This week in our forums…
Key Stats
In the past week, the Linux community forums had the following activity and key statistics:
- Total New Posts: 15
- Total New Topics: 2
Top Members
- @hydn: 5 posts, 0 likes
- @GingaRanga: 2 posts, 3 likes
- @Brian_Masinick: 2 posts, 0 likes
- @tmick: 1 post, 1 like
- @unixdude: 1 post, 1 like
- @shybry747: 1 post, 1 like
- @Powder: 1 post, 1 like
- @Lobaluna: 1 post, 1 like
- @system: 1 post, 0 likes
Interesting Topics
-
1Gbit ISP home network setup on a budget, suggestions?
A new homelab/networking thread from @GingaRanga sparked practical suggestions around ditching ISP-provided gear versus keeping it if reliable, the cost of rental fees, and Wi‑Fi performance under load. @hydn weighed pros/cons of vendor firmware updates and future‑proofing for multigig. Category: General Discussions Discussions; Tags: homelab home-network hardware. -
I am a beginner
A friendly welcome thread saw @Powder check in on how the Linux switch is going, followed by helpful questions from @unixdude and a warm greeting from @tmick to newcomer @Allan34. Great on‑ramp for fresh users asking about distro choices and first‑week experiences. Category: General Discussions Discussions. -
5 ‘other’ Independent Linux Distros You Should Try
@Brian_Masinick shared a broad list of noteworthy distros, including MX Linux, PCLinuxOS, antiX, Sparky, Solus, KDE Neon, EndeavourOS, and CachyOS. The discussion clarified what “independent” means (built from scratch vs. derived), with later notes from @hydn and a nod from @shybry747 to OpenSUSE and NixOS. Category: Articles & guides & guides; Tags: desktop-environments distros. -
Home Lab Beginners guide (Hardware)
@GingaRanga outlined homelab goals (media server on 4×6TB HDDs, future self‑hosting/cloud) and past experience with Unraid, Ubuntu Server, and Proxmox. @hydn encouraged further learning and referenced a related storage thread for exploration. Category: General Discussions Discussions; Tags: homelab home-network. -
50 Linux Text Editors You Should Know About
@Lobaluna highlighted that KDE’s Kate functions as a near‑IDE with plugins, offering many VS Code/Codium features without telemetry, which resonated with privacy‑minded desktop users. Category: Community Picks; Tags: tools software. -
Listen to Pandora Free without the Ads - Pianobar
In a niche streaming topic, @hydn noted using a VPN to make Pianobar ad‑free access workable, and appreciated that the project still sees commits after 15 years. Category: Articles & guides & guides. -
Welcome! Please introduce yourself
@Brian_Masinick welcomed a new member (“Rahul”), continuing the forum’s friendly tradition of greeting newcomers and helping them find their way to relevant categories and threads. Category: Community; Tag: forums.
Activity by the @staff Group
- Guidance on distro independence: @hydn clarified what counts as an “independent” distro (versus Debian/Ubuntu derivatives) and acknowledged PCLinuxOS as a strong addition: 5 'other' Independent Linux Distros You Should Try - #7 by hydn
- Homelab support and cross‑linking: @hydn welcomed new homelabbers and referenced related storage/NAS alternatives for further research: Home Lab Beginners guide (Hardware) - #59 by hydn
- Welcomes to new users: @tmick greeted @Allan34 in the beginner thread, keeping the onboarding friendly and active: I am a beginner - #5 by tmick
- Beginner Q&A: @unixdude asked a key question to help provide tailored guidance (“Which distro did you install?”): I am a beginner - #4 by unixdude
- Distro exploration: @shybry747 added perspective on RPM‑based OpenSUSE and the niche appeal of NixOS: 5 'other' Independent Linux Distros You Should Try - #8 by shybry747
- Automated weekly digest: @system posted this week’s forum summary entry to keep everyone informed: Weekly Forum Summary - #5 by system
Best Reply or Topic of the Week
- Best Reply: Practical home‑networking advice by @hydn in the new 1 Gbps home network thread: 1Gbit ISP home network setup on a budget, suggestions? - #2 by hydn
“If your ISP is giving you a reliable Gbps, you can stick with their modem, but there are plenty of reasons to ditch it… Any monthly rental fees add up fast… ISP gear usually has mediocre Wi‑Fi, and can choke under heavy use…”
Clear, actionable trade‑offs for modem and router choices, plus forward‑looking notes about firmware control and multigig readiness make this the week’s most immediately useful reply for many readers.
Thanks for reading. See you again next week! 