Approaching the end of window 10 and have no plans on upgrading to 11.
I am trying to find alternatives to applications I regularly use before jumping ship (it is mostly a gaming focused pc) any suggestions?
There’s oculus software for my vr but don’t know what I’m going to do with that
Small update: probably going to do Linux mint as that appears to be the most beginner friendly
Update two: that’s a lot of comments, and Thanks for all the info
AMD drivers: Native, will auto-install as the mesa library, AMD is tits in Linux, it just works.
Gmail: Thunderbird works with Gmail accounts and can sync the calendar.
iTunes: Rhythmbox has a very similar layout to iTunes and so should feel pretty familiar.
Anti-virus: Linux doesn’t really need antivirus in the same way Windows does because it’s more locked down and doesn’t have the same vectors of attack. If someone is hacking a Linux machine, it’s a corporate server, not your desktop PC. If you still think you might need one ClamAV is available for Linux distributions. (.deb for Debian derivaties and .rpm for Fedora derivatives)
Py-Charm: As others have noted, Python is installed natively and is usually already implemented “out of the box” on a fresh install. No need for a program to run it, Python is just… there already.
Remote Desktop: Whatever distribution you have will likely also come with a Remote Desktop client. I am unaware of whether or not they will connect natively to iOS.
Star Citizen: You should be able to add this as a non-Steam game to Steam and use Steam’s Proton compatibility layer to play it. A few years ago they were literally asking for Linux players to test it with Proton and Easy Anti-Cheat.
VPN: Linux has extensive VPN support including “roll your own” through either OpenVPN or Wireguard.
Windows Games: Steam, using the Proton compatibility layer, which is essentially WINe, just made a little easier. As with Star Citizen, just add it as a non-Steam game and viola.
Windows 10: The Distribution of your Dreams is just around the corner… I’ve heard Mint isn’t a terrible place to start.
I think the biggest thing about itunes is that it can be used to write music to iphones and do OS restores, I couldn’t get the usb functionality to work with wine so I just use it in a vm personally
Py-Charm isn’t a Python interpreter, it’s an IDE. It has a purpose.
As with Star Citizen, just add it as a non-Steam game and viola.
You need a viola these days to run a game on linux?
And people are wondering why Linux is less popular :p
That’s where I’m going wrong! I’m missing the viola. Hopefully my distro has it in their repo!
If OP is a gamer and not too comfortable with Linux, Bazzite is a good choice of distribution.
It’s a so-called “Atomic” distro. Basically what that means is that it works more like Android / iOS than Windows or a traditional Linux distribution.
The base system including drivers and key applications is built as an image by Fedora. Every 2 weeks or so, they release a new one, and Bazzite users get the new one the next time they reboot. Everything in that base image is tested to work together, so you don’t get weird incompatibilities. You can still install all the other software you want, but you tend to do it using Flatpaks rather than rpms/debs. (For someone who doesn’t know what that means, Bazzite is a nice OS because that’s something you don’t need to learn right away.)
Bazzite is meant to be something that you can install on a SteamDeck, or another handheld gaming PC, but it also works great for desktop machines. But, because it’s meant for handheld machines, they’ve worked extra hard to sand away some of the rough edges.
If you’re a more advanced user, Bazzite is still good because you can still do almost everything you’d do on a normal distribution, you’re just discouraged from doing things that affect the base image because it makes updates slower and means they’re not guaranteed to work. I actually really like some of the things you’re encouraged to do in Atomic distros that you wouldn’t do normally. For example, using distrobox as a way to install certain kinds of dev tools. I currently have one project I’m running in an Ubuntu distrobox and another I’m running in a Fedora distrobox. It keeps some of the tools isolated to the “box” where they’re needed. I haven’t used Fedora much lately, so it’s fun to have the more familiar Ubuntu environment in one, and then the other one where I can experiment and learn.
For someone who doesn’t play games, Bazzite probably isn’t ideal, but I’d still recommend an Atomic build. There are downsides, but unless you’re the kind of person who really likes building their own kernel and making sure it’s optimal for their system, it’s so nice to have a stable base image so you can focus on the other stuff.
PyCharm is a Java application. And it runs perfectly on Linux.
Depends on your setup. If you use a 4k screen with fractional scaling in Gnome, Pycharm and all Jetbrain editors have blurry text and run under xwayland.
But vs code works fine, also zed and many others.
I believe you can force pycharm to launch using Wayland. There’s some option you can pass to it when you launch it.
Star Citizen works great on linux with Lutris. https://lutris.net/games/star-citizen/
As good as it runs on Windows, anyway… It is still Star Citizen ;P
(No shade, really promising and most of it is pretty slick and impressive when it’s working and I hope they get it stable sometime soon-ish)
nearly, it’s too bad they’re hung up on wine 8 default. have to manually switch to proton since 8-26 is too old
Using either ProtonUp-qt or ProtonPlus you can install newer/alternative Proton versions, including one optimized for Star Citizen
but alas that isn’t automatic. if things don’t work out of the box it’s a point against Linux every time
Depending on what VPN software you use, they may already have a linux version. All of the big-name ones do, as well as a good chunk of the smaller ones.
For anti-virus, you don’t need one in Linux. Even for Windows I would recommend using the built-in AV, rather than Norton.
Edit: I see you use Norton VPN. That one doesn’t have a linux version. Check out Mullvlad or Nord VPN.
Most VPNs support Wireguard, which is built in to Linux. If your VPN provider doesn’t have a Linux app, you can usually usually download a Wireguard config file from them and use it on Linux. You can import a WireGuard config into NetworkManager using a command like:
sudo nmcli connection import type wireguard file /tmp/example.confThen it should appear in the network list in KDE / GNOME / whatever other desktop environment you’re using.
Honestly a VPN that doesn’t support Linux at least through manual connection settings, run away. All reputable and even the sketchier VPN providers support Linux, because that’s what the privacy crowd uses, not supporting it implies those aren’t even the target user base at all. It’s a red flag. It’s not a VPN for privacy or getting another country’s Netflix.
I’d trust Norton about as much as my ISP, so unless you use public WiFi somewhat often, it doesn’t add much value, just the downsides of captchas everywhere. They’re probably analyzing the traffic to map out malware campaigns and such, which would make sense but isn’t very private.
The business model of antivirus companies is fear, and they sell the solution to that fear. They have a VPN because people assume VPN means more security, of course they’ll sell you one. At best they block known malware domains and IPs, which is utterly useless on Linux anyway.
If you want a VPN get a real VPN.
oculus software for my vr
Check https://lvra.gitlab.io/ for plenty of options. I’m playing VR on Linux but it’s using SteamVR with the Index.
Amd GPU and a quest one seam to be in the clear, so I’ll look into it
VR on linux is scuffed. https://lvra.gitlab.io/ refer to this site for vr on linux. If you play VRchat, its pretty much unplayable in vr on linux, its literally somehow a better experience on quest standalone
I don’t play VRChat myself, but I have to disagree. I’m in several Linux VR groups, and the general sentiment is that it’s not as easy to set up, but works well for the more popular games, including VRChat. This is similar to my experience. There’s good resources (like LVRA) to help people set things up, or when they’re running into issues. I’m also not saying VR on Linux is flawless, far from it, but to describe it as just “scuffed” without context doesn’t explain the whole state of it.
Dang. I tried for a bit to get it working, but I couldn’t get it over 20 fps
I had tried ALVR in the past, on my Quest 2, but it sucked. A couple of months have passed and I should probably test again.
Try WiVRN, it’s not built on SteamVR, and doesn’t have the same issues SteamVR does. You can get it through a flatpak or by using Envision, as described on the LVRA wiki.
Recommend you Linux mint.
But preferably use LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition) instead of Mint based on Ubuntu
What’s the difference between the two?
One is based on Ubuntu, the other on Debian. I wouldn’t recommended and don’t like Ubuntu myself cause of their decisions in the FOSS world
over to Linux full-time back in ~3.15. I recommend you join the LUG Org (Linux User Group), as they have a load of resources in case you get stuck and have some people working on specialised Wine runners. They also run a Matrix Space that’s worth joining.
For email and VPN, I recommend Proton. Even their free tier works well.
Edit: Pycharm works well too.
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AMD drivers: use the built-in MESA drivers that include the official AMD support.
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Gmail: ProtonMail for the service, Kmail for the desktop client.
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Chrome: Firefox, or Librewolf if you care about privacy.
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Office365: LibreOffice for full FOSS or OnlyOfficr for less freedom but more comfort.
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iTunes: depends entirely on what you use it for, but I buy my music mostly off of BandCamp these days.
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MuseScore: MuseScore
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Norton: Why were you using Norton in the first place? It’s practically a virus itself. If you need an antivirus on Linux, you might want ClamAV/ClamTK for something that runs locally only, or Microsoft Defender for Linux.
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Py-Charm: Py-Charm, VSCode, Vim, Kate/KWrite
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Remote Desktop to iOS: I got nothin’
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Star Citizen: Star Citizen
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Steam: Steam
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VPN: Wireguard
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Windows Games: install locally using Wine and then add to Steam as a non-Steam game to use Proton for better support.
Windows 10: run it in a VM if you still need it, or keep it on a separate SSD and dual boot into that.
Nice list. Why KMail over Thunderbird, I wonder?
Kmail is simple and to the point, and at least in my experience is easier to set up. Bonus, if youre on KDE, it integrates very nicely.
It’s also more performant than Thunderbird.
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What is this table from? Is it from some website?
Looks like a table he made himself, in OneNote I think
80% sure it’s Google Sheets. If not it’s very very close.
If wine does not work try adding the game in steam and use proton that way.
For ppx SoftMaker is better, for Documents that have objekts can leave the paperarea (even partial) like circles i suggest using LibreOffice draw
star citizen LUG has a quick start guide, wiki, and helper tool to conduct install https://github.com/starcitizen-lug/knowledge-base/wiki/Quick-Start-Guide
Just how will you manage to open gmail on linux?
People have been trying for decades, there is just no way
I haven’t checked lately but on GNOME you add Google account to your Online accounts and gmail is automatically added to your email client (Evolution in some diatros).
I hope someday they are finally able to create a web browser that can run on Linux
what ? Thunderbird exists…
Just here to recommend Zorin OS, in case Mint doesn’t work out.
i didnt know Nortan Antivirus, till now
Regarding oculus software: If you need the actual oculus software for some reason (say, if you’re using a rift S) your only option is a windows VM with full access to your GPU (and possibly your USB controller), either via looking glass or single GPU passthrough. Both options are a little hard to wrap your head around and annoying to set up but I’m sure your favorite search engine can help.
As other comments have mentioned, ALVR and SteamVR are solid options of all you need is the “screen sharing” part.
Remote desktop you can use rustdesk
Remmina is nice to manage remote access, see https://remmina.org/
I heard negative criticism of rustdesk in terms of security, can anyone confirm or refute this?
