One can also use a cache to hold deb and rpm files requested by the machines. (Works great when running hundreds of systems.)
I like “apt-cacher-ng”. It will do deb and rpm. https://wiki.debian.org/AptCacherNg
https://www.unix-ag.uni-kl.de/~bloch/acng/
Edit: better link
Offline repository caches for Linux have been a thing for decades. People absolutely pass binaries to friends.
Flatpac may not be suitable, but that is only one way to get software on Linux.
Pretty much every Windows machine I’ve ever owned after a certain year requires you to type in your Bitlocker key, including my first-gen Surface Go from 2018.
This is interesting. I had a work computer require this ~4 years ago, but not one of the three since have (personal and different employers.)
For #2, there are multiple websites that deal with similar subjects. Pull good links from one and paste to another.
For #3, you are correct. Also, reading other blog posts on a linked blog.
Lots of different ways.
It is complicated. There are several options, each with tradeoffs in functionality, compatible software, and performance.
A simple method is to use one system as a desktop, and SSH into the others as “headless”.
Other options include making a K8s or HPC cluster (there are other cluster types).
Spreading a single set of communicating processes requires a low latency interconnect. Something better than Ethernet, like Infiniband. But many programs don’t support that.
Time to check Humble Bundle.
You put lots of time and effort in. Now it will be discarded due to decisions of others.
Sad and/or disappointed feelings are normal.
Take care of yourself.
Do I have to write the notes, or does steam do magic community notes?
Apt-cacher-ng doesn’t tend to expire automatically. It can be configured to keep the last version regardless. https://www.unix-ag.uni-kl.de/~bloch/acng/html/maint.html#extrakeep