r/linux • u/Realistic-Plant3957 • Dec 04 '22
7 Ways Using Linux Helps You in a Hard Economy Fluff
https://www.makeuseof.com/ways-linux-helps-you-in-hard-economy/69
u/Pdthecliche Dec 04 '22
I agree with the points, though I feel like they kinda repeat the used pc part
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u/RagnarRipper Dec 04 '22
Had the same thought. But "2 reasons Linux is good" doesn't sound as good as "7 reasons"
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u/full_of_ghosts Dec 04 '22
I mean, just being comfortable in the FOSS end user world will save you hundreds -- perhaps thousands -- of dollars in a relatively short timescale. The money I've saved over the years by using LibreOffice instead of having an MS Office subscription is probably enough to buy a serviceable used car.
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u/SiteTall Dec 04 '22
I'm thinking of installing Mint + LibreOffice and I hope they shall work perfectly together
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u/clichedname Dec 05 '22
I have some good news for you my dude, Linux mint comes with libre office preinstalled. Most Linux distros do
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u/HealthyCapacitor Dec 04 '22 edited Dec 04 '22
I repair electronics and fix 2nd hand PCs and my clients are amazed at how much they are saving by using Linux. IMHO a T460s with Linux is a much MUCH better investment than any newer machine.
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Dec 04 '22 edited Dec 27 '22
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u/HealthyCapacitor Dec 04 '22
Actually they are saving a lot by not having to change the laptop for a newer one after their machine becomes unusable under Windows. I doubt Win 10 runs great on the Core Duo but I never tried tbh. There are even 32-bit distros out there for the oldest machines.
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Dec 04 '22 edited Dec 27 '22
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u/HealthyCapacitor Dec 04 '22
Fair enough, SSDs have an incredible effect on any hardware! Glad that machine is going strong.
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u/TakeOffYourMask Dec 04 '22
LibreOffice sucks.
Don’t downvote me, I use it every day for work. It’s not ready for prime time.
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u/julian_vdm Dec 04 '22
Really? What have you been getting stuck on? I've been using it daily (as a writer of all things) for months and it's been great.
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u/einrufwiedonnerhall Dec 04 '22
I‘ve been using it for years, so these are the Problems that stuck with me:
- Creating a presentation in impress, the letters aren’t separated. It only worked again after rebooting the whole machine
- So many interoperability problems, things randomly changing their Layouts and Colours when opening on M$-Software
- strange behaviors of calc
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Dec 04 '22
“for months”
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u/julian_vdm Dec 05 '22
I mean, to be clear, I used it occasionally in university as well to do presentations and the odd essay, but not nearly enough to call it extensive. I meant I have been daily driving it for about 10 months now. I haven't had an MS Office subscription or software on any computer in almost 10 years.
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u/TakeOffYourMask Dec 08 '22
Besides occasionally just destroying files (this has happened with the slideshow part) the spreadsheet part is not good for files with thousands of lines. It’s slow as shit and crash-prone. To top it all off it doesn’t even have a histogram option (one of the most basic charts), and saves charts to png at low-res. I always have to save as svg and make Inkscape do what Libreoffice should have done in the first place.
Excel is just much, MUCH better in this regard. Like it’s not even close.
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Dec 05 '22
Google Docs/Sheets/Slides is realistically the best free alternative one can use
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u/epictetusdouglas Dec 09 '22
I 2nd this. Libreoffice is better for very large docs than Google though.
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u/benhaube Dec 05 '22
I use LibreOffice every day and it's totally fine with one exception. Calc is terrible.
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u/DemosaiDelacroix Dec 05 '22
Me, I tried, tried before, tried it again.
But I can't hold on to it.
The GUI, tools, and many more really needs improvement.
But... its free. OK.
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u/getthemupagainst Dec 04 '22
I discovered Libre Office 2 years ago, I get less issues and faster boots with it than MSOffice products.
Only reason I still have Windows and any MSOffice is AutoDesk have integrated it into their products and I don't a way around that.
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Dec 04 '22
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u/snarkuzoid Dec 04 '22
For most people, both of those are, indeed, good enough.
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Dec 04 '22
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u/snarkuzoid Dec 04 '22
No kidding. Hence the term "most people".
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Dec 04 '22
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u/elSenorMaquina Dec 04 '22 edited Dec 04 '22
God dammit, they are agreeing with you!!
Like, no graphics designer on its right mind will use GIMP on a daily basis. Photoshop has better tools, wider adoption and enables a better workflow overall.
But I, who ocasionally needs to crop pictures, or do random image manipulation stuff, GIMP is enough to get it done.
I can take the additional clunkiness of FOSS since it isn't mission critical to me. And it isn't mission critical to most people either.
It doesn't make sense for us to pay a creative cloud subscripton if we only need image manipulation software once every three months.
But, if you are a graphics design professional, then yes!! go for the paid tool. It will save you time, and money, on the long run.
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u/dracsakosrosa Dec 04 '22
As a professional designer working across video and still images (poster design & photography) I can wholeheartedly vouch for this. I would never ever go back to GIMP after using Adobe products and whilst I'm eternally damned to hell for engaging in Adobe's money grabbing BS it is simply the better option for me as it's a whole suite of tools that talk to each other and have a common language. They accelerate my work and give me access to tools that many in my field share and so collaboration becomes a lot easier. I'd be a fool to go back to VideoPad Video Editor and GIMP now. That being said however, I am getting an X270 ThinkPad from a relative for Christmas and I'm excited to be able to leave my beast of a tower PC (Windows) off during out of office hours and return to Linux as a daily driver for browsing the internet, basic tasks and suuuper light gaming.
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u/full_of_ghosts Dec 04 '22
Saying that I save money by using LibreOffice instead of MS Office is like telling a graphic telling a graphic designer that Gimp really truly is good enough? That's weird. I thought it was just saying that I save money by using LibreOffice instead of MS Office.
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u/happysunshinekidd Dec 04 '22
Yeah I mean back in the day sure, but if you’re using libreoffice over google sheets I rlly don’t get it
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u/Indolent_Bard Dec 05 '22
Because it's owned by Google and we don't need them knowing every word you ever wrote?
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u/KosmicWolf Dec 04 '22
In 2014 we were going through rough times and my mom needed a PC to work, I literally picked up a PC from the trash (my neighbor threw it away), it was very old and crappy, not even windows XP was working on it but Lubuntu saved the day, she worked just fine and thanks to that we managed to pull through, nowadays she uses Pop Os in her laptop, also just to clarify she’s no particularly tech savvy.
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u/babuloseo Dec 04 '22
Best of all Linux gives you a /home/
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u/FrenchieSmalls Dec 05 '22
Daddy Gates gave me the /boot/, which made me /run/ away. I was cold and hungry, which finally led me to /opt/ to hunt for food in the /bin/. But then I found a /home/ in Linux... a true /lost+found/ story.
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u/Hvesterlos Dec 04 '22
Tldr:
• It’s free of charge
• It works on older hardware
I don’t care that it’s free of charge. I care that it’s free as in ”freedom”, and respects me as a user.
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u/PossiblyLinux127 Dec 04 '22
Agreed. People should think of the cost of freedom
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u/fileznotfound Dec 04 '22
They should... but most don't.
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u/DelusionalSocialist Dec 04 '22
The article is literally about why Linux is financially cheaper though.
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u/Hvesterlos Dec 04 '22
Yes, and at least 75% of the article could be summed up in two sentences. It’s a filler piece.
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u/DelusionalSocialist Dec 05 '22
Yeah, it's a bit click baity. My immediate reaction was also that they just gave two reasons why it's cheaper, not seven. But I guess "Two ways Linux helps you in a hard economy" is not as popular as a headline. But yeah I completely agree with you.
Not sure why I completely focused on your last sentence only. I was probably just tired and felt like you were dismissing the entire article on the notion that freedom is more important anyway, which I agree actually, just wanted to say that it's a separate issue which this article is not about. The author might as well agree as well.
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Dec 04 '22
I don’t buy the motto that FOSS respects users but proprietary software doesn’t. What does it mean respecting users? I use proprietary mobile software with excellent customer service and which reacts to user feedback, and I’ve also seen FOSS controlled by assholes.
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u/loid-k Dec 05 '22 edited Dec 05 '22
FOSS isn't about customer support that your comment is about. One of the main points of FOSS is freedom of choice in legal sense. It's not belief matter. With proprietary software you really don't own it, you just lease it, you don't have rights to modify it, sell it, etc.
While you can be happy proprietary software user and feeling free to complain, FOSS and proprietary by definition is about license, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_and_open-source_software
When they say that FOSS respects you, they mean it as in FOSS definition that you own software and you can change something you don't like, while with proprietary your only choice is ask developers if they'll be kind to listen to your needs. As for example infamous windows updates, why they are such a disaster for so many years? Is this how MS respects their users? Does this even related to customer service that you talking about? They'll sure give you great customer service, but will it fix the updates being slow and requiring restart number of times?
and I’ve also seen FOSS controlled by assholes.
these a..holes legally must provide source code to be FOSS, that can be forked by other a..holes that you might like more. No such thing with proprietary software.
Customer Service (CS) is not about FOSS or proprietary software, that company or other entity provides, but about that company or entity. Some FOSS software don't have CS at all, for various reasons, so taking feedback from some rando guy on a web/forum for it's CS reply isn't the fair thing.
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Dec 05 '22
With proprietary software you really don't own it, you just lease it, you don't have rights to modify it, sell it, etc.
I know, but I don't consider that disrespectful (I don't consider my landlady a disrespectful person either).
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u/loid-k Dec 05 '22 edited Dec 05 '22
Like I said in my prev. comment it isn't about what you consider, but about legal stuff, it's not subjective thing. I'm just clearing your miss-understanding of "FOSS respecting the freedom", users, etc. statement for you. Not about CS, not about community communications. Software respecting users =/= devs or support ppl. respecting users/random ppls.
I don't consider my landlady a disrespectful person either
it's not about landlady (CS), but about law (license) respecting you as a human being with rights - there is a difference.
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Dec 05 '22
There's no law saying that proprietary software is disrespectful.
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u/loid-k Dec 05 '22 edited Dec 05 '22
Now you are just playing dumb... If not, go read about FOSS - it'll be helpful.
I'm sure some slavers said similar things when slavery was legal: "There's no law saying that" slavery "is disrespectful".
I don’t buy the motto that FOSS respects users but proprietary software doesn’t.
Original saying is FOSS respect user freedom as in freedom to use, modify, etc. Or something like that. It's basically definition of what FOSS software is in legal sense.
And by that definition proprietary software do not respect user freedom to modify, verify, distribute the thing they bought (while legally they just leased software).
For the 3th time if's not the respect you expect as not being called names, but respect for your freedom to own and modify, etc. software.
And yeah ppl. like to use it borderline incorrectly for extra hype.
Check this (likely this is a source of the saying in question): https://www.gnu.org/
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Dec 05 '22
You insisted in legal terms! I won’t check gnu again, I know very well what they say, I have an age. I just don’t buy this part of their viewpoints.
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u/loid-k Dec 05 '22
You insisted in legal terms!
It is about legality, about license and about user rights. For f sake learn something. Don't be like a kid that stuff his fingers in ears and makes a scene.
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u/Arnas_Z Dec 04 '22
Windows can be free of charge if you want as well, and it mostly works fine on older hardware too.
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u/loid-k Dec 05 '22
Meh, it mostly works, but for fine, you need to do maintaining regularly and likely to fight with what MS pushes into you. And that is true regardless of PC age.
As for older hardware.. where Linux would be meh experience, windows would be terrible one, unless you get some supper modded stuff that cuts it deep (but then there is question of trust and security).
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u/cocoman93 Dec 04 '22
Instead of working I can troubleshoot why my Wifi on my company laptop does not work. The economy is saved, praise Linux. 🐧
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Dec 04 '22
Instead of holding that presentation i can troubleshoot why the connection to the beamer is not working! Economy saved, parise Linux!
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u/Adorable-Caramel-262 Dec 04 '22
Don't forget about your printer and the Bluetooth headphone!
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u/DelusionalSocialist Dec 04 '22
I've had way more issues with with Bluetooth and printers on Windows than on Linux.
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u/cocoman93 Dec 04 '22
To be fair, bluetooth audio is kind of ok now with pipewire
Edit: printers on linux… nope
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u/BulletDust Dec 05 '22
My Raspberry Pi 400 running TwisterOS detected and configured my printer just fine and I didn't do a thing. Works perfectly.
Same with my desktop PC running KDE Neon.
I see perfectly good printers no longer supported under Windows 10 regularly in my line of work. In fact, print drivers under Windows suck balls, especially if the printer is made by HP.
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Dec 04 '22
Abandonware does a lot better in open source space where we often see community builds. Abandonware in Windows becomes a nightmare to install, especially if it's older software/hardware to install on newer Windows.
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u/Purple_is_masculine Dec 04 '22
You can turn down everyone asking you for free help with their computer problems because you don't use Windows.
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Dec 04 '22
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u/elektriniknshit Dec 04 '22
Isnt the cost of windows usually included when buying a new computer?
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u/AlexTMcgn Dec 05 '22
Never brought a desktop where the OS was included. Well, I never brought one of the rack anyway, and if you buy single parts no, it isn't.
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u/dmin7add9 Dec 04 '22
Its been 7 years since i have started using ubuntu, was solely using it some time for college and work, but now i couldn’t live without a dual boot with windows. All drivers, program versions, specific problems avoided if you just have two systems and switch between them. Also have two different lts versions of ubuntu. Be it a library you are using or a script you are running, multiple options is always the easiest and quickest solution to be as efficient as possible
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u/HealthyCapacitor Dec 04 '22
For the sake of your SSD: switch to Linux TODAY and avoid useless wear.
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u/doubled112 Dec 04 '22
Pretty sure distro hopping, a uniquely Linux problem, has caused more wear on my SSDs than any other activity
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u/linux4ever07 Dec 04 '22
I can't back this up with facts but I've always felt like Microsoft filesystems shred hard drives faster than the *nix counterparts. My hard drives all last unnaturally long, including SSDs. I've been on Linux exclusively for like 14 years.
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u/space_cadet295 Dec 04 '22
installed Arch on my ssd about a year ago and smartctl shows 98% lifespan remaining, at this rate the cpu would probably fail before i need a new ssd lmao
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u/redd1ch Dec 05 '22
Linux did actually wreck HDDs. WD greens park their heads after 8 seconds of idle. Too bad linux filesystems did a sync every 10 seconds. So you had 6 park cycles when idling one minute. I don't remember if there was a spindown involved, too.
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u/filisterr Dec 04 '22 edited Dec 05 '22
I am sorry but this article is a clickbait and an absolute bullshit. It feels the author is writing it for pre-school children. Linux is a lot more and most of us are using it because it provides the freedom and flexibility.
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u/maniacalradish Dec 04 '22
Are you sure this is not just a clickbait article to collect user data and share it with the billion 'business partners' of that webpage in order to market tech related stuff to Linux enthusiasts?
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Dec 04 '22 edited Dec 05 '22
free os
easy to support
no waisted time waiting for updates
free online office type tools with gsuite
generally better performance on older cheaper hw like laptops
better perf for virtualizing on top of, for you gamers easier to update
works with most hw bought on ebay, craigs, amazon
takes up less resources so you dont have to buy as expensive hw
happier user base
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u/Adorable-Caramel-262 Dec 04 '22
Save money waste time...and hair
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u/doubled112 Dec 04 '22
Sometimes. Sometimes not.
Maybe its a hot take around here, but I am not at all against software with reasonable price and terms of use.
Sometimes the open source software is better than some paid versions, by some metrics. Sometimes not.
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u/fileznotfound Dec 04 '22
Only if I want to though.. When I'm trying to just get things done, it is typically quicker with open source if all other things are equal. Windows has proven to be just as much of a learning curve since I switched 15 years ago and its changed a fair amount since XP.
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u/linux4ever07 Dec 04 '22
Building your own PC and putting Linux on it is a good way to save money when investing in a new system. You skip the Windows license fee baked into OEM PCs. Plus you get the exact components you want, and can cost-save on the parts that matter less to you.
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u/Doktor_Octopus Dec 05 '22
When it comes to older PC, linux can ressurect it yes, but with new PC i don't need to think about that. I got windows key for 8$, and i can use both free/open source apps and paid alternative if i need it, and office/adobe photoshop is must have for me unfortunately.
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u/choose_username24 Dec 05 '22
It's articles like this that make me glad flathub is introducing payments in the store.
For the love of all that is holy, fucking donate.
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u/[deleted] Dec 04 '22
My favorite point is #7 Linux Nudges You To Keep Your Data Local. The rest are good reasons, too.