How inexpensive can a Linux system get & still be considered useable? We experiment with a low-end laptop & desktop, report back on the compromises you might be surprised you don’t have to make.

Plus news, picks, your emails & more!

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— Show Notes: —


LinuxAcad

Brought to you by: Linux Academy

How Low can You go? Cheap Linux Systems

Inexpensive Video Card

Low Cost Laptop

  • Intel® Core(TM) i5-6200U Processor 2.3GHz with turbo boost up to 2.8GHz
  • 8GB DDR3L-SDRAM Memory
  • More productive. Windows 10 is the best for bringing ideas forward and getting things done.
  • 1TB 5400RPM Hard Drive, DVD Writer
  • 15.6″ diagonal Full HD SVA antiglare WLED-backlit (1920 x 1080)

SanDisk SSD

— PICKS —

Runs Linux

TERES-A64-BLACK, DIY Laptop, Runs Linux

If you’re curious about building a cheap, entirely open-source laptop from scratch using step-by-step instructions, the Teres I could be just the ticket.

If buyers follow the instructions correctly, they should end up with a 980gm (2.16lb) laptop featuring a quad-core Allwinner A64 64-bit Ciortex-A53 processor, an 11.6-inch LCD screen, 4GB flash storage, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, a camera, and 7,000mAh battery.

Desktop App Pick

jam: Google Play Music console player for Linux and Windows

The features it has are:

  • Last.fm scrobbling
  • populating a local database with the artists and albums you saved through the web interface (or by any other means)
  • searching within artists in the database
  • playing, pausing (buggy, I need help with it) , stopping, previous track, next track
  • the interface is Cmus rip off, I’ve only added a progress bar
  • this player no longer lists artists in random order – if you want to randomize them press R

Distro of the Week

Whonix

Whonix is a desktop operating system designed for advanced security and privacy. It realistically addresses attacks while maintaining usability. It makes online anonymity possible via fail-safe, automatic, and desktop-wide use of the Tor network.

A heavily reconfigured Debian base is run inside multiple virtual machines, providing a substantial layer of protection from malware and IP leaks. Pre-installed, pre-configured applications are ready for use, and installing additional applications or personalizing the desktop will in no way jeopardize the user. Whonix is the only actively developed OS designed to be run inside a VM and paired with Tor.

— NEWS —

KDE – Plasma 5.9 Kicks off 2017 in Style.

KDE Plasma 5.9

Tuesday, 31 January 2017. Today KDE releases this year’s first Plasma feature update, Plasma 5.9. While this release brings many exciting new features to your desktop, we’ll continue to provide bugfixes to Plasma 5.8 LTS.

KDE and Slimbook Release a Laptop for KDE Fans

KDE Slimbook, together with KDE neon, offers us a unique opportunity to isolate and fix issues that users have with our software. When something in Plasma, a KDE Application or some software using a KDE Framework does not work as intended for a user, there are at least three layers that can cause the problem:

  • The KDE software itself
  • The operating system

  • The hardware or its drivers

  • Hardware

  • Slimbook KDE

  • i5 $786.26 US Dollar

  • i7 $915.69 US Dollar

The Document Foundation announces feature-rich LibreOffice 5.3

LibreOffice 5.3 represents a significant step forward in the evolution of the software: it offers an introduction to new features such as online with collaborative editing, which increase the competitive positioning of the application, and at the same time provides incremental improvements, to make the program more reliable, interoperable and user-friendly.

Feedback:

Noah Needs Help!

  • Fixing a Trackpad

We recently purchased an Asus Republic of Gamer Laptop. Model G752V

The issue is when you press on the trackpad buttons they do not register a click right or left. If you place your finger even lightly on the trackpad the left button then registered but not the right. If you place TWO fingers on the trackpad and click with the left button it registers as a right click.

If you execute the command synclient ClickPad=0 the left button then works but still no right click.

We have researched the problem at length and basically what we’ve concluded is that it requires a Kernel patch.

I have a meeting on Monday evening at which point I either need this problem fixed or I am going to have to find another solution, and I don’t have any more time to spend on it.

If there is someone out there that knows how to / is willing to help me fix this, I am willing to pay you! Get ahold of me via telegram, twitter, or email @Kernellinux or noah [at] jupiterbroadcasting [dot] com with a quote. BY MONDAY NIGHT I WILL HAVE ANOTHER SOLUTION!

Mail Bag
  • Name: Paul D

  • Subject: Bulletproof Linux

  • Message:

Here’s my suggestion for your bulletproof Linux setup.

Stick with Arch that you know and love, but build it on a filesystem that supports snapshots (I’d recommend ZFS). Then setup auto snapshotting e.g. every day.

I rebuilt my main system just before Christmas on ZFS, then some weeks later as an after thought, enabled daily snapshots. The very next day I did something silly whilst browsing, clicked on a dodgy link, and started having windows opening by themselves. The solution – logout, drop to a terminal, issue a single “zfs rollback” command, and my home partition was restored to how it was when I’d booted that day!

Arch is pretty stable, despite being rolling. Providing you reboot when you update and follow the Arch Announcements list you won’t have any issues. I also only update monthly as I can’t see the point in doing so more frequently for a system that you want to keep stable.

  • Name: Mark

  • Subject: Help with Antergos

  • Message:

Hello LAS! I catch the LAAS podcast every week. But right now I could use your assisatance. I just got a Oryx Pro 17.3 inch with 32 gb of ram, 512 SSD, and 1tb 7200rpm hard drive with a 8gb GTX1070 Nvidia gpu. The problem I am having is trying to get Antergos installed. even in the live boot, the cursor always is stuck in the upper left corner and even after installing it to the hard drive it is the same or will not boot at all. I have tried debian and other distros with the same issues, even tried Manjarro and it was no better.
Can you help me?

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