Questions : switching back to Linux for my desktop

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Thanks Phil!  I'm looking at Kubuntu right now.  I think I tried it 
maybe 8 years ago and did not like it.  Not sure why.  I ended up 
installing Mint.  I want to keep things simple.  I really like Ubuntu 
for servers so I want to stay with Ubuntu on my desktop if I can.

Keith


On 2022-10-23 16:56, Phil Waclawski via PLUG-discuss wrote:
> Well, I have not tried many desktops of late, I used to be a huge fan
> of Ubuntu, but when the Unity/Gnome thing came around, and they kept
> locking out my ability to configure the desktop the way I wanted
> (unless I installed a bunch of firefox plugins???) I quit Ubuntu and
> went to Kubuntu, and I've never gone back.
> 
> I've been very happy with Kubuntu for the last 10+ years, but I know
> there are some other great desktops out there,
> Phil W
> 
> On Sun, Oct 23, 2022 at 11:04 AM Keith Smith via PLUG-discuss
> <plug-discuss at lists.phxlinux.org> wrote:
> 
>> Hi,
>> 
>> I need some advice.  I have used Linux for my desktop during several
>> 
>> periods in the past.  About 6 years ago I needed to run Windows for
>> my
>> desktop for business reasons.  I am now free of those requirements.
>> 
>> I have a Dell i5 that I think has 4 cores and 4 threads.  I upgraded
>> it
>> to 16Gb of RAM years ago... maybe 7 or 8.  I think the box might be
>> 8
>> years old.
>> 
>> This box has been setting under my desk since I switched over to Win
>> 10.
>> 
>> I bought an SSD drive for it sometime ago and have yet to install
>> it.  I
>> think it has a 1Tb spinner in it.  My plan is to make the SSD the
>> primary drive and the spinner a backup drive for holding files.
>> 
>> For the last few months the monitors on my Win 10 box would
>> occasionally
>> turn black and I would have to reset the computer to get it
>> operational.
>> 
>> It should be noted that these two Dells have after market video
>> cards
>> since Dell only allows one monitor even thought the CPU provides for
>> 3
>> monitors... Yikes.
>> 
>> So this morning both my monitors turned black and when I cycled the
>> computer only one monitor would work.   I am running two monitors.
>> 
>> After setting the correct resolution for that one monitor and
>> restarting
>> it several times I now have two monitors functioning.
>> 
>> Where am I going with this?  I need your help.  I am a PHP
>> developer.  I
>> started using Linux in 1998...  While I know a few things about
>> Linux I
>> have gaping holes in my knowledge. I've been able to accomplish a
>> lot
>> with Linux to include using it as my desktop for long periods of
>> time
>> and ultimately creating a Ubuntu home web server. That included the
>> entire LAMP stack, BIND, PostFix, Devcot, and Let's Encrypt.  For
>> the
>> PostFix, Devcot, and Let's Encrypt I just got it to work without
>> really
>> understanding how they work.
>> 
>> So here we are Sunday morning October 23rd, 2022 and I need to move
>> back
>> to Linux on my desktop.
>> 
>> AND I need your help because I do not know what I do not know.
>> 
>> I figure it is a good time to "start fresh".  I want to get a Linux
>> box
>> up and running and only pull in from my backups what I
>> will actually use.  My Win box has 6 or 7 years of clutter.
>> 
>> I apologize in advance for all my future questions.
>> 
>> My first question has to do with what desktop KDE or GNOME?  We have
>> had
>> this discussion in the past and I'm thinking KDE was the winner.
>> Please
>> no flame wars.  This is for my education and maybe for those who are
>> 
>> lurking.
>> 
>> I want to use Ubuntu.  Ubuntu desktop used GNOME.  Kubuntu uses KDE
>> and
>> has the Plasma desktop.  Not sure what the Plasma desktop is. I will
>> 
>> look into that once I have sent this email.
>> 
>> I eventually would like to edit videos on Linux.  According to what
>> I
>> hear and read, Kdenlive is said to be the best free Linux editor.
>> 
>> I need to do a handful of things with this Linux box.  Mail,
>> Internet
>> surfing, virtualization using oracle VirtualBox, programming using
>> Visual Studio Code, and video editing using Kdenlive.  I hope I did
>> not
>> leave anything out.
>> 
>> List of initial questions:
>> 
>> 1) Is it GNOME or KDE?
>> 2) What mail client should I use?  I have been using Thunderbird for
>> 
>> years and am not married to it.
>> 3) For FTP I have been using FileZilla.
>> 4) For watching DVD videos I have been using VCL media player - any
>> thoughts?
>> 5) For SSH I have been using the Win 10, I think it called the Linux
>> 
>> subsystem. This new box will have command line access so that should
>> not
>> be an issue.
>> 6) I will be using a wired non-routable static IP.
>> 7) Eventually I will need to configure my printer/scanner.  From a
>> quick
>> search it looks like KDE makes it simple compared to the old days...
>> 
>> I apologize in advance for all my future questions.  I'm sure I will
>> 
>> drive you crazy over the next few months while I try to understand
>> and
>> learn.
>> 
>> Please give me your feedback.  I appreciate it!!
>> 
>> Keith
>> 
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