The Gift of Linux for Safe and Engaging Learning

My neighbor, who is a middle school student, recently sustained a compound fracture of his left arm, which left him unable to play baseball or do much of anything that a young person would enjoy doing in the summer months. I offered his mother the use of an old Xbox, but he already had one, so what else could I do to help this young person who enjoys playing games? That’s when I thought of the gift of Linux.

I asked his mother to ask whether my young friend would enjoy using a borrowed laptop running Linux Mint XFCE. The answer was, “Yes!” I took this extra Dell Latitude 7410, which is equipped with an i7 and 16 GB of RAM, and installed a fresh Linux Mint XFCE. Then I installed Stellarium, which is one of my favorite open-source educational software.

$ sudo apt install stellarium

I also added TuxPaint and TuxRacer using the software center.

I added the software manager that comes with a standard Linux Mint XFCE installation to the desktop for easy access. I then showed my mother how to navigate it and install additional software. I explained to her that there are hundreds of free software packages available for download. I assured her that her son would be safe playing these games and that, as long as he used only software from the Linux Mint repositories, there would be no risk of his personal information being compromised, since there is no telemetry that sends data to a third party.

In conclusion, providing my neighbor with a laptop running Linux Mint XFCE not only opened up a world of safe and engaging activities during his recovery but also encouraged a love for technology and learning. By introducing him to open-source software, I hoped to inspire curiosity and creativity, demonstrating that there are countless resources available to explore and enjoy, even during tough times. It warms my heart to see him discovering new games and educational tools, all while staying safe and secure online. The gift of Linux has proven to be more than just a distraction; it has become an enriching experience that fosters growth and excitement during his healing journey.