11 Must-Have Apps on Ubuntu Right After a Fresh Install | Dramel Notes

Here’s the situation: it’s your first time using Ubuntu, you’ve gone through as many newbie Linux tricks as you could find, but you’re still wondering what kind of software is out there for you to install. Maybe you’re even starting to feel a bit overwhelmed.

Don’t worry. Relax. Compared to Windows, Linux is a vast new world full of exciting possibilities — but there’s a lot of familiarity as well. Using free software, you can replicate many of the everyday tasks that you just can’t go without.

So if you’re looking at a fresh installation of Ubuntu and feeling a bit lost, here are the first few applications you should install. These will cover most of your needs, guaranteed.

1. Tweak Tools

By default, Ubuntu doesn’t provide a lot of flexibility when it comes to customizing your desktop experience. You can do things like change your wallpaper, use different fonts for your system, and install different window themes, but not much more than that.

If you want nitty-gritty access to some of the more advanced settings hidden beneath the hood of your system, you’ll want to install a tweak tool. The one you choose will depend on your desktop environment.

For Unity desktops: You should install Unity Tweak Tool, which is available in the Software Center. This will let you change the behavior of windows and settings beyond what Unity normally allows.

For Gnome desktops: You should install Gnome Tweak Tool, which can also be found in the Software Center. Advanced tweaks include custom keyboard shortcuts, altered window behaviors, and fine-grain theme controls.

For Compiz desktops: Compiz isn’t a desktop environment per se, but rather a window manager that allows for 3D effects and animations. If you decide to use Compiz for window management, you should install Compiz Config Settings Manager from the Software Center.

Compiz is far more advanced than the other tweak tools above, which means it might be overwhelming at first. Be careful not to change things unless you know what they are, otherwise you may break something.

2. Synaptic Package Manager

Except for the tweak tools above, I’m convinced that there’s no tool more important for Ubuntu users than Synaptic Package Manager. Sure, the built-in Ubuntu Software Center is good enough to get the job done, but it has a few quirks and missing features.

On the other hand, Synaptic is objectively better. For starters, it isn’t as laggy when browsing through packages, and it’s way faster at returning search results. It can repair broken package dependencies, perform smart system upgrades, and has a friendlier interface.

Plus, it has a setting for automatically deleting packages after installation, which helps alleviate unnecessary disk space usage. Ubuntu Software Center doesn’t have this feature.

How to install: Synaptic Package Manager can be found in the Software Center.

3. Google Chrome

I don’t want to get into a war over which browser is best on Linux. Chrome has its strong points, but there are also a lot of reasons to hate Chrome. And if I’m being honest, if I absolutely had a choice, I would break up with Chrome in an instant.

But on Linux, you need to have Chrome installed. Not that you have to use it as your primary browser — Opera is my browser of choice at the moment — but there are things Chrome can do that no other browser can (without a lot of tinkering and tweaking, at least).

For example, if you want to watch Netflix on Linux, you pretty much have to use Chrome now. There are potential workarounds for other browsers like Firefox and Opera, but they’re a real headache to get working. Up-to-date Flash support is also only available in Chrome.

How to install: Chrome isn’t available in the Software Center, but installation is easy. Just go to the Chrome homepage, click Download, make sure you select the relevant .deb file, and double-click it after it’s downloaded to install. Once installed, it will auto-update when new versions are available.

4. Geary

There are several Linux desktop email clients to choose from, and the best one for you is the one you find most comfortable to use, but Geary gets my vote. It’s clean, fast, easy to use, and aesthetically pleasing.

The basic-but-functional interface makes it a “lowest common denominator” email client. You’ll understand how to use it as soon as you open it. As such, it’s the one I most recommend for Linux newbies and casual users.

The only downside to Geary is that it lacks a lot of customization options. If you want to change the hotkeys, you can’t. If you want to disable “Mark as Read after X seconds”, you can’t. Little things that are completely subjective but might be frustrating all the same, so I don’t recommend Geary for power users.

How to install: Geary is not available in the Software Center. To install, open the Terminal and type in the following three commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yorba/ppa

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install geary

5. VLC Media Player

Surprisingly enough, there are a lot of great media players on Linux: Bomi, SMPlayer, Miro, and the list goes on. But while it’s nice to have such a wide variety of options, there’s one player that consistently outranks its competition, and that player is VLC.

The biggest selling point of VLC is its commitment to the open source philosophy. Obviously it isn’t the only open source media player out there, but when you also consider just how feature-complete, polished, and downright useful it is, you’ll see that few others can compare.

There are so many hidden VLC features that you probably don’t know about. (Seriously, so many features.) At the very least, you should install it as a backup player because it always works.

How to install: VLC can be found in the Software Center.

6. Tomahawk

Fewer and fewer people are buying music these days. With the prevalence of services like Spotify and YouTube, we’re entering an age where streaming is preferable to ownership — and that’s most true for music. However, for those of us who still have MP3s, a proper music player is crucial.

Linux music players aren’t hard to come by, which means picking one is harder than you might think. Having given many of them a try over the years, I’m convinced that Tomahawk is the best. It’s clean, modern, and packed with features.

But the most killer feature comes by way of plugins: the ability to connect to streaming services like Spotify, YouTube, SoundCloud, Deezer, LastFM, and more. Tomahawk makes it so you can manage all of your music — owned or streamed — in one place.

How to install: Tomahawk is not available in the Software Center. To install, open the Terminal and type in the following three commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:tomahawk/ppa

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install tomahawk

7. Tixati

Here at MakeUseOf, we don’t condone the pirating of software or media. However, we do recognize that there are legitimate uses for torrenting, and when you find yourself needing to download one of those legal torrents, it’s best if you do so with a proper client.

Fortunately, the selection of modern torrent clients for Linux is wide and ever-improving. You’ve probably heard of Transmission, Deluge, and qBittorrent, but I really want to stress that Tixati is the absolute best client available right now.

Reasons to prefer Tixati over other torrenting clients include: tiny resource comsumption, fast downloads, simple and straightforward interface, and dozens of features like priorities, bandwidth sizing, and real-time bandwidth graphs. It even has a portable version.

How to install: Tixati isn’t available in the Software Center, but installation is easy. Just go to the Tixati homepage, click Download, navigate to the Linux section, and make sure you select the relevant .deb file. Double-click the downloaded file to install.

8. Sublime Text

One of the worst Linux myths is that only programmers should care about Linux. This myth does a disservice to the operating system because there’s a lot to like about Linux even if you’ve never seen or written a line of code in your life.

That being said, it’s undeniable that Linux is great for programmers, and if you’re going to be doing any kind of programming or scripting at all, then you should really consider installing Sublime Text. It’s the best text editor out there and almost as good as an IDE.

How to install: Sublime Text is not available in the Software Center. To install, open the Terminal and type in the following three commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/sublime-text-3

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install sublime-text-installer

9. GIMP

A lot of programs have tried to replicate the power and flexibility of Photoshop, and while a lot of these programs can pass as viable alternatives to Photoshop on Linux, they all fall short in one way or another. The closest thing you’ll find is GIMP.

But here’s the thing: GIMP may not be at the same level as Photoshop, it can still do a lot of the same things. If GIMP is missing a feature you need, you might even be able to extend its functionality with plugins. And best of all, GIMP is 100% free. Would you rather pay a subscription for Adobe Creative Cloud? Likely not.

If you think GIMP is overkill or too hard to learn, don’t worry. Just check out these websites with GIMP tutorials and these video tutorials for GIMP beginners to get started. It’s easier than you think.

How to install: GIMP can be found in the Software Center.

10. Dropbox

Of the cloud storage services available today, Dropbox is the easiest to set up on Linux. If you’ve never used Dropbox before, then you really should — it’s excellent for backing up files, not to mention the creative uses for Dropbox that you haven’t considered.

Dropbox integrates well into Linux, and once it’s set up, you never have to fiddle with it again if you don’t want to. Everything just works, and that kind of comfort is great for Linux newbies.

If you’re going to use Dropbox, take advantage of these ways to unlock more space as well as these time-saving Dropbox shortcuts. If security bothers you, take these steps towards safer cloud storage and avoid these bad security habits. Then you’ll have nothing to worry about.

How to install: Dropbox is available in the Software Center, but I’ve run into installation issues before, so I recommend going to the Dropbox download page instead and grabbing the .deb file relevant to your system. Double-click it to install once downloaded.

11. Steam

Linux is becoming a serious platform for gaming. It hasn’t gotten there yet, but it’s well on its way, and there’s a lot of evidence to show that Linux may catch up to Windows in just a few more years. One of the biggest milestones? The release of Steam for Linux.

Steam is one of the best ways to download games on Linux. The library of games is expansive, the community is massive, and the games themselves are pretty darn good. Not all of the games on Steam can be played just yet, but the number that can be played is growing day by day, and Steam itself is always improving too.

For now, you’ll have to deal with the fact that many games — such as these free MMORPGs that are native to Linux — will have to be played outside of Steam.

How to install: Steam can be found in the Software Center. However, you may run into problems after installation, in which case you should consult this troubleshooting page.

What Are Your Must-Have Apps?

I know we’ve only just touched the surface of what’s available on Linux, but if I had to pick 11 absolute essentials, these would be my pick. Linux newbies should instantly feel more comfortable with these apps installed on their systems.

Now it’s your turn. If you could only live with 11 applications on your system, which would they be? Share them with us in the comments below!

Image Credit: Dropbox by tanuha2001 via Shutterstock

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How to Run Windows Apps & Games with Linux Wine | Dramel Notes

You’re a new Linux user. Maybe you’re a Windows XP refugee, maybe you’re not on board with Windows 10, or maybe you’re just someone who enjoys playing around with new operating systems.

Whatever your reason for trying Linux, there’s probably a few Windows programs that you miss. Is there any way to get Windows software working on Linux?

As it turns out, there is. It’s called Wine, and while it can be very useful it probably should only be your last resort. Here’s why, and how to get started if you can’t find an alternative to a beloved Windows app.

What Is Wine?

Wine is a compatability layer that makes it possible to run Windows software on Linux machines. (It also works on Macs, but that’s another article entirely). It’s worth noting that this is not an emulator: there is no virtual CPU, and you don’t need a copy of Windows running in the background. Wine runs Windows software directly.

If you’re confused by the above paragraph, just know that Wine is a tool makes it possible to run some Windows software on Linux systems.

If you prefer Microsoft Office to Libre Office, or Photoshop to GIMP, Wine potentially gives you a choice. You can go ahead and download Wine right now using your distro’s package manager, and try out some software. But there’s a downside.

Why Native Apps Are Always Better

“I can switch to Linux and keep all of my software?”, you might be saying. “Sign me up!”

Not so fast. While there is a plethora of Windows apps that run well using Wine, it’s not necessarily going to be simple or stable. Installing things can be a hassle, and even if you get a program working there’s a chance things will crash somewhat regularly. Updates to Wine frequently break previously working programs, and if you’re not good at troubleshooting it’s going to be hard to work out what’s going on.

Basically, Wine is an option but it’s not always stable and certainly isn’t user friendly for Linux beginners.

For this and other reasons, it’s almost always better to find a native program that does the job. This is particularly true for games, complicated programs where lots of things can go wrong. Finding a native Linux game on Steam is always better.

But it’s arguably even more important for productivity software, where crashes can cost you time and money. Before attempting to run software with Wine, check out our list of the top Linux software and see if there’s a viable alternative.

To summarize: Wine should be used as a last resort, or because you want to mess around with it.

No Wine Until You Finish Your Homework

Say you want to run Microsoft Word. Trying to install the most recent version of that software will almost certainly not work, because it uses all sorts of new Windows features that Wine hasn’t implemented yet. But which version will work?

To find out, head to the Wine Application Database. This is a user-compiled repository of Windows app that are known to run using Wine.

Search for a program you’d like to run and you’ll see ratings for various versions of the program. From highest to lowest, these are:

• Platinum: Work flawlessly, without you having to make tweaks.
• Gold: Works without issues, but you’ll need to tweak Wine a bit to get things up and running.
• Silver: Works with tweaks but there’s going to be some minor issues that, while annoying, shouldn’t affect your usage much.
• Garbage: Don’t even try.

Sometimes the latest version of a piece of software won’t work well, meaning tracking down an older version is probably a good idea. Back at Wine App DB, click through to a version that works and you’ll find notes and tips from other Linux users. Consult this if you have trouble installing software.

It’s worth noting that information won’t necessarily be true of the most recent version of Wine: occasionally software that used to work will stop working for any number of reasons.

Easy Mode: PlayOnLinux Automates Installation

If this all sounds overwhelming to you, I recommend you check out PlayOnLinux. This is a simple app that automates the installation of many programs, notably more than a few games.

The application offers an App Store type interface – browse it and see if the application you want to install is offered. If it is, you’ll be guided through the installation process for your software. In some cases you’ll need access to the CD for the software; in others PlayOnLinux will download the software for you.

Part of what makes this software nice is its approach to getting software working: basically, if there’s a version of Wine that’s known to work well with a particular program, PlayOnLinux will download that version. This means you don’t need to worry about your applications breaking.

We’ve recommended this as a way to get Windows games up and running, but it also works for a variety of other Windows exclusives. It even gives you access to old versions of Internet Explorer (shudder).

Enjoy Wine In Moderation

So that’s Wine, a powerful but fidgety tool that can help you run Windows software on Linux. It’s worth noting that Wine makes it easier to run really old software on Linux than it is on modern versions of Windows, so you could argue that Linux is better at Windows reverse-compatability than Windows itself.

Have you given Wine a try? What did you think? Let’s talk about what does and doesn’t work in the comments below, along with any other thoughts you might have.

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Why Isn’t Linux Mainstream? 5 Flaws That Need Fixing | Dramel Notes

How much market share does Linux have? According to these operating system usage stats, you’ll see that Linux crossed the 5% mark some time in late 2010 — and has been stuck there for about five years, only spiking to 5.9% once in June 2015 before settling back down.

This is not a good sign. Linux has undeniably improved over recent years, so why has it failed to grow? The inability to grab at least 1% in five years is troubling at best, and perhaps points to the fact that there are some serious underlying issues that need to be addressed.

Are these problems inherent to Linux’s design? Or can they be overcome with proper direction and collaboration? It’s hard to say, but let’s take a look and see what could go right.

Note: This article is in the context of desktops only. Linux is actually very popular in other areas like servers, mobile devices, home theaters, and even education!

1. The Landscape Evolves Too Quickly

One of the selling points of Linux — and the open source software movement as a whole — is that it doesn’t stagnate. If there’s something wrong with the kernel, an application, or a software package, anyone can contribute a fix or addition.

This is open source software at its best, right? Well, in some ways, yes, but not exactly. In truth, it’s a double-edged sword — despite the benefits of rapidly evolving software, it comes with a huge drawback.

On the one hand, if you use a closed source application like Photoshop or Unity 3D, you’re at the mercy of the developers. If there’s a bug that impedes your workflow, you have no choice but to wait and hope that they fix it quickly. With an open source application, you could potentially fix it yourself.

But here’s the problem with rapidly evolving software: unless you’re plugged into the community, it’s impossible to keep up with all of the changes.

For example, look at the biggest name in desktop Linux: Ubuntu. They release a new version every six months where each version is named after the year and month of release (e.g. 14.10, 15.04, 15.10, etc). Contrast that with Windows (every 3-5 years) and OS X (every 1-2 years).

And Ubuntu is only one of many. Dozens of new Linux distros are released every year, and all of these distros are updated at different rates. There’s always something new and different around the corner, and the landscape is never the same.

This is great for power users, but overwhelming for casual users. It’s one thing to stagnate, but Linux is on the opposite end of the spectrum — an operating system that changes so frequently that users are unable to settle in and get comfortable.

2. Way Too Many Choices

Despite the many big myths about open source software that simply aren’t true, there are several criticisms that hold a lot of water, and many of them apply to Linux. But the one that needs most attention right now is the tendency of Linux to drift toward fragmentation.

Here’s the thing: just because a project is open source doesn’t mean that there are people who contribute to said project, and even when people do contribute, those contributions often lead to disagreements that arise over what to change, how to change them, and so on.

Most of the time, these disagreements are resolved and everything stays on track, but sometimes there are conflicts rooted in deeper issues like vision and direction. When that happens, resolutions are few and far between, and this happens more frequently than you think, which is why so many open source projects are forked.

For those who don’t know, forking a project is basically the same thing as cloning a project. The original project continues in the same direction it was going while the forked (or cloned) project takes off in a new direction with new developers. Forking is useful in a lot of ways, but it’s key reason why Linux is so fragmented.

Again, let’s consider Ubuntu, which has a number of official derivatives and variants like Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Ubuntu MATE, and more. And then there are actual forks like Linux Mint, Zorin OS, elementary OS, and Deepin Linux. At this point, there are dozens of Ubuntu-based distros to explore.

What about all of the distros unrelated to Ubuntu? You’ve got the well-known names like Debian, Fedora, OpenSUSE, Arch Linux, Puppy Linux, and a few Unix-like operating systems that aren’t even Linux — and that’s not even mentioning the hundreds of lesser-known distros out there.

Linux’s biggest obstacle is the paradox of choice. The Linux community boasts of choices, options, and flexibility, but mainstream folks don’t have the time or patience for that. If you present too many choices, people will just walk away — as evidenced by the entirety of Linux’s history.

This is just one of many reasons why people say Linux has a steep learning curve. When you have to do hours of research just to pick the operating system you want to use, that should be a serious red flag.

3. Every So Often, Something Breaks

I’ve been an on-and-off dual-boot Linux user for several years, and while there have been periods when I’ve gone using nothing but Linux for weeks at a time, I can’t really say that Linux has ever been my “main” operating system.

Why? Because Linux is high maintenance.

I don’t mean that in the sense that Linux is prone to malware and other threats and I’m constantly having to watch over it in case something goes awry. Obviously that’s not the case as most distros are relatively stable, but when it comes to application setup and stability, it’s a completely different story.

For some reason, things tend to break on Linux — not necessarily in catastrophic ways, but certainly in ways that are inconvenient and frustrating.

Just a few weeks ago, I installed Gnome on Ubuntu through apt-get so I could compare desktop environments. The procedure was as standard as could be — I did nothing out of the ordinary — yet somehow it ended up breaking my desktop. The result? Neither Unity nor Gnome worked properly, so I went back to Windows to cool off…

…and haven’t been back to Linux since. I know I could spend a few hours on Google, digging through outdated questions and answers (because Linux evolves too quickly), hoping to fix the problem, but I have more important things to do.

Now think about the average computer user and how much trouble they have with computers. I consider myself to be tech-savyy, but Linux still frustrates me. I can’t imagine how annoying it must be for a mainstream user who has less experience. Is it any wonder why people gravitate to OS X?

I guess it comes down to this: Linux still requires too much technical knowledge. If everything worked perfectly 100% of the time, then Linux would be amazing — but it would be disingenuous to say that that’s true of Linux right now. It simply isn’t.

4. Not Enough User-Friendly Guidance

To be honest, all of the above issues wouldn’t be so bad if Linux had proper guidance for newbie users. We try our best to provide some level of help, such as these golden rules for Linux newbies, but the fact that we need to offer that kind of basic help says a lot about the ecosystem as a whole.

For example, when someone does decide to try Linux, they usually have a lot of questions: How do I install stuff? Where are my programs located? What about programs that aren’t in the Software Center? How do I make sense of the file system? Do I really need to learn how to use the command line?

The good news is that there are several helpful Linux communities out there. The bad news is that these communities alone aren’t enough. There needs to be some kind of central documentation that tracks and explains the entire Linux landscape — something that users can refer to without having to ask questions and wait for answers.

I’m not saying that Linux has no documentation, but I am saying that whatever documentation exists is far from user-friendly. For example, the man pages are quite thorough and comprehensive, but they’re overwhelming for anyone who’s new and unfamiliar to the command line.

Which brings up a separate but relevant point: Linux relies too much on the command line. Admittedly, it has gotten better over the years, and there are more GUI-based tools now than before, but the command line is still too prominent for things like troubleshooting.

But mostly, the community gives off the impression that Linux is only for power users. Veterans cling too tightly to traditions and roots, which alienates new users who don’t care for any of that. There’s a rift between “old Linux” and “new Linux”, and the former must go away if Linux is to really become mainstream.

5. Software Quality Is Mostly Sub-Par

One of the biggest and most common complaints against Linux is the quality of applications that are available on the consumer side. Notice I said quality of applications rather than availability of applications.

People like to say that Linux can’t do what Windows and Mac can do, but that’s just a big lie. If you take the time to find the right programs and learn how to use them, you can do a lot of the same stuff. Indeed, we’ve shown again and again that there are many free alternatives to paid programs that run on Linux.

So for the most part software availability isn’t an issue, but there are two cases where it is: 1) proprietary in-house applications that are only available on Windows or Mac, and 2) videos games that simply aren’t available on Linux. Linux is on its way towards becoming a serious gaming platform, but it’ll take another few years at least.

The real complaint is that these free alternatives just can’t live up to paid solutions. For example, GIMP can do many of the same things as Photoshop, but the overall user experience is far better in Photoshop than GIMP. Aside from a few rare exceptions (e.g. VLC, Blender, LibreOffice), this is a common trend in Linux applications.

What many Linux shills forget is that user experience is just as important, if not more important, than functionality. The unfortunate truth is that if you want professional and polished software on Linux, you’ll be looking for a long time. As far as software quality goes, Linux is lagging far behind.

Why Aren’t You Using Linux?

I’m sure there are many marks against Linux that I haven’t covered, but in my experience, these are the main gripes that keep coming up again and again. Of course there’s a lot to like about Linux, but until these core issues are resolved, it will never be mainstream.

Now, you tell us: do you think these gripes are warranted? If you aren’t using Linux, why not? Post a comment below and share your thoughts!

Image Credits: Ubuntu Family Tree via Wikipedia, Gentoo Family Tree via Wikipedia, Open Source Code by photovibes via Shutterstock, Terminal by Anton Khegay via Shutterstock

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How to Mount Your Windows 10 (or 8) System Drive on Linux | Dramel Notes

If you’re dual-booting Linux alongside Windows 10, 8, or 8.1 and you want to mount your Windows system partition and access its files, you’ll run into a problem. You’ll see an error saying “The NTFS partition is hibernated” due to the new hybrid boot feature, preventing you from accessing its files.

This message can be confusing if you’re not expecting it. Just shut down your Windows system normally and Linux will claim it’s currently hibernated, but you didn’t hibernate it. That’s because modern Windows systems effectively hibernate whenever you perform a normal shut down.

It’s All About Hybrid Boot

When you shut down your modern Windows system, it doesn’t fully shut down by default. Instead, it actually hibernates and, when you boot it again, it reloads the initial system state. This speeds up the start-up process, but it has a downside if you use Linux.

To fix this problem, you’ll effectively need to disable “hybrid boot,” also known as “fast startup.” The only downside here is that your Windows system will boot a bit more slowly after — perhaps about the same speed Windows 7, without the hybrid boot feature, booted at.

You don’t actually have to install anything extra on a typical Linux distribution. Linux distributions like Ubuntu include ntfs-3g and will mount NTFS file systems normally, unlike exFAT file systems that need additional software.

Restart or Do a Full Shut Down

Windows doesn’t use hybrid boot when you “restart” your PC. This ensures that, if there’s an operating system problem, restarting your computer will fully erase that initial system state and generate a new one.

So, if you’re dual-booting Linux, be sure to select the “Restart” option in Windows instead of the “Shut down” option whenever you want to switch to Linux. Windows will shut down normally when you restart

To prevent Windows from doing this and force it to perform a full shut down, you can press and hold the Shift key while you click the “Shut down” option in Windows. Windows will perform a full shut down when you also hold the Shift button.

Whichever option you use, you can then boot back into Linux and mount your Windows system partition and access its files just by clicking it in Nautilus or your Linux desktop’s file manager.

Permanently Disable Hybrid Boot

If you don’t want to worry about this and would just like to disalbe hybrid boot entirely to make your life a bit easier — at the cost of a slower Windows boot process, of course — you can do that. This is also necessary in some cases where a computer’s hardware just can’t handle hybrid boot for some reason. After you disable it, Windows 10, 8, and 8.1 will function a lot more like Windows 7 and you’ll be able to easily mount its partition without any fiddling from Linux.

To do this, boot into Windows, launch the Control Panel, and click “Hardware and Sound”. Click “Change what the power buttons do” under Power Options.

At the top of the window that appears, click the “Change settings that are currently unavailable” link. Scroll down and uncheck the “Turn on fast start-up (recommended)” option. Click “Save changes” to save your changes.

The next time you shut down, Windows will perform a full shut down, just like Windows 7 always did.

Have Linux Remove the Hiberfile.sys File

You could instead have your Linux system automatically remove the hiberfil.sys file when you try to mount that system partition. Linux would then remove the system’s hybrid boot data and mount it. Windows will boot slower the next time you boot it, but, after you do, it’ll generate new hybrid boot data and will continue to use fast startup until you mount it from Linux again, wiping the data.

This could be a good compromise. Bear in mind that, if you actually hibernate your PC and have any opened programs, your Linux system will completely remove the “real” hibernation file along with your important data if you enable this option. It can’t tell the difference between the different types of hibernation files.

You do this by modifying the file system’s mount options, adding the “remove_hiberfile” option. The ntfs-3g error message you see when you try to mount a hybrid-boot-enabled partition suggests you do this, too.

On Ubuntu 14.04 and other modern distributions that include the GNOME Disks tool, you can change this setting fairly easily. Open your applications menu, search for “Disks”, and launch the Disks application.

Seelct the drive containing the Windows system partition, and then select the Windows system partition on that drive. It’ll be an NTFS partition.

Click the gear icon below the partition and select “Edit Mount Options”.

Disable the “Automatic Mount Options” setting at the top of the window. In the mount options box, copy-paste or type the following text at the end of the text box:

,remove_hiberfile

Click OK and enter your password. You can now try to mount the partition by clicking it in the Nautilus file manager again. It should mount normally even if hybrid boot is enabled, with the system automatically removing that pesky hiberfile.sys file if it gets in the way.

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If you’re dual-booting and want full read-write access to your NTFS partition, this is necessary. However, you could also choose to mount the Windows system partition in read-only mode so you could only access and view files, not change them or otherwise write to the drive. Linux can mount Windows system drives read-only even if they’re hibernated.

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5 Easy & Effective Ways to Edit PDF Documents on Linux | Dramel Notes

The Linux learning curve isn’t always easy, and one of the more common questions is “What’s the best PDF editor?” — especially among people who want to use Linux in a work-related capacity. And the good news is that the answer isn’t as murky as you might expect.

There are actually several ways to modify PDFs on a Linux system to differing degrees. You can pay for commercial-grade software and support, or you can opt for one of the free alternatives. It’s up to you. We’re just here to show you what’s out there.

1. PDF Studio

PDF Studio is unique in that it’s the only paid software on this list, and while that tends to go against the whole “Linux is free” philosophy, it means that you get a high-quality product that the developers care to polish — and it shows.

PDF Studio comes in two versions. The Standard version costs $89 and has several basic features, including but not limited to the following:

• Creating PDFs from any text file, image file, or Word document. Also supports the ability to scan papers as PDF files.
• Annotating and commenting on PDF documents.
• Marking and highlighting of text.
• Filling out PDF forms, but not editing text.
• Documents can be split apart or merged together, and they can be secured with passwords and permission settings.

On the other hand, the Pro version costs $129 and has more advanced features, including but not limited to the following:

• Editing of text, images, and shapes.
• Extracting text from images through OCR.
• Creating PDF forms with an interactive form designer.
• Optimizing document sizes.
• Signing documents digitally.
• Batch processing of multiple PDFs at once.

It’s a shame that content editing is only available in the Pro version, but it is what it is. PDF Studio is truly a complete solution and only worth getting if you’re going to use most of what it offers. Both versions have free trials, so give them a personal try.

2. Master PDF Editor

Like PDF Studio, Master PDF Editor aims to be a complete all-in-one solution for your PDF editing needs, but it has one major advantage: at nearly half the price, Master PDF Editor is way more affordable.

But does that mean reduced quality? Not necessarily. For most users, Master PDF Editor is probably more than good enough. Notable features include but aren’t limited to:

• Full editing of all text, images, and forms.
• Protection of documents with 128-bit encryption.
• The ability to convert XPS files into PDF files.
• Exporting of PDFs into common image formats, like BMP, JPG, PNG, and even TIFF.
• Documents can be split apart or merged together.
• Digital signatures and document signing.

The price tag is $50 for the full edition. You won’t find a reduced-price version with crippled features here. Master PDF Editor is all or nothing, but does provide an evaluation trial to see if the program is right for you before you commit to a purchase.

3. Calibre + LibreOffice

This method doesn’t involve an actual PDF editor, but it does produce results. It definitely has its flaws, but as long as you’re willing to work around them, you can have a powerful PDF-editing workflow that doesn’t cost anything.

Basically, you can use the Calibre ebook manager on Linux to convert PDF documents into rich text documents (RTF). Here’s how to do that:

1. Add the PDF document to your Calibre library.
2. Right-click the PDF and select Convert Books > Convert Individually.
3. In the conversion window, make sure the Output Format is set to RTF.
4. Click OK to commence conversion.

Once you have the RTF document, open it in LibreOffice and edit it to your heart’s pleasure. This method works well enough for basic editing of text and images, but obviously fumbles when you want to do more advanced work, like validation forms, dynamic XFA forms, digital signatures, or interactive PDFs.

Fortunately, for tasks like splitting/merging PDFs, OCR text extraction, or secure password protection, you can always incorporate one of many free online PDF tools into your workflow. When the RTF editing is done, just go through the same steps to convert it back into PDF.

4. Scribus

If your PDF-editing needs are more visual-oriented rather than simple text and images, then you may actually want to use Scribus instead of the Calibre + LibreOffice method above.

Scribus is an open-source program that’s built for professional desktop publishing, which includes things like brochures, newsletters, or even books. It’s not a strictly PDF-based editor, but it’s great for “layout” work and can consistently export to PDF with ease.

What’s nice about Scribus is that it can import files that were created in other desktop publishing formats, such as Adobe InDesign and Microsoft Publisher, as well as XPS (which is Microsoft’s alternative to the PDF format).

Scribus is completely free to use, but there are two downsides. The first is that it can’t seem to open all PDF files. Again, since it isn’t exactly a PDF editor, that can be forgiven, but you should be aware that it’s rather picky about the kinds of PDFs it will open.

The second is that it has a bit of a learning curve. The program itself is somewhat intuitively laid out, but there’s no community presence except for an incomplete wiki, so you might have trouble finding tutorials and support when you run into problems.

5. GIMP

Did you know that GIMP can work in a pinch as a PDF editor? We don’t really recommend it if you’re going to be doing a large volume of serious work, but for one-off edits and basic changes, it actually works better than you might expect it to.

The editing process is rather straightforward:

1. Launch GIMP and open any PDF file. (Note that GIMP doesn’t make it easy to edit multiple pages since each page gets loaded in a separate layer.)
2. Edit the document as you see fit. You can’t edit text directly, but if you treat the document like an image, it’s simple enough to shift things around, erase bits, and add your own text.
3. Select File > Export As… and export the document in PDF format. Unfortunately, GIMP only exports what it “sees”, so you’ll have to export each layer as individual PDFs, then merge them together with another tool.

Like Scribus, GIMP is really more for visual-oriented PDFs, but it can also work for simple PDFs that only have one or two pages and not a lot of text. Advanced documents, like interactive PDFs, are off the table though.

Which Method Do You Prefer?

As you can see, PDF editing on Linux isn’t as clear-cut as on Windows or Mac unless you use one of the paid tools. The free alternatives can work, but they each have their own quirks that make them a pain in their own unique ways.

If you’re a newbie to Linux, be sure to live by these golden rules for the best possible experience. You’ll also want to check out these tips for Linux newbies and these commonly-asked Linux questions as well.

Do you edit PDFs on Linux a lot? Which tool do you like using the best? Know of any alternatives we missed? Let us know in the comments below!

Image Credits:penguin writing by Asfia via Shutterstock

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7 Linux Podcasts You Need to Listen To | Dramel Notes

There are a lot of podcasts about Linux out there. But which ones are worth listening to?

If you’re a die-hard Linux user, or a command-line newbie, you’re going to find something worth listening to in this list of seven download-worthy Linux podcasts.

The Linux Action Show

How can I not mention the Linux Action Show? Quite frankly, they’re one of the most widely listened to, and most relevant Linux podcasts out there.

Episodes come out on a weekly basis, and it’s produced by the formidable Jupiter Broadcasting Network, who already produce a number of well-known and loved tech podcasts, like Coder Radio and Tech Talk Today.

Although they can be on the long side (episodes routinely last longer than two hours), they’re jam-packed with Linux news, tips, and banter. You can download episodes here, and even stream them on YouTube.

FLOSS Weekly

The TWIT (This Week in Tech) network is probably the largest podcast (sorry, netcast) network in the world. You’re probably familiar with some of the bigger names who host shows there, like Leo Laporte, Steve Gibson, and Professor Jeff Jarvis.

One of the jewels in the TWIT Crown is FLOSS Weekly, hosted by Randal Schwartz (he literally wrote the book on the PERL programming language) and Aaron Newcomb.

What I like about this show is how it doesn’t shy away from the nitty-gritty of Linux and software development, but Newcomb and Schwartz have a natural chemistry that makes these (often) dry topics both deeply engaging and interesting. Plus, since it’s a TWIT podcast, the production values are astronomical. I’m a fan.

You can watch videos of the shows on the FLOSS Weekly website, and download episodes through your preferred podcast aggregator. If you need a recommendation for a Linux podcast manager, check out these six awesome clients.

The Linux Reality Podcast

The last episode of Chess Griffin’s Linux Reality podcast aired in 2008. That’s almost eight years ago. But despite that, it still feels utterly relevant.

In thirty minutes, Griffin took something intrinsically related to Linux (like Shell Scripting, or how the VIM text editor works), and broke it down to the very basics. He would clearly and plainly explain how something works and why you should care, much like we do at MakeUseOf.

It was so simple, even a High School student could understand it. I know because I actually serendipitously came across it when I was in my final years of High School. This podcast actually introduced me to Linux.

Although no new episodes have been made for a really long time, you can still download an ISO file of every show on Archive.org – the Internet Archive. Griffin himself has seemingly left the tech space. He’s now a practicing attorney in Raleigh, South Carolina at the law firm of Kirschbaum, Nanney, Keenan,  Griffin, P.A.

Linux Voice

If you wanted a Linux podcast with a pronounced British flair, you’re going to love Linux Voice. It’s the official podcast of the Linux Voice magazine, with most of the hosts coming from that publication’s editorial staff.

The Linux Voice Podcast is a weekly overview of news and events in the Linux world, although they frequently cross over into talking about the Internet of Things, Security, and Privacy issues. Shows generally last for an hour, making them ideal for listening while communing.

Episodes can be downloaded from the Linux Voice website, and viewed on the Linux Voice YouTube channel.

Going Linux

With episodes stretching back to 2007, Going Linux is one of the oldest Linux podcasts around who still produce episodes. It’s also perhaps one of the most useful for beginners.

Shows tend to be short and sweet (about 12 to 15 minutes), and tend to be angled at helping users switch to Linux from other operating systems, through practical advice that’s presented in a gentle and approachable fashion. Again, this is really similar to what we do here at MakeUseOf.

But what I really like about Going Linux (despite its unique angle) is the fact that the presenters don’t take themselves too seriously. They laugh, and they joke, and they have a good time. The end result is that their shows feel less like you’re being lectured by an authority, and as a result are more entertaining.

MintCast

Linux Mint is one of the most widely used Linux distributions in the world. For many people, it’s even usurped Ubuntu as their distro of choice. There’s a lot to love about Mint; from its tried-and-tested Linux security, to its intuitive and deeply familiar look-and-feel. At first glances, it almost looks like Windows XP. Almost.

So, it makes sense that there’s a podcast themed around Linux Mint. It’s called MintCast, and it’s excellent.

For the most part, it’s a standard Linux news podcast, with a strong emphasis on Linux Mint, although the three hosts often meander into other topics. Episodes are produced on a semi-regular basis, with episodes frequently going past the two-hours mark.

But what I like most about MintCast is the near-encyclopedic understanding of Linux that the hosts possess. Between the three of them, there’s decades of experience, and that shows in the way they’re able to talk authoritatively and confidently on Linux-related topics.

The Linux Outlaws Podcast

Much like the Linux Reality Podcast, the Linux Outlaws Show was discontinued a couple of years ago. That said, the back-catalogue remains online, and is still worth listening to.

Hosted by German tech-writer Fabian Scherschel and Liverpool-based writer and broadcaster Dan Lynch, the Linux Outlaws Show enjoyed a solid seven year run. What set it apart was it how effortlessly it toed the line between being informative and entertaining. Reviews and analysis was accompanied with banter and even reviews of beer.

Although the show has been “off the air” for some time now, the catalogue of episodes remain online on YouTube, and to download.

Any Recommendations?

For more podcast inspiration, check out MakeUseOf’s top twenty podcasts of 2015. And if you’re a die-hard gamer, a voracious consumer of books, or just really thrifty, we have some compelling podcast recommendations for you.

And if you’re so inclined, it’s really easy to start your own podcast, and our own Joel Lee explained how to record a podcast using Linux software.

Have you got any recommendations? Listen to any awesome Linux podcasts? Tell me about them in the comments below!

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How to Mount and Use an exFAT Drive on Linux | Dramel Notes

The exFAT file system is ideal for flash drives and SD cards. It’s like FAT32, but without the 4 GB file size limit. You can use exFAT drives on Linux with full read-write support, but you’ll need to install a few packages first.

Try connecting an exFAT-formatted drive without installing the required software and you’ll often see “Unable to mount” error message saying “unknown file system type: ‘exfat’.”

How to Install exFAT Support

We performed this process on Ubuntu 14.04, but it’ll be similar on other versions of Ubuntu and other Linux distributions.

First, open a Terminal window from your applications menu. On Ubuntu and similar Linux distributions, type the following command and press Enter to install the appropriate packages. You’ll have to enter your password, too.

sudo apt-get install exfat-fuse exfat-utils

On other Linux distributions, use the appropriate software-installation command or open the graphical user interface and look for the “exfat-fuse” and “exfat-utils” packages. They may be called something a bit different — search for “exfat” and you should find them if they’re available in your Linux distribution’s package repositories.

Mount exFAT Drives Automatically

After you’ve installed the appropriate software, you can just connect an exFAT drive to your computer and it will be mounted automatically. If it’s already connected, just unplug the drive and plug it back in.

Modern Linux desktop environments are smart enough to automatically mount file systems when you connect removable devices, and — once you’ve installed the required software for mounting exFAT drives — they’ll work automatically. You can use them normally without ever pulling up a terminal again, and you’ll have full read-write support.

Mount exFAT Drives From the Terminal

This should “just work” with modern desktop environments, so the below commands shouldn’t be necessary. But, if you’re using a Linux distribution or desktop environment that doesn’t automatically mount file systems for you — or if you’re just using the terminal — you may need to mount the file system in the old-fashioned way.

This can be done just like you’d mount any other partition, using the “-t exfat” switch to tell the mount command to mount a file system as exFAT.

To do this, first create a directory that will be the “mount point” for the exFAT file system. The below command creates a directory at /media/exfat:

sudo mkdir /media/exfat

Next, run the following command to mount the device. In the example below, the device is located at /dev/sdc1. This is the first partition (1) on the third device (c). If you have a single drive in the computer and you just connected a USB drive to it, there’s a good chance the exFAT file system will be /dev/sdb1 instead.

sudo mount -t exfat /dev/sdc1 /media/exfat

You can now access the contents of the drive at the mount point you specified. In the example above, that’s /media/exfat. To unmount the partition when you’re done with it, just run the following command, specifying the appropriate device you specified earlier. You can then remove the storage device from your computer, if you like.

sudo umount /dev/sdc1

---

The exfat-utils package also contains a “mkfs.exfat” command. You can use this command to format partitions with the exFAT file system from Linux, if you like. You can also just format them with exFAT from Windows, Mac, or other devices that support exFAT.

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How to Get Mac or Linux-Like Font Rendering on Windows | Dramel Notes

Without a doubt, fonts look much better on Mac (and even Linux) than on Windows. For some reason, Microsoft is adamant about clinging to their failed ClearType rendering system, but it’s users like you and me who have to suffer for it.

What’s wrong with the fonts on Windows? They’re too skinny, too frail, and frankly hard on the eyes for long periods of time. Obviously this is a subjective judgment. If you like Windows fonts, then keep at it!

But for those of you who prefer the softer, fuller, and more mature look of Mac or Linux font rendering, then there’s a way to get it: install MacType. (The website is a bit outdated, so install the latest version using the Chocolatey package manager if you can.)

As far as I can tell, it works just fine on Windows 10 with the exception of a several Microsoft products, like the Office Suite and Visual Studio. Make sure to launch MacType — preferably in service mode — and choose whichever preset looks best to you.

In order to get MacType working with Chrome, navigate to chrome://flags in the address bar and search for these settings:

• Enable #disable-direct-write
• Enable #disable-one-copy
• Disable #enable-gpu-rasterization

Reboot your computer and your fonts should look much better. Note that MacType assumes that ClearType is enabled on your system.

What do you think of MacType? Have you had much success with it? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

Image Credit: C Source Code by MaIII Themd via Shutterstock

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How do You Find the IP Address of a Second Computer Directly Connected to the First One by Ethernet? | Dramel Notes

A broadcast IP ping might work. Not all systems answer to it, but some do when in 169.254 mode. Try ping 169.254.255.255 (needs -b on Linux), or ping ff02::1 (needs ping6 on Linux).

Directly sending a name lookup (using nbtstat -a) might work (if it runs Windows and if you know the computer’s name).

The 169.254 auto-configuration involves sending some ARP probes with the host’s own address (you can see those in Wireshark).

“Ethernet ping” exists, but only works at the Ethernet level. It will not tell you anything about the IP (It is sometimes implemented in the NIC itself, but mostly not implemented at all).

“Reverse ARP” also exists, but is almost never actually implemented either. Its primary use was superseded by BOOTP and later DHCP.

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Three Ways to Resize a Linux Partition Safely | Dramel Notes

How do you make changes to and resize hard drive partitions without breaking your system and losing all of your files? Start with Linux.

Note: Linux Partitions Only

Before we start, there are a few things we need to cover. This article will focus on resizing Linux partitions that may or may not have operating systems on them. If you need to resize other partitions, such as Mac OS X partitions or Windows hard disk partitions (those with the operating system on them need special treatment — those that hold ordinary files can be resized with these Linux tools), then this is not the article for you.

That being said, there’s one tip I can provide since a lot of people dual boot Windows and Linux. If you plan on making changes to your Windows partition (for example, because you want to shrink Windows in order to give more space to Linux), then you’ll need to make changes to your Windows partition from within Windows. Do not touch your Windows partition with the Linux resizing tools! Otherwise, there’s a good chance that it will break your Windows installation and you’ll have to completely reinstall it.

To resize your Windows partition, right-click on the Start menu if you run Windows 10 or open the Start menu and right-click on Computer if you run an older version. Then, pick Disk Management.

Now, right click on the partition you want to change, and choose Shrink or Grow depending on what you want to do. Follow the wizard and you’ll be able to safely resize that partition.

While there are lots of options available for Linux, including a handful of terminal-only tools, we’re going to recommend GParted, a graphical tool that provides the most universal support for manipulating Linux partitions. With GParted, you have three different options for using it, and I’ll tell you when you should use one option over another.

GParted Live Disc

This is a specialized distribution based on Debian that allows users to load GParted on any computer via an optical disc or USB flash drive. It does not require any installation — it boots from the media and runs solely in the RAM, but is able to resize partitions on any hard drives that are attached to the computer. This is the best option, as it has full access to the hard drives with minimal worry that something will break.

On Linux, resizing a system partition while it’s running is a bad idea (unlike Windows), so going with this route avoids that issue.

Ubuntu Live Disc

This is simply the default Ubuntu installation disc that can be booted from an optical disc or a USB flash drive. With it, you can boot into a live environment that requires no installation and launch GParted which thankfully comes included with this image. As far as what is the best option, this is equally as good as the GParted Live Disc. The only downside is that downloading the Ubuntu image takes longer than downloading the GParted image. Then again, Linux users are generally more likely to have an Ubuntu image already downloaded and ready, and the same can’t be said as much for the GParted image (although it’s not a bad idea).

GParted on Your System

This is very easy to do because GParted is available in virtually all distributions’ repos and it is the smallest download out of the three options. Ubuntu users can install GParted with the command

sudo apt-get install gparted

Then, simply open GParted, let it scan your hard drives, and then right click on the partitions you’d like to change and pick the corresponding action. Once you’ve done, don’t forget to hit Apply to put your changes into effect. You should be fine resizing partitions as long as you aren’t changing any system partitions. If you want to do that, you should use one of the above two options.

Resizing Partitions is Easy

Resizing partitions really shouldn’t be much of an issue as long as you follow these steps. Of course, it’s still best if you backup all of your data before you make any changes, but I’ve been resizing partitions often using this strategy and haven’t had any issues worth mentioning. If you need to resize your Linux partitions, this is the way to go.

What other Linux partitioning tools do you like using? Let us know in the comments!

Image Credit: Emperor penguin by royaltystockphoto.com via Shutterstock

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8 Free MMORPGs That Run Natively on Linux | Dramel Notes

“You can’t play games on Linux” is one of the most outdated lies that people keep spreading. Look, I get it. Windows can play everything while Linux can’t — even though that gap is closed with tools like Wine — but things are quickly changing for the better.

For starters, there’s an entire Linux distro dedicated to gaming, Steam is now native to Linux, and there are thousands of Linux-compatible games — many of which are commercial quality and provide evidence that Linux is now a serious gaming platform.

Unfortunately, MMORPGs are lagging behind. If you want to play one from an AAA company and it doesn’t run in Wine, that might actually be a dealbreaker. That being said, there are several free MMORPGs that are fun and run natively on Linux.

1. Champions of Regnum

Champions of Regnum is one of the top three choices as far as commercial-quality MMORPGs are concerned. It’s about as close as you can get to a World of Warcraft alternative on Linux, and while it’s nowhere near as good, it’s definitely worth a try at least.

The real draw behind Regnum is that its design was inspired by the long-defunct Dark Age of Camelot, which itself was famous for its realm-versus-realm-versus-realm combat (a larger and more complex version of three-way player-versus-player gameplay). If that’s what you want from an MMORPG, then Regnum is the one for you.

Basically, there’s a central Warzone where players from three separate factions fight for control over gates, forts, and castles. There’s also a healthy dose of non-player-versus-player gameplay, so there’s a little bit of something for everyone.

2. Saga of Ryzom

Thematically, Saga of Ryzom is a breath of fresh air because it breaks away from traditional medieval fantasy in favor of science fantasy. The game takes place in a fantastical version of the future — the year is 2525 — but isn’t too heavy on the sci-fi elements (like Tabula Rasa or Anarchy Online were).

There are three things that are particularly impressive about Ryzom: mobs have complex AI and behaviors, the gameplay is an open-ended sandbox with a scenario editor that allows players to design their own in-game areas, and the client and server are both officially open source.

Ryzom isn’t marketed as a player-versus-player game, but there are areas in the game where players can fight, and duels are always an option as well. For the most part, however, people play this game for its rich narrative and complex gameplay.

3. Wurm Online

Did you know that the creator of Minecraft actually worked on an MMORPG many years before Minecraft was even a thing? That MMORPG is Wurm Online.

Wurm isn’t the prettiest of games, but don’t let that keep you from giving it a try. What you’ll find is a deep level of gameplay that you simply won’t find in any other MMORPG. Wurm is a sandbox world in the truest sense. Everything in the game is created by players. Yes, everything.

Also, the gameplay itself changes depending on whicn server you play on — some are player-versus-player, others are realm-versus-realm, and others are all about the virtual economy. If you want an MMORPG that feels like its own world, this is the one for you.

4. Salem: The Crafting MMO

Salem (not to be confused with The Town of Salem) is a relatively young MMORPG created and maintained by an indie development team. While this definitely shows in its graphical quality, the great thing about Salem is that it can be experimental.

The game takes place in 1600s New England with a thematic focus on witchcraft and Lovecraftian creatures. Like Wurm, Salem is all about player-driven gameplay — not just for items, but also for the environment. Players can permanently change the world, even to the point of permanently killing other players.

Just remember that this game is young and indie-developed, so expect it to be rough around the edges for quite some time. However, the good news is that it’s playerbase is growing day by day, and that’s always something to look forward to.

5. Eternal Lands

As far as indie MMORPGs go, Eternals Lands could be considered as the very first indie-made 3D MMORPG as it was created by a single developer and released way bace in 2003. What’s more impressive is that the game is still up and running today, and even received an update as soon ago as mid-2015.

Gameplay-wise, the closest comparison to Eternal Lands would be old-school Runescape. The graphics are primitive, the combat is simplistic, the theme is basic medieval fantasy, and there’s nothing inherently exciting about the character development systems — but somehow, it’s fun.

One interesting thing, however, is that the client is open source. Modified clients can connect to the official servers as long as they are approved by game administrators, which has led to some neat alternative clients.

6. Tibia

Tibia has two main claims to fame: first, that it’s one of the oldest still-running MMORPGs to date (having been released in 1997), and second, that it greatly resembles the aesthetics and gameplay of the cult-classic Ultima Online.

Though this game looks outdated compared to modern graphical masterpieces like Guild Wars 2 and EVE Online, there’s a coziness to Tibia that really makes it feel like a home away from home. There’s a lot to do in the game, including quests, hunting, and player-versus-player — all MMORPG staples that endure the test of time.

There’s a reason why Tibia still maintains 18,000+ concurrent users nearly 20 years after its debut: it may not be unique or innovative, but it certainly offers a robust experience that doesn’t tire quickly.

7. Second Life

Second Life is a notable milestone in the timeline of MMORPG history. It was the first graphical MMORPG without any solid gameplay elements — in the words of the creators themselves, “There is no manufactured conflict, no set objective.” In that sense, Second Life really isn’t a game.

But people love to play it. There’s an entire economy system in place where players can buy, sell, trade, or rent land — and that land is used to leave one’s mark on the world. Virtual commodities are also created and traded by players, and you can make pretty much anything you can think of.

Second Life truly offers a second life — so much so that people have even made real-life money through the economy. And with the advent of Oculus Rift virtual reality support, Second Life offers an experience that few other games can emulate.

8. Stendhal Online

Stendhal Online is the smallest MMORPG on this list in terms of playerbase, but size isn’t always an indicator of quality. (As Linux users, we should all know how true that is!) Indie games like this one offer something that big games can’t: a place where everybody knows who you are.

Every week, only a few hundred different accounts log onto Stendhal, and while the game’s content is standard MMORPG fare, the tight-knit community is what has allowed this game to keep breathing for nearly seven years. Spotlights like the Hall of Fame also help to solidify that feeling of community.

Linux Gaming Is on the Rise!

I know, it would be way better if this list could include games like Star Wars: The Old Republic, Lord of the Rings Online, Neverwinter, and all of those other games on our list of the greatest free-to-play MMORPGs, and these are far from award-winning titles, but they aren’t bad.

The good news is that we’re seeing more and more top-quality games for Linux with each passing year, and that can only mean good things for the future of Linux-native MMORPGs.

Which free MMORPGs do you play the most on Linux? Which games do you wish you could play without Wine? Let us know in the comments below!

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