Best Linux for an AMD Turion X2 (From My Old Laptops)

I still use an AMD Turion X2. Yep, that old chip. Mine lives in an HP Pavilion dv6700 and an Acer Aspire 5520 I keep on a shelf. They both have 3–4 GB of RAM, a spinning hard drive (well, one got an SSD later), and cranky Broadcom Wi-Fi. I tried a bunch of Linux setups on them, week after week, coffee after coffee. Some were smooth. Some were… not. TechRadar's "Best lightweight Linux distro of 2025" mirrors many of those trials and is a handy primer if you want a quick shortlist of feather-weight options before burning your first ISO.

If you want the deep-dive tale of squeezing every drop from this processor, check out my fuller write-up on the best Linux for an AMD Turion X2.

You know what? A few stood out.
For deeper benchmark numbers and side-by-side screenshots of many of these distros on vintage hardware, I highly recommend the coverage at Desktop Linux Reviews.

What I wanted (and why it mattered)

I wanted three things:

  • It had to feel light. No lag when I click.
  • It had to play nice with old parts, like Radeon Xpress graphics and that picky Broadcom card.
  • It had to last. Updates that don’t break stuff.

I don’t need fancy 3D effects. I just want a fast boot, a stable desktop, and a browser that won’t make the fan scream.

My top pick: MX Linux 23 (Xfce)

This one surprised me. On my HP dv6700 (Turion X2 TL-60, 3 GB RAM, 160 GB HDD, Radeon Xpress 1250), MX Linux 23 felt calm and quick.

  • Cold boot on the old hard drive: about 40 seconds.
  • Idle RAM: around 550 MB.
  • Wi-Fi: MX Tools helped install the Broadcom driver in a few clicks. No terminal dance.
  • Temps: fan stayed steady while I streamed a 720p YouTube clip. 1080p was choppy, but 720p was fine.
  • Sleep and wake: worked on the first try, which felt like a small miracle on this machine.

The best bit is MX Tools. It’s like a toolbox for old laptops. You get easy driver help, a smart snapshot feature, and toggles that actually do something. I even turned on zram to help with memory. Felt snappy after that.

Best for folks who want “set it and forget it”: Linux Mint 22 Xfce

On the Acer Aspire 5520 (Turion X2 RM-70, 4 GB RAM), Mint 22 Xfce was smooth from install.
If you tinker with older Acer rigs, my log of Linux on Acer—real wins, misses and tiny fixes may save you some head-scratching.

  • Boot on HDD: about 50–55 seconds. On a cheap SSD I added later: 25 seconds.
  • Idle RAM: about 650–700 MB.
  • Video: 720p ran fine in Firefox with uBlock Origin on. 1080p was hit or miss.
  • Battery: my tired battery gave me about an hour. With Mint and screen dimmed, I got 1 hour 20 min. Not magic, but better.

Mint feels like a safe daily driver. Updates are steady. Nothing weird. If someone asked me for one pick that “just works,” I’d point here. A broader Fedora vs Ubuntu vs Linux Mint comparison shows why Mint so often wins the newcomer-friendly crown.

Light and tidy: Lubuntu 24.04 LTS (LXQt)

Lubuntu felt fast on both laptops. The look is simple, and that’s the charm.

  • Boot time: about 35–40 seconds on HDD.
  • Idle RAM: roughly 450 MB.
  • One hiccup: the HP didn’t wake from sleep once. A later update fixed it.
  • Fonts and panels look crisp, even on the old 1280×800 screen.

It’s a good pick if you like the Ubuntu base but want less bloat. I used FeatherPad for quick notes and VLC for video. No drama.

For very low RAM: antiX 23 (IceWM)

antiX is tiny. Like, “wow” tiny. It flew on the HP when I pulled one RAM stick and ran at 2 GB to test.

  • Boot time: about 22 seconds.
  • Idle RAM: around 220–250 MB.
  • Good for: old, hot, cranky laptops that need a strict diet.

It’s not flashy. The menus look old school. But it’s fast and stable. I did need one extra step for printing, and I had to add a few apps myself. Still worth it if your machine wheezes on bigger desktops.

Fun and fast from a USB: Puppy Linux (Fossapup64)

Puppy lives in RAM. So it feels quick in a “this can’t be the same laptop” way.

  • Boots fast. Apps pop open right away.
  • Great for rescue jobs, school notes, or email.
  • Saves changes to a little file. Cute idea, but different from a normal setup.

I loved Puppy for travel and quick tasks. But as a full daily system, it took more tinkering. Updates and packages can feel dated in spots. Still, it’s a joy on old hardware. If you're curious how far you can push playtime on vintage gear, my notes on the best gaming Linux distro I actually use and on the best Linux for gaming—my hands-on pick with real wins and woes walk through FPS numbers and hiccups on similarly under-powered machines.

A pretty lightweight option: Bodhi Linux 7 (Moksha)

Bodhi is light like Lubuntu, but a bit artsy. The Moksha desktop is smooth and simple.

  • Idle RAM: about 400–450 MB.
  • I had to add a few basics, like a file manager extension or two.
  • Once set up, it ran clean and cool.

If you like a lean system that doesn’t look plain, this is nice.

Real-world notes that helped me

A few small moves changed everything. Silly, but true.

  • Swap to an SSD if you can. Even a cheap 120 GB SSD made my HP feel new.
  • Add zram on MX or Mint. It keeps things snappy when RAM gets full.
  • Use light apps: Mousepad, VLC, FeatherPad, simple music players.
  • Browser tips: Use Firefox with uBlock Origin. Turn off animations in sites when you can.
  • Clean the fan vents. These old Turions run warm. A blast of air stopped random slowdowns.
  • Pick 64-bit builds. Turion X2 handles 64-bit fine, and support is better now.

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For an even longer list, the cheat-sheet of real-world Linux tips and tricks I actually use collects many of the tweaks above—and a few I skipped here.

So… which Linux is best for an AMD Turion X2?

Here’s my plain answer:

  • I keep MX Linux 23 Xfce on the HP. It gives me control without being scary.
  • I keep Linux Mint 22 Xfce on the Acer. It’s steady and friendly.
  • If you’ve got 2 GB RAM or less, go antiX 23.
  • If you want Ubuntu flavor but light, Lubuntu 24.04 LTS is solid.

Could you pick something else? Sure. But these four worked every single week for me, on real old laptops, with real Broadcom Wi-Fi, real Radeon quirks, and real slow hard drives. After months of use, they stayed stable. No trick here.

Final take

Old gear still has a place. The Turion X2 won’t win races. But with the right Linux, it can check email, stream 720p, write papers, and run light apps without tantrums. If you want “just pick one,” go with Linux Mint 22 Xfce. If you like tools and tweaks, go with MX Linux 23 Xfce. And if you’re hunting for yet more confirmation before committing, [Tom's Hardware's "Best Linux distros for reviving an old PC"](https://www.tomshardware.com/best-linux-distros-for-reviving

Installing a tar.gz in Linux: My real-life, no-drama guide

I’m Kayla, and I spend a silly amount of time tinkering on Linux. I’ve installed apps from stores, from package managers, and yep, from those mysterious tar.gz files. You know what? It’s not that scary. A few bumps, sure. But it’s doable, even on a sleepy Tuesday night. For an expanded walkthrough I put together elsewhere, see my companion piece here.

For context: I’m on Ubuntu 22.04 on a ThinkPad X1. At work, I use Fedora on a tiny NUC. I’ll share real examples I ran myself, plus what broke and how I fixed it.

Why use a tar.gz at all?

Sometimes the version in apt or dnf is old. Sometimes the app is new. A tar.gz can be faster than waiting. It can also be lighter than a full package. But it can be messy if you’re not careful.

Here’s the thing: most tar.gz installs fall into two groups:

I’ll show both. If you want a broader perspective on software installation methods across different distros, check out Desktop Linux Reviews for practical walk-throughs and comparisons.

Need a refresher on all the little flags for tar and unzip utilities? I wrote a no-sweat breakdown right here that pairs neatly with this cheat sheet.

Quick cheat sheet (the moves I always reach for)

  • Peek inside the file: 
    tar -tzf file.tar.gz | head
  • Extract to a safe place (I like ~/Downloads or /tmp): 
    tar -xzf file.tar.gz -C ~/Downloads
  • If it’s a single binary, move it into your PATH: 
    sudo mv app-binary /usr/local/bin/
  • If it has source code (with configure/make), do: 
    ./configure --prefix=/usr/local
make -j"$(nproc)"
sudo make install

If the command isn’t found after install, add this to your shell:

echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Real Example #1: Installing ripgrep (binary tar.gz)

I wanted the latest ripgrep (rg) because it searches super fast. The one in apt was behind. So I grabbed the tar.gz from the project’s release page.

What I did:

cd ~/Downloads
# I downloaded: ripgrep-13.0.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz
tar -xzf ripgrep-13.0.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz
cd ripgrep-13.0.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
sudo mv rg /usr/local/bin/
rg --version

Done. No build. No drama. I also moved the man page so “man rg” works:

sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/share/man/man1
sudo mv doc/rg.1 /usr/local/share/man/man1/
sudo mandb 2>/dev/null || true

What went wrong first try? I extracted the folder right in my home directory. It cluttered things. Now I always use “-C” to control where it goes.

Real Example #2: Building htop from source (classic “configure, make”)

I wanted a fresh htop with some new fields. The tar.gz had source code. For a more distro-agnostic primer on compiling and installing from source, How to Compile and Install Software From Source in Linux lays out the big picture with extra tips.

What I did on Ubuntu:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essential autoconf automake pkg-config libncursesw5-dev

cd ~/Downloads
# I downloaded: htop-3.3.0.tar.gz
tar -xzf htop-3.3.0.tar.gz
cd htop-3.3.0

./autogen.sh 2>/dev/null || true   # some releases need this
./configure --prefix=/usr/local
make -j"$(nproc)"
sudo make install

htop --version

My hiccup: “configure” failed the first time. It said it couldn’t find ncurses. The fix was to install libncursesw5-dev. After that, smooth sailing.

If you’re on Fedora:

sudo dnf groupinstall "Development Tools"
sudo dnf install ncurses-devel

Tip: keep the build folder. If “make uninstall” is supported, it will only work from that same folder.

Real Example #3: Hugo (binary tar.gz, simple and sweet)

I blog with Hugo. The “extended” build comes as a tar.gz. No compile. Just copy.

What I did:

cd ~/Downloads
# I downloaded: hugo_extended_0.128.0_Linux-64bit.tar.gz
tar -xzf hugo_extended_0.128.0_Linux-64bit.tar.gz
sudo mv hugo /usr/local/bin/
hugo version

It worked right away. I like when it’s that easy. I brewed tea while it ran. Didn’t even cool down.

My safe habits (learned the hard way)

Before I jump into the bullet-point routine, I keep a running list of broader Linux tips that help me avoid surprises—many of those nuggets are collected in this real-world tips and tricks roundup.

  • Use -C so files don’t explode all over your home: 
    tar -xzf file.tar.gz -C /tmp
  • Check what’s inside first: 
    tar -tzf file.tar.gz | head
  • Read the README or INSTALL file in the folder. Yes, I know. But it helps.
  • Prefer /usr/local for system-wide stuff. Use ~/.local for just you. 
    mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
mv app ~/.local/bin/
  • Keep a note of what you installed. I keep a little text file named “manual-installs.txt”. Not fancy, but it saves me.

Uninstall tricks (not perfect, but real)

  • If you used “sudo make install,” sometimes you can run: 
    sudo make uninstall

    It only works if the project supports it. Some do. Some don’t.

  • If it was a single binary you moved, just remove it: 
    sudo rm /usr/local/bin/rg
  • For more control, I’ve used “stow” to track files, but that’s a longer chat. On a busy week, I just keep the folder and a note.

Tiny troubleshooting notes

  • Command not found? Check PATH: 
    echo $PATH
  • Missing headers or libs? On Ubuntu, grab build-essential and common dev deps: 
    sudo apt install build-essential pkg-config
  • SSL errors with curl or wget? Update CA certs: 
    sudo apt install ca-certificates

Sometimes I’ll run:

file ./app-binary
ldd ./app-binary

to see what the binary needs. If it lists “not found,” I know which lib to install.

So, is tar.gz worth it?

Sometimes yes. I like that I’m not stuck waiting on a package repo. I don’t like the clean-up as much. But once you learn the steps, it feels simple. Almost boring. And boring is good for installs.

Honestly, the best test is this: can you get from download to “app –version” in five minutes? With ripgrep or Hugo, I can. With htop, it took longer, but I learned a bit. That trade felt fair.

If you’re still nervous, start with a binary tar.gz like ripgrep. Win one small battle first. Then the rest won’t feel so big.

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I installed Mesa extra layers on Linux — here’s how it went

I’m Kayla. I tinker. I game a bit. I also write about stuff I actually use. This week, I installed the Mesa extra Vulkan layers on two machines. One is my Arch desktop with an AMD RX 6600 and a Ryzen 5 3600. The other is my older Ubuntu 22.04 laptop with Intel graphics. I wanted better stats on screen and a clean way to pick the right GPU. Did it help? Mostly, yes. But it’s not all roses.
A full play-by-play lives in my separate diary entry, I installed Mesa extra layers on Linux — here’s how it went, but below is the condensed version.
If you're curious about other ways to squeeze extra performance out of your rig, I've shared a few complementary tricks over on DesktopLinuxReviews.
One of those tricks is detailed in my real-life, no-drama guide to installing a tar.gz in Linux.

Let me explain.

What “extra layers” even means (in plain words)

Mesa has some add-on pieces for Vulkan. They’re called layers. Think of them like small tools that sit between your game and your driver.

  • VK_LAYER_MESA_overlay: shows live info on screen. FPS, frame time, GPU, and more.
  • VK_LAYER_MESA_device_select: helps pick which GPU to use when you have more than one.

It’s not MangoHud. It’s simpler and built by the Mesa folks. I like that.

What I installed

I installed packages that ship these layers plus some tools to test. Here’s what I ran.

  • Ubuntu 22.04 (Intel laptop):

    • sudo apt update
    • sudo apt install mesa-vulkan-drivers mesa-vulkan-drivers:i386 mesa-vulkan-layers vulkan-tools mesa-utils

  • Fedora 40 (I tested briefly on a friend’s box):

    • sudo dnf install mesa-vulkan-drivers mesa-vulkan-overlay-layer vulkan-tools mesa-demos

  • Arch Linux (AMD desktop):

    • sudo pacman -Syu
    • sudo pacman -S vulkan-radeon vulkan-mesa-layers vulkan-tools mesa-demos
    • If you’re on Intel on Arch: sudo pacman -S vulkan-intel

Thinking about which everyday distro you should settle on? My side-by-side look at Fedora vs Ubuntu vs Linux Mint might help you decide before you start copy-pasting any of the commands above.

I also checked my Mesa and Vulkan setup after install.

  • glxinfo -B (from mesa-utils/mesa-demos)
  • vulkaninfo | grep -A5 "VK_LAYER"

If you see VK_LAYER_MESA_overlay in that list, you’re set.

How I turned it on

I kept it simple. I used vkcube first. It’s a tiny Vulkan demo.

  • VK_INSTANCE_LAYERS=VK_LAYER_MESA_overlay vkcube

Boom. A spinning cube with an overlay on the top-left. It showed FPS and the GPU name. Clean and sharp.

In Steam, I added this to a game’s Launch Options:

  • VK_INSTANCE_LAYERS=VK_LAYER_MESA_overlay %command%

And yes, it worked in Proton games too.

For my laptop with both an iGPU and an external AMD card (eGPU case on weekends, I know, I know), I used:

  • DRI_PRIME=1 VK_INSTANCE_LAYERS=VK_LAYER_MESA_overlay %command%

That pushed the game to the faster GPU. You can use just DRI_PRIME=1 if you don’t want the overlay.

Tip: If a game looks weird, try not stacking overlays. Don’t run MangoHud and the Mesa overlay at the same time. My CS2 session crashed once when I did that. That’s on me.

Real use: what changed for me

On Arch with the RX 6600:

  • Hades: overlay showed a steady 144 FPS on my 144 Hz monitor. Frame time stayed flat at 6–7 ms. That made me smile.
  • Proton game test (Deep Rock Galactic): saw 110–130 FPS at 1080p medium. Overlay helped me spot a small hitch every 30–40 seconds. I killed a background sync app, and the hitch stopped. Was that magic? No. Just information I could use.

On Ubuntu laptop (Intel iGPU):

  • Without device pick, some Proton games ran on the slow iGPU. Skyrim SE sat around 35–45 FPS at low settings.
  • With DRI_PRIME=1, I got 70–80 FPS when using the eGPU on the same settings. The overlay made the switch obvious. I didn’t have to guess.

Speaking of aging silicon, I also tested a handful of lightweight distros on a Turion-era notebook—check out the best Linux for an AMD Turion X2 if you’ve got similar hardware gathering dust.

Does the overlay boost speed? No. It only shows info. But picking the right GPU does help. A lot.

What I liked

  • It’s built-in tech. No weird scripts. No fuss.
  • The overlay looks plain, but clean. Easy to read.
  • Low overhead. My FPS drop was 1–2 frames at most. Sometimes zero.
  • Good for quick checks. Is it Vulkan? Which GPU? What’s the frame time? You see it at a glance.

What bugged me

  • The overlay isn’t pretty. MangoHud has more toys. Graphs. Themes. This one’s lean.
  • Device selection can feel vague. If you don’t know DRI_PRIME or how your GPUs are wired, it’s a head-scratcher.
  • On Ubuntu, I needed the 32-bit Vulkan driver (that :i386 package) for Proton games. If you skip it, some games don’t run right. I learned that the hard way.
  • Once, OBS plus MangoHud plus the Mesa overlay caused a freeze on game exit. I stopped stacking layers, and it was fine.

Little tips I’d pass along

  • Check layers: vulkaninfo | grep -A5 "VK_LAYER"
  • Quick test: VK_INSTANCE_LAYERS=VK_LAYER_MESA_overlay vkcube
  • Steam trick: VK_INSTANCE_LAYERS=VK_LAYER_MESA_overlay %command%
  • Hybrid GPU: DRI_PRIME=1 %command%
  • Turn off fast: remove the Launch Option, or run with VK_INSTANCE_LAYERS= %command% (see the full list of Mesa environment variables here)
  • Verify drivers: glxinfo -B shows your Mesa version and GPU

Who should use this

  • You want a simple, native overlay that just works.
  • You switch between GPUs and need proof the game picked the right one.
  • You like tools that stay out of your way.
    For the rest of my gaming-first setup, I lean on the gaming Linux distro I actually use because it saves me from a lot of manual tweaks out of the box.

Who might skip it?

  • You want fancy visuals and charts. You’ll likely prefer MangoHud.
  • You hate touching Launch Options. Fair enough.

A tiny, honest digression

You know what? I thought I’d miss MangoHud a lot here. I didn’t. I still use it for deep testing. But for quick checks, this Mesa overlay felt lighter. It’s like a plain wrench that always fits. Not flashy. Reliable. If you’re still hunting for the perfect environment, my in-depth shoot-out on the best Linux for gaming dives into the wins and woes of each option.

Sometimes, after hours of tweaking drivers and benchmarking frame times, I need a quick mental reset that’s miles away from kernel logs. My guilty pleasure is skimming through these candid sexting stories—they’re short, entertaining reads that give you a fun breather before you dive back into your next compile or gaming session.
Speaking of quick diversions, if you ever find yourself in Southern California and want to browse local classifieds for everything from surfboard rentals to late-night happenings, the revived Backpage scene has an entire section dedicated to Laguna’s coastal community—check it out at Backpage Laguna Beach for an up-to-the-minute list of ads, services, and meet-ups locals are posting.

My take

I’m keeping the Mesa extra layers on both machines. They’re simple, native, and stable for me. On Arch with AMD, it was smooth sailing. On Ubuntu, I had a small setup bump, but nothing wild. The overlay told me what I needed, when I needed it. No guessing. No fluff.

Would I recommend it? Yes. If you want a clean, zero-frills overlay and easy GPU picking, install it. If you want all the bells and whistles, use MangoHud instead—or run both, just not at the same time.

Either way, it’s nice to have

Ubuntu: How I Check My Version (What I Actually Use)

I’m Kayla. I use Ubuntu at home and at work. I switch between laptops, a tiny home server, and a cloud box. So I check my version a lot. It sounds small, but it saves me from weird bugs and wrong packages.

You know what? I like simple. I like quick. Here’s what works for me, with real outputs from my machines.
If you’d like an even more detailed, step-by-step walkthrough (with screenshots), I published it as a guide on how I check my Ubuntu version.

Why I Even Needed This

Last month, a Docker image ran fine on my laptop but broke on my VPS. I thought it was my code. Nope. Different Ubuntu versions. That tiny detail cost me an hour and a little pride.
Since then, whenever I’m fuzzy on what each Ubuntu release actually changes, I’ll skim the concise breakdowns on Desktop Linux Reviews before I start swapping packages around.

The Zero-Thought Way (Settings)

When I’m on my laptop, I often use the GUI.

  • Open Settings
  • Scroll to About
  • Look for “OS Name” or “Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS”

It’s plain. It’s fast. It’s how I help a teammate on a call without pushing them to the terminal right away.

My Go-To Terminal Checks

lsb_release (my favorite)

On my ThinkPad (daily driver), this is what I ran and saw:

$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS
Release:        22.04
Codename:       jammy

Short and clear. If this command isn’t there on a minimal setup, I install it:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install lsb-release

/etc/os-release (always there for me)

On my home server (a tiny Intel NUC), I got:

$ cat /etc/os-release
NAME="Ubuntu"
VERSION="24.04.1 LTS (Noble Numbat)"
ID=ubuntu
ID_LIKE=debian
PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 24.04.1 LTS"
VERSION_ID="24.04"
HOME_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://help.ubuntu.com/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/"

That PRETTY_NAME line tells the story in one glance.

hostnamectl (bonus: kernel too)

On the same laptop as above:

$ hostnamectl
   Static hostname: kayla-x1
         Icon name: computer-laptop
           Chassis: laptop
  Operating System: Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS
            Kernel: Linux 6.5.0-14-generic
      Architecture: x86-64

This helps when I’m tracking down a driver issue. The kernel line matters.

uname (kernel only, but I still use it)

I run this when I care about the kernel:

$ uname -r
6.5.0-14-generic

Small thing, big help with Wi-Fi or GPU fixes.

/etc/issue (handy on headless boxes)

On my older VPS, I saw:

$ cat /etc/issue
Ubuntu 20.04.6 LTS n l

It’s blunt, but useful. That box was stuck on Focal, which explained a few package quirks.

Real Machines I Touched This Week

  • Work laptop (Lenovo ThinkPad): Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS Jammy, kernel 6.5.0-14
    Why it matters: CUDA tools matched better on 22.04 than 24.04 for me.

  • Home server (Intel NUC, Proxmox VM): Ubuntu 24.04.1 LTS Noble
    Why it matters: Newer OpenSSH and newer Python. My Ansible roles were happier.

  • Cheap cloud VPS: Ubuntu 20.04.6 LTS Focal
    Why it matters: Some newer packages weren’t in the repo. I used backports and was careful.

What The Numbers Mean (Quick and clean)

  • Ubuntu uses year.month.
    Example: 22.04 = April 2022. 24.04 = April 2024.
  • “LTS” means long term support. That’s the stable one most folks use.
  • Codenames: jammy (22.04), noble (24.04), mantic (23.10), and so on.

For the curious, Ubuntu keeps an official list of its quirky development codenames on its Development Code Names page, and Wikipedia maintains a handy Ubuntu version history you can skim when you need context.

I treat it like checking a clothing tag. Right size, right fit.
If you’re still deciding whether Ubuntu’s cadence and naming scheme suit you—or if Fedora’s or Linux Mint’s models line up better with your workflow—my hands-on comparison of the three might help: Fedora vs Ubuntu vs Linux Mint: a first-person test drive.

WSL Note (If You’re on Windows)

On my Windows laptop with WSL Ubuntu, I used:

$ cat /etc/os-release

That showed the Ubuntu version inside WSL. If I need more, I also run:

wsl.exe -l -v

That lists my WSL distros and versions on the Windows side.

Tiny Gotchas I’ve Hit

  • lsb_release may be missing on minimal installs. I install it once, then forget about it.
  • Kernel and Ubuntu version are not the same. uname shows kernel, not the OS release.
  • GUI labels can move a bit between GNOME versions, but About is still the spot.
  • Containers can fool you. Inside Docker, /etc/os-release shows the image’s base, not your host.

For more small, real-world tweaks—things I always keep and things I happily skip—have a scroll through my list of Linux tips and tricks.

Just like double-checking your Ubuntu version prevents mismatched dependencies, confirming compatibility matters in other parts of life too. When I’m in the mood for a spontaneous evening and want to see who’s nearby looking for the same no-strings fun, I’ll open PlanCulFacile—its quick location filters and direct messaging make meeting like-minded people as effortless as running lsb_release -a.

When a project or conference takes me down to Rosenberg, Texas and I’m after the same straightforward, no-hassle meet-ups I enjoy back home, I’ll browse Backpage Rosenberg—the city-specific listings and real-time posts mean I can connect with locals quickly without wading through generic dating apps.

My Short Cheat Sheet

  • Full OS name and codename:
    • lsb_release -a
    • cat /etc/os-release
  • Kernel only:
    • uname -r
  • Host info plus OS:
    • hostnamectl
  • Headless hint:
    • cat /etc/issue

Final Take

This stuff seems tiny. It’s not. Knowing your Ubuntu version saves time, saves face, and keeps scripts clean. I check it like I check the weather—fast, often, and before I break something.

If you forget all this, remember one thing: run lsb_release -a. It’s the one I trust when my coffee is still too hot.

How I switch to Monitor Mode in Kali Linux (and what went wrong)

I’m Kayla Sox. I run Kali on a ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 7). My built-in Wi-Fi is an Intel AX200. I also carry an Alfa USB adapter (AWUS036NHA) in my bag. It’s old. It’s tough. It just works.

Why did I need monitor mode? Simple: I wanted to watch my own home network. I was testing channel use, not breaking stuff. Big note here—only do this on networks you own or have clear permission to test. It’s like checking your own locks, not your neighbor’s. You know what? That rule saves drama.
I originally turned this experience into a bigger piece for Desktop Linux Reviews—feel free to check out the full walkthrough here if you want even more detail.

My quick setup (real gear, real hiccups)

  • Laptop: ThinkPad X1 (Kali 2024.3)
  • Internal Wi-Fi: Intel AX200 (works, but not great for monitor mode)
  • USB Wi-Fi: Alfa AWUS036NHA (Atheros AR9271 chipset; stable in monitor mode)

If you're hunting for other USB adapters that play nicely with Kali, I found a handy roundup at Desktop Linux Reviews that breaks down chipsets and driver quirks.

I plug in the Alfa when I need less hassle. The Intel card can switch modes, but it’s picky with channels and power. For a quick refresher on the prep steps, the LabEx tutorial on preparing a wireless adapter for monitor mode in Kali is a solid resource.

Step 1: Find your Wi-Fi name

I always check the card name first. On my box, I see wlan0 for the internal card and wlan1 for the Alfa.

Command I run:

ip link show

Sample lines I see:

3: wlan0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> ...
4: wlan1: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST> ...

If I forget which is which, I peek at the chipset:

lsusb

For the Alfa, I get:

Bus 002 Device 005: ID 0cf3:9271 Atheros Communications, Inc. AR9271 802.11n

Method A (easy): airmon-ng

This is my go-to when I’m in a rush. It’s part of aircrack-ng.

  1. Kill the apps that fight monitor mode:

    sudo airmon-ng check kill

    On my screen, it lists wpa_supplicant and NetworkManager. It stops them. Your Wi-Fi will drop. That’s normal, but a bit annoying.

  2. Start monitor mode on the Alfa (mine is wlan1):

    sudo airmon-ng start wlan1

What I see:

monitor mode vif enabled on [phy1]wlan1mon

Now the new name is wlan1mon. To confirm:

iw dev

I get:

Interface wlan1mon
        type monitor
  1. Stop it when done: 
    sudo airmon-ng stop wlan1mon
sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

    Sometimes I also run:

    nmcli radio wifi on

    so my laptop gets back online.

What I like: fast and simple. What I don’t: it kills my Wi-Fi while I test. Minor pain.

Method B (manual): ip + iw

When I want control, I do it by hand. This also helps if airmon-ng gets moody.

  1. Bring the card down:

    sudo ip link set wlan1 down

  2. Switch the type to monitor:

    sudo iw dev wlan1 set type monitor

  3. Bring it up:

    sudo ip link set wlan1 up

Check:

iw dev

You should see:

Interface wlan1
        type monitor

To go back to normal (managed) mode:

sudo ip link set wlan1 down
sudo iw dev wlan1 set type managed
sudo ip link set wlan1 up

What I like: no big process killer. What I don’t: if NetworkManager pokes it, things break. So I sometimes do:

nmcli dev set wlan1 managed no

and later:

nmcli dev set wlan1 managed yes

Real fixes I had to do (because stuff broke)

  • Channel -1 bug (yep, that one)

    • My Alfa kept saying channel -1. I set the reg domain to my country code. For me, that’s US: 
      sudo iw reg set US

      Then I set the channel when starting monitor mode:

      sudo airmon-ng start wlan1 6

      That locked it to channel 6. No more -1.

  • NetworkManager keep-alive problem

    • It kept pulling the card back to managed mode. This helped: 
      sudo airmon-ng check kill

      Or I use a softer touch:

      nmcli radio wifi off
rfkill unblock all

      Then I switch to monitor mode. After, I do:

      nmcli radio wifi on

  • Driver drama with Realtek

    • My friend’s AWUS036ACH needed the 8812au driver. We used the aircrack-ng 8812au DKMS repo (yep, compile time). My NHA didn’t need that, which is why I still carry it. Less fuss. (If you run into similar headaches, check out the Kali Linux documentation on troubleshooting wireless drivers for step-by-step guidance.)

  • Power issues on USB hubs

    • A cheap hub made the Alfa flaky. Direct port fixed it. Small thing; big time saver.

How I verify it’s really in monitor mode

I don’t guess. I check.

  • See the mode:

    iw dev

  • Quick scan for frames without joining a network:

    sudo tcpdump -i wlan1 -I -e -s 256 type mgt subtype beacon

    I only run this on my own router at home. I watch for beacon frames. If I see BSSIDs and channels rolling by, I know it’s working.

  • If I’m stuck, I run:

    dmesg | tail

    It often tells me if the driver is mad or the card is blocked.

My take after a lot of tries

  • What I like

    • Airmon-ng is quick. It’s like a big red button. Hit it, and you’re in monitor mode.
    • The Alfa NHA is steady. It holds channel well and doesn’t overheat on me.
    • Manual mode gives me control. I feel calm when I can set each step.

  • What bugs me

    • Intel AX200 works, but it’s fussy with channels. It also flips back if NetworkManager wakes up.
    • Killing network services just to test feels heavy. I need Wi-Fi for docs while I work, so I use a second adapter. Sometimes I’m even streaming media from a self-hosted stack—if you’re curious, here’s how I installed Jellyfin on Kali and kept it playing while sniffing packets.
    • Realtek drivers. Enough said. They can work great, but not out of the box.

While I'm waiting for a long capture to run, I sometimes hop onto Kik to chat with other security-minded folks—if you want to expand your contact list quickly, give Kik Friender a try; it pairs you with new, active Kik users in seconds so you can swap tips (or just unwind) while the packets fly.

Sometimes my gigs take me through smaller cities—say I'm running tests near Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and want a quick way to scope out the local social scene once the laptops are closed for the night. In that case I’ll open up OneNightAffair’s Backpage Pine Bluff page where the listings are refreshed daily and include handy filters so you can zero-in on legit, nearby connections without wading through spam.

Would I recommend this flow? Yes—use an external card, keep a cheat sheet, and don’t skip the safety note. It saves you from weird states and eyebrow raises.

My small cheat sheet

  • Check cards:

    ip link show
lsusb

  • Easy mode:

    sudo airmon-ng check kill
sudo airmon-ng start wlan1
iw dev

  • Back to normal:

    sudo airmon-ng stop wlan1mon
sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

  • Manual mode:

    sudo ip link set wlan1 down
sudo iw dev wlan1 set type monitor
sudo ip link set wlan1 up

  • Fix channel -1:
    “`
    sudo iw reg set US
    sudo airmon-ng start wlan

I installed DVD codecs on Linux so you don’t have to guess

I’m Kayla, and yes, I still watch DVDs. Rainy Sunday, thrifted discs, a USB DVD drive, and a mug of tea. That’s my mood. For readers in the Danville area on the same second-hand hunt, check the local classifieds over at Backpage Danville where community members regularly post stacks of DVDs, used USB drives, and living-room gear at thrift-store prices. I’ve set this up on my own laptops more times than I thought I would. It looks scary at first. It isn’t. Well—almost.
If you want the minute-by-minute rundown of this exact codec adventure, I also published a step-by-step diary on Desktop Linux Reviews—you can skim it here.

Here’s what I did on Ubuntu, Fedora, and Arch, what broke, and how I fixed it. Real commands. Real errors. No nonsense.
If you’d like a broader look at how different Linux distros handle everyday desktop tasks (including media playback), check out the detailed guides on Desktop Linux Reviews.

Note: Some DVDs have copy protection. Rules vary by country. Please follow your local laws.

My setup (so you know I actually did this)

  • Laptop: ThinkPad T480 and a small ASUS mini PC
  • Drive: LG USB DVD writer (model GP65)
  • Distros I used: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and 24.04, Fedora 40 Workstation, Arch Linux (rolling as of fall 2024)
  • Player: VLC, because it just works and has a nice slider I can drag with my pinky

I tested with three discs:

  • A plain old home video DVD
  • A Disney movie from 2006
  • A BBC documentary that’s a bit fussy about regions

Quick background (why it failed the first time)

I popped in a disc, opened VLC, clicked Play. Boom—error. VLC said it couldn’t read the disc. The thing is, many DVDs use CSS encryption. You need a tiny bit of extra code (libdvdcss) so VLC can read them. Some drives also need a region set. Sounds dull. But it matters.

Here’s the thing: once you install the right pieces, it feels boring, because it just works. And boring is good.

Ubuntu: my smoothest run

On Ubuntu, it’s pretty tidy. The package helps build libdvdcss for you.

What I ran:

  1. sudo apt update
  2. sudo apt install vlc libdvd-pkg
  3. sudo dpkg-reconfigure libdvd-pkg

That third step is key. It fetches and sets up libdvdcss. I made tea while it ran, which took maybe a minute.

While that script chugs away you’ve got a brief window of downtime—perfect for a quick distraction. I sometimes hop into a spontaneous webcam chat to trade movie picks with random strangers, and the place I land most often is this candid Dirty Roulette review where you can jump straight into anonymous video conversations and swap film recommendations while the terminal lines scroll by.

Then I tested:

  • Insert disc
  • Open VLC
  • Media > Open Disc > Play
  • Or run: vlc dvd:///dev/sr0

Result: My Disney disc played. Menus, chapters, all fine.

Tiny snag I hit once: If you skip step 3, CSS movies won’t play. So don’t skip it.

Fedora: a small detour with RPM Fusion

Fedora keeps things clean by default, so you need RPM Fusion first. It sounds fancy, but it’s just a repo with extra stuff like codecs.

What I ran on Fedora 40:

  1. sudo dnf install https://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm
  2. sudo dnf install https://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm
  3. sudo dnf install vlc libdvdcss

Then I tested the same way in VLC.

My Fedora hiccup: I forgot the nonfree repo once. VLC installed, but DVDs failed with “could not read.” After adding nonfree and installing libdvdcss, it worked.

Arch Linux: fast and nerdy, but fine

On Arch, the packages are right there.

What I ran:

  1. sudo pacman -Syu
  2. sudo pacman -S vlc libdvdcss

That’s it. If you use Manjaro, it’s in the repos too. Same steps, different name for the package manager.
Of course, if you ever land on some random project that ships only a tar.gz instead of a repo package, don’t panic—here’s my no-drama guide to installing a tar.gz in Linux.

Region code: this tripped me once

Some drives ship with no region set. Some discs are Region 1 (US/Canada), Region 2 (Europe), and so on. If your drive isn’t set, CSS discs may fail or show weird errors.

What I used:

  • sudo pacman -S regionset (Arch)
  • Or sudo apt install regionset (Ubuntu)
  • Or sudo dnf install regionset (Fedora)

Then:

  • sudo regionset /dev/sr0

It shows your current region and lets you pick. Be careful: Drives only let you switch a few times (usually 5). I set my LG drive to Region 1, because most of my discs are US.

After that, my BBC disc (Region 2) didn’t play on that drive—no surprise. I switched to another USB drive set to Region 2. Yes, I have two drives. It’s less silly than it sounds if you watch imports.

Real errors I saw (and how I fixed them)

  • VLC: “Playback failure: DVDRead could not open the disc”

    • Fix: install libdvdcss and restart VLC. On Ubuntu, run sudo dpkg-reconfigure libdvd-pkg.

  • VLC keeps spinning at “Opening…”

    • Fix: try vlc dvd:///dev/sr0 from the terminal to see logs. If it mentions CSS, you need libdvdcss. If it mentions region, set your drive region.

  • Disc mounts in Files but won’t play

    • Fix: close the file manager so it releases the drive; then try VLC again. Also try a different USB port with more power.

  • No menus, just the movie

    • Fix: In VLC, go to Preferences > Input/Codecs and make sure DVD menus are on. Some older discs still act odd, but it’s rare.

Extras I tried (because I’m curious)

  • Flatpak VLC: Worked on Fedora and Ubuntu after I installed libdvdcss on the host. I launched it with flatpak run org.videolan.VLC. Menus were fine. If it fails, check Flatpak’s permission for optical drives, or just use the repo version of VLC.

If you’re curious about squeezing a bit more performance out of your GPU for smoother playback, see my separate experiment where I installed Mesa extra layers on Linux.

  • MPV: Great player. With libdvdcss installed, I ran mpv dvd://. It played the main title cleanly. Menus are basic, but I like it for straight playback.

  • Snap VLC on Ubuntu: It played non-CSS discs right away. For CSS discs, host libdvdcss still mattered. Honestly, repo VLC was simplest.

Quick checklist you can copy

  • Install VLC
  • Install libdvdcss (Ubuntu: libdvd-pkg + reconfigure; Fedora: RPM Fusion + libdvdcss; Arch: libdvdcss)
  • Set drive region if needed (regionset)
  • Test with: vlc dvd:///dev/sr0
  • Try another port or drive if power is low

I’m not a lawyer. DVD rules differ by country. Please check your local laws. I use this to watch my own discs at home. That’s it.

My verdict after a week of movie nights

It felt simple on Ubuntu. Fedora needed one extra step, but it was smooth after that. Arch was fast once I remembered to install libdvdcss first. The only real curveball was the region code, which sneaks up on you like a cat under a blanket.

Would I do it again? Yep. I can toss in a disc, hear that soft drive whirr, and press play. No cloud. No logins. Just a movie and a snack.

Real commands I saved in a notes file

Ubuntu:

  • sudo apt update
  • sudo apt install vlc libdvd-pkg
  • sudo dpkg-reconfigure libdvd-pkg

Fedora:

  • sudo dnf install rpmfusion-free-release rpmfusion-nonfree-release (use the release packages for your Fedora version)
  • sudo dnf install vlc libdvdcss

Arch:

  • sudo pacman -Syu
  • sudo pacman -S vlc libdvdcss

Region (all):

  • sudo regionset /dev/sr0

One last tip

If you’re setting this up for a

Better Headphone Audio on Linux: What Actually Worked for Me

I’m Kayla, and I’m picky about sound. Not “audiophile” picky. Just “please no hiss and no harsh treble” picky. Linux used to make me tweak and swear. Now? It’s good—shockingly good—if you set a few things right.

For the full, screenshot-packed breakdown of every tweak I mention below, you can hop over to my complete guide on Better Headphone Audio on Linux.

Here’s what I used, what broke, and what made me smile on the bus and at my desk.

My exact setup (so you know I’m not guessing)

  • Laptops: ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 9) on Fedora 40; Framework 13 on Ubuntu 24.04
  • Desktop: Ryzen 5600G mini-tower on Arch (way too many fans)
  • Headphones: Sony WH-1000XM5, Sennheiser HD 6XX, Beyerdynamic DT 770 (80 ohm), Moondrop Aria IEMs
  • DACs: Apple USB-C headphone adapter (the tiny white one), FiiO K3
  • Software: PipeWire (default on all of these now), WirePlumber, EasyEffects

You know what? The two biggest wins were EasyEffects and a cheap USB-C DAC. Not fancy. Just useful.

The quick win: PipeWire just makes things calmer

PulseAudio used to crackle when I changed apps. Zoom would grab my mic and ruin my music. With PipeWire, stuff just… stays steady.

What I felt right away:

  • No pops when switching from Spotify to YouTube
  • Smoother Bluetooth connect and reconnect
  • Lower lag in games and videos (mouths match words—finally)

Tiny tip: I set the default sample rate to 48 kHz. That matched most videos and games, so lip sync drift went away. On Fedora and Ubuntu, it already felt right out of the box.

If you’re still spinning physical media and want that same smoothness with movies, there’s a fast, no-nonsense walkthrough on installing DVD codecs on Linux that pairs perfectly with these audio tweaks.

The secret sauce: EasyEffects (EQ without pain)

EasyEffects is where the magic happened for me. It’s a simple window with blocks you turn on or off—EQ, compressor, limiter, and more.

What I do each time:

  1. Pick a preset from the AutoEQ list for my headphone.
  2. Pull the preamp down a bit (I use −5 or −6 dB) so it doesn’t clip.
  3. Add a small Bass Shelf if I want kick drum to thump (like +2 dB at 100 Hz).
  4. Turn on a gentle Limiter at the end, just in case.

If you want ready-made curves instead of starting from scratch, there’s a treasure trove of community presets at JackHack96’s EasyEffects-Presets and another excellent collection over in Digitalone1’s EasyEffects-Presets repository. Grab the one for your cans, import, and you’re 90 % done.

Real results I heard:

  • Sennheiser HD 6XX: Vocals jumped forward. The low end got fuller without mud. “Billie Eilish – bad guy” sounded tight, not boomy.
  • Sony WH-1000XM5 (wired or Bluetooth): Tamed the shiny treble. Cymbals stopped hissing at me.
  • Moondrop Aria: A tiny treble cut took the edge off YouTube voices. Great for long work calls.

Note: On my old ThinkPad, EasyEffects used a bit more CPU when I stacked lots of filters. So I kept it simple: EQ + Limiter. Clean and light.

Bluetooth that doesn’t sound like a phone call

Let me be real: Bluetooth on Linux used to be hit or miss. Now it’s fine if you set the right profile.

What I do with my Sony WH-1000XM5:

  • In Blueman, I choose “High Fidelity Playback (A2DP)” for music.
  • LDAC sounds best for me. aptX is fine, too. SBC is last place, but it still works.
  • If I need the mic, Linux switches to “Headset” mode. Music gets worse. So I use a $20 USB mic when I care about sound and keep A2DP for music.

On Fedora 40, LDAC worked right away. On Ubuntu 24.04, it did too. Battery drain is a smidge higher with LDAC, but I’ll take the clarity.

Train test: On a noisy winter commute, XM5 + LDAC + EasyEffects EQ kept voices crisp. The rumble dipped, but the beat still hit. I could hear lyrics without cranking the volume. Small win for my ears.

Wired is still king: the tiny Apple USB-C dongle

The Apple USB-C headphone adapter is silly good for the price. No driver mess. No hum. It’s plug-and-play on every distro I tried.

What changed for me:

  • No hiss with my Moondrop IEMs
  • More volume for the DT 770 (not huge, but enough for work)
  • Tighter bass and cleaner mids than the laptop jack

If you want a knob and more power, the FiiO K3 is great. It has a hardware bass boost I actually like for lo-fi playlists. It also switches sample rates cleanly, so no pops when videos change.

Little fixes that saved me time

  • Weird Bluetooth after sleep? I toggle Airplane Mode off and on. Or I re-pair once. It sticks.
  • Stuttering in games? I close extra tabs and keep EasyEffects simple. Game mode in Steam helped too. If you crave even smoother play, my write-up on the best gaming Linux distro I actually use lays out how I squeeze extra FPS without breaking audio.
  • Volume feels jumpy? I switch my device to “Pro Audio” in the sound settings, then back. It smooths out steps.

How I tune for different moods

  • Focus work: HD 6XX + Apple dongle + gentle EQ. Warm, comfy, no hiss.
  • Commute: XM5 + LDAC + slight bass cut + mid lift. Podcasts sound like a cozy studio.
  • Late night gaming: DT 770 + FiiO K3 + small treble trim. Footsteps pop, not pierce. For a broader look at distro quirks during marathon sessions, see my candid comparison of the best Linux for gaming—real wins and woes included.
  • Calls: USB mic + any headphones. Keep A2DP for music, let the mic do mic things.

On a related note, if your freshly tuned headphones ever pull double-duty for private, adult-only streaming, you’ll hear the difference there too. I gave them a whirl on Instafuck and LDAC plus a light EQ made the dialog crisp and the background tracks immersive—the site’s huge library of high-definition clips is a surprisingly good showcase for just how much clean audio can enhance an intimate viewing experience. If that crystal-clear sound inspires you to step away from the screen and set up an in-person rendezvous, the up-to-date local classifieds over at Backpage Bowling Green offer a direct line to nearby companions, complete with verified ads and real-time chat so you can plan the perfect vibe before you even leave the house.

The misses (because nothing is perfect)

  • Bluetooth mic mode still drops music quality. It’s not a Linux-only thing, but yeah, it stinks.
  • EasyEffects can feel heavy on old laptops if you stack a lot of effects.
  • Some apps fight over sample rates. It’s rare now, but a reboot fixed it when it did.

So… is Linux good for headphone audio now?

Short answer: Yes. I’m happy.

  • PipeWire made my setup calm.
  • EasyEffects gave me the sound I wanted.
  • A cheap USB-C DAC beat my laptop jack without effort.
  • LDAC on the Sony XM5 worked better than I expected.

If you want one simple plan, here it is:

Before you dive in, you might skim the concise guides on Desktop Linux Reviews for distro-specific tips and hardware picks that mesh well with these steps.

  1. Use PipeWire (most distros do now).
  2. Add EasyEffects. Load the AutoEQ for your headphones.
  3. Get the Apple USB-C dongle or a small DAC.
  4. Use A2DP for Bluetooth music. Keep a separate mic if you can.
  5. Keep your EQ light. Let the limiter catch peaks.

I went from “ugh” to “ahh” with these steps. Clear vocals. Clean bass. No fuss. And honestly, that’s all I wanted.

—Kayla Sox

I used PostScript on Linux for real printing — here’s how it went

I’m Kayla. I print a lot. Work stuff, school stuff, and the random label for a jar. I run Ubuntu on a ThinkPad. I also sit next to two lasers: an old HP LaserJet 1320 and a Brother HL-L2350DW. Both sit on Wi-Fi. Both see a lot of paper.

So I tried PostScript on Linux for a month. Not theory. Real jobs. Messy fonts. Big charts. Holiday cards. Here’s what happened.

Why I even bothered

Some print shops still ask for PostScript or EPS. My coworker sends me .ps files from MATLAB. My sister sends me an EPS logo. And my old HP eats PostScript like candy. So it made sense.

Also, I like control. I want crisp lines. I want fonts to stay put. PDF is fine. But PostScript gives me knobs.

Setup was not scary, promise

On Ubuntu, I installed a few tools. Ghostscript, CUPS, and two old but handy friends, enscript and a2ps.

  • I ran: sudo apt install ghostscript cups a2ps enscript
  • Then I made sure printing worked: sudo systemctl enable --now cups

I used Evince to view .ps and .eps files. Okular worked too. Both showed pages fast enough.
If you ever need smoother rendering for heavy graphics, consider bolting on some Mesa extra layers—the walkthrough here makes the process painless.

You know what? That was it. No drama.
If you want an even deeper walkthrough of Linux printing basics, check out the excellent guide at DesktopLinuxReviews.com. For a full account of my own journey with PostScript, see my write-up over on DesktopLinuxReviews: I used PostScript on Linux for real printing — here’s how it went.

Real jobs I ran (and what broke)

1) A picky logo for a print shop

My sister sent me logo.eps. The shop wanted a PDF with fonts embedded.

  • First try: ps2pdf logo.eps logo.pdf
  • The PDF looked okay on screen. But the shop saw thin letters on their end.
  • Fix: gs -o logo_embed.pdf -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dEmbedAllFonts=true -dSubsetFonts=true -dEPSCrop logo.eps

That embedded the fonts. The crop flag trimmed the white border. They printed it clean. No “mystery font” call at 5 pm. Win.

2) Two-up notes on the HP LaserJet 1320

I had 40 pages of notes. I wanted two pages per sheet, landscape. The old HP loves this.

  • I ran: enscript -2r -o notes.ps notes.txt
  • Then: lp -d HP_LaserJet_1320 notes.ps

It shot out fast. Text was crisp at 600 dpi. The edges looked sharp, like a good pencil. I could read tiny code comments without squinting.

3) Same file on the Brother HL-L2350DW

The Brother supports “BR-Script,” which is like PostScript. Kind of.

  • I ran: lp -d Brother_HL-L2350DW notes.ps
  • First page took forever. Then pages came, but lines looked a bit thicker. Letters felt a hair off.

It was okay for school handouts. But for design work, I switched back to the HP. The Brother prefers PDF. When I sent PDF, it was quick and neat.

4) A huge chart from Python

I had a Matplotlib plot with tiny labels. The press wanted a high-res PDF, but their file system hates big files.

  • Start with PDF from Python: plot.pdf
  • Convert to PS: pdf2ps plot.pdf plot.ps
  • Back to PDF with prepress settings:
    ps2pdf -dPDFSETTINGS=/prepress plot.ps plot_prepress.pdf

File size dropped a bit. Curves stayed smooth. The blue line kept its color. One time I did see a small color shift, though. A navy line turned a bit brighter. Ghostscript can do that. I noted it and moved on.

5) Holiday cards with a photo and text

I laid out a card in Scribus. Exported EPS for the front text, and a photo as a high-res JPEG. Then I placed both and printed from CUPS as PostScript. The HP handled it fine. The Brother stalled for a minute, then finished. The red in the photo looked a touch warm on the Brother. The HP leaned cool. Both were gift-ready.

Fonts: the part that makes you sigh

Fonts are the fussy bit. Missing fonts will wreck a file. Ghostscript tries to swap in a look-alike. That can break spacing. If you want to see exactly how Ghostscript hunts for, substitutes, and embeds typefaces, skim the official Ghostscript Fonts documentation—it explains the search paths and substitution rules far better than a scattered web search.

What worked for me:

  • I installed the Noto family: sudo apt install fonts-noto fonts-noto-cjk
  • I forced embedding when making PDF from EPS or PS:
    gs -o out.pdf -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dEmbedAllFonts=true -dSubsetFonts=true in.ps
  • For EPS, I used -dEPSCrop so the box stayed tight.

One odd fix: if Evince showed weird glyphs, opening the same file in Okular was fine. It happened twice. Not sure why. But it saved my morning. If you’re troubleshooting cross-platform hand-offs—especially with colleagues who pre-flight in Adobe tools—the concise Adobe note on font handling in Acrobat Distiller spells out why a font might rasterize or disappear.

Speed, size, and paper feel

  • The HP LaserJet 1320: fast with PostScript. First page pops. Edges look tidy. Great for math and code.
  • The Brother HL-L2350DW: slow first page with PS; fine after. With PDF, though, it’s quick and smooth.
  • File size: -dPDFSETTINGS=/screen made PDFs small, good for email. -dPDFSETTINGS=/prepress kept things sharp for print.

And yes, I still love the sound of a laser printer at 7 am. It’s like coffee for paper.

Day-to-day flow that stuck

  • Print to file from Firefox as PostScript worked, but I prefer PDF for web pages. PS sometimes clipped sticky headers.
  • Evince handled .ps previews fine. Very big plots took a beat to render.
  • a2ps was great for code: a2ps -o code.ps -2 -R src/*.py gave me two-up, pretty headers, and line numbers. I felt organized. It felt… tidy.

Who gets the most value

  • Designers sending EPS or PS to shops
  • Lab folks printing plots and LaTeX
  • Anyone with an older HP that loves real PostScript
  • Sysadmins who script print jobs and want stable output

For creatives who spin up nightlife or event flyers, especially those aiming to tap the Connecticut coastal crowd, browsing the live classifieds at OneNightAffair’s Backpage West Haven section can spark headline ideas, provide up-to-date contact formats, and clue you into the sizing specs that resonate locally—handy details to nail before you hit “Print”.

Quick tips I’d keep on a sticky note

  • Set default printer: lpoptions -d HP_LaserJet_1320
  • See printers: lpstat -p
  • If you enjoy watching real-time streams of activity the same way I tail access_log during big PostScript runs, hop over to InstantChat Voyeur for a live glimpse at public chat sessions—great for picking up on-the-fly workflow ideas and seeing what other power users are experimenting with right now.
  • Convert EPS to tight PDF:
    gs -o out.pdf -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dEPSCrop -dEmbedAllFonts=true in.eps
  • Make two-up PS from text: enscript -2r -o out.ps file.txt
  • If Brother stalls on PS, send PDF instead. It helps.
  • For more everyday Linux workflow pointers, skim my collection of real-world tips and tricks.

The good and the bad

Pros:

  • Clean text and lines on a true PS printer
  • Strong control over fonts and layout
  • Tools are free and light
  • Great for batch jobs and scripts

Cons:

  • Fonts can go sideways if not embedded
  • Color can shift a little with Ghostscript
  • Some printers “fake” PS and run slow
  • Preview quirks happen now and then

My take

PostScript on Linux works. It’s not fancy. It’s steady. On my HP, it shines. On my Brother, I stick to PDF unless I must send PS. For logos, line art, and long notes, it’s great. For photos, PDF is less fussy.

Would

Rufus-like tools for Linux: what I actually use

I live on Linux. I still need bootable USBs a lot. New installs. Rescue jobs. Little school labs. Rufus is great on Windows, but I don’t boot into Windows much. So I tested Linux tools that do the same job.
If I’m sizing up a new distro before I burn it to a stick, I usually skim the write-ups on Desktop Linux Reviews for a quick reality check.

For an even deeper dive into how several of these utilities stack up, the site’s own hands-on roundup—Rufus-like tools for Linux: what I actually use—is well worth bookmarking.

My setup (so you know I’m not guessing)

  • Laptop: ThinkPad T480 (Ubuntu 22.04, kernel 6.8), and a Dell XPS 13 (Fedora 40)
  • USB sticks: SanDisk Ultra Fit 32 GB, Kingston DataTraveler 64 GB
  • Use cases: Ubuntu 24.04, Fedora 40, Debian 12, Pop!_OS, Windows 10/11, Raspberry Pi OS

If you ever need those same ISOs to run inside ChromeOS, this straight-to-the-point guide on which Linux distros can actually be installed via Crostini will spare you a lot of trial and error.

I’ve used these in coffee shops, at my desk, and once on my neighbor’s porch. Not fancy, just real life.

Ventoy: one stick, many ISOs

If I could keep only one tool, I’d keep Ventoy.

I set it up once with Ventoy2Disk. Then I just copy ISO files onto the USB. No re-flash each time. It shows a menu at boot. I pick the ISO and go.

What I made with it:

  • A “travel” USB with Ubuntu 24.04, Fedora 40, and Windows 11 23H2 on one stick
  • A backup stick with Clonezilla and GParted

What worked great:

  • It booted on my ThinkPad and on a friend’s old HP tower
  • Secure Boot was fine after I enrolled the key once
  • Copying ISOs like files is so easy it feels like cheating

Where it got fussy:

  • One niche Arch spin did not boot the first time. I updated Ventoy, then it worked.
  • Some older BIOS machines don’t love the menu layout. I had to toggle Legacy.

Tip: Format the data part as exFAT if you want big Windows ISOs to sit there without a fight.

balenaEtcher: simple, friendly, a bit slow

When I’m tired and just want “point and click,” I use Etcher. It’s a clean GUI. Pick ISO. Pick drive. Flash. It also verifies, which helps catch bad sticks.

Real use:

  • Flashed Raspberry Pi OS for my Pi 4
  • Wrote Pop!_OS 22.04 for my nephew’s gaming laptop

Pros:

  • The verify step saved me from a flaky USB once
  • The AppImage runs on both my laptops

Cons:

  • The verify step takes time; good, but slow
  • Once it didn’t see my USB until I ran it with sudo

GNOME Disks: already there, fast and quiet

Sometimes less is more. GNOME Disks is built in on many distros. I click the USB, pick “Restore Disk Image,” and pick the ISO.

What I did with it:

  • Wrote Debian netinst while half awake at 6 a.m.
  • Flashed an Ubuntu live image to check a bad SSD

Good stuff:

  • No extra install
  • Very fast

Watch out:

  • It will happily write over the wrong drive if you click the wrong one. I did that once. That hurt.

Fedora Media Writer: smooth with Fedora, fine with others

On my XPS with Fedora, this is butter. I wrote Fedora 40 Workstation, and it just worked. I also tried a custom image; Ubuntu 22.04 booted fine.

Nice touches:

  • It downloads Fedora for you
  • It can reformat the stick for reuse

Not perfect:

  • It’s happiest with Fedora. With Windows ISOs, it’s not the tool I pick.

WoeUSB-ng: Windows from Linux without tears

This is my go-to for Windows 10/11 sticks made on Linux. Grab it from its official GitHub repository. It handles the big install.wim files and sets up the boot bits right.

Real fix:

sudo woeusb --target /dev/sdX --device /home/kayla/Downloads/Win11_23H2_English_x64.iso

Replace sdX with your USB (I check with lsblk). If Secure Boot blocks it, turn Secure Boot off, install Windows, then turn it back on.

Quirks:

  • Some laptops won’t boot it with Secure Boot on
  • It’s picky if the stick is weirdly partitioned; I wipe it first with Disks

mkusb: for live USBs with persistence

Need a live Ubuntu that saves files between boots? mkusb (the “dus” GUI) is my pick.

Real use:

  • I made an Ubuntu 22.04 stick with 8 GB persistence for a road trip. I saved Wi-Fi, notes, and a couple photos. After a week, it still kept my stuff.

Good:

  • Clear prompts that try to protect your hard drive
  • Persistence slider is easy

Less good:

  • The interface looks old school
  • It’s Ubuntu-centric, though I also used it with Debian

Popsicle: write to many sticks at once

I helped set up a classroom lab. Popsicle (from System76) let me flash 10 USBs with the same ISO at the same time.

It did this well:

  • Showed per-drive progress
  • Verified each one

Tiny gripe:

  • It sometimes slowed down on very mixed USB brands. Still fine.

If you’re playing with Chrome-based systems, the walkthrough on how to download and run Linux on FydeOS pairs nicely with a Popsicle-flashed stick and saves a ton of guess-and-check time.

UNetbootin: it still runs, but I use it less

I used UNetbootin for years. It still works with some ISOs.

But:

  • It failed on me with a newer Arch ISO. The stick booted, then froze.
  • It also tweaked boot files in ways I didn’t love.

I keep it as a backup, not my first pick now.

The “dd” hammer: powerful, so be careful

“dd” is fast and built in. But it will wipe the wrong drive if you mess up. I use it when I’m sure.

What I did:

  • Wrote the Arch ISO and checked the sum first

Command I used:

sudo dd if=archlinux-2024.10.01-x86_64.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress conv=fsync

Then I ran:

sync

Please triple-check sdX with lsblk. I say the name out loud before I hit Enter. Silly, but it helps.

A quick story that sold me

Last month, my neighbor’s laptop would not boot. We needed Windows 10, fast. I grabbed my ThinkPad, used WoeUSB to write a fresh Win10 ISO to a 32 GB SanDisk, and turned off Secure Boot on his Lenovo. It booted right away. While Windows installed, I made a Debian 12 stick with GNOME Disks for his old netbook. Two fixes. One porch. One cup of coffee that went cold. Worth it.

While a 15-minute Ventoy write is chewing through USB sectors, I’ll kill the downtime by checking out a lightweight browser-only social site such as Snapsext — it loads quickly, works perfectly in Linux browsers, and lets you chat or flirt without installing anything, so you stay entertained until the progress bar hits 100%.

If casual chat isn’t enough to fill the flashing wait time, you can also scroll through locally focused listings on Backpage Portsmouth where you’ll find quick-hit ads for meet-ups and services, giving you a real-time look at what’s happening around town until your USB stick is ready to boot.

My picks, plain and simple

  • Ventoy when I want one USB that holds many ISOs
  • Etcher when I want a clean GUI and a verify pass
  • GNOME Disks when I want quick and already-installed
  • WoeUSB-ng for Windows 10/11 from Linux
  • mkusb for live USBs with persistence
  • Popsicle for flashing lots of sticks at once

Could you get by with just one? Maybe Ventoy. But I like having a small toolkit. Different jobs, different tools. You know what? That mix keeps me calm when a machine won’t boot and someone is staring at me.

If you’re stuck, start simple: try GNOME Disks or Etcher. If you need Windows, go WoeUSB-ng. And if you’re like me and live out of a backpack

Slime Rancher on Linux: My Hands-On Story

I’m Kayla, and yes, I ranch pink slimes on Linux. I’ve played the first Slime Rancher for years. I ran the native Linux build on my desktop, on a mini PC, and on my Steam Deck OLED. I also tried Slime Rancher 2 with Proton. It wasn’t perfect, but it was sweet and bouncy and so bright. You know what? It made me smile after long work days.
If you want the full log with even more screenshots and benchmark numbers, I posted it on Slime Rancher on Linux: My Hands-On Story over at Desktop Linux Reviews.

My setups (real gear, real play)

  • Desktop: Ubuntu 24.04, Ryzen 5 5600, GTX 1660 Super (driver 550), 16 GB RAM, 1080p monitor
  • Mini PC: Fedora 40, Ryzen 7 7840U (780M iGPU), 32 GB RAM, 1080p TV
  • Handheld: Steam Deck OLED, 512 GB model

Curious whether your own rig can even boot the game? The official Slime Rancher Help Center lays out the exact minimum system requirements for every supported platform—including Linux—so you can double-check before you dive in.

I installed Slime Rancher on Steam. The first game has a Linux version. No hacks needed. Just click Install and play. For Slime Rancher 2, I used Proton 9.0-3 in Steam.
For anyone still shopping for an OS that’s tuned for play, here’s my candid look at the best gaming Linux distro I actually use and why it keeps landing on my rigs.

The first game: smooth and simple

On Ubuntu with the GTX 1660 Super, the native build ran great:

  • 1080p, High settings, VSync off
  • 90–120 FPS in the Dry Reef
  • 70–90 FPS in the Moss Blanket (lots of grass)

I did see one weird thing once. The colors flashed for a second after alt-tabbing. I toggled Fullscreen off and on, and it stopped. It never came back.

On Fedora with the 780M iGPU, it did fine too:

  • 1080p, Medium settings
  • 50–70 FPS most of the time
  • Small dips when I vacuumed huge slime piles. Funny, but true.

Steam Deck OLED? It’s a cozy match:

  • Native build, 800p, Medium, 60 Hz cap
  • 50–60 FPS
  • 2.5–3.5 hours of battery for me, with brightness at 40%. If I roamed the Indigo Quarry at night, it fell a bit faster.

If you’d like a second opinion on squeezing every last frame out of Valve’s handheld, the detailed Steam Deck HQ review of Slime Rancher 2 benchmarks settings, battery life, and performance tips that pair nicely with my own findings.

I tried both keyboard/mouse and a controller. Steam Input picked up my old DualShock 4 with no drama. Rumble worked. The triggers felt nice for vacuuming. I still like the mouse for quick aim, but lounging on the couch with a pad just fits this game.

Small snags and quick fixes

  • Stutter on first launch: shaders had to warm up. It got smooth after a minute.
  • Mouse on multi-monitor: once, the cursor slipped to my second screen. Borderless Windowed fixed it.
  • Save backups: I like to keep my ranch safe. My save files sit here on Linux:
    ~/.config/unity3d/Monomi Park/Slime Rancher
    I copied that folder to a backup drive. Steam Cloud also synced fine for me.

I didn’t use mods much on Linux. I tried a loader once and got crashes. Not worth it for me. The base game feels full.

Slime Rancher 2 on Linux (Proton)

Yes, I played SR2 through Proton on the same Ubuntu box:

  • Proton 9.0-3
  • 1080p, Medium settings
  • 55–80 FPS, with small hitches when new areas loaded

It looked lovely. The first run had a bit of shader stutter. After that, it settled down. On the 780M iGPU, I set it to Low-Medium and got a steady 45–60 FPS. Steam Deck ran it, but I had to keep it on Low and 40 Hz to feel smooth.

One note: SR2 felt heavier on VRAM. I kept the texture setting one notch down on the 1660 Super, and it stayed happy.

If you’re curious about how other games stack up on the penguin-powered platform, swing by Desktop Linux Reviews for plenty of hands-on reports. Start with this roundup of great Linux games I actually play if you need fresh inspiration for your library.

How it feels to play on Linux

This is the part that hooked me. I’d brew mint tea, pop on soft lofi, and walk through the ranch at sunrise. The way the slimes wiggle? It’s silly and warm. I’d stand on the Overgrowth cliff and just look across the bright pink fields. Then a Tabby slime would boop me off the edge. Rude. But cute.
Sometimes when I shut the ranch gates for the night and still want a bit of feel-good interaction, I grab my phone for some light chat; if you’re up for that too, the open and well-moderated community at gay sexting lets LGBTQ+ folks spark safe, playful conversations that keep the good vibes rolling even after the game is closed.

Last winter I packed my Framework laptop for a snow-week in South Lake Tahoe; after evenings corralling slimes in my lodge room, I wanted a quick way to scope out the local nightlife and social events without losing precious game time. Browsing the regional classifieds at Backpage South Lake Tahoe instantly surfaced lounge listings, late-night eateries, and casual meet-ups in one spot, making it easy to pick a fun plan and then dive right back into gaming.

I played a full in-game month on Ubuntu. I raised pink, rock, tabby, honey, and crystal largos. I set up farms for mint mango and odd onions. I messed up a corral once—too many largos, not enough ports—so I woke to a tar party. I laughed, cleaned it up, and built better air nets the next day.

Tips that helped me

  • Turn off VSync if you see input lag.
  • Try Borderless Windowed for easy alt-tab.
  • On Steam Deck, cap at 40 or 60 Hz to save battery.
  • Back up that save folder once in a while.
  • Use a controller if you chill on the couch; use mouse if you speed-farm.

What I loved

  • The Linux native build of the first game just works.
  • Bright, happy vibe. Low stress.
  • Runs well on mid-range parts and on the Deck.
  • Steam Input makes controllers easy.

What bugged me a bit

  • First-run stutter (short, but there).
  • SR2 on Proton needs more tuning. It’s good, not perfect.
  • The mouse on multi-monitor can slip without Borderless Windowed.

Who should play this on Linux

  • You want a soft, bright game after work.
  • Your PC is mid-range, or you have a Steam Deck.
  • You like building little systems—farms, corrals, plots—and watching them hum.
    And if you’re weighing which operating system to plant those slimes on, check out my extended rundown of the best Linux for gaming—real wins and woes included.

If you want heavy modding on Linux, you might bump into walls. If you need rock-solid 120 FPS in every cave, you may need to tweak more than I did.

Bottom line

Slime Rancher on Linux made me happy. The first game runs great natively. Slime Rancher 2 runs fine with Proton once you set it up. I had a few bumps, but nothing that spoiled the charm. I’d play more tonight, but my pink slimes already ate all the hens. Again.