Hi @SethP, welcome to the forum, and as others have already commented, we completely understand both your frustration and your move to Linux software - and here!
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Rogerp thank you for taking the time to get back to me.
I get what you are saying … the Linux “business” model with a lot of free introductory software was useful for a startup enterprise… It worked for me (and I have donated to Linux platforms and LibreOffice) the free introductory software allowed me to jump the Windows Ship (with a P) and land on Linux Mint. I’m just tossing out the perspective of one person that made the move and may have burnt bridges doing it. As I understand, I was not alone making the move away from Windows. I just think I see signs that the Linux world didn’t really think it was going to happen and didn’t have a plan if it did. The thing is a good number of people made the move and they are now poised to give a review if the experience after 1 year into it.
I’ve been very happy … the inevitable but … but I’m worried there is no product depth.
I’d offer that a line of next generation open source software, priced reasonably, might do well for everyone that has worked so hard in the past AND for the new people that came over to Linux and want to thrive.
Just tossing that out there.
Thanks
Jack.
OH, interesting aside, the reason It took me so long to respond back is that I’ve been hunting down an old Laptop with Windows 10 and a version of Windows Office 2019. I very much need the Microsoft Word 2019 Text To Speech feature that came with Word.
Because I need reasonable Speech play back of dialog I write … that I can instantly stop and edit dialog that doesn’t sound right, then jump right back into the Word TTS, I have not found anything comparable in Linux (I know, there is great sounding TTS out there but it is geared up to doing “other things”. Anyway the Win 10 laptop cost $175. The MS Office 2019 cost over $200 … and I’m not sure it works. So you can bet the higher price software vs $175 laptop ruffled my feathers.
Thanks again.
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As an Iron Maiden fan all I can say is 
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Hi, group. I’ve been working with UNIX/Linux since 1990, with computers since 1975, and just working since 1970. Some names that come to mind are VAX/VMS, RTE IV, ULTRIX, HP-UX, Solaris… and some others that need to be Googled for me to remember. I’m retired but still learning. Thanks.
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Welcome to the Community @hexrams
A career that spans VAX/VMS, ULTRIX, HP-UX, Solaris, and the early UNIX era brings a perspective that is increasingly rare in today’s industry. Many modern systems are built upon concepts pioneered on the platforms you’ve worked with firsthand.
It’s always valuable to have experienced professionals sharing their knowledge with newer generations of Linux and UNIX users. Looking forward to your contributions and the stories behind the systems that helped shape modern computing.
Glad to have you here.
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Welcome to the forums @hexrams, nice to meet you! 
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Hi - Andy from the UK here; I’m a graphic designer but I’ve found myself doing more and more coding and server administration so now I wear many hats. Jack of all trades etc … always learning though. Work with Ubuntu on the servers we use.
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Welcome to the community @amacbishop, great to have you join us!
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Welcome to the Forum @amacbishop
Great to have you here—really appreciate the intro; sounds like you’ve built a solid multi-discipline workflow bridging design, coding, and server administration, and working with Ubuntu on the backend is always a strong foundation, so looking forward to learning from your experience and seeing your contributions around the forum as you keep expanding that “wearing many hats” journey
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Am Afolabi Jide Emmanuel from Nigeria, I join the Linux community because of my passion for Security
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Welcome to the Community @engr-favoursalem
Great to have you here; it’s always good to see members joining with a clear focus on security, as it’s one of the most important pillars in the Linux ecosystem, so feel free to share your interests, projects, or questions, and looking forward to your contributions in the community
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Welcome to our community @engr-favoursalem, thanks for joining us!
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Hi, my name is Jan, and I am from the Netherlands.
Longtime Linux user, but not a poweruser (Don’t even know what that is)
Just a guy with a computer.
Like to try new software. thats why I use openSUSE tumbleweed.
And sometimes I switch to Arch Linux.
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Welcome to the community @jsteen @engr-favoursalem @amacbishop and @hexrams 
You are welcome to jump in any discussion or to start your own topics if prefered.
Also check out Topics tagged getting-started. getting-started
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Welcome to the community @jsteen, nice to meet you! 
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Welcome to the Community @jsteen 
Great to have you here. Honestly, that’s what Linux is all about—being curious and trying new things.
OpenSUSE Tumbleweed is a fantastic choice for exploring new software, and switching between distros is part of the fun. Whether you’re a beginner, casual user, or power user, everyone is welcome here.
Hope you enjoy the community and find plenty of interesting discussions.
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Not an IT pro at all. Just here to learn and grow a bit. I have been tinkering with Fedora and Linux mint on some old laptops, and I am having a blast!
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Welcome @hexrams! Looks like you and I have used several of the same platforms, at least a few times! I didn’t really get much, if at all, into RTE IV or any of the RTE, RTX, or RS-11 stuff, but I did use a lot of other DEC architectures, given that I worked there for 13 1/2 years back when my hair was still brown! 
You have a nice background and it’s nice to have you with us!
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@DrOakRx Welcome to the forum; we enjoy people from all sorts of backgrounds and we look forward to having a blast with you!
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Welcome to our community @DrOakRx, thanks for joining us!
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