Today, I won't be talking about reflections or anything else. Maybe I'll post something about that on Friday...

Today, I want to talk about someone important, which allows me to write and, as such, be 100% active here without any problems. My PC, a humble Toshiba Satellite L755 with an i5 2520M, 8GB of RAM, Intel Graphics 3000, and an unknown 500GB Western Digital SATA drive.

Throughout 2025, it's been through a long distro hopping process and various issues, including Grub rescue, dual-boot errors, and some stress with drivers and Windows 10.

I've shown my desktop several times, but not in more depth. This time, I wanted to be more frank.

Currently, I'm using a heavily modified Debian 13, with Xfce jammed from so much customization, Grub with one wallpaper, several removed elements, like Bluetooth, and, with a dirty secret... Openbox, my new favorite. I'm writing this while using Lollypop, some Sony headphones, and listening to a cult album. I've been meaning to upload it to YouTube in good quality for a while, but for various reasons, it's been unfinished.

Currently, this is what my desktop looks like, including Openbox.

I have even older photos, one from July with Debian Mate. Currently, I consider myself an intermediate user. I almost always use Terminal, I install everything in it, tweaking things when the GUI isn't the best, or there isn't one at all, or when I'm tweaking specific things, the same. Months ago, I didn't use it at all and always opted for the GUI. And, before, I didn't customize or tweak my distro as thoroughly as I do now, where the only thing I'm lazy/scared of is making the jump to something like Gentoo, or a minimal Debian. In 2030, maybe I'll go to a minimal Debian, or continue with this Xfce/Openbox configuration.
The day I can, I'll show you the awesome laptop I use for LinuxXXX. It's such a beautiful laptop, as old as it is; it's from 2011, and here it is still going strong with what appears to be the same factory battery.

The reason for so many changes is because I want to have everything my way. Currently, I'm on the minimalist and more technical path. I don't see myself, who knew nothing about Linux, using and modifying Openbox, or dealing with inconveniences like running out of graphical environments or your JWM leaving you without environments. I dealt with things like that myself. I went from Ubuntu Gnome to increasingly wishing I could live with a simple window manager and something like Gentoo, obviously, without Systemd. The only thing I hate about Debian is that they don't let you really choose which Init you want to use, and you're forced to use Systemd because several programs don't work without it, and because it's a torture to change it without wanting to go for a walk.
That said, for Windows fanboys, the only driver issues I had were with Ubuntu Unity and my battery. Even the sound failed on Windows 10. That said, with this laptop, I don't even feel it slow with Windows, only when I do things like using VirtualBox and Windows for iTunes and adding games to my Wii. I hope the Kindle isn't as annoying with that stale system.

These two options, XFCE and OpenBox, boot with less than 600 MB of RAM, XFCE with an average of 550 MB, and OpenBox with around 383 MB.

The reasons why I absolutely refuse to use Windows as my main OS, or even leave it running on Gnome Boxes for more than two weeks, are: I HATE THE VISUALS OF WINDOWS 10. I find it too bloated and heavy for what the average user uses, who only plays Roblox, uses Chrome, and... I don't know more. I've always used PCs for three things: having fun, using it as an intermediary for other devices, and playing some games, but old or light ones.
I don't like the proprietary philosophy. I'm a firm believer in free software and GNU, and I don't feel secure or private with Windows.

Linux offers me the complete opposite, like jumping into the ocean, thinking it'll be a swimming pool.

One piece of advice I can give: if you want to start with Linux, don't go with Ubuntu, Debian, or anything like Arch, because you'll end up with a sharp object sticking through your monitor.
Better yet, Linux Mint, Zorin, Manjaro, Cache OS, or one of those distros for real beginners, because even for Ubuntu, you need some basic knowledge, not to mention the others. Although Debian is intermediate, it requires at least being in the beginner-advanced user category, close to intermediate, especially if you want to do more complex things.

My experience with Linux has been like being in school; you learn and learn.

That's a very good thing, because in the end, you learn so much, and maybe you'll end up becoming a fan of things like FreeBSD, Solaris, or things like Haiku, Darwin, Hurd, and FreeDOS, like I did.

Currently, I even have projects involving Linux, such as buying a very cheap laptop and testing various systems. The system chosen to be the main one is Trisquel, although I'm moving towards something like Antix or MX Linux. That project is called "Limp Bizkit." Two others are related to Penguin compatibility with devices.
Among them, restoring and filling a fifth-generation iPod with music, using Linux as an intermediary, the aforementioned Kindle.

Logically, they have their respective names, one with "Dani California" and the other "Bookworm" (yes, like Debian 12), and even—you're reading one—keeping a laptop alive for over a decade with Linux, even though it's from 2011.

Previously, the issue was only the device; now it's seeing how I fare with Linux, with projects like "Barracuda" (restoring an incomplete $10 PSP and bringing it back to life, May-August 2024), and the classic "Virtual Insanity" (adding games to a Nintendo Wii via flash drives and Wii Backup Manager), both with the intermediary of an HP Stream 14? with a Celeron 4020, 32 GB, 4 GB, and Windows 10 on the verge of dying.

The limitations in all these projects are only two: my time and money. The Barracuda took a while. Two months into the project, the limp bizkit is in limbo. All because there's simply no budget, and in the second, perhaps because I don't have that much time.