My tips for after installing Linux An alternative to Windows or MacOS on computers.

This post is for people who are ready to install Linux An alternative to Windows or MacOS on computers. , or maybe you've done it already and want to check a few more boxes off.

If you decide to install Linux An alternative to Windows or MacOS on computers. for the first time, I have a list of things that you might want to do.

• update
• browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. settings
• standard user profile settings and data that belong to one user or session
• configure backups
• install drivers a software that allows the hardware (like WiFi) communicate with a system

Besides the usual set up you might want to do, like getting your browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. , apps, and things, this post is about some of the "boring" things you can do for set up.

My first piece of advice is to be very cautious in running commands you find online. Online helpers (people or AI) can give outdated, wrong, or unsafe instructions.

This can cause you a lot of problems, and it's possible to enter commands that can provide bad actors access to your computer or system. Remember, companies have provided AI with helpful things, wrong things, and malicious things. You can't be too sure which one it tells you.

When in doubt, look up the command's effect before pasting it.

Update

Keeping your system updated is one of the best thing you can do to protect yourself and your computer's security. Often, vulnerabilities in a computer system or program, vulnerability refers to a weakness that a hacker could use to get in or get more access are found and fixed quickly.

When I install Zorin, it prompts me to update the system and apps right away. I'd recommend you do this. You'll have programs to look for like "Software Updater," "Software & Updates," "App Center," or "App Store." You may only have two places that you'll want to go to for these types of updates. For system updates and app updates, you can go into the settings to allow it to update in the background automatically, or have it prompt you. With Linux An alternative to Windows or MacOS on computers. , you have control over when your work is interrupted for this type of thing.

The below are the names you might want to look for or use in a search on the desktop for these three that I have used at home:

Browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. settings

Browsers (and email) are the easiest way we typically download and click on things we shouldn't, so I believe it deserves a mention. In more technical terms, your browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. is typically the biggest " attack vector the method a hacker uses to get into a computer " on any personal computer, I feel like it deserves a mention. We can be tricked into entering our login password to a fake site, or any number of things.

Some settings to consider on your browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. :

• Automatic updates for the browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. and its extensions
• Password breach alerts
• Block pop ups
• Block malicious scripts

There are many settings that are important and can be considered. I recommend looking up your specific browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. and reading about the privacy and security settings you want. This post is scoped to the essential security hygiene that we don't see in the front and center.

Automatic updates for the browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. and its extensions

If you download your browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. from the desktop app store, your updates can be automatic. I think extensions are typically handled inside the browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. , so I'd look for that setting there.

If you're a person who installs everything, or some things, from the terminal a text-based tool where you navigate your system and run commands by typing instead of clicking in a user interface , you'll need to remember to go to the terminal a text-based tool where you navigate your system and run commands by typing instead of clicking in a user interface to regularly do your updates.

Block stuff

There are usually "security" and "privacy" tabs in your browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. settings, so you can look through each one. It pays to do this from time to time, because things are frequently changing with updates.

Blocking pop ups is usually one setting available that can help protect you from accidentally clicking on a late-loading malicious pop up. Some browsers are able to block known malicious scripts.

You can also clear cookies on exit from your browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. , or block them all together. Some websites won't work if you have strict settings, so it's up to you what you're willing to do. Cookies allow companies to track you and your habits more easily.

If you save your passwords in the browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. , some browsers will do some kind of check for you that passwords haven't been breached. I save passwords in a local encrypted file rather than in my browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. or on the cloud.

Create a second profile settings and data that belong to one user or session

You create a username and hopefully a password when you first set up a profile settings and data that belong to one user or session on Linux An alternative to Windows or MacOS on computers. . This profile settings and data that belong to one user or session often has administrative privileges, and I would recommend you create a second profile settings and data that belong to one user or session that has NO special privileges. This is often called a "standard user" profile settings and data that belong to one user or session . You can do this from the Settings menu.

The initial profile settings and data that belong to one user or session that's created has special admin privileges ( sudo a command used in Linux for running a command as an administrator privileges they're called) and shouldn't be your go-to for day-to-day use.

You might think to create profiles for your spouse and kids, but remember to create a second profile settings and data that belong to one user or session for yourself that's not an admin.

If you install things frequently from the terminal a text-based tool where you navigate your system and run commands by typing instead of clicking in a user interface , this introduces some friction, and can be annoying. You have to " switch user su is a command that allows you to log in as someone else. Or you may lock your profile and log in as another one or so someone else can log in. " to do installs on the terminal a text-based tool where you navigate your system and run commands by typing instead of clicking in a user interface . " Switch user su is a command that allows you to log in as someone else. Or you may lock your profile and log in as another one or so someone else can log in. " or " log log files in a computer are notes where programs record events, messages, warnings, and errors so you can see what happened and when off" are ways you can go from one profile settings and data that belong to one user or session to another. But it's a way to keep yourself from installing something you shouldn't.

Regular installs and updates can be done from any profile settings and data that belong to one user or session

You do NOT have to switch user su is a command that allows you to log in as someone else. Or you may lock your profile and log in as another one or so someone else can log in. to install from the app store/app center on Zorin, Ubuntu, or Mint. Likely it's the case for other distros Bundles the Linux kernel with other software components for a complete operating system too. Apps and settings will just ask you to enter the admin user's password.

Profiles for your kids

You'll want to make sure your children have the "standard user" profile settings and data that belong to one user or session without admin privileges. That's all I've done on the technical side for my children, because I've taught my older one how to be on the computer. My approach is that it's more important for parents to teach (and know) digital literacy, than to rely on companies or the government to do it for you. That opens up more problems for us in my opinion.

I had to teach my older son about the internet earlier than I wanted, because his Kindergarten year was a virtual school time year. I know I can trust him to do things and go places he's allowed to go, so I don't have to install anything that might slow the computer down like nanny spyware.

We tried that on Windows during that virtual school time period, and it made the computer unusable for all of us with how slow it was. I didn't feel like it protected him, because he wasn't able to learn how to properly do anything. He was just stuck with a frustrating slow computer.

Configure backups

Backing up your personal files, your documents and photos and home movies, are covered in this post. I think it's important to set system restore points, too.

OS backup

It's a good idea to configure a "system restore" type of backup, in case something goes wrong with your computer. This doesn't back up your data, like your files and photos, but it can restore your computer back to a safe point. This type of thing was really important before I had Linux An alternative to Windows or MacOS on computers. . When I would get forced updates on Windows, sometimes they would cause the computer to crash, or cause critical functions to stop working. I'm not the only one who had issues like that so I DO understand why people are hesitant about Linux An alternative to Windows or MacOS on computers. . If "the standard" is this bad, wouldn't Linux An alternative to Windows or MacOS on computers. be bad? Nope! Not in my experience, anyway.

Install drivers a software that allows the hardware (like WiFi) communicate with a system

This may be a step you can skip. I've only had to go get extra supporting software for the Microsoft Surface that I put Zorin on. Since the Surface was a special case, I had to go to GitHub and downloaded the drivers a software that allows the hardware (like WiFi) communicate with a system from someone's repo after some searching. If I read from several recent sources that something is safe, which I did in this case, I'll look over it myself and then try it out.

A more recent example, my partner surprised me with a mini computer that has a GPU a graphics chip meant for optimizing images and video, also used for AI processors , a graphics processor. I remembered seeing the "NVIDIA" brand in the live boot USB menu for Zorin, and this was Ryzen, so I wasn't sure if it was supported. GPUs a graphics chip meant for optimizing images and video, also used for AI processors are useful for gaming and AI. Zorin supports it out of the box, which was a pleasant surprise, and I didn't have to do anything for Steam to use it either. Another win.

Some Linux An alternative to Windows or MacOS on computers. distros Bundles the Linux kernel with other software components for a complete operating system have a " Driver a software that allows the hardware (like WiFi) communicate with a system Manager" or " Driver a software that allows the hardware (like WiFi) communicate with a system Updater" that can help you.

You can search for your thing that's not working plus the keyword for your Linux An alternative to Windows or MacOS on computers. distro Bundles the Linux kernel with other software components for a complete operating system , like Zorin, Mint, or whatever: printer, touchscreen, WiFi adapter, Bluetooth device, fingerprint scanner, card reader, webcam, or specialized keyboard/mouse features. Most common hardware works immediately, but older devices or cutting-edge components sometimes need manual configuration through your distribution's "Additional Drivers a software that allows the hardware (like WiFi) communicate with a system " tool or by downloading proprietary firmware from the manufacturer's website.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I'm hoping this guide can help you get started with a strong foundation for security in your Linux An alternative to Windows or MacOS on computers. install. Make sure to take a little time to configure backups, set up your regular user profiles, lock down your browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. , and most importantly, make sure it's easy to do regular updates to your system and apps.

The steps in this post aren't as fun or interesting, but they'll give you some peace of mind!