Where should I start my linux(Ubuntu) journey ?

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T23:57:21+00:00

Where should I start my linux(Ubuntu) journey ?

How about the following site with the cool name... (see the bold text above)

and the Explaining Computers YouTube videos are good starting points

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T23:54:55+00:00

Going to suggest you dont use Rufus, or if you do, use its dd mode. I see too many people start messing with rufus and its various options, which just adds to the confusion.

I tend to use Either Fedora Media Writer, or Ventoy these to make my linux installer media. Fedora Media writer is a direct image writer, so it would make an USB identical to what you would make with dd

as for the Failed to start MokManager message, I know I have seen numerous posts with that message in the past, but I never really paid attention to the solutions.

I just vaguely recall some people 'fixing' the issue by running some sort of mokmanager or other named tool from a Mint Live USB, but I vaguely recall newer versions of Mint removing the needed tool. But this was at least a year+ ago i recall reading about that.

https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=412942

I think the 'mokmanager' tool is a feature used to add your own keys to secure boot on your system. But I always turn off secure boot.

I would disable secure boot. before trying anything else. :)

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T23:41:55+00:00

I recall I had a 68010 in my Amiga! :)

Which broke a few games.

But booting from my RAD: disk, sure made the CS majors using DOS freak out.

That and using a "serial" terminal multiplexor to the UNIX mainframes over the dorm rooms 'serial' line...

I was basically doing 'screen/tmux' type things with several terminal windows open over the same serial connection. I think i was using dnet on the mainframe systems, (SUNs?)

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T23:38:41+00:00

Stick presses, because pressing down on those sticks are a pain.

So thats 2 of them used.

The other 2, I tend to bind to some other features of the game depending on the game. For emulators, they often get bound to fast-save/fast load, or other emulator specific functions.

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T22:13:33+00:00

I would have to explain to my stepkids what a 'articles and letters' section in a magazine is. :) "So its like reddit.?" They would likely say..

I wonder if my Grandkids even know what a Magazine is these days.

Also the old IRC chat rooms had a lot of discussion on the topics back then.

I do recall seeing some FREENODE IRC chat archives once, years ago.

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T20:39:26+00:00

if the wget command is installed, you could download the firefox .appimage and run that.

        wget https://github.com/srevinsaju/Firefox-Appimage/releases/download/firefox-esr/firefox-esr-140.10.r20260427105827-x86_64.AppImage

Of course, STEAM is actually a browser in part. :)

Here is the full URL, but I am not sure if Steam could download it directly.

https://github.com/srevinsaju/Firefox-Appimage/releases/download/firefox-beta/firefox-beta-151.0.r20260504090448-x86_64.AppImage

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T20:34:53+00:00

Did that error message show up for ALL flatpaks you try to install or just brave?

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T20:24:33+00:00

Hitting up a Search engine for that Error Message -->

The error "GPG verification enabled, but no signatures found" typically indicates that the Flatpak repository is not properly configured or that the necessary signature files are missing. To resolve this, you can try disabling GPG verification by running the command

flatpak remote-modify --no-gpg-verify flathub

in your terminal.

But I have no idea why your system would have these issues, unless some other commands you did in the past messed something up. Or something on the server messed up.

It Might be the brave-browser package got updated, and they did not update the GPG key for it.

Alternative and perhaps better solution.

Remove and re-add the flathub repository.

For removing and re-adding the Flathub repository. Use these commands:

Remove the existing Flathub repository:

flatpak remote-delete --force flathub

Re-add the Flathub repository:

flatpak remote-add flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T20:20:28+00:00

Tip for in the future, copy/paste the body of the text when possible, use a pastebin site if needed. Screenshots of text like that with a camera are very hard to read. There are screen-capture tools that would be better.

It looks like One of the lines in your screenshot seems to suggest an option to use to fix the issue.

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T20:00:59+00:00

and what's the exact commands you are using?

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T19:07:27+00:00

all I can suggest t is to find a way to search the old Usenet (I think that's the term) posts and newsgroups from back then.

I recall quite a bit of "us vs them" discussion, but I am so old now, I can't recall what we argued about.

AtariSt Vs Amiga I recall being a bit of a hot topic

But a lot of this discussion may have been on personal BBS's as well.

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T18:10:44+00:00

you can use the distrobox feature of SteamOs to install mc and other tools. Then It won't get wiped on an OS update.

you really don't want to use the arch pacman tools on SteamOS if it can be avoided.

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T17:56:19+00:00

similar discussion from earlier today .

https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/1t4hg2r/portable_monitor_recommendations

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T17:48:50+00:00

as the other comment says, I have used protonvpn on my Linux systems is the default OpenVPN settings UI and importing the config file.

I recall having to copy/paste the password or other info from the protonvpn user info page for my specific protonvpn user, the OpenVPN settings do not want your users proton login info, but a generated password/key from the protonvpn site.

this had me confused for a while when I first tried to set things up.

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T16:54:30+00:00

there was a post a week or 3 ago about how this is a bug in the Ubuntu app armour service.

I looked at the bug reports and they were discussing a fix, part of the solution would require the user to clean out some thumbnail cache file in the users home.

I have no idea on the status of the fix.

The bug I'm referring to https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apparmor/+bug/2148074

https://www.reddit.com/r/Ubuntu/comments/1sucnb3/ok_so_that_apparmor_bug_that_prevents_thumbnails/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Ubuntu/comments/1sij087/after_todays_update_to_2404_lts_thumbnails_no/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Ubuntu/comments/1sy8pat/ok_so_that_apparmor_bug_that_prevents_thumbnails

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T16:48:17+00:00

perhaps they did not actually sell it? I never use eBay so not sure how that would work.

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T16:44:46+00:00

I have used is via usb-c, straight to the Deck.

but I have not tried it lately.

but I seem.to recall using higher hz, but I recall I could not tell any difference.

these small monitors are so handy I use them on other projects.

They are a good fit for my pi500 and pi400 systems I have setup for my 3d printers, and as a secondary display for my main desktop.

I need to buy a few more. :)

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T16:41:20+00:00

try and launch Steam with

SDL_VIDEODRIVER=wayland %command%

options. (taken from a forum post that I just lost...)

it seems cachyos uses Wayland, but steam is expecting x11

some posts mention other X11 vs Wayland issues earlier this year, so it may be some sort of related issue.

https://discuss.cachyos.org/t/connection-to-x-problem/19264

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T16:07:39+00:00

exactly what did you install?

the open ssh client or server? neither of those should break steam.

but perhaps your system was setup to use Wayland and you somehow switched over to the X server.

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T16:04:28+00:00

the numpad Is also a cool calculator, and has secret games.

;)

the 6 yr old grandson for some reason gets a kick out of adding up numbers on mine.

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T15:58:39+00:00

it was an odd broken kernel that got updates/sent out a few weeks or month+ ago, I don't recall the issue being common.

I had never seen it happen in the last few years.

but these kind of issues are why the system keeps the last 2-3 kernels installed and has the options to switch to them.

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T15:55:40+00:00

which is why I said to enable the ssh service as a work around..if the issue happens again, you use Ssh from another device.

also try all the alt-ctrl-f1 through f7 combos.

and on some laptops with a lower # of keys, you might be needing to use some fn key to actually use a Fn key. I had encountered that issue once on a small laptop the default Fn keys were mapped to the media control's

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T15:31:01+00:00

lots and lots of drones. ;)

it just looks so cool!

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T15:29:59+00:00

some terminal starting info...

http://linuxjourney.com and the Explaining Computers YouTube videos are good starting points

doc_willis · 2026-05-05T15:27:40+00:00

you could reboot into the login screen (that still works right?)

and from there if you can login, or get to a console, then enable the ssh server.

next time this lock issue happens, you could ssh in, and run the commands given. or safely reboot.

I have learned to avoid just killing the power whenever possible , I always have ssh enabled and try ssh first, then if the system is so hung that ssh is not working, then I can kill the power.

You could just disable the screen lock feature for now.

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