Linux.
While a lot of things do work, some only work ok with vendors not really worrying about a 2% and growing user base.
this post was submitted on 12 Apr 2026
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As a desktop, exactly.
I don't have time to play fuck-fuck with desktop stuff.
For servers/services, Linux is where it's at.
I really want to like Linux, I really do and I only ever install it on laptops that have aged.
But it never reaches my desktop, my mainstay, because it can't do 100% of everything I wanted to. One day, I sat down, opened up a notepad and tried to see what games or what software would work on Linux. My distro of choice would've been Mint, here. So, I found a detailed wiki and combed through what games wouldn't work outright, even with Steam installed. I counted about at least 20+.
As for software, there is no Notepad++ and I refuse to go without it or settle with alternatives. I don't mind alternatives, but I've been using a computer since I was a kid and for years I've had to move on from things I once cherished and happily had as my load-out series of programs to install. I'm just tired of always having to do it and I wasn't going to, to use Linux.
Linux just seems to me, to be best geared for lightweight users at best. Very few can wing it with no problem (obviously long-tenured users and/or programmers). If checking your mail, browsing and streaming is all you care about without the Windows nonsense, with some scattershot choice of gaming, then Linux is for you.
Linux just seems to me, to be best geared for lightweight users at best.
A bold opinion in these towers, for sure.
This is not true:
If checking your mail, browsing and streaming is all you care about without the Windows nonsense, with some scattershot choice of gaming, then Linux is for you.
Everything else in your post is preference, which is fine. I do not understand the love for Notepad++ but that is your choice.
But when you said Linux is basically checking mail and the rare game, well that is nonsense.
I use Linux because I need reliability and no bullshit so I can do my work. I remote into all sorts of environments and deal with Windows often, I would never want any of that on my home or work computer. Windows is too slow and too broken for me to rely on for earning money.
But I also do all my hobbies: music production, photography, graphic design, 3d modeling, 3d printing, creating web pages, etc. There is really nothing I need windows for.
As for games: My library shows 1200 games ready to play, so I am not sure why you say "scattershot". I am playing the latest Resident Evil Requiem right now. Works perfectly, no set up steps at all.
So fine, maybe linux isn't for you, but no reason to spread fud.
What do you mean by the not being able to send 100% of mail? Can you explain that more.. I haven't heard anything about it
Ive been using protein mall for abbot two years now and I am also curious what he means.
The only thing I think it might mean is if you want to use a proton pass/simple login alias to create an account, some businesses prevent you because of fraud prevention.
Proton is not stellar privacy wise either. They claim to be privacy oriented but according to their own transparency report their compliance rate is near 90% and they rarely actively contest the requests. In 2025 data was conceded in over 8000 cases.
--Edit--
In other words they seem to be voluntarily handing out user data to pretty much anyone who happens to ask.
I’m not really sure what people want when they raise this complaint about Proton, it’s going to be true of any company. They can’t refuse a legal order, there’s very few jurisdictions on earth where the authorities will just allow a business to refuse to comply with a legal order and the ones that do are not worth running a business in. As far as I know, they’ve never given up content of emails or traffic logs.
If your threat model includes the authorities of the US or any country you might happen to be in, then you shouldn’t be trusting any business that might be compelled by them.
Legislation does not require blind obedience. Requests can and sometimes should be contested. Proton doesn't seem to be taking a very active approach when it comes to contesting requests.
For example German based tuta seems to be much more active with contests, with reported 75% of user data requests contested/denied, which goes to show that resisting requests can and should be done.
While there are differences between the two companies (tuta being a much smaller player and certainly with its own problems) the difference in compliance percentages is simply staggering.
Iirc signal also doesn't fight requests. They just don't have anything to hand over.
Proton OTOH has plenty of info on their servers, like the recovery email address, your payment info, etc.. It's all optional, but to be safe from governments you need to know what is not safe to tell them.
They could come up with a better scheme for payment, idk why they don't do the automatic gift card method.
Never heard of Proton being rejected anywhere.
My requirements for email are
- Not Google
- Works reliably and can be trusted to do so indefinitely (no small operations that might fold)
- Has decent storage space so I dont have to micromanage deleting/saving emails
- Doesn't have to be spelled out when I verbally tell someone (sorry but tuta fails this one)
I'm using proton for now and it checks all these boxes for me, but would be happy to switch to something more trustworthy if I knew of one.
I'm trying Tuta now, and at the end of the year I'll switch because it doesn't have enough features for me.
Can anyone recommend fastmail? Or alternatives?
Email is de facto not private/secure without adding additional layers to it, so using services like ProtonMail or Tuta are putting lipstick on a pig. They give a false sense of security and privacy that just doesn’t exist without a ton of additional overhead and opsec. Unless you plan to only email other Proton accounts, or use janky one-time password secure messages, your email isn’t E2EE, it’s just encrypted on Protons servers which is table stakes for most paid mail services. They are marketing something that just can’t fully work in the real world. You also then make a ton of trade offs like very limited client support (especially on mobile), and can’t even use S/MIME for compatibility with enterprise secure mail solutions.
To be clear, I think it makes sense to pay for something as critical as email so you aren’t the product, as well is using your own domain for portability. But I don’t recommend folks buy into the false security and privacy promises of services like Proton for email/calendaring.
Jellyfin. Just use that instead of Plex/streaming! Except it keeps using 100% of my server's cpu while idling, and oh wait, you wanted to access it anywhere outside of your LAN? Here's a 10 page document of technical instructions to keep your computer from becoming part of a Russian botnet
Only 10 pages?
Or just use Tailscale.
I've been using proton mail as a PWA since for some reason the desktop app and using a third party app is exclusive to the paid tiers
I like the service but I agree with the weird monetization choices
What is PWA?
Progressive web app Its an app with a web backend
Sorry, pedantry police here. A PWA is just a website which looks and acts like an app when used on a mobile device. You can also add an icon to your launcher/Home Screen to start it, but that’s basically a fancy shortcut.
Nothing wrong with PWAs though! After all, lots of “real” apps are just a wrapper around a website.
This is a much better responce thanks