New to Linux

Framework Laptop 12 Linux
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Since Windows 11 keeps bothering me with messages and ads, Office keeps making odd writing suggestions, and the AI features don’t really work as they should, I’ve decided to leave Microsoft behind.

Up to now, I’ve only ever installed Linux briefly (different distros) just to test things and play around. But honestly, I don’t really have any idea what I’m doing.Since Fedora was recommended here and the option of having multiple desktops sounded interesting, I decided to install it.

Is there a good website or source that explains, in noob-friendly terms, what’s useful or necessary to set up after installation?

Thanks!

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Even though I’ve been using it for a few years, I’m basically a Linux noob too. After I installed Fedora, there really wasn’t anything else I had to do or set up other than going through the settings to configure stuff like the touchpad behavior (tap to click, for example), set a background picture, copy over my data/documents, and install some programs. Everything just worked.

There is plenty you can add/configure/customize if you want, but you really don’t have to.

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There’s a lot of power you can delve into if you’re interested, but for the most part, it should just work.

My recommendation would be to figure out how to make regular backups of your home directory (that’s where all of your personal data is stored), and then just play with it as the mood strikes you. As long as you keep an up-to-date backup of that directory at all times, you shouldn’t be able to do any permanent damage – a simple reinstall and restore of your data should get you back to a working system, regardless of what else you do to it, software-wise.

I’ve been watching the Dual-Boot Diaries on YouTube, a pair of long-time Windows users and Linux beginners (I’d term them “advanced beginners”) playing around with the OS, with the aim of deleting either Linux or Windows from their systems permanently when they’re done. I’ve been using Linux since 2007 and I’m comfortable with it, but it’s interesting seeing it through fresh eyes. It could show you some things you weren’t aware of.

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Most Linux distros are very easy to install.

Framework has step-by-step instructions for installing Fedora 43

https://guides.frame.work/Guide/Fedora+43+Installation+on+the+Framework+Laptop+12/673?lang=en

I would suggest using Fedora 43 with the KDE Plasma interface. KDE Plasma’s interface can easily be configured to be very similar to Windows 11 or Windows 7 or Windows XP so it’s very easy for a Windows user to make the transition to Linux using the KDE Plasma interface.

If you would like to try installing a different Linux distro once you’ve become comfortable using Linux, I would recommend trying MX-Linux or LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition) which are very easy for new Linux users.

You can also go to www.distrowatch.com to find excellent reviews of different versions of Linux and find the links to the official websites for different Linux distributions.

Most Linux distribution websites will have detailed step-by-step instructions for how to install their versions of Linux. They also have user forums which are great places to ask any questions you have about installing, configuring, or fixing problems with their Linux distros.

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Thanks for your answers.

I don’t want to use dual boot. I tried it a few years ago and always ended up in Windows, because that’s where I knew how to do things.So i never used linux. xD

The system is already installed. There’s really no problem installing Linux – it’s basically the same as with Windows: create a USB stick, plug it in, and go.

I just want to make sure Fedora isn’t missing anything important that I should have installed (for example, a firewall).

Thanks for your backup advice, I’ll definitely do that!

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Like many Linux distros, Fedora 43 with KDE Plasma installs a firewall by default. Most Linux distros will install a good basic set of applications and you can easily use the Discover program to install any additional apps that you want. It’s good to hear that you’re planning to try using Linux exclusively. I’ve been using Linux exclusively for 29 years and have been able to do everything I’ve wanted to do on a computer with Linux. In the early years, for some things it probably would have been easier to do them with a Windows app instead of with a Linux app. But today, there are Linux apps which are as good or better than the corresponding Windows or Mac apps for everything I want to do. And, as frosting on the cake, unlike Windows or Mac, Linux won’t force you to buy a new computer every five to eight years unless you want to.

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If that was aimed at my Dual Boot Diaries comment, don’t worry, dual-booting only gets the occasional mention. It’s almost entirely about Linux itself.

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Okay… First problem, I’m too stupid to solve.

I want to get access to my cloud service pCloud.

They offer an AppImage for Linux…I split up some space, but it won’t write in it…

I ready that I Had to install a Fuße library. I tried

sudo apt install fuse

–> Command not found

Any advice?

Edit: Okay - the Enabling ist Missing. Allowing to Run as a program. No glue how to do with Fedora. Just bootet lxmint to test.

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I hesitated before replying… incomplete information that has no specific application to your stated problem can be confusing or plain annoying. Apologies then if this is not helpful.

Most distros can be thought of as links in chains of successive customisations that often have specific use cases or workflows in mind.

For the purpose of explaining the “command not found” error, we can focus to 2 such chains: Fedora, which you have chosen, is in the “Red Hat” chain; the apt suite of package management commands is native to the “Debian” chain. Within the Red Hat chain, the package manager is called rpm.

It is essential that you understand these distinctions when attempting to self-help with online searches.

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GUI-programs can be installed using the graphical tool discover. Libraries and command-line (CLI) programs have to be installed manually.

Therefore open a terminal-application (in KDE Plasma it’s called Konsole) and use the tool `dnf` in Fedora. As said by @truffaldino `apt` is the packagemanager of Debian and its derivates (as Ubuntu, etc).

To search a program or something type:

dnf search fuse

I don’t know fedora, and don’t know your cloud-app, but I would try the normal `fuse` package, hoping it will bring the libraries you need.

So doing

dnf install fuse

could do the trick.

So next. Appimages are executable files. But on the filesystem in Linux a file can only be executed if the permission for execution is set on the file. When downloading a file from the internet this permission is not set.

Let’s take a look at permissions… Again in the terminal type:

ls -lh

to see your files and folders.

In front you see something like `drwxrwxrwx`. Some of the letters are just a “-” So `drw-rw—`.

The first letter tells you some additional information. A “d” tells you, it’s a directory. It there ist a “-” it’s a file (or link, etc).

Then there are three groups of potential “rwx”. Those mean “r=read”, “w=write”, “x=eXecute”. And they are thee time there because the permissions can be set for 1. the user the file belongs to, 2. the group the file belongs to, and 3. the rest of the world (all users).

-rw-r--r-- 1 narf narf 217K  1. Sep 18:40 CachyOS.pdf

This is a pdf-file. belonging to user “narf” and group “narf”. The user “narf” may read and write the file. Users in the group “narf” may read the file. All other users may also read the file. Noone, not even “root” can execute the file.

What you need for your appimage is the execution-bit set.

The easiest is with:

chmod u+x FILENAME

`chmod` changes the modes. `u+x` says for the user add the x (execution)-bit.

Then you could run the file just by clicking or double-clicking.

Ah I think with dolphin (the filemanager of KDE Plasma), you can set the executable with a right-click on the file… This might be easier :wink:

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The nice thing about Linux is that it comes with everything you need by default. Like if there was something important that would be missing, the developers would probaby just include it in the next version.

The only exception is stuff that they can’t include for legal reasons, like your Steam games obviously, or some patented media codecs and so on, you can get the latter from rpmfusion.

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Thanks for your help – I got everything running well except for two things:

a) My mouse – no priority.
b) The stylus doesn’t work properly.

I even installed Windows (which was much harder than installing Linux because of missing drivers). The stylus works perfectly with OneNote. I tried every stylus note app I could find in Fedora and Mint, but I could only write in two of them, and the experience was poor. Its the first time using a stilus.

Edit: i tried both MPP or USI in BIOS. Currently in Win 10 its USI.

Is there a guide on how to make the stylus work well in Linux?

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Thanks for the replies to this question which is very similar to one I had. I am a retired teacher who was effectively bound into using MS Office and so am used to windows and so bought my Framework with W11 installed 18 months ago now. I still do quite a bit of hobby academic stuff, writing articles for journals giving talks etc. However I have been happily using Libre Office for a few years and find it fine for my weird Spreadsheets and for giving Talks using the Presentation and Drawing packages and I know this should work in Linux fine. I am currently undergoing extensive medical treatment that is causing a bit of brain fog (you can tell from the rambling) so will wait a few months before I jump but was eyeing up the 1 T expansion card as an option to try dual booting for a bit to see how I get on - hence I have copied some of the links above to look at later. Well done all above for good question and answers.

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I haven’t yet used the stylus for taking notes. Maybe someone can chime in on a particular app that works well. But I am running Fedora on two FW 12s, and the stylus works fine for me when drawing in a couple of different apps. I’ve only used drawing programs though, not note taking ones.

Edit: What is the issue with your mouse? I regularly use a Logitech MX Master 3S, connected via bluetooth, and it works great, no setup and no issues. I just connected it and started using it.

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My problem with the stylus (when it works) is that even when it’s not touching the screen and is about 1 cm away, it still writes or draws on the screen.

I tried at least the following:

  • Xournal/Xournal++ (can’t draw or write – no input?)
  • Saber (I have to press the second button to draw, and the 1 cm problem)
  • Scrivano (doesn’t work)
  • Rnote (1 cm problem or doesn’t work, depending in Mint or Fedora)

Mouse: The Logitech M650 wasn’t found via Bluetooth, but since I need the stylus, I haven’t tried anything for it yet.

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Strange. On mine, the stylus is detected about 1 cm away and puts a cursor on the screen, but doesn’t draw until I touch it against the screen. Maybe something is off on the stylus itself, like it is erroneously registering a little bit of pressure all the time (maybe an issue with the strain gauge in the stylus)?

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That’s why I tried the behavior in Windows.

Downloaded Fedora KDE. It works with Xournal++…

It keeps getting stranger and stranger.

Edit: I will go with Fedora KDE for now. Everything seems to work… except for this Mouse which my Bluetooth device wont find.

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If KDE is working for you, that’s good.

But just to throw a little bit of confusion into the mix, lol, I just installed Saber on my machine running Fedora Workstation (GNOME), since that is one you listed as basically having both issues. It worked for me without issue. No need to push a button, no drawing while I’m 1cm away. Stylus writing just worked.

Do you have any other bluetooth devices to test to see if it will detect any of them? Maybe the bluetooth antenna isn’t connected or something.

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Since I’m new to Linux, it doesn’t really matter which desktop environment or distribution I use at first. I have to look everything up and get used to new things anyway. I think once I’ve done that, switching later would be more difficult. For now, the most important thing is that everything works.

Since my Bluetooth adapter detects several devices, I assume it’s working in general. However, I’ve never actually connected it to anything yet.

And it isnt the Mouse. In Win she works fine.

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Well, I really got carried away with this post below…
I understand that you have already chosen your distribution and desktop environment, but I will publish the post anyway, in case you or someone else will find it useful.

Trust me, it really does. If you are new, you likely won’t last even five minutes against something like i3 or Sway (unless you are a real advanced power user).

When it comes to distribution, I would recommend you Bazzite (or anything else from Universal Blue). It is Fedora Kinoite/Silverblue on steroids.
It is immutable/atomic (read “hard to break”) extremely popular and officially supported and tested by Framework.

When it comes to the desktop environment, you have two main choices: GNOME and KDE Plasma. There are always Cinnamon (if you are really into Windows), Pantheon (if you are really into macOS) and brand new COSMIC but they are less common to find by default thus harder to install, especially if you are new to Linux.
There is also Budgie. Don’t know what to say about it, besides that it exists.

I personally use Bazzite Linux with GNOME + Dash to Panel extension, since I believe that one has to get PhD to master KDE Plasma.
I switched to it from my favorite Fedora Silverblue.

I believe that GNOME is great (NOT vanilla, with Dash to Panel and minimize and maximize buttons enabled) for everybody, including dummies like me. But of course it’s Linux community and everyone’s preferences are different, so I agree you should try everything yourself it is the only way to choose. I’m just saying that there are probably only two options for you right now, not a billion: GNOME and KDE Plasma. Maybe COSMIC in the future.

P.S. Flatpak apps work across distributions. AppImage apps work too, but have billion FUSE-related problems.

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