Linux

48951 readers

692 users here now

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.

Rules

Posts must be relevant to operating systems running the Linux kernel. GNU/Linux or otherwise.
No misinformation
No NSFW content
No hate speech, bigotry, etc

Related Communities

Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0

founded 5 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

105

Linux Laptop for (student) programmer (discuss.tchncs.de)

submitted 2 years ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

91 comments fedilink hide all child comments

As the title says, I am currently learning to be a programmer, and my tablet does not suffice for the job.

I have already finished a small MEAN-Stack application for learning Typescript, learned some Java syntax (I expect nothing more exciting than a sorting algorithm, but exam language is Java, so...) and the next stop will most likely be plain vanilla C to learn about handling hardware.

Windows I hate with a passion, and I don't know squat about Macs, so I am thinking of getting myself a decently sized laptop for a sensible Linux install.

History (I started my Liux journey with SuSE Linux 4.4.1, way back when) taught me to be very wary of driver issues on laptops, so I thought I could ask you for recommendations that play fair with Linux.

(as an aside, if I could play GuildWars2 on it in the evening and attach my two big monitors when at home, that would be super cool)

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] jg1i 1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I bought (and returned) a Framework laptop like 1 or 2 years ago. I ran Arch Linux with GNOME on Wayland. At the time, the GNOME apps that I used worked without any configuration. Another portion of apps half worked after setting experimental flags. These apps still had some fuzzy text or parts of the app scaled weirdly. Finally, a few unfortunate apps did not work and would crash on startup when using Wayland env vars.

Linux can technically do everything, yes, but it doesn't mean it's gonna go well or be easy.

If OP is a student and a Linux newbie who wants the least amount of trouble, then I stand by the XPS and X1 recommendations. With the XPS or X1, OP can pick any distro, use any apps, and everything will work. With a Framework, OP will have to pick the "right" distro, the "right" apps and figure out and manage configuration.