I have been making music in a way by taking some of our CD’s and ripping them to my digital collection on my laptop. I have been using the Linux program Rhythmbox to import the music and then visually organizing the albums on Gnome Music where I will play them from.
Rhythmbox
Furthermore, I am saving them in the open source Ogg Vorbis format and tagging them so they can have the album art can be found online and embedded to each title. They won’t be going online for sharing just so that people with power will know it will be for personal use only. This is a retro way of doing things I would imagine, but it is fun.
I wanted to share with you the operating system and apps that powers Nerd Corner. I use them on my desktop and laptop computers. They are vital to me in my creative endeavors. I use them daily to make connections with my family, friends and this blogging community. Check them out and give them a spin.
Zorin OS 18
I love Linux and my official operating system is Zorin OS, which is in its 18th version. It powers both my desktop and laptop. This open source software looks and feels like Microsoft Windows, and many use it because of that reason. You don’t have to put up with all the bloat and ads of Windows 10/11. It comes with loads of productivity and entertainment software already installed and has a library of thousands of apps I can download to make it my own.
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox is my long-time favorite browser because it is open source, secure and offers enough features that don’t get in the way of getting stuff done. I use Firefox for browsing the web, posting blogs, watching YouTube videos, e-commerce, and connecting to others on social media among other fun things. There is also a mobile app that I use daily.
Thunderbird Email
Thunderbird is my go-to email app. You can send and receive email from various places like Gmail, Yahoo and the like. It is highly customizable so you can make it work for you. It also comes with a built-in calendar you can sync to your online calendar. Not only that, but it’s also secure.
In disclosure, I have made a very small donation to the organizations that maintain and distribute these programs. If you use them, it makes sense to support them in whatever way you can. Each of them are also non-profit and community supported, which is something I feel good about.
Today is the end of life for the Microsoft Windows 10 operating system. After today there will no longer be updates sent out unless you buy extended service programs.
Upgrades to Windows 11 are available to compatible computers.
Windows 10 Ends On October 14, 2025
Those who don’t have machines that will run Windows 11 will have to buy a new computer or use open source operating systems like Linux Mint to keep their systems from becoming unusable. I do recommend Linux for those with some experience. Thank you Windows 10 for your service.
A friend posted this on Facebook. Like most things, what your monitor setup says about you. For me, I’m neutral good at work and chaotic good at home. Of course, it’s what you can afford and what is provided for you that has the final say.
I run Linux Mint as my desktop and laptop operating system. It is free, open-source, and runs well on older hardware like mine. They released a terrific upgrade with some new and updated features so I have installed it on both of my machines and they run very well. I can do everything on Linux that I can do on Microsoft Windows without the bloat and slowdown.
Among the many things I like is when Linux Mint does an upgrade it doesn’t take forever to set up. I use Linux Mint 22.1 for web browsing, media, word processing, and playing games like Tetris and Solitaire and much more. So, It’s been fun setting things up and customizing the look on both machines.
Many machines are going to be without support from Microsoft as Windows 10 support ceases soon. I suggest Linux Mint for anyone who needs a fresh, modern operating system to keep their older machines running. There is a lot of support out there to help you get it running and use it for everyday tasks and the like.
I found this on Facebook and it’s a meme designed to remind people of a certain generation they are old. I am a member of Generation X and this entire list is aimed primarily at people like me. In a way, it’s OK because it reminds me of a good time when you did stuff on this list and there was less technology involved. If you need an explanation of what some of this is I can help.
The Tony Burgess Blog 