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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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Linux admin with 20 years experience, looking for "beginner" distro [Solved, the real beginner distro was the Debian I've used along the way] (self.linux)

submitted 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) by KISSmyOSFeddit to c/[email protected]

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I'm over tinkering with my OS. So I'm looking for a distro that "just works" out of the box for my laptop. Also I want to test an "easy" distro I can install for my grandpa.
I don't care for immutability, declarative config, being fully FOSS or having the newest stuff. I don't want snaps, or a software center that relies on them. So no Ubuntu.

What I do want (ideally out of the box):
Important:

as few annoying visible bugs and crashes as possible (looking at you, Ubuntu)
Wayland support
good package selection, so no independent fringe distro
fluid YouTube videos, streaming, pre-installed codecs

Less important:

ideally with Gnome
encrypting the hard drive from within the GUI installer
nice font rendering (used to be a problem, but I guess not anymore)
installing Steam with a button press
pre-installed sane-airprint and sane-airscan (automatic setup of my networked printer-scanner-combo)

You get the idea. The usual stuff (low-end gaming, browsing, streaming, printing, scanning) should just work. I don't have any hardware that poses a problem.
From what I've read, Mint doesn't yet support Wayland and doesn't ship with video codecs anymore. (Or am I wrong?)
What are the other options? Is Zorin king of the block now? Is Manjaro good now?

Thanks for any and all input.

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[–] bigmclargehuge 7 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Performance issues/bloated disk usage and their forced use within Ubuntu.

The performance issues come from the fact that they run via virtualization. Similar to running a game on an emulator. This helps with compatibility, ie being able to run a Snap on an ARM computer when the native version isn't available, but again, performance can take a hit.

Bloated disk usage is a result of each Snap including all dependancies with the base package. For example, if two Snaps rely on the same font, you get two copies of that font. If two native packages rely on the same font, you get one copy, and they share.

The forced usage literally boils down to this; on Ubuntu, typing "apt install example-package" actually runs the command "snap install example-package" (Edit: I should note this isn't the case with all packages, but there are some pretty high profile ones on the list, ie Thunderbird). Canonical A; isn't up front about this, therefor leading users into believing they are getting native packages when this isn't the case, and B; make it frustratingly difficult to disable this behaviour and get only native packages

IMO if a company creates a product and then feels the need to force and trick their users into adopting it, that alone is enough to discourage me from ever choosing it over the alternatives.