Getting To Know You: Hunter0one

About Hunter (from his website):

My username is hunter0one, but you can call me Hunter. Why hunter0one, you may ask? I picked hunter0one because I was born in 2001 and so naturally I would go with hunter01, but that's taken on most services, therefore I made hunter0one instead. I am a Southerner who loves technology (particularly free software as well as the English language, culture, history and other topics). I am autistic, I have Asperger's Syndrome to be specific. I'm a student, but I try to dabble in creative outlets like making videos, writing, or scripting.

How did you find PCLinuxOS, and what keeps you here using it?

I found PCLOS from the Systemd-Free Wordpress site, where it is listed along with other distros which do not use systemd or elogind. At the time, I was trying to come back to Linux from FreeBSD because I had to switch to using Wi-Fi instead of Ethernet and the Wi-Fi chip I had wasn't supported by the FreeBSD kernel. I lost almost all hope in Linux because of the systemd ecosystem, but it was very nice to find at least one desktop distribution without systemd or elogind which is almost just as bad in my opinion. I keep using PCLOS off and on because it's easy to develop for, there's no walls of bureaucracy or opinions stopping you that I experienced packaging for other distributions.

What desktop do you use and why?

KDE Plasma. No particular reason besides that it has a good Wayland session. I would use a standalone compositor, but when I used X11 I preferred IceWM and there's no good alternatives on Wayland yet (I went from having bad luck with Wayland to it having less bugs than X11 for me).

If you have family that use computers, are they running PCLinuxOS too?

No, my family has transitioned all their computer needs to tablets and smartphones, unfortunately.

Do you work, and what's your job description? Do you like your job?

Not currently, but I was working in a meat department for quite some time. I liked it a lot there, but went to pursue a degree in something more tech-related, which is what I always wanted to do.

Do you have hobbies and passions? Maybe share them with our readers.

I like video games, scripting and writing. I consider myself pretty passionate nowadays about free software as a whole, if I have a free alternative I will use it, whether it is Luanti instead of Minecraft or Brave instead of Google Chrome. I like to package software (like the RPMs you install on PCLinuxOS) but also wouldn't mind making my own Linux distribution with the knowledge I've gained one day.

Any advice for a student?

Just be yourself.

When you're not behind a keyboard, where do you spend your free time?

I like spending time with both my mom and my dog named Tank (he's a miniature pinscher-chihuahua mix). I also like to drive around the countryside.

Where do you live?

Mississippi. Not to be too specific, but it's pretty rural.

What is the weather like where you live?

Unpredictable. One day it will be freezing cold and the next it will be burning hot.

Are there any special attractions where you live?

Not really. I love being in the middle of nowhere, but it comes with its downsides, like there not being much to do.

What advice would you give to users just getting started with Linux?

Just take your time. Trust your gut when it comes to distro hopping or choosing what software to use because everyone's opinion is different and once you start to learn Linux more and more, eventually you'll find your place in the community.

What advice would you give to more “seasoned” Linux veterans?

It's beneficial to use your experience to help keep Linux growing, whether it's from packaging, making helper scripts or providing advice for new users. Linux is a community, not a corporation, and it's important that we all step up and do our part in some way to keep the ball rolling.

What have you learned from your experiences with Linux?

I learned that there's nothing wrong with distro hopping. It's something we all do as Linux users, and eventually you will find what works for you. Also that everyone has an opinion on what should and shouldn't be used, it's just part of using something fragmented like Linux or *BSD. I also learned to read the manuals! Man pages, wikis, etc. and you will save some poor soul's time.

Do you have any Linux programs or desktops that you are passionate about? Why?

Too many to list here, probably. I mostly use KDE applications since I'm using Plasma, a program like K3b is just plain unmatched by anything else. For other desktops I like IceWM and TDE (Trinity Desktop Environment). I quite like the DNF package manager, maybe I'm biased because I ported it. Blender, GIMP, LibreOffice, and OBS Studio are probably my other favorites because they prove how capable Linux is.

You are a packager for PCLinuxOS, right? Are you also a Maintainer?

Maintaining packages is where somebody has sole responsibility for updating or fixing bugs in a package. Packaging would be updating/bugfixing or introducing new packages regardless of ownership, I would say. I am more of a packager than a maintainer, although some packages get updated mostly by me, such as Virt Manager, Luanti, or Steam. There is also the Nitro init system I have been the maintainer of so far, which sits in the unstable repo.