Embracing Linux

I cannot remember when I first heard of Linux, but I remember when I first saw someone using a Linux operating system. It was more than twenty years ago during a former occupation. Colleagues and I were out at sea on the R/V Wecoma collecting and logging marine data. My workstation was necessarily Windows, but another scientist from a different department back at the agency was with us that trip and he used Linux. His version of the OS, whatever it was, did not appear like a desktop environment. He mostly worked at the command-line processing SeaCAT data dumps. But occasionally he would call up some specialized application and his large desktop display would fill with scatter plots, coloured polygons, and other neat forms of information design. Everything seemed lean, fast, and mysterious. My curiosity was piqued. I vowed to explore using Linux one day.

I had no particular reason to rush into it, though, at least not that I recognized then. At the office I was locked into Microsoft. I had switched to Apple’s tech for my own computing because that was, seemingly, the trendy thing to do at the time for people diving into web design. In the years since, I have owned two Macbook Pros, both have provided everything needed with near flawless reliability. Time easily passed, and my interest to explore Linux laid dormant.

But the world has changed for the worse in recent years, environmentally speaking. It has been changing for the worse since the Industrial Revolution, in fact, but more of society recognizes it now, and the rate of deleterious change is increasing. I have been changing my digital lifestyle in relation—hardware, software, work routines, digital footprint, time online, … My interest in using Linux has also changed, from being a curiosity I keep putting off to something more akin to moral imperative. I have yet to clearly unpack that notion in a different article, but terms like degrowth, permacomputing, do-it-yourself, anti-capitalism, adaptation, resilience, sustainability, and so forth are relevant to the idea and motivation, if not all equally.

In short, I am trying to be as low-impact and conscientious in my digital routines as I am in life offline. Making the jump to Linux is a key part of my low-impact transition. It is the right thing to do, providing benefits in conservation (resources, money, …), data-privacy, and skills development. Meanwhile, I am nervous about how much time I have left with my current MBP, a late 2011 model, before its organs start shutting down. It will not accept anything newer than High Sierra, anyway, which is already, what, five macOS releases old? All told, my jump to Linux has become a much bigger priority for personal, ethical, and practical reasons.

I am not using Linux yet, but I am sharing here what I expect to get going as soon as possible, a process for transitioning to Linux permanently. I am no computer technician, systems administrator, or Linux expert. I am not even a software developer. So from those people I welcome feedback that would help shape a tighter plan, warn me of things to watch out for, and so on. For others, like me, maybe this helps give you the proverbial boot to get moving on your own adoption of Linux.

In my reading around on the subject, I find that initial conversations by would-be adopters of Linux often center on which Linux distribution to use; in other words, they are software conversations. There may be multiple reasons that software is often the first point of discussion for hopeful Linux adopters, but one that comes to mind is the intention to install a version of Linux on what is often the person’s only machine, alongside its native operating system (Windows or macOS), then jump between the OS partitions as the mood suits. This is called dual-booting. There is also multi-booting, apparently, which is three or more different operating systems installed on the same machine.

I am not interested in dual-booting, let alone multi-booting, so I will spare readers my ignorance on the matter. I figure it will be better for me to have a machine dedicated to Linux and keep my old MBP for macOS. I see no problem with logging out of one machine and into the other, spending greater time on the Linux machine as I become more familiar with its software. That would give my aging MBP a break and maybe squeeze a few more years out of it. Such an arrangement also avoids being up a creek without a computer when the old MBP gives up the ghost; and it will, eventually, despite efforts to optimize it and keep it clean and cool. Time will tell. Regardless, I will never buy a new Apple computer again, nor a refurbished one if I can migrate all my work routines to a Linux way of things. That is the goal.

(I also plan to get a Raspberry Pi for exactly this reason, more on that here, but that is a different challenge for another day. And apparently the RPi 4s are hard to come by right now.)

So the first thing to get straight in my adoption of Linux is to figure out the hardware I need. That will be where the initial financial investment goes, and I want to keep that relatively low. That means a refurbished machine instead of a ready-made Linux hot rod off the shelf.

By machine I mean laptop. But the nature of the machine is a good point of reflection. Consider, for example, the following sage insight from thedaemon:

I’ve always built or bought desktop computers to use. Why? Ease of repair-ability, longevity, and upgrade potential. Something breaks and I can fix it myself easily, not always the case with a laptop. My last desktop lasted me over 13 years and it still works, albeit some upgraded and replaced parts. #permacomputing

Salvaging, repairing, using less, … That is what I am for, and the point made about desktop’s being easier to work on is duly noted. I offer an anecdote on it.

The last PC I owned before making the jump to Apple was a Toshiba Satellite A65 laptop. It was outrageous looking, like a souped-up muscle car. It was thick and jacked with ports and slots, had a big grill over the large fan exhaust. You could see shiny copper wire flashing inside, for heat diffusion, maybe. The case was black, the keyboard frame was silver with big, round speaker vents in the front corners, and the lid was midnight blue with a small, rectangular ‘TOSHIBA’ plaque right in the center. The Satellite looked oddly cool on its own and ridiculous against an MBP, but I liked the defiant statement it made, and it was cheaper than most—the deal-maker. The Satellite got me through grad school, and one year more, before the black screen of death. Never having looked inside a laptop, I tried opening it. It was held together so confusingly, with hidden (to me) screws and plastic snap-together tabs, that by the time I had its guts spread out on the table, hours later, I likely broke it in several more places. There was no fixing that thing. Not by me. I did not bother putting it back together.

Despite that defeat, I still want the mobility and minimalism of a laptop. Another aspect of this digital lifestyle change, perhaps overlooked by people solely focused on permacomputing, is to actually spend less time in an office chair. Part of my goal, at the end of it all, is to spend more time in the woods, garden, atelier, and so forth no matter how low-impact my tech is. In that case a laptop stows and travels easy. A desktop starts becoming a dust collector.

My initial conversation with Linux users was kicked off with a question similar to this: What is a good, reliable laptop for dedicated Linux use that I can buy refurbished and relatively cheap? I figured a lot of laptops would probably work, but I have not used a PC in many years, and the Linux hordes might have their preferences. The dominant response by far was ‘Lenovo Thinkpad’, with Dell computers coming in second. I have so far given my focus to Lenovo.

There are many different Thinkpads, apparently, all categorized by series (X, T, L, P, E, …). It would be sensible to target one from a series that best matches the tasks I expect to do, thus has a suitable build to start with.

I begin by basing it on the only computer setup I have known for the last 11 years and how well that has worked for me. My late 2011 MBP, bought new, still runs the original specs (excepting the battery):

• Screen: 1280 × 800 LCD (glossy)
• Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 3000, 384 MB
• Processor: 2.8 GHz Intel i7
• Memory: 4 GB (2 GB on each of the available slots)
• Storage: SATA 750 GB disk drive

Screen: The screen resolution does not compare with screen tech in more recent years, but I have never had a problem with the screen or felt it lacking in any way. I would not mind never having to pay for retina quality. Whether or not I could benefit from a better graphics card, I do not know. But the one there seems to be fine.

Processor: Normally I would think an i7 processor was pretty good, maybe even more than I need. But this is a late 2011 machine. I suspect the i7 processor I have is an old generation, thus is not very power efficient, to say the least. I think a more recent generation i5 processor would be fine. I have no idea yet how hard these are to replace in a laptop, whatever the model.

Memory: The MBP’s memory is probably the least ideal spec. I often have several apps open and hop between them. The performance clearly drags. I get stalls and beach balls, and sometimes the fans race like hell, though that latter annoyance might be a weakness with the processor. I don’t know for sure.

Storage: After 11 years I am using less than 20% of my available storage. That might reflect my house-cleaning habits, and my sad lack of music and photos, but it also suggests I could do fine with a lot less storage.

Specifications aside, my needs always seem somewhere between portability and processing power. I work a lot with words, business applications, and a little with web development and front-end design as it concerns my own websites. I sometimes hate having to maintain a local AMP stack, but it is convenient in my relationship with Textpattern, and especially when not connected to the internet. I could be wrong, but I think that rules out the Thinkpad’s ‘ultralight’ X series, looking quite small.

On the other hand, while I do need a capable graphics application for web work, I am not a gamer or digital artist. I do not make videos or watch movies on my laptop. I do not run complex simulations, or use 3D software. Hence, I do not need high screen resolution and top-grade graphics rendering stuff, and therefore the heavy-looking P series is out for me, too.

That leaves the business-ready E, L, and T series of Thinkpads. I rule out the L immediately because I probably do not need a laptop lid that folds in two directions. I also want a size similar to the 13” MBP. Both the E and T series offer a 14-inch screen. Fine. And there are different generations (Gen 2, Gen 3, …). I do not fully grasp the generation stuff, but I think the larger the number, the more efficient the system’s power usage is, but that likely depends on other components and factors, like whether or not I have hundreds of browser tabs open (a really stupid habit I need to quit).

I do not want to be so recent with specifications that I am essentially paying for a new factory laptop. That is not going to save money up front, and money is an issue, always an issue. In that case I would simply buy a ready-made Linux rig, and look at something like Purism’s Librem 14, one of System76’s laptops, or maybe the upcoming HP running Pop!OS—all of which are easily over 1K€.

All considered, the Thinkpad T series seems appealing, so I am on the hunt for a refurbished Thinkpad T14, having at least an i5 recent-gen processor and 8 GB of memory.

Refurbished T14s are hard to find, I am learning, so I remain open to other brand and model possibilities based on suitability, availability, durability, serviceability (by self), and cost. For example, it was suggested to me that I could get a refurbished mid 2014 MBP (the ‘sweet spot’ for MBPs), make that my macOS machine, thus getting access to a newer macOS version, and turn my existing MBP into the dedicated Linux machine. It is an interesting idea, and it could get me going sooner, but even refurbished mid 2014 MBPs are hard to find. As I write this, there are no reconditioned laptops of any kind available on Back Market, for instance.

Software. Linux distros are many and varied. It might be the single most confusing thing about Linux for potential new users like me. Where to start?

I cannot say what others should do, but being I am usually middle of the road, I am pretty sure I will step off the moon lander using Debian. It is an old project, well-supported by an active and distributed community, and firmly centers around free and open-source software. The blood spiral rocks, too. That would make a nice coat of arms.

Debian’s default desktop environment is GNOME, and I like what Jack Wallen says about it, here:

[GNOME] is quite a leap from what most new users expect from a computer interface. GNOME takes a very “minimal” and “get out of the way” approach to the desktop. GNOME is modern, elegant, and quite simple…but the metaphor it employs tends to throw a lot of new users for a loop.

That actually sounds perfect to me. I am not dependent on the conventions of a given desktop model. Now would be a good opportunity to try something new. As mentioned already, I aim for minimal in everything, so it should be in my digital choices, too. If for some reason it does not work out, there are other desktop environments to try, and I believe without having to change the OS.

As for client applications, I will need to list out the critical ones I use on macOS and come up with Linux equivalents or replacements. For example, setting up a LAMP stack will be in the top list of priorities. I already use LibreOffice, so that is familiar ground. I am sad to be losing my old friend TextMate, especially after having recently wrangled the tWriter bundle for it. But there are multiple text editors for Linux. I just need to find one that supports Textile. I do not use Scrivner as much as I would like to claim, but I do like it, and Manuskript looks like a viable Linux alternative.

Other software will need assessed and explored, too, but I should not overlook this as an opportunity to eliminate and avoid applications I have no true need for. Again, degrowth, permacomputing, minimalism, …

Learning to be more hands-on with repairing and optimizing my computers over time is long past due. I have been guilty of running a laptop’s default components into the dirt and replacing the entire machine, exactly as Apple would have it. But that comes to an end. I will add computer repairman to my list of commitments to the family. Again, this reflects being more conscientious about environment, costs, and so forth, as well being more self-sufficient. I cannot say I am not intimidated by a securely-fastened logic board, but I should be able to replace a drive, memory card, fan, battery, and so forth to extend the life, efficiency, and oomph of a laptop.

This also means equipping myself with a good set of laptop tools. I replaced my MBP’s battery this past weekend, and I did not have the silly tri-point screwdriver for even that simple job. I suspect other brands of laptops will have similar engineering quirks and surprises, like that cursed Satellite A65! If a person is not tool-ready, they are dead in the water.