Hi Phil, I have not heard from anyone from the Linux Users Victoria group.  Did you end up sending anything out to them? However, I have been ploddiing along exploring for myself. Thanks for the tip on Ubuntu. I have installed it on my old MacBook Pro myself after having first looked at Mint Mate and Mint Cinnamon and Zorin OS from the boot USB and then I decided to install Ubuntu and totally wipe MacOS. Then I installed elementary OS wiping Ubuntu completely because the Ubuntu Help App was totally unreadable (some kind of graphics problem but the graphics in Ubuntu elsewhere and all the Apps were fine so just a integrated Help App problem) and the integrated Help App was important to me. But couldn't find drivers (looking specifically for Thunderbolt 2 which is what my Mac uses) and discovered in the Ubuntu community that Linux doesn't have a driver for thunderbolt 2. So reinstalled Ubuntu completely wiping out elementary OS.   Thant got rid of the Ubuntu sign-in problem I had the first time (didn't realise I had to use all lower case). Ordered a lot of Linux bistro books from Amazon and have sent back quite a few already, because the marketing doesn't line up with the contents of the books. Now I suspect that all the distros based on Ubuntu have the ability to change the desk top to copy the way MacOS behaves if one is prepared to spend a lot of time and use Terminal commands.  Can even do it on Linux Mint Cinnamon which looks like Windows.  But time consuming and I have no desire to reinvent the wheel my age. _Zorin OS claims to let you click a button and swap to a setup that behaves like MacOS instantly.  That is very appealing to me. _ It also seems to be the case that most issues I might have will be answered by Ubuntu documentation and community anyway because it is only the superficial desktop layer that is altered to behave like MacOS and I can always return that to the default settings without losing any data of mine if I get stuck. _I also need to spend quite a bit of time getting more familiar with Firefox because I stubbornly stay with Safari because it's imbedded in my subconscious. _ My plan is to keep doing iCloud mail on my 2019 MacBook Pro until and unless I get everything transitioned to Proton Mail or the new Thunderbird mail accounts that will be available next year on the thunderbird client.  But I want to do my internet searching and online shopping on Firefox on Linux to get away from all the tracking etc. _So will need someone to help with the best way for me to move browser, email & contacts data._ _And most importantly, love that I don't even have to install wifi on Ubuntu and all the other ubuntu dependent distros._  After just having updated software on an iPhone 8 and MacBook Air 2013 and having to use wifi for an hour, love that I don't hav to use wifi at all on Ubuntu distros. So, I need one of two things. _Ideally someone in Melbourne, who can solve any problems that aren't immediately easily solved by me or are time consuming._ e..g can someone use Terminal to get into the MacBook thunderbolt 2 driver on one of my 2 Macbook Airs before I destroy the MacOS on both of them and copy the code to creat a Linux driver for thunderbolt 2 and instal it in whichever Linux distro I end up staying with?  And less exciting, help with the transition of contacts, email, browser data etc. Also, reduce my learning curve with Firefox and whatever I use in place of Pages by changing the new Apps to suit my Safari and Pages habits. So the Melbourne person am looking for would be someone with experience in Intel Macs 2013 to 2019 especially those with thunderbolt 2, including use of their terminal commands, and experience with at least one Senior/Beginner friendly Ubuntu based distro (not the IT geek versions) and extensive and creative use of Linux Terminal Commands and willingness to educate themselves on Zorin OS and Ubuntu OS and the full range of customisation options for Firefox and whatever App I use in place of Pages. _If a suitable person in Melbourne does not materialise, the second option is: can some of this, especially the essential bits, be done over the phone with someone not in Melbourne?_ I admit to conversations with my friend's husband Les in Sydney.  He has been keep for me to install Mint.  He has used Mint Mate for 15 years.  But he's a windows man.  And I don't like Windows.  It's too cluttered.  But he did put Mint Mate & Mint Cinnamon and Zorin OS on a boot USB after testing it worked on an old Macbook he bought at a market and then mailed it to me and guided me over the phone initially in looking at them live from the USB without destroying MacOS.  And he did tell me that I could add an ISO file for elementary OS to his Ventor USB which I did.   But he's my age with the long list of health problems we have at our age and clearly wants to stick with Mint Mate. So I need someone younger and preferably enthusiastic about what I am trying to do.  I actually surprised myself that I managed to install these Linux OS's myself. _But I do want someone who takes the role of AppleCare and tells me what to do when I get stuck._ _ And someone in Melbourne for things like printer problems_.  Men seem to be better at that kind of thing.  Women are too scared of breaking things.  One reason I have achieved  what I have to my surprise is because it was an old Mac so it didn't matter if I broke it.  All my important files are on the 2019 Mac anyway and its time machine backups. Oh, that's another thing.  I want to replicate time machine backups as much as possible and I gather I have to use a combination of Timeshift for the OS and Deja Dup for my user files.  So that is an early priority. So did you put out something to the Linux Users group?  What do you suggest from here? Thanks Linda

On 4 Aug 2026, at 6:38 am, Phil'll Fix IT Mobile Computer Services <phil@philfixit.com.au> wrote:

Morning Linda,

Yes there has been a couple of issues with the group splintering into 2, we are in the process of putting it all back together again :)

Call me when you have a minute and we'll have a chat about what we can do to help

Cheers Phil in Sunny Mildura

-- "The trouble with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they are genuine. Abraham Lincoln"

Regards, Phil Steel-Wilson Phil'll Fix IT Mobile Computer Services [+61](0)447 64 55 34 https://philfixit.com.au Linux user no: #564977 SHOP MAGIK | APRA No: #867466

Over 25 years experience in the IT industry.

If you are happy with my service and rates, please recommend me to your family and friends. Boring stuff follows . . . Treat all email communication as confidential. It is for the intended recipient only. If you have received this email and, you are not the intended recipient please contact, abuse@philfixit.com.au

On 3/08/2026 8:20 pm, AG wrote:

...

HI Phil,

Thanks for getting back to me.

I didn't expect it because just after I sent the message, I discovered the your last newsletters were 2 years old, so assumed the Linux Users Group of Victoria had folded due to too many members leaving Victoria due to the political situation here or dying during the pandemic.    Many other groups have folded for these reasons and AUSOM seems to be struggling with a shortage of members.

I won't call you tonight.  Need to get dinner.

But will call you soon.

Linda

...

On 1 Aug 2026, at 7:03 am, Phil'll Fix IT Mobile Computer Services <phil@philfixit.com.au> wrote:

Hi Linda,

And thanks for reaching out, i am very pleased to hear from you.

I would love to have a chat with you about your computing needs to ensure we do the right thing  :)

Feel free to call me or email back to this address.

I am a sysadmin with Linux Users Victoria and we have an absolute wealth of knowledge throughout the group.

There is nothing we cant sort out  :)

-- "The trouble with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they are genuine. Abraham Lincoln"

Regards, Phil Steel-Wilson Phil'll Fix IT Mobile Computer Services [+61](0)447 64 55 34 https://philfixit.com.au Linux user no: #564977 SHOP MAGIK | APRA No: #867466

Over 25 years experience in the IT industry.

If you are happy with my service and rates, please recommend me to your family and friends. Boring stuff follows . . . Treat all email communication as confidential. It is for the intended recipient only. If you have received this email and, you are not the intended recipient please contact, abuse@philfixit.com.au

On 31/07/2026 5:22 pm, Linux Users of Victoria wrote:

...

--- Name ---

Linda

--- Email ---

ag.t1@icloud.com

--- Comment or Message ---

HI,  I  have been a MacOS user for 12 years (loved it at the beginning)  & at 81 yo & health issues, haven't got the time to continue pushed upgrades of software & hardware & total control & continually having to learn new stuff. and cyber security.

  I accept that it is hard to live in this world without IT, but with little life left, I want to minimise it.

Wondering if you have any members who have a lot of experience with MacOS various vintages and hardware, who would like to earn a bit of money installing & maintaining the most suitable Linux distribution on one of my od MacBook Pro & MacBook Airs  (all top of the range for their era - 2013-2014 vintage with thunderbolt 2 ports and requiring everything permanently cabled: keyboard, mouse, superdrive, USB-A & USB-C, 2 time machine backup external 4TB drives, Brother & HP Lazer printers, sound system, iPhone sync cable due to my EMF hypersensitivity which prevents me from using bluetooth & wifi).

Whatever distribution it is, needs to have the briefest learning curve because although I was an IT expert 50 years ago, I have significant health problems & brain fog now so want something simple safe and reliable which does all the necessary computing to participate in this world, ie. communicate with my home care package provider (SAH now) and my friends, family, health professionals, regular support workers, buy all my food & other needs online, do all my banking & listen to my favourite music. Have also fpiund it difficult to buy a Linux book that doesn't just pay lip service to Mac Users - they are all highly windows user focused.  If you know of some that is for the layman, not compute geeks, that woudl help me, I'd love to know.  Linda