My objective is to ditch windows & utilize my triple monitor desktop as a cockpit style dashboard for my homeserver & lan devices along with always open widgets like music, calculator, etc.

There was another post yesterday about this and the community recommended Mint & Pop OS the most. However, I am not looking for windows-like. I want a new & fresh experience like using a smartphone for the first time or switching from ios to android.

Distrochooser.de recommended kubuntu to me.

So I have some questions:

  1. What are the building blocks of a distro? Things that separate distros from each other. Like I know 2 - Desktop Env & Package Managers. Are there others, what are they or where do I find a list? I would like to compare these blocks and make it a shopping experience and then pick the distro that matches my list. Is this approach even valid?

  2. How do I find and compare whats missing from which distro? For eg. if I install mint, what would I be potentially missing out that may be a feature on another distro? How do I go about finding these things?

  3. What are some programs/ widgets/ others that are must haves for you? For eg. some particular task manager

  4. What are the first steps after installing linux? For eg. In Windows, its drivers, then debloat and then install programs like vlc, rar, etc.

  5. I read on some post, a user was saying that they want to avoid installing qt libraries. Why would someone potentially want that? I have never thought of my computer in such terms. I have always installed whatever whenever. The comment stuck with me. Is this something I should be concerned about?

  6. Should I not worry about all of the above and just pick from mint, pop and kubuntu?

  • CaptDust@sh.itjust.works
    182·
    10 months ago

    I’m too lazy to reply to all of those questions, but if you don’t want it to be “windows-like” don’t pick a distro using KDE or Cinnamon by default (kubuntu and mint are very windows like UI out of the box)

    Pop_os, fedora, anything using Gnome feels nothing like windows. To touch on question 4, once you’re installed assuming your hardware all works, you just need to install software you want from the distros package manager. There’s nothing to debloat, until you better understand the OS and your personal use case.

    • beta_tester@lemmy.ml
      14·
      10 months ago

      It’s a couple of clicks and KDE looks nothing like windows anymore.

      KDE has multiple full screen application launchers which are really nice.

      Example from reddit image

      Reddit imag

      • CaptDust@sh.itjust.works
        11·
        10 months ago

        No doubt, KDE customization is second to none and you can make it look and feel however desired. But OP asking about distros (and not DE or WMs) leans my recommendation towards KISS. KDE is very much a “windows-like” experience by default.

    • kylian0087@lemmy.world
      2·
      10 months ago

      Adding to this. Maiby a window manager that supports multiple monitors will be a good choice. Sure they have a learning curve but it does seem more fitting for OP then a DE to me.