[SOLVED] Suggesting a new Picking a Distro sticky for Newbie Forum

Originally Posted by jsbjsb001 While I can understand cynwulf's and hydrurga's concerns (and I think to at least some extent are valid), I disagree that it means members can't still give their own advice.

Members can still give their own advice, no one stated otherwise.

Originally Posted by jsbjsb001 I just think that looking at it like it's a "competition" between distro's is just plain wrong.

And no one said it was a competition between Linux distributions, either...

Originally Posted by jsbjsb001 I also think that the argument that because everyone may not read it, it should not be there is just flawed.

And no one made this argument...

Originally Posted by rtmistler @cynwulf: What's a good starter distro that's "not" Debian?

I think you probably know, that I don't know the answer to that one. I could pull out examples, but then I may not have used those Linux distributions for years - I wouldn't be happy in publicly recommending (or recommending against) anything which I have no experience in. And when all is said and done, my opinion on the "easiest" newbie friendly Linux distribution is just opinion and not much more. A thread full of recommendations and back and forth is at least a current discussion on the subject coming directly from the users of those distributions and based on first hand experience.

It's all subjective and a matter of perspective really. I may find one particular Linux distribution "easy" and another "difficult", it may be the opposite scenario for someone else.

From my point of view, this sticky will probably just be a list of the top 10 from distrowatch or whatever, so one could equally just refer those users to distrowatch? If major distributions and particularly, Debian based distributions are at the top of the list, that's just blindly sending more users their way.

I have to agree with hydrurga though, it may be viewed as LQ endorsement of certain distributions...

I wrote a little thing called The Dimensions of Linux years ago when I hung out at Linux Forums. It deals with various "dimensions" that users might be interested in, such as novice vs expert, big vs small, stable vs bleeding edge, aggressively open source vs hardware-friendly, and so on. Here's a link to it: http://www.linuxforums.org/articles/...istro_421.html.

It's rather out of date by now, but it could be updated and perhaps incorporated in a wider article.

Introduction

The purpose of this post is to help you get started on your Linux journey, it is not intended to be a complete guide to Linux or all distributions of Linux, and it is not endorsed in any way by Linux Questions(LQ).

Before you dive into learning Linux, you might want to make sure it is what you want:

• Linux is not Windows
• Several Things To Know Before Swithing To Linux
• And Several Reasons Why You Should Switch To Linux

Of course sometimes the only way to figure out if Linux is for you is to try it.

Lets start by saying There Is No Single “Best” Linux Distribution for everybody, You’ll have to find the “Best” one for yourself. Asking which is the “Best” on a forum will likely not get you very far, since most Linux users already found what works best for them personally.

It is also important to realize this question has been asked many, many times, in fact a search of LQ alone will bring up many such instances. A great way of narrowing down Distros is a web search, for example “Beginners Linux Distros 2018” will bring up several websites with the “Top 5” or “Top 10” Best for the year 2018, which generally narrow down to the same “Beginner friendly Distros”. But these may not be ideal for you as an individual.

Things to avoid

• Avoid picking a distro just because it is very highly recommended by a friend or relative. You can consider it, but Unless the recommending person knows your needs and is willing to work with you and answer your questions as you get started, do your own research.
• Do Not get an unofficial copy of a paid Linux distro and expect the community to help you when something goes wrong. Rather most enterprise Linux distros have a free version available, for example (Redhat has Fedora) (Suse has Opensuse), etc.
• Avoid all security/penetration testing distros. These distros are not suitable for a general desktop distro and can be extremely dangerous for an inexperienced user. Please review the Kali Linux Sticky Thread for further information
• Avoid giving up on Linux because the first distro you tried didn't boot, try another distro until you find one that boots and go from there.

Things To Consider

Note: The next six sections do not cover all the dimensions of Linux Distros, and are not meant to replace your own research, but rather to give you some preliminary ideas.

1: Skill Level

You will find Distros ranging from "beginner level", such as Linux Mint, ZorinOS, PCLinuxOS, etc to "expert level", such as Slackware or Gentoo. Even if your ultimate goal is to use an expert Distro, it is a good idea to start with a distro designed for beginners until you get some practice. A regularly updated Beginner List can be found at Distrowatch(scroll down).

2: Size/Hardware Age

Linux Distros range from several megabytes(Tiny Core, Slitaz, etc) to several gigabytes in size, and the selection of distros you will be able to run is directly based on the power, RAM and age of your hardware. If you have a modern/powerful system with lots of RAM, you should have no problem running even the heaviest Distro. But if your system is a little older, less powerful, and has a medium amount of RAM, you’ll want to check out Distros that specify “Lightweight”. And on extremely old, low power systems with very little RAM, you might want to try the minimal distros that are actually built for old hardware(AntiX, Puppy, etc). Check the distro’s own website for minimum RAM and cpu requirements.
NOTE: Different Desktop Environments will also make a difference in the size/speed of the distro.

Something else to take into consideration when choosing a distro is the bootloader. You'll want to check the firmware of your hardware to see if it is UEFI/GPT or BIOS/MBR, older hardware will use MBR for your bootloader, while newer hardware tend to use UEFI. Select your distro candidates accordingly. For more information on the differences see Here and for information on installing on Mac/Apple hardware see the link in the Further Reading section below.


3: Graphical Environments

While the graphical environment in Linux is not technically a part of the operating system, it's something that is usually included in a desktop Linux distro and a very important choice for the beginner. As with the Distros, they range from Heavy Desktop Environments(DE) (Kde, Cinnamon, Gnome, etc) to Lightweight Window Managers(WM) (Fluxbox, Openbox, JWM, etc). The "Heavy" DEs have many features and generally have a smooth modern interface. The "Light" DEs/WMs are still very customizable(though you sometimes have to configure them by hand), but without all the animation, they run much faster. There are many choices, but we can narrow this list down with a web search, for example "Best Linux Desktop Environments 2018". Watching videos describing describing the features of a DE is a good way to see what it is capable of doing, but even then you’ll likely have to install several different DEs before finding your favorite.
Remember that if you don't like a DE, you can always tweak it or replace it until you do. In Linux there is never any need to settle for less then the "Best" for you.

4: Terminal/Command-Line

While you do not have to learn the terminal to use a desktop Linux distro(It is necessary for most server distros), sooner or later you’ll find that the best way to do some tasks, is with the command-line. But don’t worry, there is no need to dread the terminal. The terminal is easy to learn and use and also very powerful. Showing you how to use the terminal is beyond the scope of this post, but you'll find some tutorials linked in the Further Reading section below and a web search, for example “Linux Terminal” or “Linux Terminal Tutorial” will bring up many references and step by step tutorials for learning the Linux Terminal.
The Shell and Terminal Emulators are not the most important choices you will make, and often the distro’s default is good enough for most people. But if it is not, you still have plenty of choices.

5: Server or Desktop

A desktop distro is for your general “home/office computer”. A good choice if you are looking for something for everyday tasks(web browsing, editing and viewing files, reading, etc). These distros usually ship with a GUI(Graphical User Interface) preinstalled.

A server distro on the other hand is optimized for hosting web services such as websites, web-apps, email, etc, and often ship with applications to achieve that. Servers seldom have a GUI preinstalled (since this is unnecessary for regular server tasks and a drain on CPU and RAM resources). A thorough knowledge of the command line/terminal is essential to install or setup a server.
Note: A Desktop Environment can be installed on a server distro, and server applications can be installed on a desktop distro, but it is recommended to use a distro for what it is designed to do.

6: Release Model

You might be wondering what the difference is between a Stable/Fixed, and Rolling distribution. A fixed distribution does not change except for updates to fix bugs and security holes, which makes it very stable. Most of the problems have been resolved before releasing it. This makes it a recommended option for a beginner, especially a version that has LTS(Long Term Support), because these are supported for several years. Eventually however, a new release will come out and you will have to upgrade your entire system.

Rolling Releases have small and frequent updates. You install once, but update daily. These distros are less stable but you will always have the latest software without ever needing to reinstall your whole system. There are of course some hybrids that might be considered Semi-Rolling, for example Debian Testing. These behave like rolling releases most of the time, but become frozen from time to time when they are being prepared to become the new stable release

Some More Steps:

Now that you’ve narrowed the choice down to 5 or 10 promising Distros, you should visit the websites of these distros. Here you'll find out why this distro exists, and how to download and install. Many have great tutorials, videos, forums, and wikis, in case you get stuck. Also ask yourself some questions such as:

• What are you going to use this Distro for?
• What do you want it to look like, Modern, streamlined?
• How heavy a Distro can your system run?
• Does your system run UEFI, MBR, or both?
• Do you want a specialty Distro, such as Office, Multimedia, Graphics, etc?
• Which release model sounds better, stable with LTS or rolling?
• Do you want it to work out of the box or are you prepared to do some tweaking?
• Do you need a Desktop or a Server?

If you still can’t decide on one to try. Just download and test(see Testing section below) several that sound close to what you’re looking for. It's actually a good idea to try several since you will be able to compare things.

Testing

There are several ways of testing different Linux Distros without installing to a hard-drive. Downloading and creating a Live CD or a Live USB of the Distro you are testing(check the distro's website for instructions) is probably the best way to go. This is a great way to figure out if the distribution will run on your hardware. It’ll also allow you to check if you can connect to the internet, or like the Desktop Environment and the Package Manager.
NOTE: Unless you have a distro that supports persistence, any settings, installed packages, or any other changes you make will not be saved when you reboot.

Another great tool for testing distros is VirtualBox, this tool allows you to install and run Linux in a virtual enviroment on your existing Operating System, without worrying about messing up. You'll find many tutorials on the internet.

Installing

This brings us to installing. Head over to the Distro's website for instructions. Unless you are one of the lucky few who find their “Best” distro the first time they install Linux, you’ll likely need to test, install and use multiple distros(This is called Distro-Hopping ), Before you find the “Best”, And even then Some never find the “Best” and always have muliple Distros installed.

If you ever have a question or have a problem: "Just Do A Search", 99% of the time, somebody, somewhere, had this same problem or question. If this fails, that's where Linux Questions comes in. Don't be afraid of breaking your install, you'll learn a lot when you fix things. Remember to keep your data backed up regularly, and, if the worst comes to the worst, you can always reinstall.

Good Luck on Your Linux Journey!

Further Reading and Links:

50 Open-Source Alternatives to Windows XP is several years old but still relevant today.
Installing Linux on Mac
Dual Boot Mac And Linux
Basic Commands For Linux Beginners
More Basic Commands For Terminal Beginner
Getting Started With Linux
DistroWatch is a website for finding and staying upto date on different Linux Distros.
Alternativeto.net Is a great site for finding alternatives for your software.
Linux App Finder is great for discovering new apps.
The Linux Kernel

That's pretty good so far, Mill J. The only thing that stood out is that I wouldn't want to direct all ex-Windows users towards those distros that seek to be as close to Windows as possible. Most people will come from that direction, and I would think that a Cinnamon, MATE or Xfce desktop environment-based distro would be close enough to the Windows desktop paradigm for them.

I also think it might be a good idea to spend a paragraph discussing desktop environments as they are an important factor in choosing a distro.

I agree a lot with hydrurga, I think your on the right track with it and I would also talk a little more about the desktop environments/window managers available.

I would also suggest that you probably could list some examples of distro's that might be suitable for both the "newbie" and the "experienced" user with something like the following;

"This is a non-exclusive list and is not complete list, nor is it endorsed by LQ. It is provided as a reference and guide, a much more complete list can be found here [distrowatch link here]."

Or something similar - use your own words once again.

Not easy to stay on-point and keep it relevant, while not including too much information is it?

Your getting there tho...

Once again thanks for the feedback.

@hydrurga I added a rough DE paragraph(far from done).

@jsbjsb001 About the Distro list, that my original plan and I might still. But my reasoning is:
1: Of the top 5 on the Distro watch beginners section, all except 1 is Ubuntu based. You know where that goes
2: Distros change and a sticky sometimes doesn't, by geting them to search they'll always get the current top list.

_____________________________________

Right now most of the links point to Wikipedia, Let me know if you have alternative sites(that get updated) with better info.

Edit: Also is there anything you'd like to see in the further reading section?

Originally Posted by Mill J Once again thanks for the feedback. ... @jsbjsb001 About the Distro list, that my original plan and I might still. But my reasoning is: 1: Of the top 5 on the Distro watch beginners section, all except 1 is Ubuntu based. You know where that goes 2: Distros change and a sticky sometimes doesn't, by geting them to search they'll always get the current top list.

I would suggest you not think of it as a "Top 5, etc", just give some ideas that people could look at. But remember to add something like "people should also look at the other options that maybe suitable" and not just consider some, that are on some "top 5, etc" list.

I would not look at it as a "top anything", if you know what I mean. Think about the primary purpose of the sticky, which should be to help and guide people on how to decide which distro's might be suitable for them. NOT which distro's are suitable, if you know what I mean...

____________________________________ Right now most of the links point to Wikipedia, Let me know if you have alternative sites(that get updated) with better info. Edit: Also is there anything you'd like to see in the further reading section?

Also, that people should be willing to be considering any other choices that come along and should not be afraid to try other distro's when indeed they develop their Linux skills and should feel comfortable to be willing to try other distro's -if that makes sense.

Give some ideas on how people can do that.

Above all else, remember why you are doing this...

i think we're getting close to something that the linux distro universe needs, and not just LQ:
something to break down for newbies what the difference between stable, rolling, semi-rolling etc. is, and why you should stick with LTS versions if you're new on the block.
pointing out the differences between "original" distros (not based on anything), serious derivates, and all those self-glorifying, navel-gazing one-man-project distrolettes...
why a few years is still very young for a distro.
what's a server, what's a desktop distro.
and, my personal favorite: the difference between "lightweight" (a buzzword used by more than 50% of all distros, methinks) and "really lightweight" (what still runs comfortably on your 32-bit-less-than-1G-RAM laptop).


distrowatch is good to show to newbies to make them realize the sheer dimensions of the world they're about to enter.
it provides all the relevant information, but unfortunately i don't see any prominent link that would explain it all in a few simple words.

@hazel:
nice article.
still usable after 9 years.
maybe re-publish? those ads are awful.

Rather than just pointing directly to specific distros, which is something that probably can't or shouldn't be avoided, it would be essential to get the reader thinking about the right kind of questions to be asking about their planned use and about the distros. The end result should be that they are more capable of evaluating the one or two distros that they choose try.

I did a little redesign, I hope it makes more sense now, as always your feedback is essential.

While I'll let other members talk about the content you've got so far, just a few things;

I suggest you try and make the sections a little clearer, so one section "flows" into the other (if that makes sense - you can look at other sticky's to get an idea of what I'm saying there).

Also, try and keep it as short as you can without losing any of the key points your trying to make in it - I know it's hard, I feel ya.

I would also keep formatting to a minimum and avoid using smileys.

The reason I say this is because, you want it to look professional and if it doesn't (not saying that it doesn't), people may not read it all and may think that because of that, it has not been written properly.

I avoided using smileys and kept formatting to a minimum in the sticky I done, for the same reasons.

That said, your getting there, but don't rush it - take as much time as you need to get it the best you can.

Good work, so far.

When you've got a final version ready, message me and I'll proofread it for you. [boast]I'm good at that![/boast]

Well I think I've got it close to where it needs to be. So if it passes everybody's inspection, I'll take it to the next step. It's probably obvious that I'm not much of a writer (I'd rather code )

Originally Posted by Mill J Well I think I've got it close to where it needs to be. So if it passes everybody's inspection, I'll take it to the next step. It's probably obvious that I'm not much of a writer (I'd rather code )

I'd suggest you (when you feel you've got a final draft ready), make a new clean post and post your final draft in that. Don't worry if you don't think it's at same standard that someone who writes documents for a living, as long as it makes the point clearly and people reading it are going to get the points in it, that's enough.

But once again, I would make your sections a little clearer (if you haven't already).

Here's an edited version as an html attachment. I've changed a lot of the punctuation (too much capitalisation in the original!) and added or re-worded the odd sentence.