[kwlug-disc] Linux & Linux admin for newbies

Fri Jan 26 12:09:42 EST 2018

On Fri, Jan 26, 2018 at 12:03 PM, John Johnson <jvj at golden.net> wrote:

> I have a box running Ubuntu that has been idle for a while.
> I think that the box set up with Ubuntu is likely at 14.x.
> When it is next turned on will it update automatically?
>
Usually no, but automatic updates can be configured.

I don't ever set a box to automatically update since it can disrupt my
workflow or break some applications.

> If so, what will it update to?
>

If you upgrade now, it should go to 16.04.x.

> Will Unity go away?
>
I think 16.04 still has Unity.

> What should I use instead of Unity? (let the flame wars begin)
>
Depends on your preferences. I recommend XFCE, since it is low resources,
and does not get in your way.

The way to do this (or switch to any other desktop) is to remove the
current desktop meta package and install a new one.

sudo aptitude purge ubuntu-desktop
sudo aptitude install xubuntu-desktop

> Any other advice is welcome.
> Thanks
> JohnJ
>
> On 1/26/2018 09:43, doug moen wrote:
>
> I used to run OpenBSD and then FreeBSD in the mid nineties. (Linux was
> junk back then.)
>
> I ultimately switched to Linux because it is more popular. Far more open
> source packages are tested and run on Linux than on BSD.
>
> For the same reason I switched to Linux, I also want to use the most
> popular Linux distro, for maximum compatibility, and so that I'll have
> access to the largest number of free software packages.
>
> According to John's diagram, Debian is the most important/influential
> distro. More distros are descended from Debian than anything else. Ubuntu
> is the most important/influential direct descendent of Debian.
>
> I use Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, for the same reasons that Khalid posted. For me,
> one of the killer features of Ubuntu is that it supports ZFS, which is the
> most reliable file system. I don't know any other distro that supports ZFS
> as a core package, other than FreeBSD.
>
> On 26 January 2018 at 05:32, John Johnson <jvj at golden.net> wrote:
>
>> From Bob's KWVOIP meeting:
>>
>> One of the questions raised was "Which GNU/Linux distro should I
>> choose, and why?"  I don't think there's an easy answer to that. But
>> maybe some of you will find this diagram useful as a way of seeing the
>> overwhelming scope of the question, even if it doesn't provide an answer:
>>
>> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Linux_Di
>> stribution_Timeline.svg
>>
>> Comes from
>> https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Linux_Distribution_Timeline.svg
>> if
>> you need additional context.
>>
>> Adding:
>>
>> What are partitions and how big should these be made?
>>
>> Related: What are volumes?
>> Related: umount & umount
>>
>> JohnJ
>>
>>
>>
>> On 1/24/2018 13:07, Paul Nijjar via kwlug-disc wrote:
>>
>>> Thanks for spreading the word.
>>>
>>> There is always interest in cryptography and security-related
>>> presentations. There is also a KWCrypto mailing list that Bob Jonkman
>>> does, and a few research groups at the University of Waterloo (CrySP)
>>> that runs talks too.
>>>
>>> - Paul
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, Jan 24, 2018 at 12:51:45PM -0500, Ron Singh wrote:
>>>
>>>> @Paul, sorry for the delayed response, too many fires.
>>>>
>>>> So, James K will be using the laptop(X220) that I am basically donating
>>>> to
>>>> KWLUG as a floater for demos and the like.
>>>> It is going to James Kelsh on Feb 5th(or earlier) to prep for his March
>>>> talk.
>>>> After his March talk, someone at KWLUG(or James K.) takes it if needed
>>>> for
>>>> April(or later talks) or a KWLUG custodian takes possession of it.
>>>>
>>>> Tomorrow aft(Thursday), I am circulating flyers extolling the virtues of
>>>> Linux and KWLUG by way of the 3 branches of the Waterloo Public
>>>> Library(already got their permission). Hopefully, someone might find if
>>>> of
>>>> interest enough to attend the meetings. The meat of the flyer is
>>>> essentially text culled from KWLUG's website with an encouraging
>>>> invitation
>>>> to attend a meeting and think about joining KWLUG. I wanted to get to
>>>> Kitchener Public Library and am hopeful to do so on Thursday late
>>>> afternoon, but am at the mercy of the clock, fingers crossed.
>>>>
>>>> Friday, I will be connecting(voice) with 3 of the UPWORK people to get a
>>>> feel for how they would present and if they are at all interested in
>>>> doing
>>>> the talks for free or food or transportation or money. Keep you all
>>>> apprised.
>>>>
>>>> As I seems to perpetually late to the game, and knowing that a crypto
>>>> session happened some months ago, would there be any interest in
>>>> revisiting
>>>> crypto?
>>>> Can't recall who did the last one, but would that person be willing to
>>>> do
>>>> another talk, assuming there is interest other than mine?
>>>> Has anyone done a mining rig with the OS being Linux and mining apps
>>>> running in a terminal session?
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>> kwlug-disc mailing list
>>> kwlug-disc at kwlug.org
>>> http://kwlug.org/mailman/listinfo/kwlug-disc_kwlug.org
>>>
>>>
>>
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