What Linux distro as a newbie - and should I even try linux??

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del_toid

del_toid

#1 RFK Jr. Superfan
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Apr 21, 2021
I've been switching to FOSS/privacy centric software, thinking about switching to Linux basically as a middle finger to Windows. Manjaro seems cool.
I'm not a power user, I just game and browse on my pc. Worth switching or retarded?
 
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Gargamel
Arch Linux user here. If you don't have a good reason to leave Windows, don't.

If you want to learn Linux or you're curious about the dark side, try WSL. It's like having a Linux inside your Windows, because it literally is.

If you're insistent on leaving Windows, try an Ubuntu-derived distro. Do this especially if you have a newer laptop. The Ubuntu OEM kernel has a lot of hardware support lacking in the kernels of other distros.

It is best to avoid Arch if you don't have prior Linux experience. It's not impossible to learn Linux with Arch, but it will be extremely frustrating when it inevitably breaks. If you're insistent on Arch-derived distros over Arch, just don't. Arch itself has enough issues, being downstream of it just...
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Arch Linux user here. If you don't have a good reason to leave Windows, don't.

If you want to learn Linux or you're curious about the dark side, try WSL. It's like having a Linux inside your Windows, because it literally is.

If you're insistent on leaving Windows, try an Ubuntu-derived distro. Do this especially if you have a newer laptop. The Ubuntu OEM kernel has a lot of hardware support lacking in the kernels of other distros.

It is best to avoid Arch if you don't have prior Linux experience. It's not impossible to learn Linux with Arch, but it will be extremely frustrating when it inevitably breaks. If you're insistent on Arch-derived distros over Arch, just don't. Arch itself has enough issues, being downstream of it just exacerbates the situation.

Manjaro, which is downstream of Arch, is the worst choice you can make. Do not use it under any circumstance. Even Gentoo would be a better choice.
 
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Mint is based on Ubuntu (which is based on Debian) and is pretty newbie friendly. The window manager (Cinnamon, sometimes MATE) has a fairly Windows-esque feel to it. Mint is my daily driver on the work laptop.

FerenOS is also Ubuntu based, but uses Plasma as the window manager. My 70y/o mother uses it without issue, and when you first boot into it, you have a choice of layouts to mimic Windows 7, Windows 10, (and I think Windows 11 now), OSX, or their own default layout.

Pop!_OS from System76 is another option, but I wouldn't recommend it as a newbie. It's nice and clean, but there's a definite learning curve to it if all you've ever known is Windows.

But if you really want to transcend all mortal boundaries, eschew the Windows/OSX/Linux race entirely. Become a turbo-autist, learn HolyC, then patch your own network stack into TempleOS (which was made without one on purpose). Only then will you be able to see exactly which of those among the crowd are glowniggers.
 
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Have fun spending half of your time on your computer troubleshooting various issues with drivers, scaling, and other bullshit that you don't need to worry about on MacOS or Windows.

Linux sucks. Oh yeah, and Arch users are especially autistic.
 
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You'll have very minimal issues with Linux Mint and it's less gay than Ubuntu. I don't feel much of a difference between Debian and Mint if I'm being honest, I mean really all of the out of the box it just works distros that I've tried feel like a light weight windows.
 
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Debian. The most no-nonsense distribution. Mint and Ubuntu are based on it, so you may want to consider those as well.

Switching to Linux is cool if the software you want to use runs on Linux. And if you want yo do tech-stuff, Linux is often the best or the only choice.

And only install linux on a laptop, if you really know what you are doing. It's often a drag to get WiFi, touchpad and powersaving to work properly.
 
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PositiveMonk said:
You'll have very minimal issues with Linux Mint and it's less gay than Ubuntu. I don't feel much of a difference between Debian and Mint if I'm being honest, I mean really all of the out of the box it just works distros that I've tried feel like a light weight windows.
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Debian is a little more robust at the expense of initial ease of use. Afaik it still doesn't ship with proprietary WLAN drivers which causes issues for people dependent on WLAN for internet connection, and the packages are generally a bit older. But it's a no bullshit distro that *just works* once you get it set up.
 
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Gargamel said:
Arch Linux user here. If you don't have a good reason to leave Windows, don't.

If you want to learn Linux or you're curious about the dark side, try WSL. It's like having a Linux inside your Windows, because it literally is.

If you're insistent on leaving Windows, try an Ubuntu-derived distro. Do this especially if you have a newer laptop. The Ubuntu OEM kernel has a lot of hardware support lacking in the kernels of other distros.

It is best to avoid Arch if you don't have prior Linux experience. It's not impossible to learn Linux with Arch, but it will be extremely frustrating when it inevitably breaks. If you're insistent on Arch-derived distros over Arch, just don't. Arch itself has enough issues, being downstream of it just exacerbates the situation.

Manjaro, which is downstream of Arch, is the worst choice you can make. Do not use it under any circumstance. Even Gentoo would be a better choice.
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Holy shit actually good linux advice. Forget the smurfs, you're the linux hero we need.
 
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