this post was submitted on 05 Nov 2025
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What distros do you install on your mom's, sister's, buddy's, etc machines?

My go-to has usually been Mint, but I wonder if there is a better set and forget, easily understood distro to install on the computers of those who will rely on you for support.

atomic distros would probably be a good option, but it seems that same disk dual boot is a no no, and that can be a deal breaker.

I'm thinlink QoL, for me, that is.

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[–] Kongar@lemmy.dbzer0.com 26 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago) (2 children)

It’s often a laptop, something us nerds wouldn’t buy generally speaking, so they tend to have hardware issues. So newer tends to be better. So plain old Fedora workstation with gnome. I pin their favorite programs to the dock, and show them the basics of the interface. I show them the software button and say they can install anything they want from there, and that they should do the updates that pop up from there.

Zero issues. Honestly does a better job than windows - things are more intuitive for the non tech savvy.

Edit: mint is pretty good too if it works. It’s one of those two systems.

[–] elucubra@sopuli.xyz 11 points 17 hours ago (3 children)
[–] Peasley@lemmy.world 12 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago) (1 children)

I interpreted it as a "non-nerd" laptop, like a lower end consumer model purchased at full price for example

Laptops like that tend to be more hit and miss on Linux than say a Thinkpad or Framework

[–] Kongar@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 15 hours ago

Yes, like this ;)

[–] Kongar@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 15 hours ago

No no - not like that. Like crappy overpriced laptops. Like “I’m a piece of crap laptop masquerading as a good one and sold to people who don’t know better at a price way way way too high”.

Of course we have laptops :)

[–] GissaMittJobb@lemmy.ml 7 points 17 hours ago

Indeed, wild statement if I ever heard one