Recognizing and avoiding unwanted influences using a computer
Smartphones
When I got my first (Android) smartphone about 15 years ago, I already felt that something was off with these things. Back then, I intuitively took action and installed something called a Custom-ROM, which is a modified operating system where, e.g., some background programs (that were doing something) were removed while keeping all the functionality.
After this change it felt a bit better to use the smartphone. I also experienced that installing certain apps changed how and what I felt using the phone, and I ended up keeping the installed apps to a minimum and avoiding certain (especially mainstream) apps.
My discovery: With the same hardware, there was a noticeable change in unwanted influence on my body system with different software installed.
Despite all the software changes I made, I couldn’t stand using smartphones for long and have since permanently banned them from my life for many years now.
I also made a video (in German) about smartphones and their invasive influence on my nervous system, thoughts, and behavior.
Android
Even using Android on a tablet, I felt so annoyed by it and had the impression that it was built for maximum distraction. There was constantly something popping up on my screen, constant reminders of some updates or features I should activate. I even tried to change the settings to get rid of all the distractions, but in some cases, if I e.g. didn’t agree to turn on certain recommended features, I was constantly reminded by unwanted popups and messages to turn on these features.
With my (mostly) sane mind, I would never agree to use an operating system where I’m not in complete control of what and when something like messages and popups appear on my screen.
Computers
Looking at my laptop from 2016 with Windows 10, I feel more stress and tension using it than using my self-built and more modern desktop computer with Windows 10.
My discovery: With the same software, there is also a noticeable change in unwanted “side effects” using different hardware.
Going further and comparing using Windows 10 on my desktop computer and my main operating system, Linux, my body system feels even more at ease using Linux.
My solution
Even though my dream is to live a screen-free life, owning a computer-ish device comes with some benefits and opportunities, like you would probably agree.
Since I don’t have a smartphone or tablet, my goal is to utilize my computer in the best possible way without unwanted influences or fields attached in the background.
That’s where Linux comes into play.
There are many different and free Linux alternatives to Windows or macOS, and the ones I tried all felt better than using Windows 10, and I can only assume that Windows 11 feels even worse.
But which Linux version to choose?
Linux distributions
To keep it simple: If you just use your computer for tasks like writing, browsing, emails, and so on, you can do this easily with most Linux distros. The main difference here is the desktop environment, how the Linux system looks and feels in terms of user navigation (more like Windows or more like macOS).
Here are a few distros I tried over the past years that felt ok and are beginner friendly:
Pop!_OS
Pop!_OS is an optimized Ubuntu created by an American company that sells laptops and desktop PCs preinstalled with Pop!_OS.
The desktop environment looks similar to macOS (at default settings).
Tuxedo OS
TuxedoOS is an optimized Ubuntu created by a German company that sells laptops and desktop PCs preinstalled with Tuxedo OS.
The desktop environment looks similar to Windows 10 (at default settings).
Zorin OS
Zorin OS is also based on Ubuntu, which looks and feels very similar to Windows 10.
This distro looks and feels (in terms of how to use it and where to click) much closer to Windows 10 than any other distro I tried.
Linux Mint
Linux Mint is also based on Ubuntu and offers different desktop environments.
The “modern” desktop looks and feels a bit like Windows 7, where there are also two desktop variants for older computers with good performance in mind.
Linux Mint is one of the distros with the most support and tutorials on the internet.
Aurora OS
Aurora OS is based on Fedora Kinoite and uses the same desktop as Tuxedo OS, which (out of the box) is Windows 10 oriented.
Compared to the other distros on this list, here are a few main differences:
-
It’s an immutable (atomic) distro, which means the system’s core is locked. You can’t make changes to the system itself or install programs directly into the system’s core. This makes it more secure, privacy-focused, robust, and most important for me, idiot-proof, because I can’t accidentally break the system.
Google’s ChromeOS is a more well-known immutable Linux distro. -
It has a good built-in backup solution.
With Linux, updates can (rarely) go wrong and break the system. And if you don’t know how to fix it, you have to reinstall the operating system.
Aurora OS does regular updates automatically in the background and always keeps the last running version of the system as a backup. When you start your computer, you can choose between the current version of the system or the one before the most recent update.
This has been my distro of choice for almost a year now, and I can happily say it just works fine.
But there are also some downsides to this distro, which will be mentioned in the next chapter.
Need for certain programs or apps
Every one of the mentioned distros has some programs preinstalled and also includes an app store if you need to install more programs.
But what if you are in need of a program that is not available within the app store?
Many companies nowadays offer Linux versions of their programs.
The most common Linux file type is a .deb file. You can download and install a .deb file, like an .exe file on Windows, into your Debian-based (Ubuntu is based on Debian) system.
If you are running Fedora, you would need an .rpm file, since you can’t install .deb files on Fedora. And if you’re running Aurora OS (based on Fedora Kinoite), this is not possible at all, since the system is immutable.
There are more solutions to this, but here it gets more complicated.
So before choosing a distro, keep in mind which programs you need to use.
Dual boot: Linux and Windows
It is also possible to run Linux and Windows on the same computer. For this to work properly, Windows should be installed first.
I also still have Windows 10 (with certain things removed and additional firewall settings) to run certain programs that are Windows only and to run certain Android apps using the Windows Subsystem for Android.
There are also possibilities to run Android apps on Linux, but depending on your distro, this can be more difficult to set up.
Your hardware
Your hardware can also be a deciding factor in which distro is best for you.
AMD graphics cards run natively on Linux, while Nvidia graphics cards need a special driver.
All distros above have at least an Nvidia version or the possibility to install the required driver automatically.
If you have an Nvidia graphics card and / or newer hardware, I’d recommend taking a closer look at Pop!_OS, Tuxedo OS, or Aurora OS.
You feel to try Linux?
The easiest way to try certain Linux distros is here in your browser.
It is also easy to create a bootable USB stick using tools like Rufus or Etcher. After booting from the stick, you can also try out the Linux version you chose before installing it (at least with most distros).
Screens
From a certain perspective, I could perceive that our screens are not just two-dimensional surfaces and that there’s much more happening using a modern screen than it may seem.
Mindfully adjusting the screen brightness and setting up a warmer color temperature also helps to reduce stress on my body system using my computer.
I wear glasses with a special blue light filter and set up a warm daylight color temperature, which gets even warmer between sunset and sunrise. Most Linux distros have this feature built in.
This can also help to keep your body’s natural circadian rhythm in place.
Your experiences
A friend of mine recently bought a Tuxedo laptop and told me that it feels completely different (in a good way) compared to a typical Windows laptop.
I’m writing this in order to draw attention to these technological influences as well and to present solutions like getting rid of your smartphone or changing your computer’s operating system if you already felt some unwanted influences and side effects using your devices.
What are your experiences with certain devices and operating systems, and which solutions did you come up with? 
Please note, I am not a tech or Linux expert and just felt like sharing my experiences here.
There are a lot of guides out there on how to install and use certain Linux distributions. 
Much love
Eric