Choosing a Linux distro

[kokakolia]

8 hours ago, killergoalie said:

As some mentioned, you could try installing multiple and just giving them a try.

 

Sorry if this is a repeat, but also look for the upstream/downstream of the distro and package management.

I work with RH based distros at work, RHEL, Oracle Linux, and CentOS previously so I've always felt more at home with Fedora Core. It's also the upstream version of RHEL so it helps me get used to what changes Red Hat may make/keep for the next Major release of RHEL.

Mind you I'm also 80% in the CLI for work and play. 

If this is just for replacing Windows and everyday casual Computer use, Mint is a great option.

Also play with LiveCDs, also remember GNOME is a Window Manager that is used by or can be installed on any distro so if you like the "look" setup of one distro you maybe able to get another one to look like that.

About Gnome, the more I read about it, the more I hear “it sucks”. People say that it uses too much memory and that you have to add a bunch of extensions to make it usable. Further, someone made a case that having a Windows-like taskbar is better for productivity because you can more easily manage multiple windows. But like I said before, all I can do for now is read about Linux until I get my laptop.

[killergoalie]

Well there is also KDE if you want to try that.

Honestly I don't see much memory bleed on Fedora using Gnome 3 i think it is, but mileage may vary, especially depending on what you plan to do.

 

 

[EPENEX]

Arch Linux or Gentoo + i3wm or XFCE

[kokakolia]

22 hours ago, killergoalie said:

Well there is also KDE if you want to try that.

Honestly I don't see much memory bleed on Fedora using Gnome 3 i think it is, but mileage may vary, especially depending on what you plan to do.

 

 

Yeah, I keep changing my mind as I read more reviews. The only thing that remains constant (in the Linux videos/reviews) is how good Linux Mint really is. And that’s really because Mint is boring AF. It doesn’t use the latest software and it’s very basic and polished. 

 

I might get my laptop tomorrow, most likely Tuesday because I’m never there when the delivery person is at the door. 

 

I think that I’ll try Ubuntu first and then Mint. Having just 4GB of RAM kinda sucks, I would feel more comfortable with 8. But it likely won’t matter because I usually just run Spotify and a browser at the same time. Ubuntu just looks so beautiful to me. And it might be better (or worse) than what the reviews say. My last experience with Ubuntu back in 2011 was a horrible one. I basically had unresolved driver issues (AMD...) and the laptop was running so hot and slow. But it was beautiful, especially compared to Windows 7. At the back of my head, I always wanted to see a Linux system run well without annoying problems. But I sticked to Windows anyway because MS Office is a must for writing school assignments, and Windows just runs fine (and I don’t really care about the ethics around privacy and copyright). 

 

Now that I am working a field job that doesn’t require any computing beyond the odd email, I can actually use Linux. I am mostly interested in using a desktop that’s completely different from Windows.

 

This is why Linux Mint and KDE don’t really thrill me, but I hear that customization can solve that issue. But if an OS doesn’t run well, or runs slower then having cool aesthetics is moot. So I could see myself using Linux Mint in the end, even if I like the look and feel of Ubuntu more. 

 

Also, a Windows-like taskbar is unbeatable from a functionality and familiarity standpoint. Everything is in one spot and managing multiple windows is a breeze. So diverging from that concept feels counter-progressive. So Gnome may be inferior to Mate, KDE, Cinnamon or XFCE in practice. 

8 hours ago, EPENEX said:

Arch Linux or Gentoo + i3wm or XFCE

This might seem lazy, but Manjaro with XFCE kinda accomplishes that (with more bloat but less effort). That said, the “rolling release” feature kinda ticks me off. Frequent updates can break a system, I have seen that with the LG Nexus 4.