RebornOS is built by a team of developers, artists, and other individuals with one important goal: to make Arch Linux as user-friendly as possible.

I can say, wholeheartedly, that the team has achieved that goal. RebornOS makes Arch Linux easy to use and, with the right desktop, an adventure in fun and elegance.

Did I say "right desktop?" I did. Why? During installation, you can choose from the following desktop environments:

   • Cinnamon

   • Budgie

   • GNOME

   • Xfce

   • MATE

   • Deepin

   • UKUI

   • LXDE

   • LXQt

   • Trinity

   • Regolith

   • Cutefish

   • Enlightenment

   • Openbox

   • i3

Of course, not all desktops are created equally and from the above list, you'll find some environments to be more user-friendly and elegant than others. I opted to go with the Deepin desktop environment because it's one of the more aesthetic desktops on the market. I would also put Cutefish on that list, but I've had some issues with Cutefish-based distributions lately. So, Deepin it is.

For those who are curious as to what the hardware requirements are, here's the list of minimum/recommend:

   • CPU - 1.2 GHz dual core/2.1 GHz quad core

   • RAM - 2 GB/4 GB

   • Storage - 20 GB/64 GB or more

Judging from the above, you shouldn't have any problem installing RebornOS on just about any computer purchased within the last 10 years.

As I said, RebornOS is based on Arch Linux but don't let that scare you away. Although Arch Linux itself can be a bit of a challenge, numerous distributions aim to simplify it. Some of those distributions succeed, while others seem to only go halfway. RebornOS goes all the way to the finish line with this task to create an operating system that anyone could start using and have next to no problems.

From the desktop, click the main menu to find all of the pre-installed applications, a searchable menu, the ability to list items by category or in alphabetical order, switch the menu from a pop-up to an overview-style, and even a right-click context menu so you can add items to favorites, send them to the desktop or the dock, set them to start at login, use a proxy, and even uninstall them.


The Deepin desktop menu makes locating your installed applications and controlling your machine a breeze.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET

The artists involved configured Deepin desktop to look fantastic out of the box. I was very pleased that they skipped the dark theme (as so many distributions seem to use as the default these days) and added the right amount of blur/transparency to make it all come together with a decidedly modern flare that isn't over the top.

As I said, you can install the desktop of your choosing but not every option found in RebornOS will be as beautiful as Deepin. The next closest options would be Budgie and Cutefish. Or, if you want something that's very straightforward and simple, go with Cinnamon, or MATE. If you want a desktop that offers more configuration options than you'll ever need, take a look at either Xfce or Enlightenment. If modern and minimal are your thing, go with GNOME. If you want tiling, there's i3. You get the picture… there's a desktop for everyone.

The only slight against RebornOS is the list of pre-installed software. You won't find an office suite, an email client, or an image editor. You will find apps like Calendar, File Manager, Firewall Configuration, MPV Media Player, Movie, and more. The good news is that there's the Pamac GUI app installer that makes installing/updating applications a breeze.

I did have a small issue with Pamac after the installation. When I tried to run the app, it refused to sync with the update databases and wouldn't show any applications available for installation. Fortunately, I knew how to update Arch manually (with the command sudo pacman -Syu). After running that command (and rebooting), I expected Pamac to behave exactly as expected. It did not.

Turns out, Pamac is fairly broken, so the solution is to install the bauh GUI with the command:

sudo pacman -Sy bauh
Once you've installed bauh, everything works as expected (except paman, which is a lost cause for the moment).


You can install any software found in numerous Arch repositories from bauh.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET

Outside of that one issue, RebornOS is a delight to use.  Anyone looking for a desktop distribution that makes Arch Linux easy, offers a desktop environment for all types of users and can be installed and used for free, I would highly recommend giving this take on Linux a try. Just remember to skip pamac and go straight to bauh, otherwise you'll wind up frustrated over an app that should make installing software easy is broken beyond repair.

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Microsoft is teaming up with Meta to create a limited edition Meta Quest VR headset that’s “inspired by Xbox.” While both Microsoft and Meta aren’t sharing full details on this VR headset, it sounds like it’s simply going to be a skinned Meta Quest 3 (or future unannounced version) that comes bundled with an Xbox controller.

“We’re working together again [with Microsoft] to create a limited-edition Meta Quest, inspired by Xbox,” says Meta in an announcement today. It’s part of Meta opening up its operating system that powers its Quest VR headsets to third-party hardware makers. Asus and Lenovo are creating dedicated headsets that run the Meta Horizon OS, but the partnership with Microsoft sounds like it’s simply a limited-edition headset — much like how Microsoft creates limited-edition Xbox consoles.

In an Instagram post, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the version of the headset that is being teased today “comes out of the box with Xbox controllers and Game Pass, so you can immediately just start playing on a big screen anywhere you go.”

Microsoft has a mixed history with VR headsets on the Xbox side, which has led to the company partnering with Meta more closely recently. A document leak in 2012 detailing Xbox One plans showed that Microsoft had considered Kinect Glasses, codenamed Project Fortaleza. Those never came to life with the launch of the Xbox One console, but Microsoft then created a more powerful Xbox One X version that was supposed to be VR-capable.

“We’ve architected it such that something will be able to plug right in and work,” said Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer in 2016 about VR support for Project Scorpio, the codename for Xbox One X. The Xbox One X never had VR headset support despite the company shipping its Xbox One controllers with the Oculus Rift.

After the demise of Microsoft’s failed Windows Mixed Reality efforts, the company eventually pivoted toward partnering with Meta more closely. Quest owners can now use Word, Excel, and PowerPoint in VR, and Microsoft and Meta also partnered to bring Xbox Cloud Gaming to Quest VR headsets last year.

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Cyber security is a key issue affecting the confidence of Internet users and the sustainability of businesses.

It is also a national issue with regards to economic development and resilience. As a concern, cyber risks are not only in the hands of IT security managers, but of everyone, and non-executive directors and managing directors may be held to account in relation to shareholders, customers, suppliers, employees, banks and public authorities. The implementation of a cybersecurity system, including processes, devices and training, is essential to protect a company against theft of strategic and personal data, sabotage and fraud. Cybersecurity and Decision Makers presents a comprehensive overview of cybercrime and best practice to confidently adapt to the digital world; covering areas such as risk mapping, compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation, cyber culture, ethics and crisis management. It is intended for anyone concerned about the protection of their data, as well as decision makers in any organization.

Follow this link to get your copy of "Cybersecurity and Decision Makers" for this free guide. This link will redirect you to my One Drive account and click Download. [system administrator]

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As the need for digital transformation and remote work surges, so does the demand for cloud computing.

However, the complexity of cloud architecture and the abundance of vendors and tools can be overwhelming for businesses. This book addresses the need for skilled professionals capable of designing, building, and managing scalable and resilient cloud systems to navigate the complex landscape of cloud computing through practical tips and strategies.

This comprehensive cloud computing guide offers the expertise and best practices for evaluating different cloud vendors and tools. The first part will help you gain a thorough understanding of cloud computing basics before delving deeper into cloud architecture, its design, and implementation.

Armed with this expert insight, you'll be able to avoid costly mistakes, ensure that your cloud systems are secure and compliant, and build cloud systems that can adapt and grow with the business.

By the end of this book, you’ll be proficient in leveraging different vendors and tools to build robust and secure cloud systems to achieve specific goals and meet business requirements.

Follow this link to get your copy of The Cloud Computing Journey for this free guide. This link will redirect you to my One Drive account and click Download. [system administrator]

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The maker of Tiny11, a third-party project that aims to make Windows 11 less bloated with unnecessary parts, released a new version of Tiny11 Builder, a special tool that lets you create a custom Windows 11 image tailored to your needs and preferences. The latest release makes it much easier to create a lightweight Windows 11 ISO without worrying about installing a system modified by unknown third parties.

Tiny11 Builder is no longer tied to a specific Windows 11 build. You can use it with any version, language, and architecture. According to the developer, who goes by the @NTDEV_ handle on X, the improvements in Tiny11 Builder were made possible thanks to the better scripting capabilities of PowerShell.

Tiny11 Builder is open-source, which allows everyone to peek under the hood to understand better how the thing works. It uses only Microsoft-made utilities, such as DISM or oscdimg.exe, which is a part of the Windows ADK:

My main goal is to use only Microsoft utilities like DISM, and no utilities from external sources. The only executable included is oscdimg.exe, which is provided in the Windows ADK and it is used to create bootable ISO images. Also included is an unattended answer file, which is used to bypass the Microsoft Account on OOBE and to deploy the image with the /compact flag. It's open-source, so feel free to add or remove anything you want! Feedback is also much appreciated.

Since the updated Tiny11 Builder uses PowerShell, you should set the execution policy to unrestricted before using the project. To do so, run PowerShell as Administrator and execute the Set-ExecutionPolicy unrestricted command.

You can download Tiny11 Builder from its GitHub repository. Before you proceed, remember that only the official Windows images from Microsoft are 100% safe. If you want to tinker with the OS beyond what Microsoft allows, you should accept potential risks and complications and keep in mind that only you are the one responsible for your system.

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