Linux Distributions

linux.md

Linux distributions and their desktops

Distributions

Fedora

• Pros

  • Bleeding-edge software updates
  • Decent software library
  • No bloatware
  • Unmodified desktop experience

• Cons

  • Somewhat unstable
  • Confusing installer
  • Community repos not enabled by default
  • NVidia drivers can be tricky to get working
  • Video playback requires extra packages
  • Frequent updates may get annoying _{(no forced updates)}

Debian

• Pros

  • Very stable
  • Decent installer
  • Best software library
  • No bloatware
  • 10 year support for LTS releases

• Cons

  • Outdated software
  • Non-free repos not enabled by default
  • Outdated NVidia drivers

Ubuntu

Debian based

• Pros

  • Best installer
  • Updated NVidia drivers

• Cons

  • Some bloatware
  • Forced updates with annoying popups
  • Heavily relies on Snaps _{(Firefox is Snap only)}

Linux Mint

Ubuntu based

• Pros

  • Flatpak enabled by default
  • Easy for beginners

• Cons

  • Way too much bloatware
  • Forced updates

Arch Linux

• Pros

  • Good way to learn Linux
  • Software specifically compiled for the users computer
  • Software compiled directly from their repositories
  • Extremely efficient

• Cons

  • Everything has to be manually installed _{(x11, wayland, desktop etc.)}
  • Small software library
  • Software updates/compiling break easily

Manjaro

Arch based

• Pros

  • Good installer
  • Easy for beginners

• Cons

  • Expanding software library usually breaks things

Desktops

GNOME

• Pros

  • Looks and feels modern
  • Has some really nice features
  • Great extension support
  • Great keyboard support
  • Stable

• Cons

  • Unlike anything else and keeps breaking conventions
  • Slows down work when the user isn't familiar with the workflow
  • Annoying default configuration
  • Alien to Windows users

LXQt / LXDE

• Pros

  • Light on resources
  • Fast
  • Familiar workflow and layout
  • Stable

• Cons

  • Looks amateurish and very outdated

XFCE

• Pros

  • Light on resources
  • Fast
  • Familiar workflow
  • Stable

• Cons

  • Resize issues with some themes
  • Annoying default configuration and layout
  • Taskbar scales icons weirdly

KDE Plasma

• Pros

  • Looks modern
  • Great theme support
  • Great extension support

• Cons

  • Very unstable

Cinnamon

• Pros

  • Looks somewhat modern
  • Decent theme support
  • Great extension support
  • Good default configuration and layout
  • Familiar workflow
  • Pretty stable

• Cons

  • ?

Conclusion