Linux – Daves Computer Tips

Why Thousands Of Gamers Are Leaving Windows For Linux

Marc Thomas — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 05:11:02 +0000

Fellow DCT authors Jim Hillier and Terry Hollett have written extensively about Linux in its various forms, not least the growing number of Windows users migrating to Linux. There are many reasons for this, but one of the main ones is the extraordinary lengths Microsoft is going to to drive users away from Windows 11. Hardware requirements (TPM 2.0), the end of Windows 10, and the quite nauseating…

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Windows Alternative – Zorin OS 18

Jim Hillier — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 04:01:14 +0000

With Windows 10 now passing its end-of-support date, and with millions of PCs unable to meet Windows 11’s stringent (ridiculous?) requirements, users are seemingly flocking to Linux as an alternative. Reports are circulating that over 100K users downloaded Zorin OS 18 within a 48-hour period following end-of-support for Windows 10, and there’s a very good reason for that… Zorin OS has always…

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Checking Out Linux: A Comparison With Windows

Jim Hillier — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 04:06:56 +0000

For Linux newbies I’ve been singing the praises of Ventoy, a free and open source tool for creating multi-boot drives, for some time now. In what’s been a barren freeware landscape, Ventoy has been like a breath of fresh air – innovative, simple, and highly effective for checking out multiple Linux distros. So far, I’ve shown you how to create a multi-boot flash drive with Ventoy and how to…

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How To Try Multiple Linux Distros From Single USB Drive

Jim Hillier — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 04:10:53 +0000

With the popular Windows 10 nearing the end of its support, many people are interested in exploring alternatives, and Linux is an eminently suitable option. However, for those who are new to Linux, the sheer number of available distros (operating systems) is often confusing. Almost all distros come as a “live” edition in ISO format, which means they can be run from bootable media without…

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Why Windows Dominates Desktops

Jim Hillier — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 05:10:26 +0000

According to the well-respected analytic site Net Market Share, Windows currently enjoys a whopping 88.79% of the total desktop operating system market share. Mac comes in a distant second with a paltry 8.41% and Linux third, with a measly 2.42%. Why is it so? I think it’s fair to say that the dismal numbers for both Linux and Mac very much reflect limited appeal to what can only be described…

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How To Find Your Linux Version Info

Terry Hollett — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 04:02:27 +0000

Sometimes, as in Windows, you may need to know the version of Linux you are running. Open Terminal and type the following, hitting Enter after: cat /etc/os-release The result: For more Linux information click here. …

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How To Uninstall Apps – Linux Mint

Terry Hollett — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 04:01:45 +0000

I was trying to install “Wine” in Linux but I can’t seem to get it to work properly. So I had to uninstall it and start over from scratch. To uninstall an app in Linux using terminal, do the following. If you don’t know the official installed name of an app, do this first. Open the terminal and type the following. Hit enter after. dpkg –list Note: There are two dashes before the word “list”…

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WayDroid Android On Linux Mint – Part 2

Terry Hollett — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 04:01:19 +0000

I got Waydroid working but couldn’t get Google apps to install. Here is what I did. To get Waydroid to work with Google apps, open up the terminal and type the following: sudo waydroid init -s GAPPS -f It downloaded and installed the GAPPS version of Android. Now you have to find the device ID and register it with Google directly. I ended up downloading an app called Device ID.

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WayDroid Android On Linux Mint – Part 1

Terry Hollett — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 09:31:14 +0000

Do you want to use Android apps on your Linux computer? Waydroid may be the answer. If you are using Linux Mint with the Cinnamon desktop this might not work. You’ll need to install a desktop version called “Plasma (Wayland)“. Open up “Terminal” and type the following, hit enter, wait until it finishes, and type in your password when required: sudo apt update Then: sudo apt install…

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Tailoring Disabled Devices On Linux Mint

Terry Hollett — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 04:33:59 +0000

I have Linux Mint on an HP 15-bs023ca and I started to use the touchscreen capabilities of the laptop only to have my system go crazy on me opening and closing windows and screens and moving things around. I was going to call an exorcist but I remembered I had a problem with this system before when it had Windows 10. The touchscreen was messed up in Windows and I had to disable it.

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Mastering Device Management On Linux Mint

Terry Hollett — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 04:03:18 +0000

I’ve been experimenting with Linux Mint on my HP laptop and wanted to check the Device Manager. There are Terminal commands you can perform to get this information. To open the Terminal, click on the Start button then Terminal, or click on it in the Taskbar. Open up Terminal and type one of the following and hit Enter: This shows PCI devices: This shows USB devices: I…

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How To Run Windows Programs In Bottles – Linux Mint

Terry Hollett — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 04:04:28 +0000

You can run Windows programs on Linux using various utilities. You can do this by using Wine, Crossover, PlayOnLinux and Bottles. I saw a video using Bottles and decided to give it a spin. 🙂 I’m using Linux Mint 21.3 on my HP Notebook 15-bs023a. The program I will install is PhotoFiltre v7, my photo editing software of choice. First, we have to install Bottles, an environment that allows you…

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Linux Mint Cinnamon: A Beginner’s Guide – Part 3

Jim Hillier — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 05:04:11 +0000

In the first two parts of this series of articles, we’ve explained how to choose and test Linux distros (Part 1) and have taken you through the process of installing Linux Mint Cinnamon Edition (Part 2). In this final installment, I’ll be showing you around Mint Cinnamon and explaining several GUI elements, settings, and options. Navigating around Mint Cinnamon is both intuitive and simple.

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Getting Started With Linux – Installation – Part 2

Jim Hillier — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 05:02:46 +0000

If you’ve read Part 1 of this series of articles, then you’ve probably now tried out a few Linux distros using the terrific Ventoy multi-boot tool and are ready to install your chosen distro. Comments from readers in response to an earlier article tended to suggest that, compared to installing Windows, installing Linux is a bit of a rigmarole. Not so, in fact the process is very similar…

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