this post was submitted on 11 Jan 2024
68 points (91.5% liked)

Linux

48310 readers
840 users here now

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

Rules

Related Communities

Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

My objective is to ditch windows & utilize my triple monitor desktop as a cockpit style dashboard for my homeserver & lan devices along with always open widgets like music, calculator, etc.

There was another post yesterday about this and the community recommended Mint & Pop OS the most. However, I am not looking for windows-like. I want a new & fresh experience like using a smartphone for the first time or switching from ios to android.

Distrochooser.de recommended kubuntu to me.

So I have some questions:

  1. What are the building blocks of a distro? Things that separate distros from each other. Like I know 2 - Desktop Env & Package Managers. Are there others, what are they or where do I find a list? I would like to compare these blocks and make it a shopping experience and then pick the distro that matches my list. Is this approach even valid?

  2. How do I find and compare whats missing from which distro? For eg. if I install mint, what would I be potentially missing out that may be a feature on another distro? How do I go about finding these things?

  3. What are some programs/ widgets/ others that are must haves for you? For eg. some particular task manager

  4. What are the first steps after installing linux? For eg. In Windows, its drivers, then debloat and then install programs like vlc, rar, etc.

  5. I read on some post, a user was saying that they want to avoid installing qt libraries. Why would someone potentially want that? I have never thought of my computer in such terms. I have always installed whatever whenever. The comment stuck with me. Is this something I should be concerned about?

  6. Should I not worry about all of the above and just pick from mint, pop and kubuntu?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] Zeon@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Debian GNU/Linux with GNOME desktop enviorment

[–] backhdlp@iusearchlinux.fyi 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I don't think Debian is good for beginners.

[–] Zeon@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago (2 children)

How? It's gotten so much easier to install and literally all you have to do is click Continue during the install process.

[–] backhdlp@iusearchlinux.fyi 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)
  1. Beginners will likely expect to get the newest updates to their software, which is famously not a thing in Debian.
  2. When I tried to install Debian for the first time (with only knowledge from using Windows), I had no idea what like half of the words in the installer meant.
[–] Zeon@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Well, that's debatable too because if your going to put a new user on a rolling-release distro, something will probably break and they'll have to fix that. Debian is great for this because it provides stability over having the latest and greatest tools. In my own opinion, Debian was the best choice for me as a newcomer because it just works. (I use it as my daily still)

I do agree with your second point though, there should be descriptions in the installer describing words like 'GRUB' or 'GNOME', I already asked one of the Debian developers about this, they said there is just not enough room in the installer. People also have AI at their fingertips now, so it will get better later on.

[–] yianiris@kafeneio.social -1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Partitioning among other things, the choice of efi/bios gpt/mbr, bootloader and its location, choice of filesystems, is dangerous to someone who has only win10 experience. Also the mindset of stop being a user and become a sys-admin is also foreign to windows users with MS dominating the role of sys-admin.

@Zeon @backhdlp
#linux #windows #unix #BSD

[–] Zeon@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

You don't have to manually set partitions, you can just choose to keep everything in one partition if you'd like.