Arch, because the documentation and support is really good. And it ‘just works.’
When it comes down to it, the only difference between distros is basically just the package manager right?
Not only package manager - init system, wiki, display manager, community support, package freshness vs stability also play their role. There are many other points that are important too.
I was going to mention wikis etc but that’s not really part of the distro that’s running on your PC, it’s part of the surrounding ecosystem.
Can you not change the init + display manager on other distros?
It’s easy to change display manager (except the case of keeping multiple of them to test out, if they are big and complex, like Gnome and KDE - there are conflicts). Some distros may have worse support for specific display managers, but I cannot say as my experience was relatively smooth for Debian, Manjaro, Arch, Endeavour and Artix. In Ubuntu I had some issues, but I could live with them for a time being because I couldn’t change the workplace OS.
But for init system it’s usually PITA. Many packages, including critical for system operation may have dependency on systemd, for example. In case of Artix Linux there are separate versions of packages for each init system that’s supported, if package has dependency on the init system.
I’ve never used arch but I’ve used it’s documentation quite a bit, it’s really useful
Linux by far because of the customisation abilities it offers
Xubuntu
- Simple, somewhat retro interface
- Highly customizable
- Stable as hell
- Fast
- Simple to setup
- Regular OS versions upgrades
Debian 11 for my personal server, openSUSE tumbleweed for my personal use. Debian for stability and openSUSE for the latest and greatest of KDE plasma desktop environment!
I use Debian 12. I very recently switched to it from windows after using windows for about 10 years or more.
What do I like about Debian when compared to Windows?
I really enjoy using the terminal. Still a beginner. Yes learning the commands is tough but sometimes I just prefer using the terminal instead of using a gui.
Everything else about debian is also great.
I use arch btw.
Gives me the flexibility to do what I want and contrary to the internet I haven’t managed to break everything. I managed to break Ubuntu through
I’m mainly privacy and security focused when it comes to software. My first Linux distro was Whonix. It’s like if Tor expanded from the browser into an OS. Its a bit clunky and outdated though, so not a great daily driver. My second and current distro was the KDE spin of Fedora. It’s been amazing top to bottom. Unfortunately Red Hat recently started some drama, but Fedora shouldn’t be impacted as its upstream. If Red Hat’s greasy paws do mess things up, I’m thinking about running OpenSUSE Tumbleweed. Hopefully it’s just me over thinking and Fedora will remain a stellar OS option for years to come.
If you want the security/privacy of whonix capabilities with the flexibility of fedora you should checkout Qubes OS. As long as you have the correct hardware to run Qubes it can make for a secure and unique experience.
I’ve given Qubes a go, it’s a bit much for my threat model. Fedora is a well ranked OS from a privacy and security standpoint, not on the same level as Qubes, but Qubes uses it as the base OS. Fedora’s easier on the eyes and straight forward. Is Qubes your daily driver?
Yep, I’ve been using it daily for a few years now to keep my personal, social, research and work lives separate and compartmentalized. It’s the most user friendly way I’ve been able to keep things straight with the different color schemes and ability to run whonix/Debian/fedora/windows and switch between them with ease.
I’ve been using Kali for a while now, after only using Windows and Ubuntu for ages. It’s surprisingly refreshing!
You use Kali as your main OS?
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No, on a VM
Between Linux Mint for its reliability and ease of use and Gentoo for just being really nice to use overall with a ton of the control linux is well known for.
Server: Freebsd: simple, reliable
Desktop: Linux: Pop os distro
Ubuntu compatibility without any canonical garbage
Works and works well
Out of the box ready for most use cases
Competent engineers and support
I’ve been a loyal System/MacOS/OS X/macOS user since System 6. From the first time I sat down at a Mac, it’s the only OS family that allows me to forget that I’m using a computer and just do things.
Architecturally the Classic MacOS was a hacked-together mess (though I was pretty good about managing my extensions, and I put together some pretty impressive uptime with my old Power Macs), but the UI was incredibly fast and responsive. Even on my M2 Pro Mini I don’t believe I can navigate my filesystem as quickly or as easily as I could on my OG iMac running 9.2. And I’d still love to visit an alternate universe where macOS evolved from the Server 1.0 UI rather than the Aqua UI.
OS X/macOS feels a little more cumbersome, a little less personal. I don’t always love all the new features Apple pushes in its new releases. (IDEK with the new Settings menu.) And I really didn’t love the hoops I had to jump through to get PHP running on my Mini (I could have gone with an all-Homebrew setup, but I wanted to keep things relatively uncomplicated). The last version of macOS I unabashedly loved was 10.14 Mojave. But in the end, I appreciate all the things that bringing Unix to the Mac allows me to do, and there’s enough of the old MacOS DNA that I’m still mostly able to sit down, forget I’m using a computer, and just get my work done. That’s what I look for in an OS.
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Yeah, that’s what I’m using too, mostly because I don’t want to spend time fiddling with computers these days
Debian Linux on the server: all the flexibility I need in a server OS.
macOS on the desktop: it just gets out of the way and lets me do my job
Void Linux. It was the OS that made me stop distro hopping
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windows
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because it was already installed
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