cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/31142642
There are more than a billion PCs in use and, according to StatCounter, only 71 percent of them run Windows. Among the rest, about 4 percent run Linux. That’s tens of millions of people with Ubuntu, Mint, Debian, etc as their desktop operating system. I envy them.
Windows 11 has become more annoying lately as it shoves ads for XBox Game Pass in my face, pushes AI features no one asked for and demands that I reconsider the choices I made during installation on a regular basis. Plus, it just isn’t that attractive.
I’m ready to try joining that industrious four percent and installing Linux on my computers to use as my main OS, at least for a week. I’ll blog about the experience here.
It’s hard to give up Windows forever because so many applications only run in Microsoft’s OS. For example, the peripheral software that runs with many keyboards and mice isn’t available for Linux. Lots of games will not run under Linux. So I think it’s likely I’ll be using Windows again, at least some of the time, after this week is through.
However, for now, I’m going to give Linux a very serious audition and document the experience.
What is it with these people that when thinking of Linux base their decisions on decade-old knowledge and go straight for Ubuntu. Ubuntu isn’t what it used to be, competition actually happened and we’re all the better for it. In the meantime, Canonical F’d up, and Ubuntu should not be anywhere near the top of the recommended distros list.
Want something that actually works, go Linux Mint. Have much newer hardware and want to game, go with Fedora or an arch-based distro like EndeavourOS.
Don’t go Ubuntu. You never go Ubuntu.
Everyone uses Ubuntu thus is becomes the default. Annoyingly.
For example Nvidia Jetson devices run Ubuntu.
💯 post-snap Ubuntu is legit bad for desktop. I feel like now that there’s an official KDE Fedora spin, that’s the best generic option for someone who just wants working Windows 95 paradigm. Mint is way better for printer support out of the box, but how big is that as a concern v other hardware that’s too new in 2025?
Ubuntu is the only one that works well for me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Skill issue.
Fix it.
Distro issue.
Fixed it.
Also the expectation that you will use all the same software. They mentioned a screenshot tool not being supported. That is something that will obviously be os specific.
Seconded. I have endeavourOS on my desktop and mint on my laptops.
Endeavour (arch based) is great for people who like to tinker with the setup whereas mint is ootb ready to go, with most UX features ex windows users would expect.
I used to recommend elementary OS to Mac users, and mint to windows. Now I recommend mint to all, and to customise it to mimic Mac; if that’s what’s desired… As it’s just so damn stable in comparison.