this post was submitted on 02 Sep 2026
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Linux
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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Choose a distro, follow their installation guide.
This. It's really that easy, if you take it slow. Maybe grab a beer/soda/coffee on the way in
Each unto their own, but I would never mix those 3 together...
Beer and soda (lemonade) are the ingredients to a drink called Radler. But you shouldn't use what Americans call soda.
Beer and lemonade = a 'shandy' here
Here that's just a disgusting Corona, everyone puts lemon or some lemonade on those 🤮
Fuck, now I need to try them together and see what you mean. Wish me luck.
desktop environments can be configured to appear differently, ie: taskbars (panels) can be moved to the top, bottom, side etc, but if you want an apple feel, gnome is probably your best bet.
as an example, the ubuntu default desktop environment is gnome
but you can also get:
kubuntu which uses kde plasma desktop environment
xubuntu which uses the Xfce desktop environment
lubuntu which used LXQt desktop environment
ubuntu budgie
ubuntu cinnamon
ubuntu mate
etc
The majority of distros will allow you to download an installer for a few different desktop environment versions. Some other distros let you choose the desktop environment during the installation process.
Don’t forget to account for Nvidia.
My old pc (now used mainly for watching movies etc) has a nvidia card in it, the only distro I ever had issues with was debian, which is unlikely to be recommended, especially now. People really do have a bad habit of recommending non-awesome distros to newbies though, as op's list of options shows.
I am a Debian man, and I will hear no words about it being non-awesome.
They really need to fix the Nvidia compatibility though…🤔
But it’s just so…clean in there. An empty canvas on which I can paint. So empty, in fact, that it doesn’t have Nvidia drivers. Just as Murdock intended!
This is why I love Arch. It comes with nothing installed and everything available!
I had debian installed as a back up distro on 2 computers due to it not be corrupted like fedora, and ubuntu. It installed easily on the amd system, as expected. I ended up using a script to instal it on the intel (with integrated graphics) and nvidia system. It just didn't want to play nice.
Then debian decided to hold a vote with 20 different options... all of them including debian going ai
Now debian has gone bye-bye
You enjoy your awesome though :P