[ale] a no way out situation

[Michael Campbell]

As a *user* (not sysadmin), I've had good luck on laptops and
(virtualbox) VMs alike with Linux Mint/xfce.   It works well on a
new-ish Lenovo IdeaPad, and worked well on a refurbished, 3 year old
Toshiba laptop also.  Wireless out of the box on both of them which is
usually my downfall with these things. And xfce is whizbangy enough
without being overly so, for my uses, which are meager.