Linux

Best chances to onboard new people are with elementary OS, Linux mint or the new Zoron Linux.

With regular use cases (browsing, mail, music) they shouldn‘t have to use the terminal at all.

So I am a new Linux user (Bazzite) and what I have experienced so far is that for my daily driver use I don't need the terminal at all. But the moment I want to do anything even slightly more complex, or even just to use a program I want that is not in bazaar, all the user documentation gives me terminal commands.

So while I am sure it is possible, in reality the terminal still remains prominent and it feels really important to know to use it.

On Mint, it's rare and only when I try and do something that isn't already packed up as an app. I might go weeks without using it, then use it all day for a few days.

Generally you can use use the GUI with things like Nobara Linux.

But most software install instructions are all "copy and paste these commands".

It depends.

A 2-5 year-old laptop, you want to web browse, maybe watch some videos, use google docs or open office, you probably never need a terminal

If it's a really new laptop or you want to get the most out of video drivers and push it harder, you'll probably need to be ready for some light terminal crap. Gets a little janky if you have a dual-video-card setup. Nothing hard to handle, but if you're not looking to have to handle anything...

I think the numnber of available packages is better on the Debian side. Mint or Kubuntu run newer hotter stuff, debian runs older more stable stuff.

ChromeOS and Android both prove that you CAN provide an experience sans terminal.

I think anything with flatpaks or snap store will be in a pretty good spot

All modern OS's require the terminal at some point (except iOS).

To your bonus question: portage

I was using Mint for a while with my 10 year old PC build that was crashing all the time then I upgraded my system and Mint didn't have support for my newer video card so I moved to Nobara.

I haven't had to use the terminal at all since. I run the update system program every few days but I'm sure it could be automated without needing a password but I like seeing what is being updated so I keep it manual.

It has much more support for games than Mint seems to have had. I could use the terminal if I wanted to but it hasn't been needed which is how I want it, available but unnecessary.

I installed ubuntu for my father in 2010. He has no idea how PCs work, and he's been fine with it. And we are not even close.

Yes, there are several distros that come with many things prepackaged. See Fedora, CachyOS, and Mint for examples.

Hell you can use Arch without the terminal if you really wanted to. CachyOS for example uses Octopi which is one of the few Arch Package Manager GUI's that support both Pacman and AUR. so in that case you may never really need to touch the terminal and Octopi is preinstalled with CachyOS.

Other than that Fedora KDE or Bazzite are good options. But yeah there are few Distros where you really don't need to use the Terminal if you don't want to.

Yes, or.. i dont know

But seems like most UIs like kde and cinnamon do a good job of making everything part of the Ui, so you ahouldnt have to

I still use the terminal. I dont know most commands but AI can often help, with a proper explanation (and remember to tell it which distro youre using etc. bonus points if you know if you use grub or systemd.

As a Rust dev, you can use your terminal entirely without GUI with a multiplexer like tmux, Neovim as your editor, a shit ton of anime CLIs that you can use, and so on.

Bonus question: [...] Does anything provide a similar experience to Arch's amazing AUR?

Nixpkgs and Homebrew are the first ones that come from my head.

You could use Linux without ever touching the CLI at least at the release of SuSE Linux 7.0 back in 2000. I bought the the boxed version directly as it was available in the stores back then and it really was a revelation: From first install, installing software up to configuring runlevels there was a graphical tool in Yast for it.

Definetely yes for years now. However, CLI is still preferred.

there's three thing I use the terminal for:

Updating my apps and systems Running development apps Quick and easy edits or file movements

All the "software stores" I have seen: ubuntu's software center, flatpack are utter trash. Offensively bad. I'm not sure how you can even get the flatpack store without the terminal.

so, e.g. flatpak tells you to install flatpak via commandline on ubuntu. Apparently it's built into linux mint.

https://flathub.org/en/setup/Ubuntu

but when trying to install a random app,

https://flathub.org/en/apps/app.curocalc.calculator/install

the instructions are to "download file and execute", but my filebrowser doesn't have a "execute this file" option in my right click and double clicking does... nothing? Certainly doesn't give me a popup with either confirmation or error message.

I'm game to try a few more things, so if you have suggestions what I should try, please tell me.

I'm on xubuntu.

I've been using exclusively Linux for about two years now.

I only ever use the terminal when I need to fix something, usually by searching for a fix and trying it out. I know more about its use now but just enough to hurt myself.

I think it gives me strong UI opinions though. What works better for me. There is still a lot of choice in that.

Does anything provide a similar experience to Arch’s amazing AUR

I am not aware of any software distribution service with a comparable experience (massive userbase with zero vetting for uploaders) as Arch's amazing AUR - if you are looking for a way to distribute malware to many unsuspecting people (who's friends think they're hackerman), it's really unparalleled. (😢)

To your primary question, yes, many people do successfully daily drive various Linux distros without ever opening the terminal. 🙄

I use Fedora Workstation. I do use the terminal, each morning I install my updates by typing "sudo dnf upgrade" and enter the password. When that is done I type "syncthing" to start that service. The rest of the day I don't touch the terminal.

I could install the updates through the "software store" but terminal is faster and no reboot is required, afaik.

Once in a while I do update an app which is almost as easy. Download the rpm file (typically there is a link in the app that needs updating) open terminal, cd Downloads, ls, sudo dnf install "package name", password, exit.

For context, I started on Linux last April. Previous "laptop" was an android tablet with a physical keyboard and mouse. I did buy a used Thinkpad and install Fedora myself which was very easy.

My 75 year old father, who isn't a techie, can handle this. Your Window buds should be able to as well.

Been using Fedora Workstation as my daily driver on my main gaming rig (and casual work machine) for over 7 years now; in the early days, yes CLI was necessary but I actually can't remember the last time I needed the CLI to configure anything on that machine. I use it to ssh into my homelab and that's it.

I also installed Fedora on a Pixlebook Go Chromebook (I am using to type this now) a year or so ago, I use this machine for casual web browsing, and playing games via GeForce Now (Excellent btw), and beyond the slightly complex effort to get Fedora stable on it at the start, I have not touched the terminal since then, and that includes a couple of upgrades from F41 to F43.

Honestly the main distro's are more than ready for the 'grandma' test, from about six months ago my eldest daughter (21) is rocking Fedora on her ageing laptop which I installed for her when she complained that it was 'getting slow' on Windows, she is an artist, has zero interest or knowledge of computers and has not come back since for any issue, she uses it daily.

On fedora I generally dont need the terminal unless something breaks. Which if I'm being honest with myself probably breaks because I tinkered with stuff via the terminal 🥲 (I'm bad at computer)

Yes.

I'd say 90% of usage can be done without the terminal especially if you just use Linux to browse the web or check email or other things that are mundane.

Anything past that, there is a good chance you'll have to use the terminal. That said, I think its easier than ever with lots of people making the switch and asking questions on Lemmy or other forums.