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1 day ago | 
xda-developers.com | Ayush Pande
Years ago, Linux would strike fear into the hearts of newcomers to the computing space. From driver issues to the imposing CLI-driven nature of Linux distributions, there were plenty of genuine reasons for casual users to flock to the Windows and macOS ecosystems. However, things are a lot different in this day and age, with Debian, Linux Mint, and Fedora (among others) providing a robust experience for complete beginners.
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1 day ago | 
xda-developers.com | Ayush Pande
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3 days ago | 
xda-developers.com | Ayush Pande
For years, running virtual machines inside Type-2 hypervisors was the least exhausting solution for Windows users who wanted to tinker with Linux tools and services. But with the arrival of the original Windows Subsystem for Linux, it became a lot easier to integrate the FOSS operating system’s app suite into Microsoft’s flagship OS.
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3 days ago | 
xda-developers.com | Ayush Pande
Linux distributions have been notorious for their steep learning curves for decades, with performance issues and hardware incompatibility making it harder for newcomers to make the switch from Windows and macOS. Thankfully, the Linux ecosystem has become a lot more beginner-friendly over the years – to the point where you’d have zero issues configuring Debian-based distributions even if you’ve never stepped past Windows.
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3 days ago | 
xda-developers.com | Ayush Pande
Back in the day, ESXi was all the craze in the home lab community, as it provided several enterprise-grade virtualization features without forcing users to pay a dime. However, the free version of the platform was discontinued after Broadcom took over VMware, forcing server enthusiasts to seek greener, open-source pastures for their home lab workloads. For months, Proxmox served as a safe haven after many home labbers flocked to its feature-laden ecosystem.
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4 days ago | 
xda-developers.com | Ayush Pande
With plenty of documentation, thousands of container images, and a solid ecosystem, Docker is the most popular container runtime in the home lab community. That said, it’s far from the only platform you can power your container fleet with. For folks who prefer better security and Kubernetes-like pods, you can’t go wrong with the rootless, daemonless Podman. Like Docker, Podman also has a proper application on Windows.
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4 days ago | 
xda-developers.com | Ayush Pande
Over the years, the Raspberry Pi series has witnessed major improvements in its capabilities, with modern boards capable of serving as solid general-purpose systems once you outfit them with the right distributions. However, Windows has always remained out of reach for Raspberry Pi enthusiasts, and you’d have to resort to complex workarounds to get a taste of Microsoft’s flagship OS on the uber-popular ARM-based SBC family.
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5 days ago | 
xda-developers.com | Ayush Pande
Capable of controlling a myriad of smart devices and IoT gizmos, Home Assistant is one of the best services you can self-host on your workstation. If you’re as much of a fan of Proxmox as I am, you may already have configured a HASS virtual machine on top of your PVE host. Typically, you’d use the Console tab on Proxmox’s UI to manage your Home Assistant server.
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6 days ago | 
xda-developers.com | Ayush Pande
Whether it’s running different operating systems or hosting useful applications inside containers, there’s a lot you can do with your home server. But if you love performing wacky computing experiments on your workstation, you run the risk of rendering your essential services offline. Considering the experimental nature of home labs, you could easily break your network stack, access privileges, or storage mounts (or even all three, at the same time) if you’re not careful.
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1 week ago | 
xda-developers.com | Ayush Pande
Virtual reality games and headsets are more popular than they’ve ever been, with certain titles making full use of the medium to deliver a thoroughly engaging experience. For tech enthusiasts who love trying out accessories, there are plenty of other ways besides VR headsets to make your gaming sessions more immersive, including companion apps and multi-monitor setups.
