you must’ve not seen Mint in a long time if you think it looks like Windows 95, I’m using it right now and it looks much nicer.

Further, that’s really not the cutting dig you think it is. Windows 95, for all its boxy, gray 90s aesthetic, was a very clean UI with minimal bullshit. If you like ricing your desktop/want it to look fancy, great, I’m happy for you. Most normal users, on the other hand, really don’t care how their OS looks as long as they can find what they need to. For normal users, the OS should be an invisible plinth that other programs you actually give a fuck about sit on top of. Mint stays the fuck out of my way to that end impeccably well.

Mint is (subjectively, for 90% of people), because something a lot of Linux nerds seem to forget is that the average computer user does not even want to think about their operating system. 90%+ of people who use a computer want it to turn on and just work for the things they want to do, and for like, 99% of the time, Mint has been just that for me for a solid year and a half. I adore it for that reason, and wish more Windows users would just try switching to it. I understand the apprehension not to, having tried other distros over the years (and having fought with Bazzite on my steam deck on multiple occasions), but it really does “just work”.

like I get it, some like to fiddle-fuck with their OS, and that’s cool, but that does not appeal to the majority of people and pretending it should is asinine. Some of us want to view and use our computer as an appliance/a means to an end, not a project in and of itself. When I used Windows and had issues, you know how much fun I had digging around in Event Viewer, or Group Policy Editor, or Regedit, or Control Panel? Zero. Zero fun was had. Same amount of fun I have dicking around with Linux. I want my computer to turn on, do what I tell it to, nothing I don’t (this is the sticking point that got me to leave Windows), and god damnit if it breaks it’d better be as easy as googling an error message (which, Mint also has enough reach/widespread use that it usually is). Anyone who disagrees, I applaud your patience, but that is simply not the way I and most other people operate.

And salty Linux ricer downvotes get me moist, so bring it on, dweebs.

I swear, the best way to experience Helldivers 2’s community is to just be decent in games with randoms, maybe watch CommissarKai’s videos (do not go into the comments section) for tips on teamplay, and absolutely positively do not venture into the steam forums, the discord, or any other big discussion forum centered around the game because it w i l l be a cesspit, unfortunately. The Steam forums have the usual toxic trolls, but the Discord (and other hubs) is usually having furious arguments over buffs, nerfs, what is meta, what isn’t, what should be done what shouldn’t be and so on. For a silly little PvE co-op power fantasy game.

I’m not sure if Deep Rock Galactic has this problem, I’ve played it and it all seemed pretty positive but I never got into the game as much as I did HD2.

In-game everyone is usually wonderful.

The official discord server, on the other hand… no. Just no.

I would but there’s a site I use called RVRB that only works with Spotify Premium AFAIK, and I enjoy the site too much to give it up. Great way to discover new music.

legit I pay for Spotify and I love spicetify, been considering canceling it because spicetify and revanced spotify exist

Mint makes troubleshooting issues – when they do rarely arise – so simple because Mint’s so common, so I personally plan to stick with it pretty much indefinitely. Maybe once I finally work up the courage to nuke my Windows partition I’ll repurpose it as a “distro experimentation” partition. I’ve kinda been procrastinating cleaning that mess out for ages. For now? I’m happy.

PopUpOFF, AdNauseam (basically uBlock Origin that actively costs the advertisers money – because fuck them, that’s why), Bypass Paywalls Clean, SponsorBlock, DeArrow, Return Youtube Dislike, Enhancer for Youtube, CanvasBlocker, TrackMeNot, Tampermonkey, MAKE A MERRY TRY AGAIN, Dark Reader, and ClearURLs.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Lmao. They’re really desperate for this one to go over well, huh?

On the one hand, I like the AC franchise, and I used to like Ubisoft and some of the games they put out.

On the other, I really want to see an entertaining crash and burn. Like, full-blown disastrous launch that bankrupts the company – so they can “get comfortable with not owning” their studios.

Whenever I encounter that while trying to view something in private browsing (to avoid it tainting my recommendations), I go out of my way to use an alternative frontend just to spite them.

Someone else mentioned Superliminal, and I second that recommendation. Very cool puzzles, very nice message.

I’ll hold out on praise until they open source Red Alert 3.

Because then the game itself will have escaped to the one place that isn’t corrupted by capitalism.

I’m on a 2080 on Mint and have been for the past year, haven’t had any major issues so far.

I dunno, maybe provide such a good service that it makes me want to pay, voluntarily? Like I do with Steam?

also, “you aren’t paying them, therefor they have the right to invade your privacy and serve malicious ads to you” is such a stupid, shit take. Are you some megacorp CEO’s personal ball-gargler or something?

see, I don’t negotiate with terrorists, so I use PopUpOFF and Bypass Paywalls Clean. Also AdNauseam, TrackMeNot, CanvasBlocker, and SponsorBlock to round out the “fuck you, fuck your ads, and fuck your tracking” suite.

Hostile consumer practices becoming ubiquitous? Become a hostile consumer.

I believe Quebec already lays claim to that title.

I’d switch if there was something like RVRB for Tidal or, better still, your own local music collection. Or if RVRB supported other platforms.

Seriously, that site has helped me find so much stuff I like, it’s hard to let that go.

what the other guy said. Send it to the media if it was a national scandal, it’ll be extra spicy.

yeah, send that to his superiors and watch the fireworks.