Best Linux Distro Privacy/Usability for a mid level user
What do you think is the best linux distro for a user who wants to migrate from windows in terms of privacy, usability and respect for the FOSS spirit?
I’m thinking to give a chance to #ElementaryOS https://elementary.io
I think to start, Mint or Ubuntu is a good choice, it has support for most hardware and will probably run on whatever you install it.
Also something that I think most new Linux users should focus on; instead of distro pick the desktop environment (DE). As a beginner it does not really matter if you use, lets say, a Debian- or Fedora-based distro. Pick a DE that looks pleasing to you maybe GNOME or KDE and take the installation with that DE. Maybe do not start with Arch or Gentoo as they are for more experienced users that already have some Linux experience.
Distros will be way more interesting and important when you got a hold of Linux and you want to explore the differences of them.
Last tip: Make a separated /home directory, so when you want to change to a new distro you do not have to delete all your files and start over with an empty machine.
I wish you a good start into Linux and do not hesitate to ask questions if they arise!
I’d recommend against ubuntu (but not against derivatives of it) because they clearly don’t respect the FOSS spirit with their insistence on snaps.
True, but you can easily switch to Flatpaks and use them instead.
At that point, why not just run mint instead?
Mint all the way. Have had nothing but good experience with it.
So far, I understand that mint doesn’t use snapd, right?
By default Mint uses Apt.
At that point, use Mint.
@Encryption @privacy I’ve discarded Ubuntu due to snapd. Does Linux mint also use snapd? 🤔
Linux Mint makes a point of excluding all the Snap stuff. It’s a very good distro where everything usually just works.
Mint helped me a lot when I switched from Windows. I found it very straightforward, as much as that’s possible with Linux
Distro doesn’t really mater that much, desktop environment (de) is a more important choice for a new user.
Comming from windows you might like cinnamon, mate, kde plasma or gnome with ArcPanel and Dash to Dock extensions. There’s also lxqt and xfce for low spec systems.
You can install any de on any distro but if you are new to linux you might want to stick with the default one.
If you want cinnamon or mate go with linux Mint.
For gnome ZorinOS looks decent. I think it comes with wine already set up to make running windows programs easier. If you have an nvidia gpu Pop!_OS comes with nvidia drivers but you’ll probably want some gnome extensions like ArcMenu and Dash to Panel.
Before installing any distro you should try them out in a live usb mode or a virtual machine.
Personally I started with Cinnamon Mint but it had issues with my multi monitor set up and poor gaming performance so now I’m on gnome Pop!_OS with ArcMenu and Dash to Panel on desktop and lxqt lubuntu on laptop.
I switched from windows about a year ago and now I’m absolutely certain I’m never comming back. The first 2 weeks or so are the most difficult because you feel like you have to learn a brand new skill every time you do something basic that would take you 30 seconds in windows but once you have everything set up and are more familiar with how things are done on linux it will feel completely natural.
Good luck on your linux journey, I hope you see it through. :)
Linux mint
@privacy @linux
According to most of the responses so far, Eeementary is not the best choice. So I think I will try #LinuxMint as the first option.Linux Mint is great for beginners and is simular to Windows.
Mint is great, it runs on my refrigerator so it should run on most other Hardware as well, and its pretty Beginner-friendly, and the community is helpful.
You serious?
Yes, its easy and just works out of the box.
I need photo evidence. You also should post it on [email protected]
Debian + GNOME + Flathub. The cool thing is that you can get the flatpak/flathub repository into GNOME’s “software store” so you’ve updated software and a very polished experience for your user.
Debian. If for some reason (software) you need a RPM based distribution then openSUSE. But the good thing is that in open-source world, you can try as many as you want almost for free (you invest your time, obviously).
Please don’t. ElementaryOS is bad for new user this days. Try Fedora Workstation edition or Plasma spin, Linux Mint.
@FarLine99 @privacy
what’s the problem with elementary for new users?Its not a privacy problem, its a software being up to date problem. Elementary is slow to be updated so you’re going to spend a lot of your time debugging and troubleshooting why your wifi isn’t working, what’s the deal with your font rendering, why is the login screen acting like that?
It is buggy. Really old packages. Non enabled deb installation in Software Store. Non wayland support which is definetly the future.
#Elementary has a very opinionated design and includes some defaults that would be desireable for pretty much absolutely nobody - the most prominent of them being that it only lists apps from its own store, which is almost empty, and then gives warnings to users to try and discourage them from going to a place like FlatHub for the software that they will no doubt need. There is a tone about the OS in its design and especially its language in dialogs that may make people feel like they are the ones who are “wrong” if they do not wish to stick with these defaults - I think that’s what really rubs so many people the wrong way, and a brand-new user that doesn’t know much about Linux would just be completely lost.
It also has no direct upgrade paths for major new versions, and they do their own apps and DE which is great, but they are also under-resourced and so the experience can be a bit glitchy sometimes.
You mention being a mid-level user though, so I think you’d be fine with it, if you like the look of it. In terms of privacy, usability and respect for the FOSS spirit, I think Elementary and its Pantheon desktop environment is fantastic, and I believe it’s actually worth trying to adapt to its way of doing things. I use it and love it.
For someone brand new to Linux that just wants to get up and running quickly and get work done, I’d highly recommend #ZorinOS instead. It’s very much a counter-point in philosophy to Elementary OS and gives a vibe of: “You do things however you’re used to, I just want to make it as easy for you as possible.”
@ianmclean @FarLine99 @privacy
thanks for your comments. I’ve already decided to install #LinuxMint. Actually I’ve been using it for around a month and I’m very satisfied. Currently I almost don’t use windows.
I would say elementary is easy for new users? What did I miss haha. This said I go with fedora or popos for new users.
I would recommend what looks most promising/fun to you.
personally I am staying with the “big ones”. on my gaming pc I have installed fedora with kde. on my notebook(with touchscreen) I am trying Debian with gnome and eventually arch when I am clear on how I want my system to be exactly
for work and network stuff I use debian with kde.
If you are unsure I’d recommend either debian or fedora with kde. Ubuntu isn’t really something for me because snap is really annoying (apt installs sometimes default to snap but don’t tell you outright)
I installed Manjaro to two of my friends that I’d say are mid-level and they’ve been using it without problems for years. Even if it’s arch-based, it comes with everything it needs to be easy to use (most importantly a graphical package manager) and because it’s arch-based it never lags behind with software updates and you got the AUR if you need it. Manjaro is to Arch what Ubuntu is to Debian basically. Yes, they have fucked up a few times in the past, most notably the certificate fiascos, but none of that affects its usability for a beginner, at worst they won’t be able to update for a few days while they renew the expired certificates.
Edit: and I recommend you use Plasma, it will feel very familiar if they come from Windows
Do you just care about privacy, or is it your primary focus?
There are Linux distros like Tails which will be very hard to use day to day, but if you are laser focused on privacy, it’s between that and CubesOS (not Linux).
Most Linux distros will give you reasonable privacy from an OS standpoint, from there it’s up to you to have good practices with your data.
There are Linux distros like Tails which will be very hard to use day to day, but if you are laser focused on privacy, it’s between that and CubesOS (not Linux).
QubesOS. Also TailsOS isn’t too bad if you do persistent memory and don’t mind slow internet traffic over Tor. I find it plenty usable for simple browsing and downloadikg small files.
Fedora, mint or open suse tumbleweed. Pick your favorite DE and just give It a try. If you want to make distro hopping easier make a /home partition
The desktop environment is much more important, I recommend going with Fedora, it’s easy and has a large community and has a large amount of desktop environments to pick from.
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