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Linux    6/1/2026

NixOS is Debian based and uses 3 configuration files that can be migrated to different devices - it’s a great idea until it isn’t. The only problem is I could not get a JavaFX program (kmttg for Tivo downloads) to run, as Nix does not support dynamic linked libraries, where on Debian/Ubuntu it was automatic with the initial installation. They have meaningless terms, such as flakes which is a differenct type of coding versus nix coding. After days of trying snippets of code, it was not worth all this troubleshooting to get this type of program running.

BRIX was on Ubuntu XFCE4 since its purchase, but now running Debian 13 Trixie. It consumes less than 13w and hosts a copy of jacktechie.com. This is my everyday machine. It has stuff and backups accessible from the other computers. Pi-hole blocks ads for the entire network. All my machines run the XFCE desktop environment as it is low resource versus GNOME, KDE, MATE, or Cinnamon.

Even on Windows machines, Windows System for Linux (WSL2) Debian is running on each one. Yes, Microsoft admits that Linux is useful.

A newer NAS from Asustor AS5404T, which runs a slimmed down version of Debian, replaced both D-Link DNS325 and Xyzel NAS326 Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices run Linux and have a modified operating system for Secure Shell access, backup and sync options.

A Raspberry Pi 4B with 8GB RAM and 16GB storage runs Raspberry Pi OS arm64 based on Debian with a modified LXDE desktop environment. This can drive up to 2 monitors at 3840x2160@60Hz.

 Linux stuff
Linux is a free open source operating system. Companies using this OS in return supply information about those products. Tivo, Network Attached Storage, Sandisk Sansa series of MP3 players, Android phones and tablets are some items that third party developers have made addins or modifications to.

A major problem of Linux are the various distributions. Each distribution has a different look and feel, different ways to install programs, along with certain peculiarities. Ubuntu is based on Debian. Linux Mint, also based on Debian, emulates Windows.

My first Linux machines were
... a AT&T Globalyst 630 with a Pentium 100MHz CPU and 256kB internal cache.
64MB EDO RAM, integrated S3 Trio 64 graphics with 1MB video RAM
540MB Quantum SCSI hard drive, Nakamichi 4 by 8x changer picky on CDR and won't read CDRWs
SCSI controller is a Diamond Fireport 40 (Symbios 875 driver)
WAN NIC is a Hawking RTL8139 and LAN NIC is a Netgear FA310TX (generic Tulip driver)
Everything is tied into a Sohoware 8 port 10/100 hub.
Printer is an HP6MP Postscript with 19MB memory.

It had Mandrake 8.1 (2.4.8 kernel) but was too difficult to update individual applications so I switched to Debian. The necessary files to run a firewall, NAT, print server, DNS server, Internet proxy takes about 285MB or 68% of the disk. I can compile the kernel on another machine or put in a 212MB drive.

Ubuntu 7.10 was loaded onto an Acer Aspire 5601 laptop, which recognized all of the hardware without a problem. My main machine runs Windows XP Pro, Vista which is used only to help others, and Ubuntu 8.04.1 Desktop 64 bit.