Tag Archives: windows

Nerd Corner Endorses – All Open Source

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.

Windows 10, Your Time Has Come

Microsoft Windows 10 will reach its End of Support (EoS) on October 14, 2025. My wife’s computer this week had to be upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11.

At home, we are a Linux/Android/Chrome OS family so we don’t run Windows or iOS outside the office. We have some older hardware that would struggle to keep up with the resource hogs that are Windows machines.

I found this meme on Facebook that shows the lament of people who really liked Windows 7 and didn’t want to upgrade to Windows 10. Those same people now don’t want Windows 10 to go away. I like Windows 10, but I think my Linux Mint 22.2 Dell desktop works just fine for my needs. A lot of older hardware will fall by the wayside because of Windows 11’s heavy resource and technology demands.

It will be an interesting few days in October to see what people will do when they have to upgrade. I suggest Linux Mint because it is less bloated, and it’s a solid and familiar feel too. Of course, many will buy new machines when they don’t have to if they will embrace an alternative.

Linux Mint 22.1 Upgrades Weekend

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.

Six Word Story

Crowdstrike sure did break some Windows.

State Of My Tech

I have a hand-me-over laptop from Mrs. Soup Diva that I have installed Ubuntu, the open-source Linux operating system Ubuntu 22.04, and Windows 10. I am running them via a dual-boot setup. Both operating systems will still be supported with some updates for the next couple of years so I feel comfortable in saying that I will shoot for a new laptop then and most likely it will be a good refurbished unit that costs under $300. Recently I installed more memory and a solid-state NVME drive so it’s running great right now. I don’t think I am going to have to make any further changes as long as I take care of what I have. I also have a desktop with the same configuration.

I believe it’s good to save your pennies where you can on technology and other things. Soon I am going to adorn the laptop with some stickers to give it a hipster personalization vibe (I’ll share that in a later post). I hope you all have setups that make you happy and productive.

Fresh Win 10 Install #Windows

As in life, a fresh start is good for your computer. I have completed doing a fresh install of Windows 10 on both my desktop and laptop. It really is good to do this regularly. Don’t forget to back up your data before you do. I have OneDrive as a cloud backup which makes doing backups easier. As long as your data is backed up making changes to your software and hardware is a snap. I haven’t decided if I am going to reinstall Ubuntu. Windows 10 is pretty good for the time being if you ask me.