If you’re looking to start streaming live video from your Linux computer, then you’ll need to choose the correct software. Whether you’re trying to stream your webcam, your screen, gameplay, or anything else, this article will help you to choose and configure the right software on Linux. Twitch is one very popular video streaming service, and YouTube now offers similar functionality. Source ..read more

Gaming on Linux has always been a challenge, considering most games are designed to work on Windows only. If you’re a Linux user, and you want to cut Microsoft’s closed-source software from your life entirely, you can still play your games on your favorite Linux distro. Recently, there’s been an explosion of interest in Linux gaming, and more and more games are being released with Linux support. Source ..read more

As more people come to Linux, those of us who help the Windows refugees make the switch will need to be very patient with them. The more someone knows about Windows, the more likely it is that they will break Linux. Handing them a Linux laptop and saying, “Here ya go…” is not enough if they are going to succeed. You’re going to have to hold their hand for a while and telling them to “RTFM” will just drive them back to Windows. Understanding why they struggle as much as they do will help you to help them avoid some of the common pitfalls. I specialize in helping people get started with Linux. I ..read more

The release of Ubuntu 16.04 LTS is right around the corner and lots of users will be reloading their systems to take advantage of all the new features and updated software. Also, many other distributions are based on Ubuntu’s LTS versions, so all of you Linux Mint, elementary OS, Linux Lite and Zorin users can look forward to new versions coming along in the coming months, all based on Ubuntu 16.04. This means that lots of folks are going to be reloading their machines to get a nice clean install, so I’m going to present to you some tips and tricks that will make your system faster and more fl ..read more

Both Manjaro vs Antergos are rolling release Linux distributions that are derived from Arch Linux. On the surface, they might appear to share a number of similarities. But it’s also important to realize that these two distros have some stark differences. Before we get too deep into the Manjaro vs Antergos similarities, let’s first look at the roots of these two distributions – Arch Linux. The Arch Linux Way According to the Arch Linux website, Arch is designed to meet some very simple goals. Arch is designed to be fast, efficient and lightweight. In many respects, it’s arguably one of the best ..read more

There are so many reasons why you might want to try a new distribution. For all intents and purposes, the desktop has very few jobs when it comes to the “average” user. You need a desktop that: Runs a web browser; and if you’re a Google Docs user, you can skip the next item! Runs a productivity suite. (Optional) Can run a casual game or two. Can do these few jobs reliably and securely. That’s it! And it doesn’t hurt that it looks nice and runs fast. It’s not that you’re less demanding. You just want something that works. I know. We’re all sick of hearing that expression. This week I chose to ..read more

If you have a low-resource computer, one with a small screen like some laptops, or are even someone just looking for something different to try, a tiling window manager could be a good option. They’re not for everybody, but then they’re not just for command-line commandos either. I’m a keyboard guy, I like using keyboard shortcuts and keeping my hands on the keyboard as much as possible. Besides, I suck at touch typing and reaching for the mouse constantly just throws me all out of whack when I go back to the keyboard. It’s one of the reasons I was a KDE user for such a long time. KDE’s Plasma ..read more

It seems like only yesterday that Skype came onto the scene. Suddenly, the idea of making calls over the Internet felt completely doable. Before this, the alternatives were pretty limited. I forget my first experiences with Skype, but I remember some of the “boutique” distros at the time we’re bundling with it (Xandros, etc). Well, according to this page the party is over. Seems he’s still under the impression Microsoft gives two rips about Linux users or their non-enterprise customers. Fun fact, Microsoft doesn’t care. Don’t get me wrong, I think Skype’s download page still making reference t ..read more

I have been watching the progress with Solus Linux from afar for some time now. I’ve even had other Freedom Penguin contributors share their thoughts on Solus. So when I decided to give everyone my review, I wanted to make sure I cover the basics…then move on to the stuff I cared about – using it as a daily driver. Solus is not based on any other distro. It’s a Linux unto itself and this article shares my experience with it. Solus Review – The installation Honestly, installing any modern Linux distro is incredibly uneventful and boring. This isn’t a bad thing, rather a point of fact we need to ..read more

People are coming to Linux in droves these days. They each have their own reasons. It could be a desire to get out from under the thumb of proprietary software’s limitations, privacy concerns or just plain old economics. Some of them find a whole new world of computing happiness and others walk away frustrated. Why is that? How you approach learning something new usually will determine just how successful you are at learning it. It’s all about attitude. Learning is a journey and those who cling to the fear of not reaching a pleasant destination usually quit before they start and stay right whe ..read more