Just switched from Windows - Multiple questions

[xka]

Hello,

After 20 years of using Windows I've finally decided to switch to Linux (Mint) and I have a couple of questions.

1. Why is Veracrypt (and also other apps) not available in the Software manager? Is it because they are not 100% compatible with Linux mint?

2. How to install and run multiple instances of Firefox? (On windows I install multiple instances of Firefox Portable and put "AllowMultipleInstances=true" into FirefoxPortable.ini file for each one)

3. What would be the best Outlook calendar and contacts (not email) alternative? Need it to be able to import events from outlook and display them with color coded categories and notes. Also need some app for importing outlook contacts and managing them (also ability to import selected contacts to an android phone would be nice).

4. Anybody has tried to import entries from The Journal on windows to linux? Which app did you use?

5. I've noticed that my directories are sorted by name like this: "AAA", "!BBB", "CCC". How to sort them like this - "!BBB", "AAA", "CCC"?

6. How can I do this - I want my Linux machine to be able to connect only to specified IP subnets (let's say 11.22.33.*, 44.55.66.*, etc). No connection can be made to any other IP outside of this ranges, not even to DNS server (unless it's in specified range of course). Reason for this is that I use VPN (OpenVPN) connection to servers within the IP range and I don't want my PC to have internet connection unless I'm connected to the VPN. I need to be 100% sure there won't be any connection leak outside of the specified range. With Windows I have to use access control on my router to block connections outside of specified IP ranges, but I'm sure I can do the exact same thing on Linux without having to use the router.

Thanks.

[lsemmens]

welcome to Mint

1. I don't know the reason - others can elucidate - but a search in Software manager for "crypt" will give you plenty of alternatives.
2. I run Vivaldi which is a more secure Firefox clone, it allows multiple instances "out of the box"
3. Thunderbird is the standard e-Mail Client that has calendaring function built in, I'm not sure how "Outlook" like in execution it is.

As for the rest, I have no experience I would suggest that the exclamation mark may be a "reserved word" that is not able to be used as part of a filename, try an underscore _ instead.

[Grateful4Linux]

Hello,

After 20 years of using Windows I've finally decided to switch to Linux (Mint) and I have a couple of questions.

2. How to install and run multiple instances of Firefox? (On windows I install multiple instances of Firefox Portable and put "AllowMultipleInstances=true" into FirefoxPortable.ini file for each one)

5. I've noticed that my directories are sorted by name like this: "AAA", "!BBB", "CCC". How to sort them like this - "!BBB", "AAA", "CCC"?

#2: I use the ICE application developed by Peppermint OS to create SSBs - site specific browsers, which have their own profiles allowing me to set different preferences and use different extensions depending on the site. You can set them up using Firefox or other supported browsers. Perhaps you would find it useful -- https://launchpad.net/~peppermintos/+ar ... tu/ice-dev Also, here is a tutorial on ICE -- https://learnubuntumate.weebly.com/ice-ssb.html

Also, I'm not sure if it matters to you, but I believe Vivaldi is based on Chromium, not Firefox.

#5: I used to use a dash at the start of folder names in Windows 7 to have them display first in sort order. With Linux Mint I instead just right-click the item I want to prioritize and select "Pin" from the context menu - that does the same thing for me.

Welcome to the forum. I switched from Windows 7 to Linux Mint this past summer and I absolutely love it! I've found that so many things are actually easier, and more intuitive/logical in Linux Mint. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

[mikaelrask]

6. add the rules to the firewall allow connect to ip add like 11.111.11.10 and so one and block everting else.

[Kirara]

Welcome, another ex-long time Windows user here.

1.
If the sole purpose would be to encrypt your hard drive(s) and own thumb drives, you might be fine with the Linux built-in encryption as well.
While being a long time user of True Crypt and BitLocker on Windows, I decided to go with the Linux encryption upon migration.
In this case you might want to think about on how to securely exchange thumb drive data with people staying on Windows.

3.
I think Thunderbird's Lightning should be able to do anything you want. Not sure anymore, but it either came as a part of the Thunderbird installation itself or as an installable add-on.

I recommend you to do the mail migration procedure while still being on your Windows installation.
Just install Thunderbird/Lightning along Outlook.
Especially if your email-setup is complicated and you have above average calendar needs, it will enable you to do the migration step by step.

In my case Thunderbird was able to migrate all of the data (several tens of thousands emails and calendar entries) on its own.
The only problems I ran into were folder names in kanji and folders with a "#" as prefix.

I know there are several dedicated tools which should help you with the migration procedure. But for above reasons I didn't look into them any further.
Probably someone else will be able to help with these.

Also I can't say anything about calendar/Android interoperability.


When it comes to computing, I now think switching to Linux Mint probably was the best decision I ever made. - Enjoy it! (^.-)b

[GS3]

5. I've noticed that my directories are sorted by name like this: "AAA", "!BBB", "CCC". How to sort them like this - "!BBB", "AAA", "CCC"?

Interesting. I have been experimenting and see upper and lower case are ignored, like in Windows.

Regarding the initial exclamation mark it seems it is ignored ... unless you put three of them and then they do take precedence. Weird.

Try using !!!File.txt as a name

[AndyMH]

1. veracrypt can be easily installed via ppa:

Code: Select all

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:unit193/encryption
sudo apt update
sudo apt install veracrypt

Why not in software manager - the devs have to draw the line somewhere or the developer may object to it being bundled. It doesn't come bundled in windows does it, why should linux be different?

[dawgdoc]

1. zuluCrypt is in the repositories, accessible from the software managers. It can access TrueCrypt and VeraCrypt containers.

[phd21]

Hi xka,

Welcome to the wonderful world of Linux Mint and its excellent forum!

[BG405]

Regarding the initial exclamation mark it seems it is ignored ... unless you put three of them and then they do take precedence. Weird.

This depends on the file manager. For example, if I recall correctly, those YouTube videos I downloaded some time ago whose filenames are preceded with ▶ (probably downloaded back in the Windows days; I haven't seen this recently) are listed in alphabetical order in Nemo (Cinnamon) along with the other titles but in Dolphin (KDE) they are listed separately. In a Terminal even in KDE (Konsole) I see that the ▶ does not segregate the directory listing.

I'll have to experiment with this!

[Schultz]

lsemmens wrote:
2. I run Vivaldi which is a more secure Firefox clone, it allows multiple instances "out of the box"

Vivaldi is a Chrome clone.

[lsemmens]

lsemmens wrote:
2. I run Vivaldi which is a more secure Firefox clone, it allows multiple instances "out of the box"

Vivaldi is a Chrome clone.

I'm not sure where I got the firefox clone thing from now, I thought it was their website, but on reviewing it,
cannot find any reference to FF or Chrome there. I have, since, heard people refer to it as a Fork of Chrome so you are most likely correct.

[xka]

1. veracrypt can be easily installed via ppa:

Code: Select all

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:unit193/encryption
sudo apt update
sudo apt install veracrypt

Why not in software manager - the devs have to draw the line somewhere or the developer may object to it being bundled. It doesn't come bundled in windows does it, why should linux be different?

Is adding PPA repositories secure?

According to this guide:

Be very careful with external repositories (like PPA's) and with external .deb files
1. Software from third-party repositories (like PPA's) and external .deb installers, is untested and unverified. Therefore it may damage the stability, the reliability and even the security of your system. It might even contain malware....

Furthermore, you make yourself dependent on the owner of the external repository, often only one person, who isn't being checked at all. By adding a PPA to your sources list, you give the owner of that PPA in principle full power over your system!

[xka]

Regarding the initial exclamation mark it seems it is ignored ... unless you put three of them and then they do take precedence. Weird.

Try using !!!File.txt as a name

That doesn't work either...


Any idea how to use a prefix like @ or ! to put directories at the beginning of a list?

[AndyMH]

Is adding PPA repositories secure?

Depends on the ppa, think you are okay with veracrypt, I've been using it for over two years.

[oldgranola]

2. I'm running multiple instances of FF right now without ever doing anything out of defaults in that regard.

[AntiDictator]

Regarding the initial exclamation mark it seems it is ignored ... unless you put three of them and then they do take precedence. Weird.

Try using !!!File.txt as a name

That doesn't work either...


Any idea how to use a prefix like @ or ! to put directories at the beginning of a list?

I have same problem and can't find any solution for it.
Now I temporarily use numbers in first of file names like "1myfile.txt"
I know I can pin files in Nemo but I need a constant way so when I reinstall Linux Mint or even install another distro I don't have to make all changes again.

[AntiDictator]

1. veracrypt can be easily installed via ppa:

Code: Select all

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:unit193/encryption
sudo apt update
sudo apt install veracrypt

Why not in software manager - the devs have to draw the line somewhere or the developer may object to it being bundled. It doesn't come bundled in windows does it, why should linux be different?

I think its better to download .deb file directly from VeraCrypt website.
https://www.veracrypt.fr/en/Downloads.html
I use VeraCrypt for more than a year now and I know they doesn't make updates frequently so I check their website every few months and if there is a new version then I download new .deb file.
Also we have always double check checksum of downloaded file.

[xka]

2. I'm running multiple instances of FF right now without ever doing anything out of defaults in that regard.

How can I install multiple instances of FF each with own profile?