I went to one of the gatherings in Apr. Local news way under reported turnout.
FreeCAD is the most common solid FOSS modeler. I do not think any solid modeling system is that simple. They tend to need training and continuous use. That was my experience with SolidWorks and NX anyway.
Every system has its own processes. If you want Apple software and services use Apple. If you want Linux use Linux. Do not expect either to be like the other especilly at such a micro level.
As far as Linux and beginner friendly, buy a device with Linux preinstalled just like you do with Apple. As far as user setting and apps. Get a notebook and write them down, and avoid deep customizations. As far as backup get 3 USB drives and backup your home directory with rsync or one of the other solutions. As far as restore, have install media and just reinstall from scratch then layer in your configs and apps and then restore your home directory files. For file sync and app sync functions, Nextcloud is helpful and you can pay for a commercial host, set it up yourself, or use a product like Synology. You frankly could use Dropbox, Proton Drive, or one of the others also. But think carefully what is actually needed. Cloud stuff is heavily promoted by the big providers presumably for lockin reasons and to mine your data but it is not really needed for most things. Get to know your distros builtin emergency startup tools and have a live distro like the live install media available and know how to use them.
Linux is about options but for simple beginner like processes it is best to stick to the basics.
There is only one answer, Firefox or a derivative. Anything else is a vote for a closed commercial web.
I wonder how much of this stems from two stupid IT policies. For decades users have been told to not write down passwords and to change them regularly. The result of this policy is to use a small number of password variations that one reuses. Then IT complaims about it.
The better plan has always been to use long random passwords that you never reuse and write them down by some method like a password manger and only change them rarely for example when they may be compromised,
I am not sure why anyone cares. As far as Reddit, I moved on last year.
Firefox is far from irrelevant. Pure stupid click bait. Market share of courses is a sad thing and may lead to irrelevance when most web sites stop supporting. In the late days of Netscape and the early days of Firefox that was the case... lack of website support. I am just starting to see that again.
I totally do not get why people have to try to prove to themselves that masks do not work. More than likely they do especially if you have a new good well fitting mask changed frequently and you use and change it properly. There is also the question who it helps more, you or the people around you.
A huge problem during the pandemic was mask availability, and people using them properly even if they had a supply to do that which mostly no one did. So result of mask use is a good question but it may say nothing about how well masks used properly work.
Relax. Just use a different server. May not be exactly accurate either. How in the world do you have any idea who uses what server. I have never used this server.
One way is join the FSF and use their server. There are others or host your own too. The load and cost needs to be spread anyway.
Sounds like Rush was one of those risk takers and visionaries. These sorts of people hold themselves up as beacons of light and others do too until the risk taking catches up.
I remember I had a boss that liked some book they read about one of these sorts of people. My boss even had the company buy each of us a copy to read. I skipped it. What I remember though was the the guy died while doing one of their risky things maybe 6 months later. Just thought it was classic. Guy held up as an example by people in authority shows how stupid those people are by getting himself killed.
If you want 2D drafting like solution, look at Librecad. It seems quite good. It is 2D only.
Freecad is 3D solid modeling but there is a 2D component.