After my rant about Windows, there's a personal project that I'm going to share with you, so please don't click off.

Yeah, the title says it all. About two years ago, I decided to upgrade to the first new laptop I've had in eons. Predictably, I went with a ThinkPad T-series. They're not like the older ThinkPads, but they're still great computers, overall (I even think that Lenovo is going to make a few changes so they're more upgradeable again). Anyway, when I got it, obviously, I went all-out. Software-wise, I don't recall there being a Linux option, but I wasn't too phased at the time. I'd been FIRMLY a Linux-only user for years by 2024, but Windows had changed enough that I felt it might be a safe bet to familiarize myself with Windows 11, so I thought “What the hell?”. I decided to go ahead and spring for a Microsoft 365 subscription and upgrade to Pro while I was at it, for the sake of both a near-death experience (that destroyed one of my previous computers; I’m paranoid about backups now!), as well as a chance to dust off some of my certifications and get myself acquainted with the newer stuff.

Long story short, Microshit has, over the past couple of years, given THE BIGGEST Fuck You! to anyone using their stuff. It's becoming increasingly-hard to ignore the fact that Microsoft and the Windows software owns my computer. I won't lie, there's some things that I'd absolutely not be able to do outside of Windows, but, being honest with myself, the only real Windows environments I've had, prior to getting the T14 I have now, were either virtualized systems for either XP/7 (or a derivative like Windows FLP or Windows Thin PC; I'm not counting what I did in 86Box for writing projects, screwing around, or taking trips to Nostalgia Node) or a couple of testbed systems that I didn't want to futz with Linux with, mostly because I already had the tools for Windows for those systems.

Moving on, my break from 10/+ years of Linux-only ended up giving me some sad realizations, so obviously I'm going back to Linux when my laptop's warranty expires and pulling all of my data from OneDrive. As of now, I've got a server running Windows 11 Pro (causing a fuckton of headaches, but that's a project I don't have the money to build overnight, so I'll manage for a year) and a ThinkPad that's hampered by everything that Windows has become. Hell, just look up Zorin OS, Linux Mint, or AnduinOS; that's what Windows users are flocking to. For most people out there, Linux could easily replace Windows and you wouldn't even know it after a few weeks (apart from your computer running like it was seven-or-eight years younger). Gamers: The Steamdeck is Linux-based. Chromebook users: Your computer (netbook? Screw it, glorified web browser is a locked-down version of Linux that can only run Google Chrome and its applets. Android (and derivatives) users: Your phone has Linux buried in it.

The list goes on.

Earlier, I mentioned AnduinOS. I'm sure not many have heard about it, but, essentially, a former Microsoft Software engineer developed a spin of Ubuntu (which is a derivative of Debian) to look and feel like Windows 11, but without all of the crap. No telemetry, no ingrained AI, just software. If I hadn't been a Linux nut for the past decade, I'd probably switch to it, myself. I'll put the links to the OSes below- all are free to download.

AnduinOS: https://www.anduinos.com/
Zorin OS: https://zorin.com/os/
Linux Mint: https://www.linuxmint.com/
Good ol’ Debian: https://www.debian.org/
No Ubuntu, because that feels like trading one master for another.

Now that that's over, as for my dream that I'm realizing: I'm finally going into IT work for myself. Getting the business itself is slow-going, but, after years of being told that I didn't know what I was doing, as well as a few other things, I'm finally doing it. I'm naming the business after my sona, and I'll also be selling refurbished laptops as well. The refurbs, I'm already doing (in the midst of planning for a trip/remodeling/funding the IT business/etc), and I've got nine that haven't been spoken for. They're not big, bad machines; rather, I think they were in use in a classroom at some point. Either way, I'm not going to be unreasonable with the price. Plus (as mentioned earlier), since I'm leaving the Microsoft ecosystem for good, they'll be more secure than a standard laptop. If you're interested in any of this, send me a note and I'll get my prices to you.

Also, if you wouldn't mind, can you spread the word around some? That'd be a BIG help! Please and thank you.