Resplendent606

I’m happy with 1080p content. I have a 4k TV and from the couch I can’t see a difference. I would be perfectly happy with a bargain 4k TV, bigger the better.

What you are experiencing is called a learning curve. Don’t let it get you angry, learn from it. NVIDIA is known to be problematic for Linux users (I have had my share of issues with my 2080 Ti) but once it is setup it is problem free. Librewolf is known to be one of the chunkier options, but 3gb really isn’t that much for modern systems (especially if you have 16 or 32gb of memory). I would personally take Librewolf’s privacy features over closed-source Vivaldi any day. Linux overall is much more efficient than Windows and I would bet that your system idle memory usage with nothing open is lower than it was with Windows.

That is an older laptop. I run an even older HP laptop on Arch that still feels zippy, even compared to my gaming desktop pc. One thing to remember is POP_OS! is designed for newer computers as it is built by a company who sells them. There are known issues with POP_OS! and Mesa drivers. The Mesa driver might not be efficiently handling the graphical demands of the default POP_OS! desktop. I’m not suggesting to switch your distro, just keep in mind going forward that it is made for newer systems.

Some further troubleshooting you can try:

• Check for Driver Updates: Ensure the system is fully up-to-date by running sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade in the terminal .
• Use a system monitor tool like htop, btop or the built-in system monitor to see if the CPU or RAM is maxing out when opening a program.
• Check for Overheating: Check if the laptop feels unusually warm. This could indicate a need to clean the cooling vents and fan.

Welcome to the GNU/Linux family! Your desktop setup is lovely! I highly approve of the use of Librewolf. Pop_OS! is a great choice choice for a new GNU/Linux user. As for your system feeling slower, you might be missing something. Can you share some of the basic specs, like cpu/ram and/or brand/model of the laptop? What feels slow, the internet or the actual loading/power of the system?

That be ok. Me crew sails the ‘igh seas an’ we don’t 'ave to share passwords.

This is the experience I imagine I would have trying it. It is probably what anyone with a modern system would experience with proprietary firmware. From what I read, Trisquel’s core philosophy is to include only free software and Eiskaltdcpp most likely relies on some non-free dependencies.

I like Debian. I am currently trying Fedora and it has been good, too. Void is on my list of “distros to someday try” as it sounds super interesting using runit, XBPS, and not relying on systemd.

I knew about the Epstein thing and it is pretty offensive but unsurprising. What is surprising is what I just read about the developer in 2005 who mentioned taking time off for the birth of his daughter, essentially implying that contributing to Emacs was a more valuable contribution than having children. That is messed up.

Even worse, apparently there were also old blog posts where he discussed the legalization of sex with minors and child pornography, arguing that certain acts should be legal “as long as no one is coerced” and are only illegal due to “prejudice and narrow-mindedness.”

He’s not a great guy. I appreciate the work he has lead with free software, but he’s said some pretty screwed up stuff.

Sources:

https://blog.codinghorror.com/spawning-a-new-process/

https://www.npr.org/2019/09/17/761718975/free-software-pioneer-quits-mit-over-his-comments-on-epstein-sex-trafficking-cas

While I think it would be too hard for most people to be completely free of proprietary software, atleast he is practicing what he preaches. It is a nice goal to someday get there, but I don’t think its realistic at the moment.

Kind in mind, though, he is 72 and I don’t think he even codes anymore. His computer use probably only consists of mostly Emac (for all text based work) and a web browser (which I read he has a very particular method that involves something similar to wget, lynx, and konqueror). His computer use is very light (I imagine) compared to many Linux users.

While I aspire to and appreciate what the FSF advocates, I don’t see a realistic path for myself as a Linux gamer. The proprietary firmware limitations alone would keep you on 2015 hardware.

Source: https://kottke.org/15/05/how-richard-stallman-does-his-computing

Because Debian does not meet the strict requirements of the FSF. It includes non-free blobs in the kernel and the FSF claims Debian “steers” users with recommendations for installing non-free plugins or codecs. Some “contrib” packages, while free themselves, exist primarily to load separately distributed proprietary programs. There are also references in the Debian documentation and official channels that suggest obtaining non-free software for functionality.

Also, incase you’re wondering, Richard Stallman uses Trisquel GNU/Linux.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trisquel#%3A~%3Atext=Richard+Stallman+has+mentioned+that%2Cpreviously+used+the+Lemote+Yeeloong.