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Comment by cwojno | Hacker News Reader

I've switched to Linux + Mint in part because I don't want to be using Windows any more. Many of my games work with Steam on Linux now, actually. With Google's docs/drive, everything works cross platform. I really have no productivity loss by not using Windows any more.

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> With Google's docs/drive, everything works cross platform

What do you use instead of Google Backup and Sync client? I haven't found something that works like that. The "best" thing I've found is the FUSE Ocaml filesystem (https://github.com/astrada/google-drive-ocamlfuse) but still it is a "mounted" over network filesystem and not a sync-on-change solution. I tried InSync but could not make it work and it is not free, and also the Gnome "mount Google Drive" option, but it is also a "mounted" over network solution.

Other than that and some of the rough edges (random bluetooth issues, random issues after updating, completely broken Android ADB support), I like Linux Mint a lot. I do all my work and play (CS:GO, NFS, Cities Skylines, Hitman) on it, even for games that are not supported by default.

What about Dropbox? Also Nextcloud

Dropbox runs on linux but they are missing a lot of features and it only works on unencrypted ext4 fs. They are slowly dropping support I would say.

Dropbox recently updated the Linux FS limitations. See https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/desktop/syste...

Dropbox is still the only mainstream sync service that works on Linux though. And it works well. Never had any problems with it.

On the other hand I've had plenty of problems of Insync. And the open source solutions are all garbage.

You can also try syncthing [1], which has been working well for me on Linux and Android.

1. https://syncthing.net/

I use use a git-like cli binary to sync my google drive (https://github.com/odeke-em/drive). Really like it, and there's no weird background process or automatic syncing going on that's chewing up resources.

I use oDrive for sync-on-change to various cloud accounts.

Happy Nextcloud user here. If you don't want to host it yourself, there are different providers out there (click on 'change provider'):

https://nextcloud.com/signup/

Hetzner doesn't seem to be listed there, but they offer Nextcloud as a service too: https://www.hetzner.com/storage/storage-share

Happy nextcloudpi user (and small contributor) here. Look for more information here: https://ownyourbits.com/nextcloudpi/ and here: https://github.com/nextcloud/nextcloudpi

TLDR selfhosting a NextCloud server on a raspberrypi and sync data between all your devices. You can also sync calendar/tasks/contacts etc

InSync enables Google Drive sync on linux, $30 but I found it to be worth the cost - works really well: https://www.insynchq.com/

You can try rclone, it's a command line tool though and you have to invoke it manually. I've been using to back up my photos to google drive and so far seems to work. I can even leave it running and close my laptop, next time it just continues like nothing happened.

If insync doesn't work, maybe one of the solutions for mounting the Google drive combined with unision?

https://www.cis.upenn.edu/~bcpierce/unison/download.html

Personally, I have the stuff I want synced in git (at work, mostly just text files) - and look to combine that with zfs and zfs send - with the new pricing at rsync.net that is looking very attractive.

But that's different from Google drive sync.

Drive File Stream. You need a G Suite account for some weird reason tho.

Mega is source-available, and works perfectly under Linux. It's end-to-end encrypted, and the free plan includes 15 GB of storage. Mega supports syncing multiple folders.

https://mega.nz

https://github.com/meganz/MEGAsync

I'm using Overgrive, but I can't say that I recommend it. Some files cause it to freeze and crash and you have little control over source and destination folders. I've also experienced a situation where it deleted a folder somehow. I lost data in that episode :(.

Sometimes, I have to wait for a linux port, but the games usually are on sale by then anyway ;).

I also use NextCloud but we need something like that written in a faster tech like Golang.

For periodic filesystem backup snapshots I use Restic.

Check this app https://lutris.net/ .

How do you deal with Broadcom WiFi drivers?

You buy laptops with Intel nic's

You can change the WiFi card on some laptops. Otherwise buy Lenovo.

I looked into WiFi cards a year ago for a computer build, and iirc you can get a very high end Intel NIC for <$30.

Atheros also has good support for Linux.

I just looked it up, and Intel's best chip the AC 9560, with 2x2 1.73 Gbps WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0 is <$20.

It's an easy swap on desktops and on most laptops too.

How can you swap anything aside from disk or RAM in modern laptops?

Isn't everything soldered these days - including RAM in some cases ?

Wifi is also generally on a card.. For Lenovo thinkpad, Dell and à few others.

Unfortunately not the sp4: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Microsoft+Surface+Pro+4+Tear...

You unscrew the small screw that keeps the mPCIe wifi card in place lift it out and throw it in the fish tank where it becomes part of the amusing detritus of social commentary and landscape art you've been contributing to.

Now pop in the $18 Intel card you ordered last night and landed a hour ago.

Your done !

Oh wait ! NOOB, you forgot to replace the screw !

Most cards have m2 interface nowadays; so you'd like to have an adapter too. Also mPCIe cards tend to use two screws, not one.

And then you throw the entire laptop after the card, because your new Intel WiFi card isn't on the whitelist.

You don't. Buy WiFi cards that are supported for your distro. The USB dongles are worthless IME, get a PCIe card. https://wiki.debian.org/WiFi#Availability_of_compatible_WiFi...

With Google's docs/drive

Have you tried Libre Office? I'm not a power docs user but it gets the job done for me. Opting for Google to replace MS on principles is out of the frying pan into the fire.

Mint vs Ubutuntu vs fedora.

What's the right choice in 2019 for a power desktop user who wants video drivers to work,for a 7 year old hp machine?

Probably Ubuntu LTS or Mint. Whichever meets your desktop preferences better.

Fedora is my personal preference, but it is aggressively up to date, including updating to the latest kernels. Good for new hardware, possibly not as good for a 7yo machine, especially with Nvidia graphics.

I have two HP laptops running Linux -- my work laptop is running Manjaro with i3, and the other is Linux Mint with MATE. I absolutely love these two machines, neither have any compatibility problems with Linux.

No experience with Fedora, but of the other distributions that I have tried (Ubuntu, Debian, Arch, CentOS...), Mint is my suggestion for beginners. Now though I like Manjaro for its rolling releases of the newest software.

Same story there

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