When I (re)install Linux on my home desktop computer, should I encrypt the hard drive?

I'm happy with my Debian Linux. So why am I tempted to replace it with Fedora? I thought I was finished distro hopping. I remember installing the very first Fedora release way back when. Every new installation is a bit exciting, but I should stay settled when I have no complaints. In order, my workhorse distros have been: Mandrake Red Hat Fedora Ubuntu Mint Manjaro Debian Anyone have thoughts on whether I should stick with Debian or do Fedora again? I use the desktop for writing, surfing, video watching and editing, photo editing, Monero wallets, and email. I don't care about games, so that's not an issue. And if I could find a good one, I'd use a desktop Nostr client.

How do people feel about banks, credit cards, PayPal, various government agencies all getting involved with #Bitcoin ? Doesn't it make you nervous that the "system" is getting intertwined with it -- with their greedy and suspicious eyes all over the blockchain? The way I see it, they didn't create this open source code, so they shouldn't have their invasive, identifying, regulatory, taxing fingers in it. I wouldn't want them monitoring my leather wallet to track any dollar bills that may have been in it or to see who I paid how much to at what farmers market for a dozen ears of sweet corn. These are some of the thoughts that lead me to be attracted to #Monero. It's still "freedom money," but even more free (without the surveillance and regulations and the threat of unjust taxation to fund absurd or immoral govt projects). Thinking big picture here.

Back in the early 2000s, I used to have to buy Linux distros on CD from eBay. People burned ISOs onto CDs and sold them to those of us who only had dial-up Internet, which made downloading Linux on our own take an ungodly amount of time. Once or twice I bought a distro from an office store. It came in a nice cardboard package with a printed user guide. It was so exciting to install Mandrake Linux and Red Hat back then. I loved StarOffice. Those were the days. My first taste of freedom from Microsoft, which was known at the time for its dreaded "blue screen of death."

Am I the only person here who is addicted to natural peanut butter? Peanut butter is not safe around me when I have an apple, dark chocolate, or even a spoon.

I really don't understand how so many freedom-loving and privacy-respecting people using Nostr ignore #Monero in favor of Bitcoin. I've used Monero to send to individuals, to pay for VPNs, to buy a Pixel phone (with GrapheneOS), to buy ebooks, to tip waitresses, and more. It's dirt cheap to send and it's private -- no one can see who sent how much to whom. It's truly like digital cash. It needs no "lightning network." I assume BTC's popularity here comes from its quick rise in value (in relation to the dollar). What's more important: fast wealth or privacy? I will never have to worry about people seeing how much crypto is in my wallet (could lead to physical threats), or taxing my "unrealized gains" (could be financially devastating), or tracking my crypto spending (invading my privacy). In your "freedom," don't be taken by greed for wealth. That's not true freedom. www.getmonero.org

I find that most Nostr desktop web apps totally suck. Which ones do you use for microblogging that work decently?

I would love to try duck eggs.

If there isn't one already (I don't imagine it would be hard for the smarties to create), there should be a Nostr landing page, or home page, for individual IDs. It could show links like Linktree, or intros, contact info, etc. Something we can update. More extensive than our normal profiles shown in most Nostr apps.

How do I know which Nostr ID is the real one for Ross Ulbricht? I see at least a couple of them.

It makes sense to me, due to the nature of Nostr, that people should have two or three Nostr IDs. With one, you should have the freedom to say whatever is on your mind in the presence of contacts you don't know in real life -- but that one should be an anonymous ID. It can be reserved for potentially controversial posts that could be used against you, like those that express certain political, pharmaceutical, or religious views. Another ID might be a more measured, professional one, a public face of sorts, where you are well "behaved" and won't get in much trouble with the thought police. Thirdly, one could have a personal ID for contacts you know in real life. (Better yet, don't be on social media with your real-life friends -- actually be with them! Or send personalized direct messages through Signal.) All the while, in any case, it's important to keep in mind that whatever you say will likely stay on your "permanent record." You don't want to post stupid things in your 20s, for example, and have it haunt you in your 40s.