Which Linux Distro? - Thinking about switching from Windows to Linux

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I am thinking about switching from Windows 7 to Linux due to privacy concerns and since many Linux distros are free. I have a powerfull i7 laptop with both SSD drive and HDD drive installed.

I have Ubuntu in mind as it supports many hardware including Nvidia display adapter.

1. I would like to create VM's in the Linux distro I use, without any additional Type 2 Hypervisor softwares like Virtualbox or VMware. Is this possible? I heard that i could do this by installing KVM in Ubuntu.

2. Any free softwares to encrypt keystrokes in Linux?

3. I would like to run all applications and OS from RAM (no paging). Is it possible?

4. How to disable all logs in Ubuntu?

5. Are the data leaks and Ad issues (Amazon) addressed in the latest release of Ubuntu? Or are there still there?

6. Is there any advantage in using Ubuntu Server. Could I install Ubuntu Server with GUI during the setup itself?

7. Is it possible to spoof OS, Processor and other machine information in Ubuntu?

Appreciate any help in...
 


I don't know why you are trying to be so stealth. I will answer some of your questions.

First, I would recommend Debian over Ubuntu. One version serves as server, workstation, laptop, rather than multiple versions of Ubuntu. Just install the software you need for the system. Installs on a wide range of hardware. IMHO, more stable than Ubuntu.

2) I really don't understand this question.

4) Logs are a valuable resource. Most of the logs in /var/log are only readable by root.

5) No worries about any adware/spyware/communication with any outside service by Debian, as is/was with Ubuntu.

6) I see no advantage in using Ubuntu server over Debain. Linux can be installed with or without any GUI on most if not all Distros.

7) I have never felt the need to spoof Linux. Windows maybe! ;^) I have never heard of anyone doing it, nor do I know how to do it.

If you need a more secure system than the basic install, then you should set up a iptables firewall and lock down the system.

Beyond that, perhaps I/we don't understand your needs. I ass/u/me that there is more information you have not told us.
 
2) I really don't understand this question.
I want to encrypt what I type on the keyboard so that so key loging software can log what I type

What is your opinion on Linux Mint?
 
You are confusing me even more. Key Logging software??? "so that so key logging software can log what I type" Did you mean "No key logging software..." ???

You are now on your own. Good luck!
 
I would suggest removing your SSD and HDD drives from the laptop. Instead of VM's, you could use "live" distros of many varied products that will run your computer from CD/DVD or USB. If you use USB, be careful not to enable "persistence" so that your log files will not be saved (or any other settings, like network passwords, etc). Of course, you have to trust that the distros do not contain any keyloggers in the first place, but I think that's a safe assumption. Every time you power down or reboot, all of your activites and data traces disappear from your computer, but you still leave tracks on the web so maybe TOR is something that you might consider too. No need to spoof an OS since with each different CD/DVD you would truly be using a different OS.

I also wish you luck!
 
May I know whether it is possible to run Linux Mint from a USB key. It contains all multimedia / Libre Office etc and I can install my VPN in that distro.

@atanere,
May I know how not to enable "persistence" is possible in a distro running from a USB key. Is a USB key with physical write protect switch required for this?
 
I think that all (or almost all) of the live distros can be installed to USB keys. "Persistance" is a feature in creating the USB key such that some amount of space on the USB is allocated to save information and install programs that are not included with the live distro. The persistance space is usually up to 4 GB, and not all of the distros support persistance.

So, you can't have it both ways. You can't install VPN (or anything) without persistance. And if you allow persistance, you lose the "security" of keeping unwanted things from being written to the USB key.

Be aware that running a computer off of a CD/DVD/USB is slower than using a built-in hard drive. I would not try to install virtual machines into a USB key OS. And you don't really need to, unless you want to continue with Windows. USB keys are cheap, and you can install different live distros on several keys to boot up different systems. When you get tired of them, or want to try something else, you can overwrite them with something new.
 

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