Breaking Free From Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac

 

One basic realization that eventually dawns on a Conspiratorialist is that closed-source operating systems like Microsoft Windows are essentially surveillance tools that track pretty much everything we do when our computers are connected to the Internet.  Since these corporate-owned operating systems use mostly proprietary software -- meaning that the code is locked so that no one can see exactly what it does behind the scenes -- we can only assume that the All Seeing Eye is watching our every computer move.  There is plenty of info from computer experts that show just how pervasive this tracking has become, and when the question of what to do about it arises, the inevitable answer is, "Install and use Linux."

As consumers we have been trained to a) buy a computer, and b) use the operating system that comes with that computer.  Most of the time these days, this means we use Windows 10, which is famous for all the telemetry it collects in the background.  Apple's software is considered to be more privacy-respecting and secure than Windows, but requires the consumer to shell out big bucks for a new computer, which then runs software that is often referred to as a "walled garden," allowing for very little customization beyond what Apple deems appropriate.

For a growing number of computer users, this leaves only one serious choice:  Linux.

I've been a Linux user since about 2000, and I've tried all the big distributions out there at one time or another.  I've also tried many of the smaller "fringe" distros.  Since 2012 I've mostly used Manjaro Linux, which is based on the "rolling release" Arch Linux.  I arrived at Manjaro through a chaotic "distro-hopping" experience that many Linux users go through at the beginning, and there's really nothing wrong with it.  Distro-hopping scratches the curiosity itch, it offers learning opportunities, and it provides a broad range of exposure to what Linux can do.  That said, if someone was to ask which Linux distribution I'd recommend to a complete Linux beginner, I'd say, "Go with Mint."

Linux Mint is based on the most popular Linux distribution, Ubuntu, but the Mint developers integrate a ton of beginner-friendly tools into their system that really hold the beginner's hand.  Mint is also a favorite of many seasoned Linux users, who just want something that works out of the box, is stable, and stays out of the way.  The look and feel of Linux Mint should be very familiar to anyone who is used to Windows -- and it can be customized to emulate a Mac, as well.

Here, then, is the first lesson in a 13-part YouTube series that covers pretty much all the steps to installing and running Linux Mint.  Follow this guide and you'll be a Linux user in no time.