Linux

I'm interested in switching to Linux. Where do I start? I've heard of Ubuntu, Mint, Kali, and Arch. Any suggestions?

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Linux is a kernel - the core component on which an operating system is based. It is _useless_ by itself.

Distros are operating systems that are based on the Linux kernel. There are very many to choose from, but you will find that in reality there is little to no significant difference between them.

If you know what you are doing, I suppose you aren't, you could use Kali or Arch.
If not, go for Ubuntu and Mint.

I'd just like to interject for a moment. What you’re referring to as Linux, is in fact, GNU/Linux, or as I’ve recently taken to calling it, GNU plus Linux. Linux is not an operating system unto itself, but rather another free component of a fully functioning GNU system made useful by the GNU corelibs, shell utilities and vital system components comprising a full OS as defined by POSIX.

Many computer users run a modified version of the GNU system every day, without realizing it. Through a peculiar turn of events, the version of GNU which is widely used today is often called “Linux”, and many of its users are not aware that it is basically the GNU system, developed by the GNU Project. There really is a Linux, and these people are using it, but it is just a part of the system they use.

Linux is the kernel: the program in the system that allocates the machine’s resources to the other programs that you run. The kernel is an essential part of an operating system, but useless by itself; it can only function in the context of a complete operating system. Linux is normally used in combination with the GNU operating system: the whole system is basically GNU with Linux added, or GNU/Linux. All the so-called “Linux” distributions are really distributions of GNU/Linux.

I'm referring to Linux distros.

I see. Thanks for the reply mate. I think I'll go for Mint in that case. Because Gnome has been slightly controversial. Also, which distro are you running?

>unironically suggesting kali

I'd recommend Linux Mint Cinnemon or Mate if you'r a total beginner, my mum currently runs cinnamon and seems to be pretty happy with it after a few days of tech support hell

also
see image

But that hackerman uses it

gentoo

I see thanks. I guess I'll try Mint

Gentoo is widely known as the most user-friendly Linux bistro around. The Sup Forums meme that it is super hard is just that, a meme.

Install Gentoo op

I see. I'll look into it.

Should I install gentoo on my x220?

Go with linux mint with cinnamon or xfce
ElementaryOS is super friendly and worth a look

>Any suggestions?
You can try any distro without installing it (liveCD/liveDVD/liveUSB). Kali and Arch aren't for beginners. Ubuntu, Fedora, Mint, and Debian are fine for beginners. But you don't have to take my word for it, you should spend a little time researching the distros that are interesting to you. It will save you a lot of time...because what we like isn't necessarily what you like. I don't like Mint (for reasons), but I have no problem with *buntu or debian. There were some issues with Mint (with the distro not the website) but those were taken care of apparently...I still think the dev is an idiot. But plenty of people use Mint and love it.

Try out the distros before you install them. You can also see how they look on youtube before using the liveDVD/usb.

Good luck.

Every single day we have this thread. Every single day some user can't be fucked to Google, check the archives, or look at the /sqt/ or /fglt/. Your use case is not unique, just use already existing resources on Sup Forums to find which to use. I'm fairly certain you create these threads just to cause the people here who do use Linux to fight among each other.

>If you know what you are doing ... you could use Kali or Arch

Wouldn't really call Fedora or Debian beginner distros though.
Debian sure doesn't have the user-friendliness of the buntus.

LFS is the only worthwhile one.

Android is the only consumer facing version of */Linux worth using.

Manjaro, it's easy to install like Ubuntu but has the glorious Arch Package Manager

Zorin OS is great, i still use Windows but used Zorin among other distros and id say give it a look, the other ones were such trash besides ubuntu and debian, Zorin you just install and your ready to start using it

This will help you OP. Pic related.

If you really want to know, Ubuntu is great and what most people start on. Mint is too if you're beginning.

Gentoo *is* one of the hardest distros to install and configure. It's not a meme. It's only for advanced/expert users.

Forget Kali. It's only for penetration testing. You don't need it.

Feel free to ask anything moar.

>Where do I start?

In a virtual machine. Do not dual boot since you'll churn through different distros until you learn what you like.

Install Gentoo

welcome to the club.

Install FreeBSD.

why not antergos?

Debian is the most solid and its listed only in a couple spots. Weird.

I'd go with Linux mint xfce or xubuntu.
I like xfce because it's lightweight, resource wise, and not ugly.
Ubuntu and it's derivatives just work.

LFS

Go for Arch linux, benefits include:
>you will hate yourself for it
>you will lose sleep for 3 days when you fail installing it 5 times
>you will question your sanity when you spend 15 hours configuring .conf files for some minor issues
>you will rage when your WM crashes for the nth time
>you will question whether/when you will start learning writing lua
>you will get admiration from idiots and blank eyes from normies
>you will spend way too much time fixing stuff
>you might actually like it

>you might actually like it
insanity setting in i see...

Or just speed up the process using Antergos, the normie edition of Arch.

Start with Ubuntu like everyone else does. It has the most user support and probably the most people asking the same stupid questions so you don't need to. It's a great intro to Linux imo and many professionals continue to use it.

How do you feel about using a command line, OP?

If we're going that route I think we need to add the libc too, most commonly glibc, but reverse the order from the most important to the userspace,
Debian Linux/glibc/systemd/GNU
Alpine Linux/musl/openrc/busybox
FreeBSD FreeBSD/FreeBSD/FreeBSD/FreeBSD

That's because you might as well just use Ubuntu, which is the infinitely more popular choice.

Mint is a great start point. When you're comfortable with basic command line stuff, you might find that comfy and just stick with it, or you might want to try out something like Antergos or Debian, depending on how much you want to fiddle with your system. Some nice programs to get started with making your computer comfy include quake (a drop-down command line) and cmus (a really good music player that runs in a terminal). If you want to learn a little more about how to use the terminal, play with cowsay a little bit.

But I'd avoid Arch until you have more of an idea what you're getting yourself into. It's loved for a reason, but it's also hated for a reason. It's really great for if you want to configure every single thing on your machine, but it's overwhelming otherwise. I thought I wanted that, but eventually I fell back to Antergos.

>33mb
Holy shit.

>Ramlets when will they learn

>tfw he fell for the 128mb meme

Idk, Debian 9.3 is really stable compared to Ubuntu.

Ubuntu. Or Xubuntu, it has more stable DE.
After that - learn how to use console, how to use apt-get, how to use wine, how to use gcc, how to use rm... After all that, you can install Arch. After playing enough with Arch - install Gentoo, after installing Gentoo - install Windows, do not be a fag.

Are the Ubuntu derivatives like Kubuntu or Xubuntu any less secure than vanilla Ubuntu?

Use Manjaro. It's literally Arch for Chad. Antergos is for virgins.

They are more secure in fact, than 'vanilla'

>infinitely more popular choice
This is not true, barely anyone uses Ubuntu since they tried to make their own kernel. Debian has been more popular than it for several years in a row now.

Ah I see. Thanks.

Are you familiar with command line at all? Either dos or windows command or powershell? Or coding?

If so, it'll be easier for you.

Get a Linux mint bootable USB drive and try it without destroying your current machine. Most distros these days will have a graphic interface. So just try it.

Get used to the bash command line, too. You'll need it in Linux.

Thanks

Install vanilla Ubuntu LTS. From there, you can easily install any of the desktop variants and switch between them at will.

Why must you fanholes lie?

Mint is a hodgepodge of Ubuntu and Debian done by some hobbyists who think garbage like flash should be installed by default. It is full of security holes and bugs.

Where's the lie? Not trolling, just curious before I install Kubuntu.

Linux is just the kernel. The operating systems name is GNU.


A good beginner distro if GNU/Linux is Ubuntu.

>was going to go install something quick and easy like Mint because sick of MS but want to keep gaming
>realize games might not work under WINE
>realize even if they do work they probably won't recognize my arcade stick
>realize that, once again, windows just fucking works

I WANT TO DITCH WINDOWS FOREVER BUT FIGHTING GAMES WON'T LET MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Both of the statements are lies.

Just get an xbone or ps4 for fitens.

I would like to switch my laptop from Windows 10 to Ubuntu, but don't want to lose all my photos and videos.
What's user's suggestion on the most seamless way to transition from one OS to another on the same machine?
Cloud backup?
External Hard Drive?

External HDD. Always have your files backed up to an external HDD.

if you really are sick of MS just dual boot with ubuntu/manjaro/another justwerks distro and keep all ur games on the windows partition while using the linux one for daily use. I hate window's creepy monitoring and forced updates but if I only switch over for games it doesn't matter that much.

I think external hard drive is the way to go. If your files are in fairly popular media formats, I don't see you encountering any problems.

Thanks, dudes.

I was going to at one point, but I really can't justify paying for a "premium" service.

I keep thinking about doing it, but it seems like such of a hassle to switch just to play a game.

Anytime user.

Fedora is my favourite

FJKL;ASD JKL;ASDJKL

If Linux distributions are like cars you select from a lot, then Linux From Scratch is like getting a recipe to build a completely novel car by hacking together miscellaneous parts from a vast junkyard. After literally dozens of hours of building the car, at the end you may end up with something that can technically move under its own power, though only at 3 mph and only when the wind is blowing a certain way. After all this effort you then can ask yourself: was this effort worth it? Do I now better understand how cars work? Perhaps, but it's also possible that you were just blindly following the directions. At any rate: proud of your achievement, you go to show your self-built car to your friends. To your eyes a beautiful, lean machine. To theirs: a steaming pile of garbage.

In which regard is Ubuntu less stable than Debian?

what do you not like about mint?

SOLUS

anything with cinnamon..
distrowatch.com/

is there any real reason to switch to something else even though mint has everything i want?

I started off as a hobby in the Win2000 days with a Puppy Linux live CD then. it was small, fast and cute (unlike American women lol)

>I call it legs/chair

Download mint or ubuntu. Start learning to use shell commands

Okay. I'm looking at Mint. Thank You.

Or you lol

interested in jumping back on the linux train after not using it for many years, i consider myself competent enough to run distros like arch and so on but wanted to know if there was any distros that allowed that level of tinkering if needed or even if it didn't had more room to move around with, mostly because ive become a lot more busier and can't bug hunt for hours on end like i used to and just want something pleasing to the eyes, ive done a quick search and found a few that looked okay, manjaro, elementaryos and solus, wanted to know opinions

Base Ubuntu, for me it was fun trying desktops and playing a bit with the different options at first on VM's. After a few months I settled for Manjaro KDE though.

You should go linux mint.

Linux mint is a perfect baginner friendly desktop linux distro.
Try cinnamon edition because cinnamon is a DE made by linux mint dev team especially for linux mint.

i second elementary, i'm pretty new to linux myself and as a starter distro elementary was very easy to use and looks pretty nice.