A Response to a Call to Arms
by Just Keep Things Anonymous
In 40:3, I took Doorman's article "Learn Linux, People!" as a call to arms.
Recently I went to a large cybersecurity convention in the Midwest and was amazed that I appeared to be the only person using Linux. Every presenter or person taking notes with a laptop was running either Windows or Mac OS. I almost felt out of place with my small ThinkPad taking notes in Doom Emacs.
As hackers, we need to be in tune with the hardware and software that we use in our daily lives. That is something that is now no longer possible with closed-source systems. So, as my response to Doorman's article, we all need to learn Linux.
My goal here in this article is to share my insights on how to get started.
The Coming Glut of Hardware
Apple and Microsoft are both forcing the planned obsolescence of hardware that is still viable.
With Apple, this has always been the case as they will limit hardware support on their most recent operating systems, denying security updates to hardware that is still good. Microsoft has declared that their most recent operating system, Windows 11, will not work on anything older than an 8th generation Intel (or AMD equivalent) processor. This is still hardware that is viable and useful.
I am writing this on a 4th generation ThinkPad; I have no issues doing my work. The hardware can still browse the Internet, play video, play games, remote into work, and write articles. Why should this hardware be thrown away? With Linux, we can put an operating system on this hardware that will keep getting security updates, get the latest builds of software, and run better than the original operating system that was on it.
Some things to look for with refurbished hardware.
You may have to swap the hard drives out for a newer solid-state drive. These can be had for under $100 and they improve the performance of systems that had a traditional "spinning rust" drive. They also reduce power consumption and are more reliable.
If you purchase a laptop, you may have to replace the battery as well. Try to avoid anything with a NVIDIA video card as those tend to be temperamental (even modern ones). Intel and AMD video cards have excellent Linux support and have given me the least amount of grief. The most recent graphical display system, Wayland, runs well on these cards.
Be warned with Macs; getting Linux to run on Mac hardware can range from simple to a learning experience. I recommend looking at the Arch wiki (even if you don't run Arch) to get an insight on the challenges of a particular model of Mac you may want to try Linux on.
Goodwill, eBay, and even Newegg and Micro Center are good places to look for refurbished hardware. If you are new to computers in general, go with something from Newegg or Micro Center, as the hardware will be tested and typically have a 30-day warranty. As your skills grow, venture out into other places. I've got an old Dell server right now running Linux that was pulled out of a Dumpster.
The Journey of the Right Distribution
Linux's greatest weakness and strength is choice.
You can choose the environment, shell, login manager, package manager, and even the installer. This can be overwhelming for a beginner. In Doorman's article, he had suggested Kali Linux. Kali is a great distribution, but it is focused on penetration testing. For those who are looking for a more general interest distribution, the choices can go on forever. I will make a few recommendations but, before I do, a few words of advice.
I like having two computers, one that is my daily driver and one that is my system I tend to knock around. When I started out a long time ago, I installed Linux on a portable hard drive and dual-booted with Windows until I got comfortable. As I tried out different distributions, I would keep one on the distribution I was comfortable with and tried the other one on my knock-around system. I like running on actual hardware over a virtual machine, as it gives a more clear picture of how Linux will run.
Linux distributions also tend to come in two ways: a Long-Term Support (LTS) release and a rolling release.
Long-term support releases will get updates once or twice a year and include new versions of software, the kernel, and general improvements. Rolling releases will get new software right away. There is some argument on which way to go. For new-to-Linux users, start with an LTS and, as you progress in your knowledge, move to a rolling release.
Now for my recommendations:
Linux Mint: This is where I started. It's dead simple, great hardware support, and the default desktop environment (Cinnamon) is familiar to anyone coming from Windows. I'd say its only flaw is that it can feel dated at times. Great on older hardware. This is an LTS distribution.
Kubuntu: A derivative of Ubuntu, Kubuntu has the KDE desktop environment. This is a good environment, as it can be customized to be like Windows or Mac. Great support and a good community. Great on older and newer hardware. This is an LTS distribution.
Fedora: Based on Red Hat, this distribution gets a lot of attention and a lot of support. This is an LTS release.
Manjaro: Based on Arch, the GNOME and KDE versions have an excellent software selection out of the box and are user-friendly. This is a rolling release and also my current daily driver.
One final piece of advise: don't get bogged down in other people's opinions on what is the best distribution.
Try many different ones and find the one that works for you and your workflow. Also, go with one that has good documentation and good community support. The ones named above are solid in that regard.
Also, back up your stuff because you will probably jump distributions every so often.
In the last year, my laptop that I use for testing has had Manjaro, openSUSE Tumbleweed, Fedora, EndeavourOS, NixOS, Kubuntu, and back to Manjaro again, and may have another date with NixOS in the future. It's a journey, so have fun.
Getting Software
Because the Linux community likes to do things in multiple ways, there are four major methods to get the software you need to run. I will say it is an improvement from when I tried Linux back in the early 2000s.
These four methods are:
At the end of the day, all four of these are going to get you what you need.
Don't get bogged down in Internet chatter on which is better. If you have a specific software package to run, look at their website and see what they recommend. I set up my Linux installs to do all four.
Unless I have a specific need for a specific version, I go first with my distribution's repo, then Flatpak, then AppImage, then Snap. Each distribution is going to have its own way to install software.
Learn the context for the package manager application and you will go far. The YouTube channel Learn Linux TV has great videos on the different package managers including Snap and Flatpak to get you started.
In Closing
As stated previously, we all need to learn Linux and foster its growth.
With corporations about to be forced to unload viable hardware, getting a system that will be a great daily driver won't be a problem.
You will want to try out as many distributions as possible until you find one that feels "just right" to you. Once you find a distribution, you will have multiple ways to get the software you want.
Don't be afraid to learn and don't be afraid to jump in.
Thank you Doorman for the article in 40:3.
Links to Get Started
• Learn Linux TV - Distro reviews and in-depth learning.
• Linux Unplugged - Weekly podcast with good information.
• LPI Linux Essentials - Short training course on Linux.
• HackTheBox - Has a great training course for introducing Linux and other advanced topics.
• Arch Wiki - It's for Arch, but I find it to be a good resource for other distributions as well.