Ubuntu Software Stack
Every Second Boot device ships with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS as the base operating system and a curated open-source software stack. All software free, open-source, and maintained. No bloatware. No telemetry-by-default.
Productivity & Office
| Tool |
Purpose |
| LibreOffice Suite |
Word processing, spreadsheets, presentations |
| Thunderbird |
Email client |
| OnlyOffice |
Microsoft Office-compatible editing (fallback when LibreOffice fidelity isn't enough) |
| Obsidian or Joplin |
Notes and knowledge base |
| PDF Arranger |
Merge, split, reorder PDFs |
Internet & Communication
| Tool |
Purpose |
| Firefox |
Privacy-first browser (default) |
| Brave |
Ad-blocking browser (alternative) |
| Signal Desktop |
Secure messaging |
| Element (Matrix) |
Community chat |
| KDE Connect |
Phone/PC sync (notifications, files) |
Education & Learning
| Tool |
Purpose |
| GCompris |
K-12 educational activities |
| Scratch (browser) |
Visual coding for kids |
| Anki |
Spaced-repetition flashcards |
| Stellarium |
Astronomy / planetarium |
| Khan Academy (offline downloads) |
Offline curriculum where bandwidth is limited |
Job Skills & Career
| Tool |
Purpose |
| VSCodium |
Coding editor (telemetry-free VS Code build) |
| Python 3 + IDLE |
Entry-level programming |
| Inkscape |
Vector graphic design |
| GIMP |
Raster image editing |
| Resume templates |
Pre-loaded LibreOffice templates |
| Tool |
Purpose |
| Ollama + Open WebUI |
Local AI chat (offline) — only on devices with sufficient RAM |
| Audacity |
Audio recording / editing |
| OpenShot |
Video editing |
| Shotwell |
Photo management |
| Second Boot Welcome App |
Custom onboarding guide (Phase 4 deliverable — not present today) |
Privacy & Safety
| Tool |
Purpose |
| Bitwarden |
Password manager |
| uBlock Origin |
Ad and tracker blocker |
| Timeshift |
System restore / backup snapshots |
| Gufw Firewall |
Friendly firewall UI |
| ClamAV |
Antivirus on-demand |
Local AI: when and how
Offline AI for the right devices
On devices with 8GB+ RAM, install Ollama with a small model like Llama 3.2 3B or Phi-3 Mini. This lets participants explore AI tools offline — especially valuable for incarcerated or connectivity-limited populations. Pair with the AI Literacy seminar module.
Recommended pairings:
| RAM |
Suggested model |
Use case |
| <8 GB |
(skip Ollama) |
Cloud AI via Module 04 if connectivity exists |
| 8 GB |
Phi-3 Mini (3.8B) |
Lightweight chat, summarization |
| 16 GB+ |
Llama 3.2 3B or 8B |
Richer chat, code help, longer context |
Smaller models are intentional: they fit on the hardware Second Boot actually has, and they let participants see how AI works without needing internet access or a paid account.
Why this stack
- Free — no licensing budget needed per device
- Open source — code is auditable; nothing phones home by default
- Reproducible — every device gets the same baseline; faster troubleshooting
- Maintainable — Ubuntu LTS gives 5 years of security updates per release
- Inclusive — accessible defaults available out of the box (high contrast, screen reader, on-screen keyboard)
What we don't install
- Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, or any other paid proprietary software
- Trial software or freemium upsells
- Vendor "support" agents or telemetry-by-default tooling
- Anything we can't explain to a participant in one sentence