually boot and run that particular distro. A way out of this confusion? Etcher.

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updated July 3, 2017, category: Software & security

Here's a little wannabe guide. Shiny, happy, full of adjectives and superlatives but no laxatives. With a good reason. I'm psyched, and this without ingesting any chemicals. The reason being, the very recent Kubuntu 17.04 Zesty Zapus is a mighty good little distro, and I'm pleased to actually be using it on a daily basis, something that hasn't happened with KDE for at least 5-6 years.

To commemorate this revolutionary moment, we have this little pimping guide, akin to my many other pimping guides, which should help you make your Kubuntu into a mean, lean productivity machine. Let's see what you can or should do. Voluntary, optional and fun.

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They are all nicely tucked away in their respective categories. Perhaps you might fancy starting a search with whatever strikes your mind? For example, type Linux to find all Linux-related items on Dedoimedo. Good luck!

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