Help or Suggestions for trying a Linux System (Sorry, Kind of Long)

[Steven Paulsen]

I am not the most learned Geek but I have been using computers since Mas OS 7 & Windows 3.1, (Early, mid 90's.) I was big on Apple till I started to have hardware issues 6-7 years ago & they also ushered a new OS every year & I gave up. Windows 7 is nearing it's end & I have been getting by, not using the Adobe Cloud System.

My main photo used computers are 2- Dell Lattitude, E6530, E6430 both with quad core/8 thread i7's. They both work wonderful with a 2, even 3-screen desktop setup. I'm also lazy & the smaller one works well on my lap while watching television nonsense. (I am also using SSD/"Spinner," dual drive configurations.) I dabble in guitar/bass/vocal home recording stuff. Horrible music skills, however I make up the difference with fun.

1st Question;
What version of Linux should I dowload to install and what open source "Lightroom Like" Application is, (in your opinion) best? I have played with Gimp . It is not 100% adobe like, however it may work if I put more time into it.

2nd Question;
Upgrading to Windows 10 & using open source photo programs. (I am somewhat aware that Win 10 revokes pretty much all personal privacy & I'd prefer to stay away.)

3rd Question;
Should I throw away all my camera equipment, Macs, PC's & just spend $1000. on a smart phone, enroll in a $150. per month plan & let the "Cloud" take care of the rest?

<Question 3 is cynical humor.>
Also; I am not going to shoot down any idea to just buy or build a "Gaming Desktop Tower" that makes what I now use a slow moving slug.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

There are a confusing myriad of Linux distribution ('distro' in Linuxese) and it is advised to stick to any of the really big ones of them. This because you almost certainly will have to ask someone in person, or on a web site, for help along the way.

I have Ubuntu on the main boxes (server flavour, running as a VM host) and found it to be very stable (as incidentally, are my various Windows boxes as well). A laptop for more informal use runs Linux Mint which is visually very similar to Win10 (none of the idiosyncrasies and snooping of that Microsoft product though) and this also "just works".

I've tried Darktable and Gimp, and run Aftershot on some of the Linux boxes. Zerene Stacker runs well, too. Unfortunately there is no Linux support for Photo Ninja.

[HCS]

I second Bjørn's suggestion for Ubuntu. If you want a light desktop, you could give one of the other desktop distros based on Ubuntu a try, like Xubuntu (XFCE).

Mint comes in various distro based versions, plain debian, or ubuntu, or even some mixed type. Also in various desktop versions.

GIMP (rather: The GIMP) is not a Lightroom counterpart, it much more is a pixel editor like Photoshop. The Lightroom counterpart is Darktable.

I'm not so fond of that and haven't found any cataloguing software on Linux that i'm satisfied with (and can't say i haven't tried).

[Akira]

Maybe it would be more difficult to find decent DAW than to find photo editing software on Linux?

[JJChan]

Maybe it would be more difficult to find decent DAW than to find photo editing software on Linux?

Akira - it’s the lack of drivers for interfaces that limits use I think.  The reportedly good software costs a bomb too (Bitwig). Try Ardour - but going Linux is an investment more in time than money and a big part of that is using software that is not available in native format.

[Akira]

Akira - it’s the lack of drivers for interfaces that limits use I think.  The reportedly good software costs a bomb too (Bitwig). Try Ardour - but going Linux is an investment more in time than money and a big part of that is using software that is not available in native format.

Oh, I forgot Bitwig whose owner's manual I had translated into Japanese.     The driver for the audio interface would surely be a major problem.

[Steven Paulsen]

Just a quick "Thank You." I downloaded (ubuntustudio-18.04-dvd-amd64.) I didne 't put on a disk or flash drive. (The web site said it's able to be booted from a flash drive.) So far, been busy with home chores. It rained for 6  weeks. My yard was a nightmare, now it's raining again.
The digital recording thing is not a big deal. I've found that trying to operate Pro Tools on a PC, removes all creative spirit & I can't strum or pick to save me arse. I feel mor at home with a 1960's something reel to reel. Let it spin & wail away. Just can't overdub. I have a looper/phase pedal & I can export the wav's back to the PC.

I'm getting old & some things are too complicated.

I'm not going to top post....but the question of the week is.......Is a D3X worth the time, patience and is there a sense of satisfaction once it's acquired & reaches the pole position in my camera sack?

  (Or is it just another case of NAS?)