Other Chat DCC

[Neo Emolga]

I appreciate that offer, as using Linux is something I've never done before and more and more it's looking like that may be the route I'll need to go with this desktop PC. The hardware cost me a LOT (I intended for this PC to last a nice long while) and really, the only shortcoming I've experienced is just it being unable to upgrade to Windows 11. I'd hate to have to dump the entire machine just because of Microsoft's blunders and shortcomings with Windows 11...

The one I may go with is SteamOS, as I do pretty much 99% of my gaming on PC. I may just need to do a little more research to see what other applications work with it, as if Photoshop and PaintTool SAI aren't compatible with it it, I need to be prepared for that and either find another OS or find another application to replace those.

I'd also have to print out the instructions and follow them pretty carefully, as I have a feeling that one I get started, it'll be a point of no return and I may not be able to go back to Windows 10.

[Cleobel]

The Linux distribution I chose is Linux Mint. I have also tried Zorin OS, but didn't really like it. Those two distributions are among the most highly recommended for those coming from Windows who have no prior Linux experience. They are based on Ubuntu, which is also beginner-friendly, but doesn't really look like Windows.

I have no experience with SteamOS, but I see that it is based on Arch Linux. From what I have read, Arch-based distributions are generally considered for more advanced users compared to Ubuntu-based ones.

Assuming the installation process of SteamOS is similar to the one of Mint/Zorin : at first, the Linux distribution will be loaded from a USB stick (which you will have prepared beforehand), which will give you a chance to try this operating system (without modifying anything on your hard drive) before deciding whether to install it. Then, if you choose to proceed with the installation, it will be installed from the USB stick onto your hard drive. And if there is enough space available on your hard drive, you will be able to decide whether to install the Linux distribution alongside Windows 10 (in that case, you will need to choose between the two operating systems every time you turn on your PC, which is called a "dual boot"), or get rid of Windows 10 and replace it with the Linux distribution (which is what I did).
Of course, you should still double check whether this installation process applies to the Linux distribution of your choice, as I have only tried Mint and Zorin.

I have never used Photoshop and PaintTool SAI, but I do know that GIMP is a popular alternative to Photoshop for Linux users. Have you ever tried it?

[Neo Emolga]

Ah, I think my sister also uses Mint and she's always seem satisfied with it. I don't know how much or how often she uses her computer or what she uses it for, but she got tired of Windows even long before the whole upgrade block happened.

I've never actually tried GIMP. I've been wired into Photoshop ever since I first discovered it in high school and didn't really deviate too much from it. PaintToolSAI I use for sketching and lineart while Photoshop I use for coloring, shading, effects, and all that other stuff before finalizing it. I just wasn't really crazy about the way Photoshop has its lineart/pen tool and I've always found PaintToolSAI to be really good at getting super-smooth lines that can be easily adjusted and realigned, so if you kind of goofed up drawing the line first time, it's easy to edit them.

I remember looking at Affinity Photo as a Photoshop alternative and it seemed VERY similar and also uses Photoshop's brushes (I use a LOT of those). I may go that route if Photoshop were to no longer be an option since the layout looks very similar and shouldn't feel too odd. But yeah, for now, my old copy of Photoshop CS6 is still working even though it's over a decade old. But at least it's not on Adobe's very expensive subscription service.

[Cleobel]

That sounds interesting, thank you for telling me more about Photoshop, PaintTool SAI and Affinity Photo!

Also, I just found out about this app called Krita, which could be a Linux alternative to both Photoshop and PaintTool SAI, according to their website.

Both GIMP and Krita run natively on Linux, while Photoshop, PaintTool SAI and Affinity Photo don't have a Linux version, according to what I have read. You might still be able to run those three apps on Linux using a Windows software launcher, though.
Personally, I'm using Faugus Launcher to run the few Windows apps I haven't found a Linux alternative to (such as PKHeX and RNG Reporter), but all those Windows apps are executable files that wouldn't require any installation on Windows, so things might work differently if we're talking about apps that would need to be installed on Windows.

[Neo Emolga]

I tried Krita for just a tiny little bit and it seemed pretty good. I didn't really delve too much into it, but I think there's a lot of people out there that use it and enjoy it. Might be something I could get into if SAI is something I need to leave behind.

[Cleobel]

Hi Neo, I'm glad you had a good experience with Krita!
How did your follow-up appointment with the colorectal surgeon go, by the way?

[Neo Emolga]

Quite well! She told me I'm free to eat anything and I'm not restricted anymore when it comes to cardio exercise. That was awesome news to hear as it's been a heck of a road to recovery. A low-residue diet doesn't initially sound that rough at first, but it's actually tougher to work around than I initially thought. The only restriction I'm still under is I can't return to my regular weight-lifting class until 2026, but that's only a few weeks away.

Speaking of 2026, do you have any New Years resolutions? I usually don't make these, but I'm going to try and finish the two Pokemon comics I have going: Team Buckshot (a solo project) and Triple Tousle (a collab comic I'm working on with Chakra) before the end of 2026. Both of them only have about a chapter's worth of content to go through before they finish, so I'm going to try and make that a goal for next year. They've both been a tiny bit neglected lately, but I don't want them to die out. They both deserve a solid ending and should get closure especially since both of them have come a pretty long way.

[Cleobel]

Hi Neo, I'm glad your diet and cardio exercise restrictions have been lifted!
Good luck with finishing Team Buckshot and Triple Tousle! I don't have any New Years resolutions or goals.
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas if you celebrate it! Otherwise, I wish you a wonderful day!

[Neo Emolga]

Thanks! It was a nice little Christmas. Didn't do anything too wild, mainly met up with family and relatives on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We had some fun and some good times and poof, like that, it was over already. It goes by too quickly! Hope you had fun and enjoyed a great Christmas if you celebrate it!

In the meantime, Chakra got me Clair Obscur Expedition 33 for Christmas and I KNEW I would get hooked into that game! It's a somber but also beautiful game that has a lot of emotion and also a lot of action. And it manages to squeeze in some humor despite the melancholy setting and story. Easy to see why this won Game of the Year.

[Rival Max]

Happy (late) New Year everyone.