Subject: What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out?

Hello,

What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out these days?

Details: 13.3" 2020; A2251 model; MWP62LL/A; Intel Core i7 (2.3 GHz; quad-core 10th gen. i7 CPU; 8 MB; L3 cache (Turbo Boost up to 4.1 GHz)), 32 GB of 3733MHz LPDDR4X RAM, 2 TB PCIe-based SSD (FileVault enabled), Intel Iris Plus graphic, macOS Ventura v13.6.7, 4 Tb 3/USB-C ports, etc. from 12/29/2020. Using Apple's USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter with ASUS VA27DQSB 27" 1080P monitor(HDMI) & an old USB-A (with Apple's USB-C to USB Adapter) mouse.

Thank you for reading and hopefully answering soon. :)
--
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Subject: Re: What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out?

Ant wrote:

What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out these days?

Details: 13.3" 2020; A2251 model; MWP62LL/A; Intel Core i7 (2.3 GHz; quad-core 10th gen. i7 CPU; 8 MB; L3 cache (Turbo Boost up to 4.1 GHz)),
32 GB of 3733MHz LPDDR4X RAM, 2 TB PCIe-based SSD (FileVault enabled),
Intel Iris Plus graphic, macOS Ventura v13.6.7, 4 Tb 3/USB-C ports, etc.
from 12/29/2020. Using Apple's USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter with
ASUS VA27DQSB 27" 1080P monitor(HDMI) & an old USB-A (with Apple's USB-C
to USB Adapter) mouse.

Thank you for reading and hopefully answering soon. :)

As far as Linux is concerned, your Macbook is just an x86-64 machine, so...

https://distrowatch.com/search.php?category=Live+Medium&architecture=x86_64

Top result (rated by "popularity") is MX Linux. Personally, I use Slackware.

--
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Subject: Re: What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out?

In comp.os.linux.portable Auric__ <not.my.real@email.address> wrote:

Ant wrote:

What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out these days?

Details: 13.3" 2020; A2251 model; MWP62LL/A; Intel Core i7 (2.3 GHz; quad-core 10th gen. i7 CPU; 8 MB; L3 cache (Turbo Boost up to 4.1 GHz)),
32 GB of 3733MHz LPDDR4X RAM, 2 TB PCIe-based SSD (FileVault enabled), Intel Iris Plus graphic, macOS Ventura v13.6.7, 4 Tb 3/USB-C ports, etc. from 12/29/2020. Using Apple's USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter with
ASUS VA27DQSB 27" 1080P monitor(HDMI) & an old USB-A (with Apple's USB-C
to USB Adapter) mouse.

Thank you for reading and hopefully answering soon. :)

As far as Linux is concerned, your Macbook is just an x86-64 machine, so...

https://distrowatch.com/search.php?category=Live+Medium&architecture=x86_64

Top result (rated by "popularity") is MX Linux. Personally, I use Slackware.

So any distributions will work all the hardware features in this 2020 Intel MBP?
--
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Subject: Re: What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot
from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out?

On Thu, 7/25/2024 1:47 PM, Ant wrote:

Hello,

What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out these days?

Details: 13.3" 2020; A2251 model; MWP62LL/A; Intel Core i7 (2.3 GHz; quad-core 10th gen. i7 CPU; 8 MB; L3 cache (Turbo Boost up to 4.1 GHz)), 32 GB of 3733MHz LPDDR4X RAM, 2 TB PCIe-based SSD (FileVault enabled), Intel Iris Plus graphic, macOS Ventura v13.6.7, 4 Tb 3/USB-C ports, etc. from 12/29/2020. Using Apple's USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter with ASUS VA27DQSB 27" 1080P monitor(HDMI) & an old USB-A (with Apple's USB-C to USB Adapter) mouse.

Thank you for reading and hopefully answering soon. :)

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/threads/linux-on-intel-macbooks.451599/

"The later Intel Macbooks have a security chip that might make Linux
a bit harder but the ones till 2015 seem to be able to boot just about anything.

The ones before 2015 can do both UEFI and MBR booting. Grub installed
painlessly but can only boot Linux and Windows. The native Mac bootloader
sees the grub installation as "Boot EFI" and MacOS by the disk label
and either can be set as the startup disk."

You'd need to find out the detail about the security chip.

"The T2 chip delivers capabilities to your Mac, such as encrypted storage and
secure boot capabilities, enhanced image signal processing, and security
for Touch ID data."

Example of the utility and controls.

"About Startup Security Utility on a Mac with the Apple T2 Security Chip"

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/102522

There is still more to learn on the topic. Like, will you have to
enter that utility on each Linux run ? Or for each boot OS change ?

I have a TPM on my machine, but it's not normally engaged for
any purpose. It's not neutered, but on the other hand, it's
not being used. That's the kind of topical material you have
to find, like in a Mac group (or in the Apple forum, or
one of the Apple Enthusiast web sites). Details on how the
T2 chip, interacts with *each* boot choice.

Since you are only booting the Live version, it's possible
you don't have to do anything. Except, figure out how
you can select the USB stick as the boot media. There is
one key press for a Mac, where you can get it to consider
the DVD drive at boot time, and maybe a similar thing
works for a USB stick. The last machine I bought from Apple,
was old enough it did not boot from USB. The USB sucked (USB 1.1).
That has likely changed (since Firewire has lost its gleam).

Good luck, Cybernaut.

Paul

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Subject: Re: What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot
from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out?

On 25/07/2024 20.58, Ant wrote:

In comp.os.linux.portable Auric__ <not.my.real@email.address> wrote:

Ant wrote:

What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot from a
bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out these days?

Details: 13.3" 2020; A2251 model; MWP62LL/A; Intel Core i7 (2.3 GHz;
quad-core 10th gen. i7 CPU; 8 MB; L3 cache (Turbo Boost up to 4.1 GHz)), >>> 32 GB of 3733MHz LPDDR4X RAM, 2 TB PCIe-based SSD (FileVault enabled),
Intel Iris Plus graphic, macOS Ventura v13.6.7, 4 Tb 3/USB-C ports, etc. >>> from 12/29/2020. Using Apple's USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter with
ASUS VA27DQSB 27" 1080P monitor(HDMI) & an old USB-A (with Apple's USB-C >>> to USB Adapter) mouse.

Thank you for reading and hopefully answering soon. :)

As far as Linux is concerned, your Macbook is just an x86-64 machine, so...

https://distrowatch.com/search.php?category=Live+Medium&architecture=x86_64

Top result (rated by "popularity") is MX Linux. Personally, I use Slackware.

So any distributions will work all the hardware features in this 2020 Intel MBP?

The majority of amd64 (alias x86_64) based distros should work out of
the box.

--
//Aho

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Subject: Re: What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out?

In alt.linux J.O. Aho <user@example.net> wrote:

On 25/07/2024 20.58, Ant wrote:

In comp.os.linux.portable Auric__ <not.my.real@email.address> wrote:

Ant wrote:

What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot from a >>> bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out these days?

Details: 13.3" 2020; A2251 model; MWP62LL/A; Intel Core i7 (2.3 GHz;
quad-core 10th gen. i7 CPU; 8 MB; L3 cache (Turbo Boost up to 4.1 GHz)), >>> 32 GB of 3733MHz LPDDR4X RAM, 2 TB PCIe-based SSD (FileVault enabled), >>> Intel Iris Plus graphic, macOS Ventura v13.6.7, 4 Tb 3/USB-C ports, etc. >>> from 12/29/2020. Using Apple's USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter with >>> ASUS VA27DQSB 27" 1080P monitor(HDMI) & an old USB-A (with Apple's USB-C >>> to USB Adapter) mouse.

Thank you for reading and hopefully answering soon. :)

As far as Linux is concerned, your Macbook is just an x86-64 machine, so...

https://distrowatch.com/search.php?category=Live+Medium&architecture=x86_64

Top result (rated by "popularity") is MX Linux. Personally, I use Slackware.

So any distributions will work all the hardware features in this 2020 Intel MBP?

The majority of amd64 (alias x86_64) based distros should work out of
the box.

I tried https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current-live/amd64/iso-hybrid/debian-live-12.6.0-amd64-kde.iso, but its wifi didn't work. I guess no wifi driver.
--
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Subject: Re: What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out?

In comp.os.linux.portable Ant <ant@zimage.comant> wrote:

I tried https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current-live/amd64/iso-hybrid/debian-live-12.6.0-amd64-kde.iso,
but its wifi didn't work.

Is a wireless interface listed by the iwconfig command (in a
terminal window)? That would mean a driver is loaded but not
working or unconfigured.

I guess no wifi driver.

Based on this page that seems likely because it claims that Apple
Macbooks have used Broadcom WiFi chipsets since 2008, and those
drivers aren't included in Debian by defaut because they're classed
as "non-free":
https://wiki.debian.org/MacBook/Wireless

The page was last modified in 2013 though, so you should run lspci
in a terminal and see what model the WiFi chipset is in the list it
shows.

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Subject: Re: What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out?

On 2024-07-27, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:

In comp.os.linux.portable Ant <ant@zimage.comant> wrote:

I tried
https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current-live/amd64/iso-hybrid/debian-live-12.6.0-amd64-kde.iso,
but its wifi didn't work.

Is a wireless interface listed by the iwconfig command (in a
terminal window)? That would mean a driver is loaded but not
working or unconfigured.

I guess no wifi driver.

Based on this page that seems likely because it claims that Apple
Macbooks have used Broadcom WiFi chipsets since 2008, and those
drivers aren't included in Debian by defaut because they're classed
as "non-free":
https://wiki.debian.org/MacBook/Wireless

What that page states seems to be that the Broadcom WLAN NICs used in
MacBooks "work"[*] with the in-kernel open driver, and that the
proprietary part missing is the firmware[**].

[*] As far as a Broadcom Wireless NIC can work, which isn't much, hence
the quotes. I really, really hope that the problem is that you have
some rfkill switch enabled, and that you do *not* have a Broadcom
interface. The article mentions Atheros too, if you're lucky you
have one of these, that actually work well for wireless
connectivity.

[**] Pay attention to the firmware version, I don't know how is it in
Debian, but Broadcom has in the past released newer versions (6.*)
of firmware that just don't work, unless you define "work" to mean
"can sometimes connect to APs, we didn't bother checking if it can
actually be used to sustain a network connection". Using version
5.* is required for at least some Broadcom NICs.

The page was last modified in 2013 though, so you should run lspci
in a terminal and see what model the WiFi chipset is in the list it
shows.

--
Nuno Silva

(Given this appears to be on-topic for all groups in Newsgroups:, I'm
keeping them all, but I only follow comp.os.linux.hardware.)

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Subject: Re: What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot
from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out?

On Fri, 7/26/2024 7:15 PM, Ant wrote:

In alt.linux J.O. Aho <user@example.net> wrote:

On 25/07/2024 20.58, Ant wrote:

In comp.os.linux.portable Auric__ <not.my.real@email.address> wrote:

Ant wrote:

What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot from a >>>>> bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out these days?

Details: 13.3" 2020; A2251 model; MWP62LL/A; Intel Core i7 (2.3 GHz; >>>>> quad-core 10th gen. i7 CPU; 8 MB; L3 cache (Turbo Boost up to 4.1 GHz)), >>>>> 32 GB of 3733MHz LPDDR4X RAM, 2 TB PCIe-based SSD (FileVault enabled), >>>>> Intel Iris Plus graphic, macOS Ventura v13.6.7, 4 Tb 3/USB-C ports, etc. >>>>> from 12/29/2020. Using Apple's USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter with >>>>> ASUS VA27DQSB 27" 1080P monitor(HDMI) & an old USB-A (with Apple's USB-C >>>>> to USB Adapter) mouse.

Thank you for reading and hopefully answering soon. :)

As far as Linux is concerned, your Macbook is just an x86-64 machine, so...

https://distrowatch.com/search.php?category=Live+Medium&architecture=x86_64

Top result (rated by "popularity") is MX Linux. Personally, I use Slackware.

So any distributions will work all the hardware features in this 2020 Intel MBP?

The majority of amd64 (alias x86_64) based distros should work out of
the box.

I tried https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current-live/amd64/iso-hybrid/debian-live-12.6.0-amd64-kde.iso, but its wifi didn't work. I guess no wifi driver.

When Wifi questions come up, it helps to collect

lspci
lsusb

or whatever, to get some idea what hardware is in the box.

This helps focus the discussion on the correct recipe.

The Broadcom drivers, there were at one time, too many of
them, so the install procedure needs a blacklist to get
rid of the ones not wanted. Broadcom is a challenge on
a vanilla Linux effort, and the Mac situation is not
going to change that. It should be just as hard to do on
the Mac. Other brands of Wifi, the driver situation
isn't as messed up.

At one time, a popular RealTek Wifi was not in distros,
and you had to track down a solution from some web site.
I think that one has made it into distros now, so that
should disappear from the "list of nuisances".

The Broadcom should be cleaned up by now. I think more
than one person has figured it out. Whether it is cleaned up
though, only someone with the Broadcom can tell us.

*******

Example. I searched for "Broadcom wl blacklist", where "wl"
is likely to be the one that works. Broadcom is the gift that
keeps on giving.

https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/511570/blacklisted-broadcom-drivers-are-still-loaded

Paul

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Subject: Re: What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot
from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out?

Ant wrote:

I tried https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current-live/amd64/iso-hybrid/debian-live-12.6.0-amd64-kde.iso, but its wifi didn't work. I guess no wifi driver.

In my experience, MX does better w/ broadcom wifi than 'regular' Deb or Ub.

--
Mike Easter

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Subject: Re: What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot
from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out?

On Sat, 7/27/2024 12:28 PM, Mike Easter wrote:

Ant wrote:

I tried https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current-live/amd64/iso-hybrid/debian-live-12.6.0-amd64-kde.iso, but its wifi didn't work. I guess no wifi driver.

In my experience, MX does better w/ broadcom wifi than 'regular' Deb or Ub.

https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Apple_MacBook_Pro_13-inch_%282020,_Intel,_Four_Thunderbolt_3_Ports%29#Wifi

e5:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries BCM4364 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter [14e4:4464] (rev 04)
Subsystem: Apple Inc. Device [106b:07bf]
Kernel modules: brcmfmac

Wireless LAN
Broadcom BCM4364 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter
Works
PCI 14e4:4464
brcmfmac
kernel 6.9.4 needs firmware that is not in linux-firmware.git, see #Wifi

Wifi
Several methods to obtain Wifi firmware are described in the t2linux documentation

https://wiki.t2linux.org/guides/wifi-bluetooth/

"... apple-bcm-firmware ..."

See, a project in the making.

You got a space ship that doesn't have landing gear.
Everyone likes a challenge.

Paul


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Subject: Re: What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out?

In comp.os.linux.portable Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> wrote:

On 2024-07-27, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:

Based on this page that seems likely because it claims that Apple
Macbooks have used Broadcom WiFi chipsets since 2008, and those
drivers aren't included in Debian by defaut because they're classed
as "non-free":
https://wiki.debian.org/MacBook/Wireless

What that page states seems to be that the Broadcom WLAN NICs used in MacBooks "work"[*] with the in-kernel open driver, and that the
proprietary part missing is the firmware[**].

Ah right, I wasn't sure if it was like a Realtek Ethernet driver I
use where Debian put it in "non-free" because it includes the
firmware as binary data in the driver's source code. There's also
an in-kernel driver for that which is "free" but it doesn't work at
all (it just creates a network interface that doesn't do anything).

[*] As far as a Broadcom Wireless NIC can work, which isn't much, hence
the quotes.

Well my home WiFi actually runs from a Broadcom chip in a wireless
router running OpenWrt (and the b43 driver with firmware files in /lib/firmware/b43, I see, not sure which package they came from).
It is rather crippled for performance with the Linux driver, but
hasn't been unreliable.

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Subject: Re: What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to
boot from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out?

["Followup-To:" header set to alt.linux.]
On 2024-07-25, Ant <ant@zimage.comANT> wrote:

Hello,

What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out these days?

Details: 13.3" 2020; A2251 model; MWP62LL/A; Intel Core i7 (2.3 GHz; quad-core 10th gen. i7 CPU; 8 MB; L3 cache (Turbo Boost up to 4.1 GHz)), 32 GB of 3733MHz LPDDR4X RAM, 2 TB PCIe-based SSD (FileVault enabled), Intel Iris Plus graphic, macOS Ventura v13.6.7, 4 Tb 3/USB-C ports, etc. from 12/29/2020. Using Apple's USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter with ASUS VA27DQSB 27" 1080P monitor(HDMI) & an old USB-A (with Apple's USB-C to USB Adapter) mouse.

Thank you for reading and hopefully answering soon. :)

I ran Puppy Linux as my go-to USB bootable distro. Very well suited to
running off a USB stick, easy to use and good configuration utilities.

https://puppylinux-woof-ce.github.io/

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Subject: Re: What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot
from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out?

On 28/07/2024 02.04, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:

In comp.os.linux.portable Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> wrote:

[*] As far as a Broadcom Wireless NIC can work, which isn't much, hence
the quotes.

Well my home WiFi actually runs from a Broadcom chip in a wireless
router running OpenWrt (and the b43 driver with firmware files in /lib/firmware/b43, I see, not sure which package they came from).
It is rather crippled for performance with the Linux driver, but
hasn't been unreliable.

I had the b43 on a laptop I once had (a HP, don't remember the model
number), it was a bit of a pita, but then they released the NdisWrapper
and you could use the ms-windows driver, worked for the most of the
time, sometimes you needed to reboot to get the wifi to work, that was
before there was an open source driver that worked.

--
//Aho


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Subject: Re: What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot
from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out?

On 25/07/2024 20:11, Paul wrote:

"The later Intel Macbooks have a security chip that might make Linux
a bit harder but the ones till 2015 seem to be able to boot just about anything=========================

Yes ,indeed . My Macbook Pro from 2011 happily runs Mint 21.3 be it that
the original HDD has been replaced by a SSD
The original HDD has been fitted inside a external SATA enclosure (+ USB cable) and serves as an external Data disk

Frank in County Wicklow - Ireland

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On 7/25/24 13:47, Ant wrote:

Hello,

What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out these days?

Details: 13.3" 2020; A2251 model; MWP62LL/A; Intel Core i7 (2.3 GHz; quad-core 10th gen. i7 CPU; 8 MB; L3 cache (Turbo Boost up to 4.1 GHz)), 32 GB of 3733MHz LPDDR4X RAM, 2 TB PCIe-based SSD (FileVault enabled), Intel Iris Plus graphic, macOS Ventura v13.6.7, 4 Tb 3/USB-C ports, etc. from 12/29/2020. Using Apple's USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter with ASUS VA27DQSB 27" 1080P monitor(HDMI) & an old USB-A (with Apple's USB-C to USB Adapter) mouse.

Thank you for reading and hopefully answering soon. :)

If your internet is cheap try several of them, the 'best' will be your
own taste

Suse Tumbleweed
https://ftp.riken.jp/Linux/opensuse/tumbleweed/iso/

Artix
https://iso.artixlinux.org/isos.php

Slackware
https://slackware.nl/slackware-live/latest/

Devuan https://ftp.nluug.nl/pub/os/Linux/distr/devuan/devuan_daedalus/desktop-live/devuan_daedalus_5.0.0_amd64_desktop-live.iso

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Subject: Re: What are the best live (not installing yet) Linux distro to boot
from a bootable USB stick in a 13.3" 2020 Intel MBP to try out?

On 9/15/24 14:08, wicklowham wrote:

On 25/07/2024 20:11, Paul wrote:

"The later Intel Macbooks have a security chip that might make Linux
     a bit harder but the ones till 2015 seem to be able to boot just >> about anything=========================

Yes ,indeed . My Macbook Pro from 2011 happily runs Mint 21.3 be it that
the original HDD has been replaced by a SSD
The original HDD has been fitted inside a external SATA enclosure (+ USB cable) and serves as an external Data disk

Frank in County Wicklow - Ireland

Don't buy the latest Windows machines just refurbished high end formerly Windows machines. That is just what my Dell 7730 is with 6 i7 cores.

bliss- Dell Precision 7730- PCLOS 2024.09- Linux 6.6.51-Plasma 5.27.11

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* Origin: none at all (2:250/1@fidonet)