Most Popular Linux Downloads and Posts of 2011 [Best Of Lifehacker 2011]

Linux may not be the world's most popular desktop OS, but that doesn't mean it has to take a back seat to its proprietary brethren. Here are our best Linux downloads and posts from 2011.

If you have two or more computers at one desk, you don't want two or more sets of keyboards and mice cluttering up your workspace, too. You can buy a hardware gadget that lets you share a single keyboard and mouse with several computers (which involves a mess of tangled wires), or you could use a free software solution called Synergy. More »

The command line can be quite powerful, but typing in long commands and file paths gets tedious pretty quickly. Here are some shortcuts that will have you running long, tedious, or complex commands with just a few keystrokes. More »

If you're out of the house a lot but still want access to files on your home computer, one of the best ways to solve that problem involves setting up your computer as a remotely accessible home media server. More »

In its latest update, much-beloved media center application XBMC added one-click add-on installation, bringing browser-like extensions to your Media center. More »

More and more, the fragments of your life exist as particles on a disk mounted inside your computer—disks susceptible to temperature changes, power surges, fire, theft, static, and just plain wear and tear. More »

Like most Ubuntu updates, version 11.10 isn't a huge overhaul; rather, it improves on the big changes made in 11.04, by cleaning up the Dash, overhauling the Ubuntu Software Center, and bringing in some new default software. More »

Your desktop is your virtual home, and much like you're real home, customizing it to fit your needs and style can make the difference between between a drab and depressing workspace and one you're excited to work on. More »

Want to secure your computer with the same techniques used by the National Security Agency? Turns out the NSA has published guides for securing Windows, Mac, Linux, and Solaris operating systems using methods that "are currently being used throughout the government and by numerous entities as a security baseline for their systems." More »

Google recently released their own line of Chrome OS-clad netbooks, but with only a few choices and a somewhat high price tag, you might be more comfortable running Chrome OS on your own machine. More »

If you've been meaning to try out Linux but felt too overwhelmed, we've got all the info you need to get started. Here are our five lessons on getting a working Linux partition up and running. More »

Linux may not be the most popular OS around, but we're not about to sit here and ignore it. Here are our favorite downloads for everyone's favorite open source operating system. More »

The popular Linux distribution Ubuntu recently finalized its move to the new Unity interface, while other Linux distributions are moving to the new GNOME 3 shell. More »

You can customize nearly every last inch of your Linux installation to fit your liking, and it starts with choosing the right desktop environment. Whether you're a Linux beginner or you're just looking for a new interface, here's an overview of how desktop environments work and how to pick the right one for you. More »

Netbooks aren't the fastest computers, but they can be useful-as long as they're usable. If you want your netbook to work and feel like a real computer rather than a toy, I can't recommend Lubuntu enough-it makes my netbook feel like a whole new machine. More »

Lightweight Portable Security (LPS-Public) is a bootable live CD designed by the Department of Defense so that government employees can access data from a public computer without worrying about security violations. More »

Whether your computer already boots pretty quickly or you're trying to eke some extra spee dout of your old computer, free command line tool E4rat will seriously decrease your boot time. More »

The Unity-powered Ubuntu 11.04 is finally out, and with it comes a slew of new keyboard shortcuts for the Unity interface. They can seem a bit overwhelming at first, so spend a few days getting acclimated with this wallpaper-formatted shortcut list. More »

If you're in love with Arch Linux but are tired of the painstaking installation process, ArchBang is the perfect distribution for you. It has everything you love about Arch, but installs in just a few minutes with everything you need. More »

Kristóf Kovács put together a list of 20 hugely useful command-line tools, most of which are available for Linux. Many of them are somewhat obscure, improved versions of simpler (more ancient) tools, while others are staples for experienced command-line users the world over. More »

We've gone through Windows and Mac maintenance, but what about Linux users? Luckily, it's pretty simple. More »

There you have it. Despite its lower popularity, Linux is full of great tools and endless possibilities. Note that we left out a few of our more cross-platform posts to make room for the Linux-centric stuff we know you guys wanted to see—so you might want to take a quick gander at our most popular Windows and Mac posts of the year to check out some other Linux-compatible projects we covered this year. And, whether your favorite made the list or not, we'd love to hear about the Linux downloads and posts you loved this year in the comments.

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What's the Best Way to Use My Holiday Bonus? [Ask Lifehacker]

Dear Lifehacker,
I'm really lucky to be expecting a nice holiday bonus this year, but I'm not sure what to do with the extra money. Should I save all of it? Use it to pay off some credit card debt? Then again, I could think of a lot of things to do with the bonus, like get some new games. What do you think I should do?
Thanks,
Appreciative Worker

Dear Appreciative,
Congrats on the bonus. Yours is a good dilemma to have. How to best spend or invest your bonus might depend on how much you have to work with: If the bonus is only $25, for example, put it towards something that will enrich your life, like some good books or one of the cool items we like the most.

Since it's sort of like found money, you technically wouldn't notice not having that bonus money, which makes it great for making more headway on your financial goals like getting rid of debt or saving for emergencies. Here's the order of basic financial priorities, according to financial advisers quoted in the Wall Street Journal:

Debt: pay off high interest credit cards and loans firstEmergency savings: Then save enough for 3 to 6 month of expenses (in today's economy, 8 to 12 months may be wiser, however)Retirement savings: Contribute at least as much as needed to get a company match in your 401(k)College savingsMortgage prepaymentBuying insuranceEstate planning

Using this as a guideline, apply small bonuses like $100 or so first to debt. If you have no debt, add it to your emergency fund. If you have a decent cash reserve already, put it into your retirement account. And so on.

If you have more money, say a couple of hundred dollars or more, you could use some of it for savings, some for debt repayment, and some for fun. This way, you continue building your financial foundation, but also get to enjoy your windfall.

The actual percentage breakdown is up to you and would vary according to your personal situation, but a 50/30/20 rule is a good general guideline: Use 50% to pay off debt, 30% for savings, and 20% for fun.

So, for example, if you have a $1,000 bonus, apply $500 to reducing debt, $300 to savings, and $200 for fun.

When it comes to spending your fun money, you may be happiest spending on experiences rather than possessions: Things like a weekend getaway or concert tickets rather than toys. It also is smart to spend your money where you spend the most time: a good chair or mattress, for example. Buy radically improved everyday things like good shoes to improve the quality of your life.

The 50/30/20 rule is just a guideline and you should definitely adjust for your situation.

For example, if you have a lot of high-interest debt, you would probably be better off spending more towards debt reduction: 80%, for example, to paying off your credit cards, 10% to savings, and 10% for fun. (I believe it's important to keep some fun money in there.)

The exception might be if you have an insecure job and you think you might be laid off in the near future (it doesn't sound like it, though, with your bonus). Then it might be wiser to apply more to savings than to debt reduction: 50% for savings, 30% for debt, 20% for fun.

If you have no debt but an emergency fund that only covers a couple of months (or less) of expenses, apply the the 50% to savings. So, 80% for savings, 20% for fun.

With a solid financial foundation—a healthy emergency fund and no debt—apply the money to your long-term savings and retirement. Long-term savings would be things like a new car five years from now. So, say, 50% to long-term savings, 30% to retirement, and 20% for fun. Or you could increase the fun money percentage since you're doing well.

MSN Money has a calculator tool used for budgeting that can give you a breakout of where your money should go. (Replace "needs" with "debt repayment" and switch the wants and savings percentages around.)

Again, however, the actual percentages aren't as important as making sure you're building a solid foundation and put your money where it will benefit you most. There's no one right way to spend extra money, so do what's best for your financial situation.

Enjoy!

Love,
Lifehacker

P.S. How would you spend a bonus?

Photo by Florence McGinn.

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