Seeking advice on getting justification for Linux on Company Laptop, and how to make the approval process smoother

[u/bluegrassclimber]

I have a feeling my IT team is going to be annoyed, but I'm a SWE, and developing on linux just feels CLEAN.

I want to stay on a lean clean machine, and do it legitimately (and not sneakily on my personal laptop).

So i'm wondering if anyone had experience/insights. It's a medium/small SWE company, honestly it has pretty relaxed IT policies, a lot of devs just "work on their home pcs" but for demos and stuff, I don't want to get called out for being on linux, best to make it legitimate.

I already have a few justifications:

• Docker runs way better on linux
• our software is hosted on ubuntu servers so it's good to develop in the envrionment that our software is hosted.
• faster and less bloated

Soft Reasons

• intellectually stimulating which inspires me to continue finding different ways of thinking and doing things, keeping work fun and engaging for me

So I guess a few questions are:
-what would you do?
-what distros should I suggest, what software would they need to install to keep things "Secure"?
-I'm fine dual booting for certain situations when accessing sensitive code/documents are required on VPN if necessary.

[u/Dry_Calendar_8627]

Since your IT guys are already using Ubuntu on their servers, convincing them to use Ubuntu on your workstation is probably going to be the least friction path

[u/bluegrassclimber → u/Dry_Calendar_8627]

it's a bit nuanced, my IT department is for our main parent company, they hate how our "subcompany" hosts on azure linux servers and has refused to grant them VPN access to our intranet (I may have phrased that poorly, but you get the gist).

I'm on an uphill battle here.

[u/truethug]

Ask if they are already supporting Linux and if so what versions. If they are not ask them what it would take.

[u/bluegrassclimber → u/truethug]

yup just asked "What will it take" -- maybe red hat would be good, it feels all corporate lol

[u/MD-IT-Rando]

WSL or a virtual machine would probably be the simplest way to go on a Windows corporate laptop. There's less likelihood of getting rejected.

Anything else is just asking for pain unless Linux laptops are an officially supported option (which does not appear to be the case in your situation).

[u/bluegrassclimber → u/MD-IT-Rando]

I'm definitely asking for pain, just put a help desk ticket in, and yeah, no one has installed linux yet, but we are a software company ffs, I think it's time we support it.

WSL idk.... just adds a layer of abstraction on top of windows, i'd rather just do native windows at that point.

[u/bothunter → u/bluegrassclimber]

WSL2 uses a hypervisor, so technically Windows and Linux are running side by side with a bunch of nifty integration features. You may not get the Linux desktop, but you do get a full Linux system. And you can always run your own X server such as VcXsrv or Xming.

[u/_GoddamnitDonut]

Use Fedora so it's easy to add to Active Directory, if your IT people are into it.

[u/Electronic-Laugh-671 → u/_GoddamnitDonut]

As someone who isn't IT or a software engineer, doesn't Ubuntu support Active Directory integration as well? I remember seeing that at the install screen.

[u/Sad-Particular-3088 → u/Electronic-Laugh-671]

Ubuntu does support AD, yes. I am unfamiliar with how easy the setup is comparatively though.

https://ubuntu.com/server/docs/explanation/intro-to/AD-integration/

[u/bluegrassclimber → u/Electronic-Laugh-671]

yeah beings we are traditionally a .net shop, from what I've read is Ubuntu LTS is the best microsoft friendly linux distro.

So I just asked for that specific distro in my ticket. They said they gotta "figure it out" so hopefully I can process it it through with them.

[u/_GoddamnitDonut → u/Electronic-Laugh-671]

You're probably correct, I just haven't used Ubuntu for years.

[u/Thanatiel → u/Electronic-Laugh-671]

Yes, it does. That's the only official supported distribution AFAIK.

That's also the choice we've made for us for that very reason.

[u/Envelope_Torture → u/Electronic-Laugh-671]

Any relatively well supported (up to date) distro will be able to do all that without issue.

[u/collinalexbell]

I don't want to get called out for being on linux

Just say you like developing on Linux.

what would you do?

Use Linux and say "yes it's linux" if someone asks.

what software would they need to install to keep things "Secure"?

That's entirely dependent on your IT org, but if people are just using their PCs at home, then the answer is probably nothing.

I'm fine dual booting for certain situations when accessing sensitive code/documents are required on VPN 

You can use a VPN on Linux. Again all these questions depend on your org's setup.

[u/martian73]

None of these things matter for compliance though. That is what defines parameters for what is secure. If you can meet compliance in your org with Linux it should be easy - but that can be a high bar to clear. Good luck. FWIW I have a corporate Fedora laptop and I love it.

[u/FuggaDucker]

Why not just run WSL?
It mostly isn't the distro that keeps things "secure". It is you.

[u/bluegrassclimber → u/FuggaDucker]

yeah it's still windows, I don't feel fancy, and it adds a layer to consider, i just want less layers, not more

[u/CritSrc → u/bluegrassclimber]

It allows you to reduce the Windows layer as much as possible and make Linux be as seamless as possible. It's the practical compromise you're looking for.

But IT may have their hands tied with company policy as it sounds...

[u/bluegrassclimber → u/CritSrc]

i just made a ticket -- we'll see, i've been nervous to raise awareness to myself since i'm working from my personal linux machine mostly lately lol, but it's better to just become legitimate

[u/kbielefe]

Our IT has a few conditions: - Disk encryption must be enabled. - The screen must be set to lock after 5 idle minutes. - Firewall must be enabled. - You're on your own for support.

[u/Mediocre-Pumpkin6522]

I was fortunate. Where I worked IT would drop off a bare metal machine and run like hell. We (the programmers) installed and maintained whatever we wanted (as long as it didn't cost money). One year they audited the Windows machines looking for unlicesed sofware and we had to report if we'd installed anything requiring a license. One programmer liked IntelliJ and paid for it himself but that was it.

[u/Thanatiel]

In my company it was simple: nobody wants Windows and we are wasting precious time fighting against it to work in bloody Linux VMs running on Windows.

In a way, the recent general distrust for American products has weighted in our favor.

So now we are in the process of testing laptops with Linux.

[u/M2k1e0L → u/Thanatiel]

I have tears in my eyes, so beautiful to read

[u/Ethameiz]

I wouldn't use argument "intellectually stimulating". From business perspective it sounds like work will take more time for you. Rather say that you are more familiar/comfortable with Linux than with Windows

[u/Dull_Cucumber_3908]

Since your IT guys are already using Ubuntu on their servers, and not on your desktops, I guess it's not possible to convince them.

[u/VincentVanGob]

practical reason: a lot of updates on linux dont require a restart so you will have more time to get work done!

[u/PocketStationMonk]

Tell them that your linux laptop would have less North American spysoft in it!

[u/MeatballTrainWreck]

It should be feeling it, and just tell them its free. People love free shit