Linux

If you want something that looks and behaves much like the Windows desktop environment, use Linux Mint. If you want something closer to the macOS environment, use Pop OS.

Mint is a good beginner distro and has many guides available. Try LMDE

First time? Use Ubuntu. Not only is it easy to use and a good UX overall, most tutorials assume a Ubuntu based distro (there are differences between distros that can be...hard to translate over). That's going to be really useful when you're looking up how to do stuff

If you game, and especially if you use nvidiva, I'd recommend Pop!_OS or Nobara.

Know that you'll probably hate what you try first. Personally I say you shouldn't use Pop_OS!, but its better than being scared of making a wrong choice. "distrohopping" is a great way to learn.

tldr: just do it

Get Ubuntu, Mint, or PopOS don't bother with the others at first as it will be more difficult to find help on forums with lesser known versions of Linux. If you have an Nvidia as your main graphics card you might have a better time with PopOS as it comes pre configured with the right drivers and everything.

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OP, I have an entire guide for Linux/Windows computing, having been a couple decades old user of Windows. I am using Linux for the past 6+ years, and am using Debian as of now.

Start with Ubuntu LTS. Your priority is being able to search your solutions easily on AskUbuntu, StackOverflow or similar websites within the first few search results, and NOT needing to interact with and/or get harassed by the toxic evangelists in Linux community. I assume you already got a taste of that evangelism with the comments here.

Also, it is essential to require optimal corporate and community software support, and maximum stability/compatibility with WINE, without your system breaking upon automatic/random updates. This lessens the need for you to go around scrambling on the internet for solutions. Make sure to utilise whatever you need, Snaps, AppImages, regardless of what people say, to make your Linux life easier.

https://lemmy.ml/post/511377

I was impressed by how streamlined and intuitive EndeavorOS (with Plasma) is out of the box when I threw it on a friend's computer. Will probably switch to it myself shortly.

Get a cheap 1-2 tb drive and start dual-booting with whatever system you're running now. This way you can play around with different distros while retaining your current settup to fall back on!

Start off with Gentoo to get the hang of the basics. Switch to Arch because compile times and heat burns. Try Linux from Scratch for a laugh, giggle and move on, but with a new found respect for distro maintainers.

What's your use case? If it involves AAA games then that will narrow things a bit but if you simply want a bit of docs n that and, internet browsing and a spot of email and realtime sound and CAD then we'll need a broader chat.

Debian, Fedora, Ubuntu, OpenSuSE, Mint - those would be my starters for 10 in no particular order. Pick yours and your hip angle. I personally run Arch (actually) and Gentoo. I don't recommend them as a dip your toe in the water job 8)

Feel free to dive in, the water is lovely.

Here are some of my default choices: Linux Mint, Pop!OS, Nobara, MXLinux (if your PC is kind of a potato).

These distros should work regardless of your configuration with very minimal effort on your side.

1. Switch over the software you use to stuff that also works on Linux. alternativeto.net
2. Get an external SSD case if you are on a laptop, or just a second one and install it there
3. Extract your Windows License key!
4. Fedora kinoite from ublue.it

Fedora is neat

I approached Fedora workstation with little knowledge of Linux, as a former windows and Mac user. My workflows involved graphic, print, UX design, DFP, front end web dev, and some light 3D modelling. Getting acquainted with alternatives to certain apps (namely adobe suite) took some getting used to, but it's wonderful to no longer feel as if your industrial skill set is beholden to a massive, shitty company.

It was surprisingly easy to get along with. I feel like your experience in will mostly depend on your desktop environment rather than the distro itself, bear in mind that you can use any DE with any distro.

You don't really need to touch the command line anymore to get going, though I got familiar with it as I found it faster for certain tasks.

KDE plasma is probably more familiar for Windows users. I use the GNOME desktop with some plugins.

As a bonus, Fedora 39 is more performant for me in AAA gaming than windows 10/11.

update: currently testing mini cinnamon on a VM at the moment

Looks pretty good, tho I haven't really gotten in the setup yet (really close tho!)

https://files.catbox.moe/twr0yl.png (image link dw)