My suggestion to go Android a small biz owner

I found this post on r/linux of a person wanting to use a linux desktop for their small business : [https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/1k1kv32/linux\_is\_for\_running\_a\_business/](https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/1k1kv32/linux_is_for_running_a_business/) I suggested using Android (which is also linux, but not the usual distro) and I think I should share my comment with this community as well. Their post: [](https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/?f=flair_name%3A%22Discussion%22) >In the process of buying a business. I have used different POS programs in the past but they have all been windows based. Looking for OS distros and programs that are beneficial for running a business. POS, budgeting, payroll, all the things like that. I have used Linux off and on for 15 years but just for fun and personal use. >Also, I envision setting up 3-10 computers as I grow and would like to have them mesh together well. There is a lot of stuff in this arena that I know nothing about and will need professional help/tutoring to figure it out for sure. Even when I have ran more than one linux machine at a time they were always completely separate and never linked in any way. >Any input would be appreciated. Any laptop recommendations for longevity would be appreciated. My answer: >One thing that jumped out to me: you didn’t mention backups at all. This is super important, especially for business use. If I were in your shoes, I’d strongly consider using Android phones with USB-C docks. Pair them with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, and you’ve got a surprisingly capable setup. >Cloud everything: POS, budgeting, payroll, stick to web apps as much as possible. >Use Google for email, docs, and **backups**. It’s **reliabl**e, easy to restore, and lets you get back up and running fast if something goes wrong. >I’d avoid BYOD if possible, but if you *have* to, set up a separate user profile on the Android device tied to a **company-owned** Google account. That keeps work and personal data separate, and gives you the option to implement MDM or remote wipe down the line. BYOD is a mess. >Google Workspace isn’t expensive, and having full admin control from day one is worth it. You can start with free Gmail accounts, but if you're serious about scaling, investing early in Workspace will save you a lot of headaches later. >Hardware-wise, I’d recommend Google Pixel. They get Android and security updates faster and longer than most other Android devices. That means better security, longer usability, and lower total cost of ownership (TCO) over time. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XsZjZamrs4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XsZjZamrs4) Samsung phones have DeX which is a much better desktop experience, but I'd still go with Google Pixels. >Google charges about $100 for a battery replacement, which you'll need to do about every 2 years for every device. >This setup will give you peace of mind and let you concentrate on running the business. As you keep adding more employees, things get **exponentially** more complex, so when budget allows, hire a sysadmin, it will save you from lots of problems down the line. >If you ever need LOTS of space, cloud can get expensive very quickly. Get a Synology NAS, set it up to backup to Backblaze B2 (using Hyper Backup), set up a Wireguard VPN on it and set up wireguard on all phones, then access it through DS File. When setting up a local network, do NOT use [192.168.1.XXX](http://192.168.1.XXX) or [192.168.0.XXX](http://192.168.0.XXX) as that will give you trouble with VPNs. For Wireguard you only need to forward the local network, not all (0.0.0.0/0, ::0/0) otherwise all traffic will go through the NAS. Make sure you get both IPv4 and IPv6 working early on. You can see how anything-local gets complicated very quickly. While the cloud may cost much more if you have lots of space needs, the peace of mind is probably worth it more long term, allowing you to do better business decisions. >Being able to onboard and offboard someone in less than an hour is really good for scalability, quick and painless HR (or more ethical term: personnel) decisions.