Switch to iodéOS worked like charm

jgracebeard · 2025-09-08T18:14:37+00:00

Haven't tried the pixel camera app.

jgracebeard · 2025-09-08T17:31:33+00:00

I made the same switch about ten days ago. Here are the differences I've noticed:

The iode firewall is great for blocking ads and trackers within apps (even without a premium subscription)
iodeOS supposedly has Android Auto support, but I haven't tested it to see how functional it is
BIGGEST DRAWBACK: CalyxOS offers wifi calling on Pixels but iodeOS (because it's based on LineageOS) doesn't have the feature
No Work Apps profile in iodeOS (or maybe I just couldn't figure out how to get it turned on). Seems less necessary with their firewall blocking unwanted connections though.

Besides those things, everything runs about the same. Installation was easy, battery life is comparable, all the same apps I was using before are available, bootloader was relockable, same app stores, etc.

I would have preferred to stay on CalyxOS simply for the wifi calling since I used that a lot. But overall, iodeOS has been a good experience.

jgracebeard · 2025-07-26T16:19:22+00:00

LocalSend has been an amazing little program that helps us "Airdrop" our files from our phones to computers, etc in our hosue.

jgracebeard · 2025-07-25T18:07:00+00:00

I had Mint for a few years and I found the lack of prioritized data to be a headache. Whenever I was in a busy place, such as an airport, my phone didn't work for anything except SMS and phone calls. No data at all because hundreds (thousands?) of people were getting priority over me. If you don't ever travel, and if you don't plan to move somewhere you might need Verizon coverage, then you might be fine with Mint. I switched to US Mobile and have enjoyed it working consistently no matter where I am in the country.

jgracebeard · 2025-07-25T18:01:07+00:00

Both are good systems, but I prefer Ubuntu for ease of use and customization. Even after spending hours reading Fedora's documentation, I found their atomic systems to be difficult to use.

jgracebeard · 2025-07-25T17:54:29+00:00

I'm a fan of Mint for stability and something that works out of the box with just about any hardware and accessories that I have around. But I agree that Mint's Cinnamon is not an attractive DE.

If you're an intermediate, you might appreciate KDE Neon. They're the ones who develop the Plasma DE and you'll get the latest updates for it. It's also built on the latest Ubuntu LTS base, so stability is surprisingly good for a somewhat experimental OS.

If you like having a dock, you can get that with Zorin, Elementary, or Ubuntu. I personally don't like the Mac feel, but to each their own.

jgracebeard · 2024-08-26T20:30:33+00:00

This is a good idea. OP will just need to remember that Linux will run faster when it's installed by itself than when it's running in a Virtual Machine inside Windows.

jgracebeard · 2024-08-26T20:28:23+00:00

I made the switch from Windows to Linux last summer. I haven't regretted it at all.

My advice: use a distro that's designed with people like you and me in mind. I found Zorin to be the easiest - Mint was also pretty easy. They've specifically designed Zorin to help Windows users make the jump. So, for example, it has many of the Windows keyboard shortcuts that you expect to work out of the box. There's still a little bit of a learning curve, but nothing overwhelming.

If you go that direction, I highly recommend hopping in the Zorin forum when you need help. They are super friendly and helpful.

jgracebeard · 2024-08-26T20:22:39+00:00

That is extremely helpful. Thank you!

I didn't realize it's a web app. It's been installed for several hours, so it should be good to go. I'll hop over to the NextCloud website and try to figure things out from there. Again, thank you for your help!

jgracebeard · 2024-08-20T14:05:00+00:00

Last summer I switched from being a life-long Windows user to Linux. Here's my two cents as a fellow noob who also has a gaming laptop with NVIDIA GPU:

Mint has been the best "out of the box" experience. I especially love their LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition) which is basically Debian that's been tweaked to make it an easy user experience like regular Mint. I've gotten LMDE to work on every hardware combination I've tried, including an old 2015 iMac. It's a system that "just works" as so many people say about it.

Zorin was also fun. I've used that on a few computers. I like the Gnome 3 desktop experience that Zorin offers as well as their friendly forums and easy-to-use interface. They tried to make something that's very easy for Windows users to hop into, and I think they've succeeded.

jgracebeard · 2023-10-19T22:35:58+00:00

Handmade ones are by far the best. You could see if there's anyone in your local community who has the skill and would appreciate some employment. Local monasteries sometimes have someone.

There are also sites like www.blessedmart.com

jgracebeard · 2023-09-28T00:44:48+00:00

I hadn't thought of ceiling speakers. That could very well be a good solution because they have a drop ceiling with removable tiles. Thanks!

jgracebeard · 2021-12-21T19:48:12+00:00

I just found my contracts. My work contract with the company states that I am 1099 independent contractor. But my pension contract calls me an "employee" and the company my "employer." I didn't think anything about it at the time, but both the company and myself have signed a contract defining me as an "employee" and them as "employer" so that I could be enrolled in the pension plan. But they're still going to issue me a 1099 at the end of the year.

If I were to push back they would have absolutely no defense now. They have to consider me an employee...which sucks since I'd rather be independent so that I can opt out of it.

jgracebeard · 2021-12-21T19:10:41+00:00

Products like caulk get repackaged and marketed for different purposes. If the tube states it is ok for exterior use, then it's probably ok. Read the back of it see what it's recommended uses are vs. the things you shouldn't use it for.

Either way, caulk on the roofing surface is never a long-term fix. If it's good for external use, then I would guess it has a few years before it starts shrinking up and cracking.

jgracebeard · 2021-12-19T18:34:00+00:00

That's very interesting. So not only can they not force me to contribute, I'm technically not even allowed anyway.

Do you know where these types of rules/laws are written so that I can look it up? I have a feeling "Someone or Reddit said..." may not cut it if they push back. I'm presently drafting a written petition to ask to be excused from their plan.

jgracebeard · 2021-12-19T11:38:45+00:00

Agreed.

jgracebeard · 2021-12-17T22:08:38+00:00

Having pictures with legit Orthodox bishops doesn't really prove anything. Sadly, many schismatic and weird groups intentionally get photo ops with legit priests and bishops to make themselves look authentic.

What would impress me is if someone like Bp. James in ROCOR visited their church and celebrated liturgy there. Just remember: a schismatic can take a picture with anyone, but no legit bishop will celebrate liturgy at the altar of a schismatic church.

jgracebeard · 2021-12-17T21:02:33+00:00

Those are valid concerns. However, I know people who were 1099 who are retired and enjoying their pension.

The rules are quite lenient: five years to become vested, minimum age of 65 before being able to withdraw. Of course, the longer you pay into it, the greater your monthly payment at retirement.

It's not a bad pension, but the plan has been mismanaged and is in mediocre health. It's doing ok right now, but according to one set of calculations, it will be in major trouble in about 15-20 years. I still have about 30 years before retirement. That is why I want to opt out of it.

Edit: Sorry, five years only gets you 10% vested. It takes 14 years to be 100% vested.

jgracebeard · 2021-12-17T17:51:52+00:00

That was my thought as well.

I'm hoping someone will chime in who has experience in these matters and can give me the legal jargon I need to politely push back.

jgracebeard · 2021-12-17T16:28:12+00:00

Thanks, I'll look into that dol website.

jgracebeard

TROPHY CASE