Encrypt all the things! The future of personal and professional privacy may be dire, but at least you're on the correct platform, right? And that's because Linux gives you all the tools you need to set up your last line of defense against hackers, industrial spies, and overzealous government agents.

Love your Cloud: Despite the fact you should be wary of corporate-based cloud services, there is really no reason you should not enjoy the convenience the cloud has to offer. In this issue you will learn how to set up and secure your own cloud service, using of-the-shelf hardware and your home Internet connection.

The Future of Linux: Linux is trailblazing when it comes to innovating in the IT world. Every new Internet service, every AI running on multi-node clusters, every new way people work and play together is Linux-based. There is even more to come. We peek into the future and uncover what is coming to a computer near you.

Alternatives: Believe it or not, Ubuntu is not the be-all and endall of Linux distributions. You may think having hundreds, maybe thousands of distros, is overkill, but when someone, often a group of someones, has put time and effort into developing a new distro, you can be pretty sure it’s for a reason. In this issue of Ubuntu User, you may discover some of those reasons yourself.