After I wrote my last post I decided to go ahead and install OpenSuse on the secondary laptop. Configuring everything and installing the OS took about 30 minutes. I know because I saw the time that the article was published and that’s exactly when I started.
Now part of the 30 minutes was installing Brave, and two browser extensions and then signing in to my company’s M365 Outlook/Teams so that I was ready. I then turned off my main computer’s Brave browser tab. Technically speaking less than 30 minutes. Maybe 25 with a standard USB install.
It looks different but acceptable. That wifi connection is using WPA3 just like my main system. That makes me feel good. Every little bit of security helps. Installing it had an educational benefit for me as well. I figured out how to fix a problem that I created on my main computer. When I was learning how to set it up I somehow messed up my system tray so that it defaulted to the left instead of the right side. I didn’t know how to fix that. However, while it was installing I was messing around with my system tray and deleted the entire taskbar on purpose. Just like I did with Linux Mint. Then I learned I could right-click on the desktop and go to a panel that would allow me to add the bar again. Very well done. Make it easy for people to fix their mistakes. Once I selected the default panel the system tray was on the right side instead of the left when I mistakenly moved it.
Almost everything you learn in life helps you in some respect. If you don’t immediately use the knowledge, you know what doesn’t work and that can lead you to a better understanding of what can work. I said earlier that my superpower was realizing when I made a mistake. Part of working in IT is dealing with the mistakes of yourself and others. Every day you learn things both on purpose and by accident. Being able to remember them is a key part of being helpful to others.
I am glad I acted and now things are better than ever.