After a six‑month break, I’ve brought Linux back into my setup. GhostBSD now runs in a VirtualBox VM on Windows 11 Pro, while MX Linux has taken its place on my Dell Precision. The reason is simple: the 6.12 kernel, MX Linux runs flawlessly where other distributions struggled. Manjaro wouldn’t boot, ComfyOS demanded oversized updates, and several distros introduced audio hum issues after the last BIOS update.
MX Linux, however, is a gem. What convinced me were the MX Tools, especially the ability to create an ISO snapshot of a fully configured system. It’s like having a built‑in safety net, similar to a virtual machine snapshot, making reversals easy if needed. Because of this feature, Linux is once again part of my workflow.
Installed Software
MX Tools and Key Applications
MX Linux comes with its own suite of utilities known as MX Tools, and they are pre‑installed by default. Normally, I don’t highlight pre‑installed software, but in this case they are the very reason I returned to Linux.
- MX Snapshot
- The most important of these is MX Snapshot. This application allows me to take a complete snapshot of my system and compress it into a bootable ISO. For me, this is indispensable. A fully configured install of about 13 GB, including the
/homedirectory, compresses down to roughly 2.5 GB. Having that ISO means I can restore my system at any time, much like rolling back a virtual machine.
- The most important of these is MX Snapshot. This application allows me to take a complete snapshot of my system and compress it into a bootable ISO. For me, this is indispensable. A fully configured install of about 13 GB, including the
- MX Package Installer
- Equally impressive is the MX Package Installer. Unlike traditional package managers, it makes installing software from backports and other sources straightforward. I used it to install OnionShare and the Brave browser with just a few clicks. For someone who values simplicity, this tool removes the friction that often comes with managing repositories.
- MX Cleanup
- System maintenance is another area where MX Linux shines. The utility is called MX Cleanup, and it turns what is usually a tedious process into a one‑click event. Because I use multiple computers, keeping systems clean can be a headache. MX Cleanup solves that problem elegantly, freeing me from the usual maintenance burden.
Brave
While I rely on Firefox for WordPress blogging, Brave has become my main browser for everything else. After carefully configuring its settings, it runs faster and strips telemetry down to almost nothing. It’s a browser that respects both performance and privacy.
OnionShare
OnionShare is the real reason I replaced GhostBSD with MX Linux. GhostBSD doesn’t support OnionShare, but MX Linux does, and that changes everything. Over the coming months, I plan to mirror parts of this website and host new content directly from my spare PC using OnionShare. It’s simple, effective, and fits perfectly into my vision of decentralized self‑hosting.