I currently use TinyWall Firewall, it works very well, it’s small/portable, no complaints I even donated to the Dev but I would really prefer open source, also it needs to be user friendly like TinyWall so my non-tech family members can/will use it like they do with TinyWall.
OK, since this was my first post here I did not expect the conversation to get so lively. I appreciate every single input. I thought my initial request was simple and clear with the words “non-tech” and “family members” but for the curious I will expand a bit.
For starters of course I am the “sys-admin” of my families tech life, my main personal PC is not Windows based but every member of my family is because every flavor of Linux I have convinced a family member to try has resulted in utter failure for them, sad but true.
They like the simple UI over the Windows firewall because I had no success trying to get them to understand/use the built-in windows version “Easy” to block per-process out/in traffic “Easy” to block ALL traffic, etc… Having them understand/use traffic blocking at the app level has made all of them much safer/smarter users. I start them with almost everything locked down, they open/monitor what they use, nobody shares a PC so this works perfect.
and finally for me, I needed Open Source so I can inspect the code for any tomfoolery, make any custom changes needed/wanted, and compile on my own. Free is never a requirement, I will always support the devs of software I end up using.
Thanks again for all the input, I read and followed everything, I was not planning on this much TMI but felt it warranted after reading the responses.
Sorry you had to write this down, OP. On the internet people make a lot of assumptions. I hope you ended up getting a reply.
May I know what all flavors you’ve tried, and what were the specific reasons they failed? Only if you wish to share or course.
I’m merely asking out of curiosity because my both parents, as well as my aunt and uncle (all over 65+ and non-technical) have been happily using Linux for over a decade, without any major issues or complaints. They were on Xubuntu previously, and currently on Zorin Lite since around 4 or 5 years ago. Admittedly, their needs are fairly simple - they mainly use their PCs for Facebook, emails and other Web stuff, some light document editing, photo archival, the odd printouts and scans, and even playing some simple games like Mahjong. Their systems never broke, they never had to touch the terminal, and besides the ocassional “how do I do this” query, I haven’t had to do any serious tech support for them in many years - which is a far cry from days back then they used to run Windows - no more formatting, no more gradual slowdonws, no more malware attacks, no ads or spyware. It’s really a pity that more ordinary folks don’t get to experience Linux, when it really shines the best for such folks - the ones who don’t have complex requirements.