Many people suggest popOS for a new linux user which is based on ubuntu which in turn is based on debian. I never tried popOS but i found ubuntu hard to get packages or find help with when i was first learning.
I would recomend endeavourOS which is based on arch. In arch, its very easy to get packages and and find help since you can use the aur and the arch wiki . But it might require using the terminal a bit more than PopOS. Dont let that intimidate you however, the terminal is actually not hard to learn and many tools guide you through using it.
Both are better than windows and i would recomend you try them both on your machine. Just download the live image ISOs to a usb that has ventoy installed. Throw some other distros on there too like nobara just to round out your testing.
Then you can always install it on an old computer (even one that windows dosent work well on) or a spare hdd/ssd while testing until you are ready to leave windows for good.
I use EndeavourOS, only because I wanted to get up and running quickly. It’s still Arch under the hood, and all the fun nuances that come with Arch. I would probably suggest that EndeavourOS is more intermediate, probably popOS or Mint are more beginner-suited.
A new linux user will break their system. Thats part of the learning process. The queation is will they have the resources needed to fix it or will they be forced to reinstall.
These are the reasons i would sugest anyone to use an arch based distro like endevoros.
They only break if you dont update or you do something dumb
If the os breaks, or you need help with something, you have the best help resource avalible, the arch wiki. Along with a very large and often knoledgeable comunity. If you need help with ubuntu or a derivative distro, you often must serach the forum which have a lot of incorrect or outdated information.
Its easy to find packages on the avalible repos including the aur. No searching for ppas to install the packages you need to actaully switch off of windows.
The most imporant thing a new linux user should know about, is how many options they have with linux. This is linux’s greatest strength and it is not a one size fits all solution. Arch and its derivatives are great examples of this.
Also, i recomend new users use a multiboot with multiple distros and testing for themselfs.
They only break if you dont update or you do something dumb
Stop capping. I used to use Arch, it’s not nearly as stable as you are suggesting.
Its easy to find packages on the avalible repos including the aur. No searching for ppas to install the packages you need to actaully switch off of windows.
If you really want applications then use NixOS, not arch. That way you aren’t dealing with the AUR, and Nix OS actually has more packages than the AUR.
Recommending NixOS to new users would be dumb though. Just like recommending arch is dumb. The install process alone would put lots of people off Linux.
The goal is to introduce new Linux users both to the possible options and to proper documentation so that they can learn and help themselves.
Honestly, I wish I had started on arch instead of Ubuntu.
Okay you are not a normal user or person. There isn’t anything wrong with that. Giving people advice based on your own experience isn’t going to work for you, because most people aren’t that technically inclined and don’t think about going for the harder option first.
Many people suggest popOS for a new linux user which is based on ubuntu which in turn is based on debian. I never tried popOS but i found ubuntu hard to get packages or find help with when i was first learning.
I would recomend endeavourOS which is based on arch. In arch, its very easy to get packages and and find help since you can use the aur and the arch wiki . But it might require using the terminal a bit more than PopOS. Dont let that intimidate you however, the terminal is actually not hard to learn and many tools guide you through using it.
Both are better than windows and i would recomend you try them both on your machine. Just download the live image ISOs to a usb that has ventoy installed. Throw some other distros on there too like nobara just to round out your testing.
Then you can always install it on an old computer (even one that windows dosent work well on) or a spare hdd/ssd while testing until you are ready to leave windows for good.
I use EndeavourOS, only because I wanted to get up and running quickly. It’s still Arch under the hood, and all the fun nuances that come with Arch. I would probably suggest that EndeavourOS is more intermediate, probably popOS or Mint are more beginner-suited.
Stop recommending arch and arch based distros to newbies. They break way too often for people who have never used Linux before.
A new linux user will break their system. Thats part of the learning process. The queation is will they have the resources needed to fix it or will they be forced to reinstall.
These are the reasons i would sugest anyone to use an arch based distro like endevoros.
The most imporant thing a new linux user should know about, is how many options they have with linux. This is linux’s greatest strength and it is not a one size fits all solution. Arch and its derivatives are great examples of this.
Also, i recomend new users use a multiboot with multiple distros and testing for themselfs.
Stop capping. I used to use Arch, it’s not nearly as stable as you are suggesting.
If you really want applications then use NixOS, not arch. That way you aren’t dealing with the AUR, and Nix OS actually has more packages than the AUR.
Recommending NixOS to new users would be dumb though. Just like recommending arch is dumb. The install process alone would put lots of people off Linux.
I’ve not had an issue with arch yet besies once like 4 years ago when I rebooted during a Nvidia driver update which was my own fault.
The goal is to introduce new Linux users both to the possible options and to proper documentation so that they can learn and help themselves.
Honestly, I wish I had started on arch instead of Ubuntu.
Okay you are not a normal user or person. There isn’t anything wrong with that. Giving people advice based on your own experience isn’t going to work for you, because most people aren’t that technically inclined and don’t think about going for the harder option first.