Why do atomic distros not contain good backup tooling by default?
I have tested a lot of atomic and traditional distributions lately. Tons of desktop environments strictly for fun and branching out. Having a 1 2 3 backup strategy and not just having it in place, but being able to restore your backup in a timely manner to keep continuity is paramount. You can list infinite reasons why.
Why do atomic distros which are supposed to me more stable, superior to some degree immutable environments lack good backup options? You can hack things together and there are somewhat installable tools. Like timeshift or etc etc. But it seems they place a lot more emphasis on rolling back poor updates in the event than total system backups.
By default it you should have true backups then layer in rollbacks. Not the other way around. Am I missing something?
How bad is my partitioning?
I just got a new laptop and installed Linux on it. I mainly run OpenSUSE.
Getting full encryption on both was a bit of a challenge and I had no idea what I'm doing. Will having the swap partition in the middle break things? Did I really need so many partitions (Mint and OpenSUSE don't show up in eachother's boot menu)?
I'm probably not gonna change this layout (because reinstallation seems like a pain) unless the swap partition's position is a problem. I'm just curious how many mistakes I made.
EDIT: I'm not upgrading my drive capacity. I do not need it.
(Yet another) help me choose a distro post
First of all, I'd like to apologize for contributing to the constant stream/flow of posts in which the main theme/idea/motive is to find a suitable distro for the OPoster. I wish we'd have a dedicated community that's active/large to the extent we'd be able to delegate/contain these convos to their designated places, but alas...
With that out of the way, we can get to the actual meat. So, for two weeks, I've been reading a ton about different distros. And while I'm still primarily overwhelmed by the amount of choice, I think I've finally got somewhat of an idea.
Requirements:
- Software-wise, the only thing I'm worried about is Davinci Resolve. It should work, but it seems to be hit or miss. The distro I wish to use should handle this gracefully.
- I'm a huge snob for security and privacy. As I'm kinda worried that desktop Linux' security isn't on par with M$ or macOS, I wish to use as secure of a system as possible to (somewhat) compensate for that.
I like to follow 'authorities' whenever I'm overwhelmed. As I've known them since their PrivacyTools-days, it was easy for me to designate Privacy Guides as such. Hence, I've come to appreciate its recommendations. But, I believe the tailor-made consensus by this communities' experts is at least equally important.
That's where I'm coming from, let's head over to the questions:
- Are PrivacyGuides' recommendations actually good in the first place?
- From what I can tell, the subset of security-focused distros are (at least potentially) my end-game. But, from what I could gather, they're not sensible picks for a newb. Is this correct?
- As for what remains, I got the following assumptions (please correct me if I'm wrong*):
- The anonymity-focused distros don't seem well-suited for general use.
- Hardening Arch or NixOS to the extent we find within the offerings of Fedora or openSUSE isn't trivial.
- Fedora's Atomic Desktops offer something tangibly superior security-wise over what we find for traditional Fedora and openSUSE at the expense of convenience.
As such, am I correct to assume that Fedora Atomic Desktops are best for me? Would you happen to know if it plays nicely with Davinci Resolve?
- Are there any other distros worth mentioning within the context? If so, which ones and why?
- Any gotchas or otherwise I should be aware of?
Thanks in advance for your input!
Desktop/PC - Privacy Guides
Linux distributions are commonly recommended for privacy protection and software freedom.Privacy Guides
I believe I heard that there was some scandal involving Ubuntu, but perhaps I'm wrong. Please feel free to correct me. Are there any (other) distros that I should be weary of for privacy-sake?
For security, I want to be well-protected against any and all untargeted attacks. So protection against malware is included.
Thank you for the general notes/recommendations/advice about safe practices on Linux! Regarding sudo (and the terminal in general), I've just accepted that it will be part of my workflow going forward, even if the amount of times I had used it on Windows can probably be counted on one hand. Regardless, beyond not sudoing random commands, are there like rigid guidelines (or something) one should adhere to for safe/secure computing?
The Ubuntu thing was about them making it opt-out rather than opt-in (so turned on by default), but it's still nothing malicious and diesn't collect any personal data. At least that's how I remember it.
Also Linux doesn't really have anti-viruses like Windows does (there are a few options for edgecases though). That is because Linux isn't really targeted by malware developers as much and also Linux is actually designed to be secure.
As for general security tips, number 1 is probably using a password manager (I use a KeePassXC compatible client).
Also be careful with rm -rf
. I almost deleted all the files in my home directory once. I have aliased rm
to gio trash
since.
Tired of Google Home not working? This new change will make you furious
Tired of Google Home not working? This new change will make you furious - Android Authority
Google recently added a tiny change to voices available to a small set of users currently testing Gemini-powered Assistant on Nest speakers.Tushar Mehta (Android Authority)
Report: Intel struggles with new 18A process as it cuts workers and cancels projects
cross-posted from: piefed.social/post/1117434
Intel says it’s still on track to launch its first 18A Core Ultra chips in 2025.
HHS Winds Down mRNA Vaccine Development Under BARDA
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced the beginning of a coordinated wind-down of its mRNA vaccine development activities under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), including the cancellation and de-scoping of various contracts and solicitations. The decision follows a comprehensive review of mRNA-related investments initiated during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
“We reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “BARDA is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments because the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu. We’re shifting that funding toward safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate.”
https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/hhs-winds-down-mrna-development-under-barda.html
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Big tech legal action
Rakudo Weekly News: 2025.31 Snappy Turtles
2025.31 Snappy Turtles
Anton’s Corner Anton Antonov has provided us with two more lovely posts this week. As ever his visuals and movies are a stunning insight into our world made with Raku. The snappily named Turt…Rakudo Weekly News
Clare Daly & Mick Wallace: How the EU Became a War Project
- YouTube
Profitez des vidéos et de la musique que vous aimez, mettez en ligne des contenus originaux, et partagez-les avec vos amis, vos proches et le monde entier.www.youtube.com
Clare Daly & Mick Wallace: How the EU Became a War Project
- YouTube
Profitez des vidéos et de la musique que vous aimez, mettez en ligne des contenus originaux, et partagez-les avec vos amis, vos proches et le monde entier.www.youtube.com
Google says its new ‘world model’ could train AI robots in virtual warehouses
Google outlines latest step towards creating artificial general intelligence
Genie 3 world model’s ability to simulate real environments means it can be used to train robotsDan Milmo (The Guardian)
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OpenAI stops ChatGPT from telling people to break up with partners
OpenAI stops ChatGPT from telling people to break up with partners
Instead of giving definitive answers to personal challenges the chatbot will help people reflect on a problemDan Milmo (The Guardian)
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Solve it! Libro sul cubo di Rubik e i ciechi
Solve It, ovvero: “risolvilo”, è un libro scritto da un autore che abbiamo conosciuto nell’ambiente #WordPress e #scrittura creativa; è un manuale, disponibile in formato elettronico, che spiega come risolvere il cubo di Rubik senza la vista.
Siamo molto legati a questo gioco di logica pur avendo fallito entrambi nella sua risoluzione per cui ci sentiamo orgogliosi di parlarne, a partire da come il cubo ci ha accompagnato fin dall’infanzia.
Elettrona e Gifter: storia personale col cubo di Rubik
Gifter
Ho 50 anni compiuti e ormai è da quando il cubo di Rubik è nato, cioè dal 1980, che io e lui abbiamo una guerra personale in corso. I miei genitori l’hanno regalato a me e alla mia gemella quando eravamo alle elementari e il massimo che siamo riusciti a ottenere è una faccia completa delpuzzle classico 3x3x3.
Da adulto ci ho provato ancora ma senza alcun risultato, lo ammetto, ci vorrebbe il virus HIV senziente ad aiutarmi perché quello nel mio corpo dal 2013 non collabora. Dorme e basta.
Appena io ed Elettrona ci siamo conosciuti sono partito con gli stereotipi del cieco super intelligente e davo per scontato che lei avesse risolto brillantemente il puzzle in velocità, invece anche lei combatte le mie stesse guerre.
La mia presunzione si fondava sul fatto che il colore sia solo una convenzione, e in un oggetto tridimensionale non è difficile sostituire gli elementi visivi con quelli tattili; mi era persino venuta l’idea di sfidarla preparandole un cubo originale coi segni in rilievo creati con la stampa 3d poi incollati su ogni quadrato, ma ho scoperto che lei ha già il cubo di Rubik multisensoriale in due versioni.
Elettrona
La mia storia personale col cubo inizia in terza elementare quando me lo hanno comprato dal catalogo dell’unione italiana ciechi. Provavo a giocarci ma anche se era il mio passatempo preferito, mai una volta sono riuscita a ottenere lo stesso simbolo su una delle facce.
Quel povero cubo però ha fatto una brutta morte perché mia sorella durante una litigata tra bambine, l’ha sbattuto contro il muro e me l’ha irrimediabilmente spaccato. Ancora oggi litighiamo e ancora oggi non le lascio mai le mie cose a portata di mano…
Nel tempo l’interesse per il cubo di Rubik è rimasto ma non ne ho più avuto uno in mano, fino al 2010.
Anni più tardi ho trovato una persona con cui avevo stretto un buon legame su Internet, un ragazzo con sindrome di Asperger che aveva iniziato a darmi una mano per risolverlo, ma purtroppo il covid se l’è portato via e se mi sto dedicando al libro Solve It, è anche per ricordare lui. Ciao, Andrea.
Solve It! – The Only Speedcubing Guide for Blind Cubers
Risolvilo! L’unica guida di speedcubing per cuber ciechi
Abbiamo lasciato i termini in inglese perché anche nei siti e video italiani dove si tratta l’argomento, la risoluzione veloce (e anche competitiva) del rompicapo viene chiamata “speedcubing” e i giocatori sono “cuber”.”Cubista” invece è un termine usato per descrivere chi balla sul cubo in discoteca.
Chi ha scritto questo libro è Paul Martz. Cieco per la retinite pigmentosa, blogger di tecnologia e autore di fantascienza, ha iniziato a usare il cubo di Rubik a 17 anni nel 1980 quando ancora vedeva; adesso però ha voluto condividere la propria conoscenza da cuber cieco perché, in giro, ci sono pochissime risorse fruibili da chi è privo di vista e vorrebbe studiare i metodi per risolvere questo tipo di enigmi.
Paradossalmente se ti manca la vista è più facile acquistare (o creare) un cubo di Rubik tattile, rispetto a ottenere spiegazioni su come risolverlo!
Come rendere accessibile un cubo di Rubik?
Esistono siti specializzati negli ausili per ciechi, dove acquistare i cubi tattili ma personalizzarne uno partendo da quello originale non è affatto difficile. Basta incollare degli adesivi in rilievo su ciascuna faccia, eccetto quella bianca che di solito i produttori di cubi tattili lasciano senza niente – forse come indicazione di bianco=vuoto (metafora del foglio bianco).
Qui abbiamo tra le mani un cubo coi rilievi prestampati, e uno con gli adesivi: triangoli, cerchi, stelline, crocette, quadrati.
Quali materiali usare per il rilievo? Carta adesiva con ruvidità e consistenza diversa, oppure simboli stampati in 3D uniti al cubo con una colla sufficientemente forte, e soprattutto che non siano tanto grossi da impedire al meccanismo di girare.
Tactile Cuber
Paul Martz oltre al libro elettronico, acquistabile in inglese nei negozi digitali, mette a disposizione il sito Tactile Cuber dove raccoglie spiegazioni e risorse a proposito del cubo:
TactileCuber è unico nel suo genere: una risorsa accessibile per gli appassionati ciechi che risolvono Cubi di Rubik tattili e altri rompicapo simili solo toccando. Qui troverai algoritmi e istruzioni al 100% in testo semplice, tutti progettati per screen reader e display braille, senza pubblicità, video, diagrammi o interazioni fruibili solo tramite mouse.
Solve It: di cosa parla?
Questa è l’introduzione con cui Paul Martz presenta il libro:
Sei cieco. Interagisci con un mondo prevalentemente visivo, attraverso il tatto. Tutto ciò che fai richiede memoria, agilità e concentrazione. Nonostante le nuove sfide quotidiane, perseveri e hai successo. Sei un risolutore di problemi.Se ti riconosci in questa descrizione, allora possiedi già le abilità per risolvere il Cubo di Rubik™ tattile.
Solve It! è stato scritto per te, il “cuber” cieco, che risolve il cubo attraverso il tatto. Non contiene illustrazioni o diagrammi. Che tu lo legga con un software di screen reading o un display braille, Solve It! spiega ogni passo con un testo semplice e accessibile al 100%.
Se sei alle prime armi con il cubo, questo libro offre un metodo facile da imparare e padroneggiare. Ma Solve It! va oltre le informazioni di base. Include un metodo di “speedcubing” che ridurrà drasticamente il tuo tempo di risoluzione. Dopo aver letto questo libro, sarai pronto a competere, un’impresa a cui la maggior parte dei “cuber” ciechi nemmeno si avvicina.
Smetti di ignorare quel cubo tattile impolverato: preparati a risolverlo!
La nostra sfida: traduzione in italiano
Abbiamo costruito da zero un rudimentale blog multilingua, può farci paura la traduzione di un libro? Dizionari, aiuto reciproco, anche l’AI quando ci blocchiamo ma faremo del nostro meglio per superare la sfida.
Servirà parecchio tempo e noi siamo disposti a impiegarci anche un anno, nel caso. L’importante è “agilità, memoria, concentrazione”! O no?
Ma cosa c’entra Rubik con l’HIV?
In realtà il rompicapo non ha a che fare col virus, eccetto qualche storia ancora da scrivere in cui HIV senziente suggerirà le mosse… Vedremo.
Ma la questione “ciechi e il cubo di Rubik” si lega a uno stigma fra i peggiori: chi, sui social network, crede di essere comico facendosi beffa delle persone con disabilità visiva tramite un meme idiota.
La vignetta mostra Andrea Bocelli con un cubo di Rubik le cui facce hanno tutti i colori mischiati, lui ha un bel sorriso di soddisfazione e la scritta: “finito!”
Di fatto nessuno di noi due condanna le battute sui ciechi ma costruirle su una foto, esclude gli interessati da qualsiasi partecipazione: ridere di noi, anziché ridere con noi. La differenza è sostanziale ed è quella che distingue satira da bullismo.
Allora noi rispondiamo in modo propositivo: consentendo ai ciechi in Italia, dove questo maledetto meme è nato, di approcciarsi a un mondo che la maggioranza delle persone ritiene impraticabile senza la vista.
PlusBrothers
Cerco di spiegare come ho fatto a ottenere su PlusBrothers un blog multilingua gratuito senza abbonamentielettrona (Elettrona and Gifter)
The Swedish prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, has come under fire after admitting that he regularly consults AI tools for a second opinion
‘We didn’t vote for ChatGPT’: Swedish PM under fire for using AI in role
Tech experts criticise Ulf Kristersson as newspaper accuses him of falling for ‘the oligarchs’ AI psychosis’Miranda Bryant (The Guardian)
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White House Orders NASA to Destroy Important Satellite
We can only speculate as to why the Trump administration wants to end the missions. But considering president Donald Trump's staunch climate change denial and his administration's efforts to deal the agency's science directorate a potentially existential blow, it's not difficult to speculate.
White House Orders NASA to Destroy Important Satellite
The White House has instructed NASA employees to destroy two major, climate change-focused satellite missions.Victor Tangermann (Futurism)
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IMEC’s imperial illusion: Why the US-backed trade corridor will fail
IMEC’s imperial illusion: Why the US-backed trade corridor will fail
Disguised as infrastructural development, IMEC is the latest Atlanticist attempt to reassert control over West Asia. But from Gaza to BRICS, regional actors are shutting that door.thecradle.co
IMEC’s imperial illusion: Why the US-backed trade corridor will fail
IMEC’s imperial illusion: Why the US-backed trade corridor will fail
Disguised as infrastructural development, IMEC is the latest Atlanticist attempt to reassert control over West Asia. But from Gaza to BRICS, regional actors are shutting that door.thecradle.co
California wildfire scorches 72,000 acres and threatens hundreds of structures
The Gifford fire has spread through Los Padres forest, prompting evacuations and injuring at least three people
The VA wants to end coverage of abortion for US military veterans
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is calling for an end to abortion coverage in the medical plans for veterans and their families.
US government proposes easing some restrictions on drones traveling long distances
A new federal rule would make it easier for companies to use drones over longer distances out of sight of the operator without having to go through a cumbersome waiver process.
https://apnews.com/article/drones-trump-duffy-line-of-sight-rule-bdbc54ca3b8ef2ead9ccfc62f3762f4c
Trump threatens EU with 35% tariff if investment pledge falls through
The US president added that he "can do anything I want" with Brussels' $600 billion worth of pledged investments
Archived version: archive.is/20250805165341/eura…
Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.
GOP congressman faces heated town hall where hundreds boo him for supporting Trump's big bill
Republican congressman Mike Flood has gotten an earful during a Nebraska town hall held to defend his support of President Donald Trump's tax breaks and spending cuts law.
Bangladesh to hold parliamentary elections in February 2026, interim leader Yunus says
Bangladesh's interim leader and Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus announced Tuesday that national elections will be held in February 2026, aiming to restore democratic governance following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year.
Archived version: archive.is/newest/france24.com…
Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.
Prison bosses make room for possible influx before planned protests across England
Exclusive: Possible arrests at protests against Palestine Action ban and asylum hotels likely to stretch prisons
Archived version: archive.is/20250805183424/theg…
Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.
Prison bosses make room for possible influx before planned protests across England
Exclusive: possible arrests at protests against Palestine Action ban and asylum hotels likely to stretch prisonsRajeev Syal (The Guardian)
Video shows rare protests in China over beating of schoolgirl by three teenagers
Large crowds gather in city of Jiangyou in Sichuan province after case causes outrage online
Archived version: archive.is/20250805184541/theg…
Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.
Hundreds of aid trucks needed daily to end famine in Gaza: UN
Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), said Tuesday that the scale of need in the Gaza Strip is so vast that hundreds of aid trucks must be allowed in every single day, Anadolu reports.
Archived version: archive.is/newest/middleeastmo…
Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.
Rwanda agrees to take up to 250 migrants from the US
Deal follows deportations to South Sudan and Eswatini despite concerns about international law breaches
Archived version: archive.is/newest/theguardian.…
Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.
Lithuania asks NATO for more air defences after drones land on its territory
VILNIUS - Lithuania's foreign ministry has written to the NATO military alliance asking it to help strengthen its air defences, it said on Tuesday, after two military drones crossed into its territory from Belarus last month.
Archived version: archive.is/newest/straitstimes…
Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.
US | Epstein scandal broadens as trove of letters from famous figures published
New York Times reports on letters by Ehud Barak, Woody Allen and others written for Epstein’s 63rd birthday
Archived version: archive.is/20250805165400/theg…
Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.
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China and Russia conduct joint naval drills in the Sea of Japan
The Chinese and Russian governments have deepened ties in recent years, with Beijing refusing to place sanctions on Moscow over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Archived version: archive.is/newest/euronews.com…
Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.
US House panel subpoenas Bill and Hillary Clinton for Epstein testimony
House oversight committee also issued subpoenas to several former attorneys general and FBI directors
Archived version: archive.is/newest/theguardian.…
Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.
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In addition to the Clintons, the committee sent subpoenas to former attorneys general Jeff Sessions, Alberto Gonzales and William Barr, who served in George W Bush and Trump’s presidencies, and Merrick Garland, Loretta Lynch and Eric Holder, who served under Joe Biden and Barack Obama. Former FBI directors James Comey and Robert Mueller also received subpoenas.
Well we already know how this is going to go...
Bill, Hillary, Comey, Garland, Lynch, Holder, Muller:
"So we have some questions for you: Why are you so guilty? Why aren't you already in jail? Why shouldn't we throw you in prison right now?"
Barr, Gonzalez, Sessions:
"Ok friends, we just need a little "testimony" from you that you know 100% without a doubt that there is a mountain of evidence against Bill, Hillary, Comey, Garland, Lynch, Holder, and Muller. Oh, these are all Trump's enemies? Ahhh that's just a coincidence."
France’s PM turns to YouTube to sell his budget cuts
François Bayrou takes to the video site in a bid to explain his draconian budget cuts and win over the public.
Archived version: archive.is/newest/politico.eu/…
Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.
Boeing 777X Nears Certification, Could Fly Passengers By Mid-2026
The Boeing 777X is making progress with its certification, and the plane could actually be flying passengers by the middle of 2026.
Boeing 747 Hydraulic Failure & Tire Damage Incident Final Report Revealed
The most likely cause of the hydraulic issue was damage to the seventh and eighth tires during the taxi.
Australia | Tasmania Plane Disappearance: Search Continues for Missing Couple and Dog
A bright green light aircraft with two people and a dog on board has gone missing in Tasmania, sparking a massive search operation. No distress signal was sent before the plane disappeared.
Tasmania Plane Disappearance: Search Continues for Missing Couple and Dog
Police and rescue teams are searching for a missing light aircraft with two people and a dog on board that disappeared after departing from northern Tasmania on August 2.Prachi Patel (Simple Flying)
Messy Alaska & Virgin Trademark Dispute Now Involves Delta
Alaska Airlines is still trying to get out of paying $160 million in royalties for the Virgin America brand, and this now involves Delta.
just_another_person
in reply to OhVenus_Baby • • •Okay, so let me break down what I THINK is happening here, which is that you might have a misunderstanding of what what atomic/immutable means.
First, these are made to separate OSspace from UserSpace. Whatever you keep in UserSpace is your responsibility.
Second, the actual running OS is built on layers like containers. The hash of what your OSspace is can be readily gotten to compile the exact same version of it from the repos that hold the presompiled versions of these things. Just like containers.
Third, you don't need to backup any of the OS because of the above.
Lastly, the general idea is that since you don't need to backup anything about the OS, and you should be able to checkout a hash of some sort that can download and be eventually bit-consistant with the OS layer, all you have to worry about is the UserSpace content.
How you manage the UserSpace content is up to you. Back your stuff up, start a bare machine and check the OS out to a specific revision where your previous machine was at, then drop your UserSpace stuff in, and it will "just work".
OhVenus_Baby
in reply to just_another_person • • •What I am understanding from the atomics are that your view is right with caveats. Flatpaks only write to /home. But not all apps or software are flatpak. There is no standard for where apps write in Linux so some apps get wrote to system, some apps write to /home. Which allows creep and data scatter throughout a system.
It seems with traditional systems you gain good backups that are easy to redeploy should you need them. But config drift can creep up, updates break more easily, and rollbacks require up to date snapshots.
Atomics make rollbacks easier, but backups harder and more complex during restorations due to fragmented backup locations for different types of files. Also apps don't always play well with say SElinux on fedora but it's rare take Mullvad for instance its not a flatpak and they primarily update as. Deb or similar. Requiring distrobox or toolbox. Which is a whole other level of complexity.
I am basically trying to discern if I should go immutable or traditional OS install. Things sound great on paper. But daily driving is a different story.
I want security by default, sandbox/containerized apps, Wayland native, with solid backup support infrastructure. So not if but when and I do it often testing backups or re-deploying a machine. I can boot back in as close to never left as I can.
So continuity is paramount. I been eyeing fedora kiniote, fedora workstation KDE, Debian likely KDE. Only because cinnamon isn't Wayland native yet and likely won't be for a while.
Edit: Currently I been running NIXos. It's been great but config only backups up system apps and not data or app state. However even under /home backups you'll still lose system files unless their manually tracked and synced as well. It's one giant hassle. I used to clonezilla but my search for other DEs and OSes that scratched the itch for stock Mints flaws has still evaded me.
marcie (she/her)
in reply to OhVenus_Baby • • •Edit nvm you mentioned NixOS.
I'm pretty sure ublues variants of atomic have easy backup features 🤔 but yes this is one issue that needs to be addressed by a distro, not sure if it exists entirely without setting each install methods working directory manually
lilith267
in reply to OhVenus_Baby • • •I think you misunderstand the point of atomic still. Your base system should be installed entirely through ublue or other. Every time you update ublue will hash it and you can go back to that exact config with a working base system. Flatpaks and distrobox are user applications and should store all the data they need somewhere under your /home. Back up your /home and /etc with rsync or similar. When all is said and done your be able to recreate your system with ublue, and restore your configs and personal files with rsync.
The advantages of ublue is you can easily share or restore your base system without needing to backup gigabytes of data every update
Leaflet
in reply to OhVenus_Baby • • •Timeshift is completely unnecessary. Fedora Atomic's rollbacking is more powerful and avoids certain issues.
You should only be backing up personal files, not OS files. The OS is replaceable, your personal files are not.
HelloRoot
in reply to Leaflet • • •I've been backing up my OS and my personal files with borg to my NAS.
Saved me a weekend of setup and config editing once before, when my drive failed.
Or do you just remember all the config changes you did and type them out from the top of your head? And all the apps you have installed? It's over 300 apps and 100 config files for me.
The OS is tiny compared to personal files. It doesn't make sense not to back it up.
Leaflet
in reply to HelloRoot • • •Well, kinda. I have have scripts to set up most of my system after an installation. It’s nice so that I don’t have to remember everything I’ve done. It means I can reinstall my system or install on a new system with relative ease.
Doesn’t need to be anything complex. Just having a list of packages I want installed and that I can copy into my terminal makes things so much faster.
HelloRoot
in reply to Leaflet • • •I install or configure something every week.
In addition to doing the config, I'd have to edit a script as well, which seems like more hassle. At this point, why not go for nixOS and have just the latter part of the hassle without having to also edit config files in / ?
Instead, I run the backup command after I change something. When I want to restore, I can mount any of the last 20 backups from the borg repo and either manually revert a file or use rsync to mass overwrite.
I was thinking of using btrfs send, which would probably be even better for the purposes of recovering from disk failure, but borg file based backup takes way less space and works well so far. And I don't have the extra effort of a declarative os or setup scripts.
Also works offline as long as I am with my NAS unlike a script that installs a list of packages from the repos.
Dariusmiles2123
in reply to OhVenus_Baby • • •I’ve never tried an immutable OS, but I’d love if the ability to do system backups and redeploy to another computer was just part of any OS.
Especially when Linux encourages you to distro hopp.
Clonezilla is great but it already happened to me that one backup wasn’t deployable on another (really old) computer
Leaflet
in reply to Dariusmiles2123 • • •That kinda exists with NixOS, but you'd have to backup your personal files separately.
You're not really backing up the OS with NixOS, but the nix configuration file describes how the OS is built in a reproducible way.
Dariusmiles2123
in reply to Leaflet • • •Leaflet
in reply to Dariusmiles2123 • • •Yeah. I’ve used NixOS and think the idea is cool, but overall I prefer Fedora Atomic. Unlike NixOS, it’s a complete OS out of the box and is less quirky than NixOS. Though I am a proponent of Flatpak, those who don’t like it will have a very different opinion of Fedora Atomic.
I just wish Fedora Atomic was more declarative and that bootc could work a bit closer to how NixOS's nix.conf worked. I would love if that there was a a container file could be declared and used built similarly to nix.conf is (avoiding the user manually building the and signing the container file).
pyssla
in reply to OhVenus_Baby • • •Fam, I loathe saying this, but -please- if you desire engagement, then at least put some honest effort into proofreading your writings before posting them. I'm just assuming stuff at this point because I can barely grasp your intent/writing. *sigh*
Which distros even come by default -so installed OOTB- with "good backup options"? Which atomic distros is this statement even based on?
Because their atomicity barely goes beyond updates. The 'atomic' in "atomic distros" mostly describes how its updates are atomic; i.e. the system either updates successfully or doesn't update at all. Thus, by design, we have two possible states after an update: a 'successfully' updated system or a 'failed' update resulting in the same state as the previous. Atomic distros aren't smart enough to catch all 'breakage' occurred by 'successful' updates. As such, most of these breakages will only show them after trying to boot into updated system. Deleting/erasing the previous known good state without verifying that the new/upcoming state works well is foolish. Especially on a distro that's got robust updates otherwise. Hence, the functionality of rollbacks on updates is almost trivially done/applied to atomic distros, as it (almost) follows by design.
So, what I'm interested in is the following:
- Are you familiar with the notion of stateless systems? Is this (perhaps) what you're (actually) seeking?
I think my previous paragraph should be enlightening in this regard. If you disagree (or something/otherwise), then please feel free to elaborate why you think so. Btw, what do you even mean with "true backups?
Luke
in reply to pyssla • • •pyssla
in reply to Luke • • •While I believe your intent and attempt is noble, in OP's comment history we find their admittance to being American.
Furthermore, I'd argue their history actually suggests that they're very much capable of writing perfectly sound English. In fact, this isn't my first interaction with OP. So I know they can do better. But, for whatever reason, they haven't demonstrably shown the same diligence when writing up this particular post.
The bold part is probably directly targeting the "proofreading your writings before posting them"-part of my original comment. And I'll admit that I should have done a better job at conveying that this doesn't intend to allude to a structural problem. So, to be clear, it was meant as general advice after being bothered by (only) this post.
::: spoiler Uno Reverse
Outwardly suspecting ESL for native speakers ain't nice either, but I digress...
:::
Luke
in reply to pyssla • • •There are plenty of Americans who don't speak English as a primary language, but you might be correct that they are simply not being diligent with their proofreading.
Either way, they're perfectly understandable IMO, but it's also valid to be frustrated with someone writing differently. I still don't think it's constructive to chastise them for it.
AmbiguousProps
in reply to OhVenus_Baby • • •