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!rant
Linux experts, please read if you have time

Seeing all the posts ranting about Ubuntu, I'm starting to wondering : I have a laptop on Ubuntu that I set for my courses at school, I took Ubuntu because I could try at school with VMs, liked it and because between this and Linux Mint, I wasn't aware of all those distributions.

So my reflexion is : Since I've started my internship, which would be the final semester (I'm in last year of studying), I use this computer mostly for personal coding projects, which aren't ambitious and I sometimes use my Windows too, so my computer is a kind of switch-not-so-often.
Should I keep it to Ubuntu or should I try to install something else ?

I've heard of Solus, which got my curiosity, and Arch Linux, but this one is not want I think I need. But seeing all those distributions here made me confuse, I dunno if I should upgrade something that's a kind of placeholder for coding and do stuff when the Windows (which is my main laptop) is busy doing things.

Have any suggestions ?

Comments
  • 7
    If you like Ubuntu, stick with it.
    I can recommend Mint also if you dont want to spend to much time.

    Myself, prefer Debian on servers and bunsenlabs om desktop
  • 2
    I use mint, its easy to set up and i can get to coding fast. If you want to try a new distro, maybe check out antergos
  • 4
    Basically chose a linux distribution mean chose a package manager and his repository. So you may want to check that. Because you have a lot of choice, like arch linux which allow you to access every last software version like you want and Ubuntu which block updated for a specific Ubuntu version to be sure everything is fine.

    Well if you like apt you can always try debian at least, it's the same manager but not the same repository.

    Anyway take your time and have fun. (if you have a lot of time try Gentoo xp)
  • 1
    My personal favourite CentOS. Especially CentOS7.
  • 2
    I have Arch, it takes a lot of time to install (several times until you are completely happy with the result) but it's worth the pain. Also once a semester I just reinstall everything to try different stuff.

    I have some empty partitions, should I get into Gentoo? What should I expect? What's all the hip about?
  • 1
    @cpt-ado well arch don't really need time to install, 10/15min. But you still have to configure your environment if you take a light one. But gentoo will need you to understand a little your hardware and linux, before be able to install software. But you gain great customisation and great performance (gentoo is source based, not binary). Oh, by the way no systemd with gentoo :D
  • 1
    @Celes the first time I installed Arch it took me a day to make X run... I'll try Gentoo soon 😀
  • 0
    @cpt-ado first time with a basic shell installer is always strange xp if you really try gentoo use rescuecd as a live cd. It will save you some of your time. Well good luck ^^
  • 0
    @Celes CD? As in compact disk? Nowadays diskettes are more common... Thanks for the heads up.
  • 1
    @cpt-ado sorry I should have be more explicit, rescuecd is a distrib based on gentoo which will set the base environment and let you install gentoo more easily.
  • 1
    @Celes oh, but if I'm going to try Gentoo I might as well check it the hard way. I'll let you know how bad it ends up....
  • 1
    Do whatever you like and stick with whatever Linux/BSD/Windows/<yourOSHere> you like and don't get into the "my Linux is longer than your Linux" hater game. It's a bunch of BS. There is no reason why you shouldn't try out any Linux, any BSD, Haiku, or whatnot. It will broaden you view and knowledge. But there is also no reason for panic here. Only listen to your gut feeling. And not anybody else. There is no "the best OS" TM. There is only a "works best for me OS" TM and that differs for alot of people. You wouldn't choose your boy-/girlfriend after the opinion of your friends would you?
  • 0
    @runfrodorun .... I think RMS would insist on letting others fork and share you equally 😂
  • 2
    If it ain't broke don't switch it
  • 0
    @mrmarbury Actually, my question is not based on "what is the best Linux", but more like "what is the best Linux to my usages, if it's not Ubuntu?"
    Because like I said, I heard some people recommending me Arch Linux, but that's not what I want like I said.
  • 1
    @DodgerAkame but that is exactly what I mean. Why should Ubuntu not be the best for you? Because somebody tells you? You have to decide what is best for you. All Linux systems do exactly the same. The one and only difference is the way you get there. But in the end all Linux systems run exactly the same tools/libs/apps. I for one don't even like Arch. I have used it for some time and have never seen why people like it. But I have been an extensive Gentoo user for many years. And I know some people hate on Gentoo. So what...I don't mind. I am a FreeBSD User for years now and while especially the Linux guys hate on it and cannot even tell me why. For me it is the best system where I feel home the most. But that is just me.
  • 2
    @mrmarbury if he ask this question, I think he want to see what the linux word can offer. So unfair that bsd distrib have bad graphics support, I'd love to try it.
  • 2
    @Celes That's actually my point. I don't ask because people told me Ubuntu is bad. Actually no one did, I just read that Ubuntu is bad, but that didn't convince me into switching, more like curious to see if there is more "casual" distributions, since I want that laptop to stay with a Unix shell (I have a Win7 to have both OS, and because I kinda boycott Win10, the few times I tried it, everything went wrong o/)
  • 1
    @Celes yeah, Linux can actually be confusing just because of the many distributions and the opinions regarding them. But like I have said earlier. He should give like every os and distribution a try and see for himself. But he should not panic. It kind of reads to me that he is in kind of a panic now that he might use the wrong Linux. Which is not the case. And being part of the Linux community for so long I know that there are as many opinions as there are Linux dists.
    Regarding BSD. Nvidia support is stellar and with Intel now being a major partner that will increase alot on that side as well. Choose a PC with a Nvidia for now where you can switch off Optimus and you are good to go. Installed my mother trueos/pcbsd some years ago and she is more happy than with Linux which she used since 2008 ... BSD is that simple, really. And if you have questions don't bother to ask me :)
  • 0
    @mrmarbury oh things had change a little since last time. I see bsd has wayland support, even sway is working! But can't see where is vulkan support. I'm working with gcc7 not sure if I can do the same on bsd right now. Clang is not enough :(
  • 1
    @Celes didn't test Wayland yet. Are there even enough apps yet that support it? GCC 7.0.1 is in the ports tree. But we shouldn't hijack this thread.
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