this post was submitted on 23 Aug 2023
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Linux

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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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With the new computer and the newer Microsoft Windows updates they have really jam packed their OS with bloat and spyware. That being said I have no idea what I’m doing with Linux, need help with where to start.? What are some general tips? I understand there’s a lot of prebuilt Linux distributions or something what are some first timer friendly ones? Really any help is appreciated because the biggest barrier to entry is the perceived difficulty of actually doing it.

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[–] IverCoder@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You can try out Fedora Kinoite or Silverblue. Stuff just works and is very hard to break. Kinoite uses KDE which has a more Windows-like UI, and Silverblue uses GNOME which has a more modern UI but will take some time for Windows users to get used to.

After installing either of those, you should rebase to Universal Blue Bluefin if you chose Silverblue, or to Universal Blue kinoite-main/kinoite-nvidia for NVIDIA GPUs if you chose Kinoite. Alternatively, rebase to Universal Blue Bazzite if you do a lot of gaming.

This may sound intimidating, but the procedure is straightforward and beginner-friendly. Once you do it, you'll have a system that will be very stable and hard to break. All maintenance will be done for you.

[–] LinuxSBC@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

True, but then it's complicated to install anything that's not available through a Flatpak, and a lot of online guides don't work. I love immutable distros (I use one myself), but I think they're best for either advanced users who can work around the quirks or basic users who only need the web browser and a few Flatpak apps.