Hiya Orca and Thar She Blows readers! I’m back again :-). As some may know, I started out my Linux adventures on Mint Cinnamon last year. https://orcaflotta.blog/2021/07/16/noob-linux-girl/. It has been loaded on my second desktop computer ever since, but still sharing space with the old Windows Vista from ancient times. I later resuscitated an old laptop and moved on to Manjaro Cinnamon, and then Manjaro KDE Plasma. https://orcaflotta.blog/2021/09/11/new-plasma-girl/ I discovered that KDE Plasma is the best Linux version for me. It has all the customization features you could ever want or need along with easy to use setup and software choices. So far I have been getting my regular updates and have had no problems with it at all.
So why did I still keep Mint and Microsoft hanging around on my desktop no. 2? Good question. Mint works just fine and is an excellent Linux distro. It works very well but I much prefer Manjaro, and KDE Plasma in particular. So it was time to go all in! I downloaded the newest version and created a bootable USB drive. In Mint that was super easy. No separate programs required. I backed up a few things I wanted to save and then it was time to switch. I rebooted the desktop and this time erased everything. Now I have a like-brand-new Manjaro computer that will do anything I could ever want (Cept for a few games, but that’s another story. And no, Second Life is not a Game.)
Today I have Plasma version 5.25.5, the niftiest one so far. I got me some new backgrounds, menus, software and all the good stuff! I’m not caught up with Orca kernel-wise but 5.19 is good enough for me. The fact that this is all a free operating system for everyone is truly amazing in this day and age. All the programs available in Linux work just as well, or better, than anything in Windows. I am only using Firefox for my browser now and I am fine with that. Maybe I’ll test out a few others, but no need to.
The new KDE Plasma color choices and menus are so easy and fun. I am currently using an all dark theme with pink color highlights, but I can change that in an instant whenever I like (current laptop shown here). I tried out different panel locations and icons, but am now back to my original at the bottom. You can also set the menu colors to automatically match your wallpaper or tint them any way that you want. Plus there are new super key functions to play with if I could just remember them? If you use multiple desktops, the window overview mode (super/w) will let you view thumbnails of them all at once and let you search for what you’re looking for.
KDE Connect is even better than Warpinator. It connects right to my android phone and will connect to my other computers. So transferring files is very easy from any one to another. They even came out with new touch-pad and touch-screen support to do stuff on my laptop just like a smartphone. I’ve not tried that yet, but I will :).
There are still a million Linux things that I have yet to discover and try out. Many (or most ;P) are way too geeky for me, but that is the fun of it all. With Microsoft Windows it is their way or the highway. They also want to collect their hefty fee. Linux gives me the control to do things how I want. I can keep experimenting until I think I have it right or maybe just want to try something new again.
Am I all Linux all the time? No, not even close. My main computer is still very speedy and happily running on Windows 10, with never a hiccup or an outage. I use Microsoft and Chrome on that without worrying about my cyber security. Maybe I am just a dumb girl, but I have never had a problem with either one (crosses fingers). Now it seems though that my Intel processor is too old for Windows 11? They will keep me updated till 2024 but then I will have to decide. New computer or switch it over to Linux too? That most likely depends on how well Second Life still works for me. If that starts lagging it will be time for the new computer.
Until then I will enjoy all three of my computers 🙂 I hardly ever use the laptop anymore, but good to know it is ready to go with all its Plasma goodness. OOh…might be time to install Endeavour on there, yes?
Becca
Thar She Blows! 
“Hiya Orca and Thar She Blows readers! I’m back again :-).”
Wubby Becca, what took you so long? LOL
“KDE Plasma is the best Linux version for me.”
For you, yes. Nicely said. One can see that you’re not a semi-blind fanboi but an adult user. Desktops and customizaton are super duper personal and a question of taste rather than technicalities. We shouldn’t start religious wars over window dressing, right.
“It has all the customization features you could ever want or need along with easy to use setup and software choices.”
I don’t use KDE but, to be fair, it is objectively the bestest desktop environment. You choose wisely.
“So far I have been getting my regular updates and have had no problems with it at all.”
That’s the best thing about consolidation and maturing of most Linux distros: Problems getting less, and less severe. Even Manjaro, which had terrible update probs for a while is now running the updates like clockwork. *knock on wood*
“Mint works just fine and is an excellent Linux distro.”
It really is, isn’t it? Do you regret having started your “Linux journey” (silly term, no?) on Mint? The best thing is, it is a good point to jump off from and explore other distros but you can also stay on it indefinately.
“It works very well but I much prefer Manjaro, and KDE Plasma in particular.”
When Clem and his Minty team decided to stop supporting a KDE choice, they surely had their reasons. But it definately hurt their download figures. Who knows, they could reside on #1 in the DistroWatch charts if they still had a KDE version. Hmmm?
And you did the right thing, curiously branched out and decided on “ArchLight” and went all in with the most versatile desktop.
“created a bootable USB drive. In Mint that was super easy.”
That’s Mint’s literary user friendliness. Manjaro has a similar thing but there it looks and feels like an afterthought. They just propped the SUSE Image Writer on top. It works fine but has that certain DIY charme while in Mint it feels like it belongs there, organically.
“I rebooted the desktop and this time erased everything.”
During Linux installations your whole HDD will usually be formatted. No need to do it beforehand.
“Now I have a like-brand-new Manjaro computer that will do anything I could ever want (Cept for a few games, but that’s another story.”
Linux made quantum leaps in that regard. I’m not a gamer grrl but Linux slowly becomes a major gaming platform. Is what I hear.
“And no, Second Life is not a Game.)”
And, even better, we can install Firestorm and Singularity viewers directly from the AUR, don’t even need to visit their sites.
“Today I have Plasma version 5.25.5, the niftiest one so far.”
It would be terribly sad were it any other way. We leave the ass-backwards stuff for Microsoft. 🙂
“I’m not caught up with Orca kernel-wise but 5.19 is good enough for me.”
Good decision Becca. If Manjaro comes with 5.19 as standard, we better stick with it as well. But for once my stuntgrrl hazardry payed off. Installed 6.0 and … still alive! 🙂 I mean, they offer it officially in the system controls, so it must work. And it does.
“All the programs available in Linux work just as well, or better, than anything in Windows.”
As long as you can find them in any distro’s repository, yes. Be careful with the AUR tho, it’s a freaks’ playground with often untested, only halfways developed software. But in some cases you find pure gold: Firestorm being one shiny example.
“KDE Connect is even better than Warpinator.”
Sure it’s not just a rebadged Warpi?
“It connects right to my android phone and will connect to my other computers.”
As does Warpi. Or did I not understand something?
“Many (or most ;P) are way too geeky for me, but that is the fun of it all.”
Exactly!!! It’s 2022, you don’t need to be geeky just to use your computer as a computer, Win, Mac or Linux are easily usable these days. Only in Linux you can geek out – if you want. And you can slowly grow into a geek by just playing and trying out the possibilities. For example Warpinator and Second Life viewers, and Nvidia and AMD graphics drivers directly from a repository. That’s very very geeky but also userfrenly for the stupid gurl inside all of us.
“With Microsoft Windows it is their way or the highway.”
For me it was the highway, which is better than Windows’ meandering muddy path thru the corporate swamp.
“Maybe I am just a dumb girl, but I have never had a problem with either one (crosses fingers).”
Windows is made for dumb girls, Linux proofs it. So you’re not dumb at all! Quite the contrary.
“Until then I will enjoy all three of my computers 🙂 I hardly ever use the laptop anymore, but good to know it is ready to go with all its Plasma goodness.”
My saying since … forever. A grrl can’t have enough computers! A stuntgrrl needs even more. 😉 Just the last 2 weeks, one of my mini Lenovos saved mine and the blog’s @$$, when both, my main desktop and my new lappy were knocked out in a loadshedding event.
“OOh…might be time to install Endeavour on there, yes?”
YES! Do it!
But don’t expect too much. As you know I went back from EOS too Manjo since it is real Arch. No luxury bubble bath like we know it from Mint/Manjaro but real hands on, self-made experiences. Fortunately they have a super cuddly community, which is really helpful when you have questions/problems. I’ve never ever read the dreaded RTFM comment anywhere in that forum. Particularly when you out yourself as a girl, they will throw themselves into helping you.
For example Rick, he was so delightfully patient with me until I got my Nvidia driver installed. I’d given him a medal. When the computer died a little later I didn’t dare asking for help again.
So yes, EOS is kinda great. For your selfworth, for the feeling of accomplishment, for feeling smug and better than thou. In day to day computing life I don’t see any advantages over Manjaro. I know I know, Manjaro ain’t Arch, even the Manjaro devs are saying so. Because of minute details. I, in my infinite stupidity, say it is ArchLinux, for all intense and purposes. For all the things a grrl needs it factually is Arch. Just a very frenly one. 😉
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Linux Mint was by far the best place to start. Cinnamon is the best option too if you want it to look good right off the bat. It was very easy and everything just worked. So why not try it out?
I had a partitioned disk on my 2nd computer. Which is why I had to reload and erase it all. Deleted all the nasty windows stuff on that one at least ;-P.
KDE Connect is better than Warpinator? YES! 3 clicks to copy a file and works with Windows too.
I’ll definitely be trying out more Linux stuff. Whether that is full Arch, I don’t know? I do know I will never be typing geeky code on the terminal. So the easier they make it, then the more I will try 🙂
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“Linux Mint was by far the best place to start.”
My saying! 🙂
“Deleted all the nasty windows stuff”
Coz we don’t need any more nasty in our lives, right?
“KDE Connect is better than Warpinator? YES!”
Cool. Or as you KDE people say: Kool! 🙂
“I will never be typing geeky code on the terminal.”
Right! Coz we no programmers, aren’t we? But some of the easy peasy command lines will make you look like a super geeky grrl and get ya lotsa respekt! 😉
And don’t forget, under Endeavour you’ll use the terminal much more since it won’t have all the GUI stuff out of the box.
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[…] Becca, hubby and I: Becca has 2 laptops running Manjaro I guess, hubby 1 and yours truly 1 laptop and 2 desktops. I dunno if […]
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