One of the first things I noticed when I switched to using Linux as my operating system of choice was the ABUNDANCE OF CHOICE. There is just so much to choose from, you can get lost in it all.

This blog post shares what I learned from making the switch and "distro hopping" trying to find the distribution I liked the most. And yes, distro hopping is something you will probably go through soon if you too are just starting out with Linux.

Repositories

https://www.kernel.org/pub/
https://git.kernel.org/

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME
https://github.com/elementary

^{image from wikimedia: [email protected] Larry Ewing and The GIMP [CC0]}

What is Linux?

Linux generally refers to operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released in 1991 by Linus Torvalds. The particular Linux operating systems we see are called distributions, which contain collections of software including the Linux kernel, drivers, desktop environments and various user applications to make a complete system.

Linux Distributions (Distros)

There are a number of Linux distributions, each offering different features and support from the maintainers. I will share my thoughts on the ones I have used.

Ubuntu

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Ubuntu was the first distro I used, which is expected because it is very popular. It is based on Debian (mentioned below) and is maintained by Canonical and community members. The operating systems for desktops and laptops come in two types:

Normal Version:

This gets a new release every six months and the current version is 19.04 released in April of 2019, and named after the year and month it gets released. It contains the latest version of all software offered by the Ubuntu distribution.

Long Term Support Version (LTS):

This version gets new releases every two years. It is suitable for use cases where stability is required, such as development environments. It mainly receives maintenance and security updates.

Most packages remain relatively unchanged in major ways, which means that there are fewer chances of apps breaking due to changes in dependencies. The latest version is 18.04.2.

ElementaryOS

^{image from wikimedia: Francesco Palmas [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]}

Based on the Ubuntu LTS version, ElementaryOS is a distribution that offers a unique user experience through the Pantheon desktop environment. It's simplistic in design and comes with very minimal apps installed. One thing I like about this distro is its attention to detail when it comes to the user experience. Everything looks polished and is easy to understand and use.

Debian

^{image from wikimedia: Debian [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]}

Debian is one of the earliest operating systems based on the Linux kernel. It's a volunteer based project, with contributors coordinating on the Internet to maintain the distribution. Ubuntu is based on Debian and the two share common features.

Fedora

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Fedora differs from Ubuntu in a few areas that I have noticed.

• Fedora is usually the first to implement new technologies among all distros and is considered "cutting-edge"
• It uses RPM as it's package management system where Debian and Ubuntu use APT
• I also like Fedora because their desktop environments are slightly closer to being "vanilla", with little modifications made on the defaults.
• Only free and open source software is included.
• It also offers KDE, XFCE, LXQt, LXDE, Cinnamon and Mate-Compiz as Fedora Spins.

Other distributions

There are other Linux distros, maintained by various organizations or communities, each with a unique offering to its target audience. Below are a few you can check out:

• Linux Mint: a community-driven Linux distribution that aims to be "modern, elegant and comfortable." It provides multimedia support by including proprietary software together with free and open-source software.
• Arch Linux: is a rolling release distribution (which means it is updated very frequently and has no batched releases). It is maintained by a volunteer community.
• Gentoo: is a distribution that provides source code instead of pre-compiled binaries like other distros, so you can compile the source locally according to your specific needs. Binaries are available for large packages or those with no available source code to compile from.

Desktop Environments

Reflective of the freedom that Linux avails, there are a number of different desktop environments that one can use. Each of these gives a unique experience, with different features for handling windows, graphical effects and layout, as well as different levels of customization you can make.

GNOME

^{image from wikimedia: Filorinwiki [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]}

The GNOME desktop environment comes as default in most major distributions. It's an attractive and simple environment with just the options needed to work and no extra customization.

The Gnome Shell offers an overview mode, which lets you see your desktops and open windows clearly and is visually appealing. It really makes it easy to manage multiple windows in multiple workspaces.

Animations are used to give good feedback on transitions, which makes the desktop environment user-friendly. For those seeking a little bit more control over how things look, feel and behave, this might not offer the best of customization levels.

GNOME also comes with a number of useful apps like a terminal and file explorer, disk utility, log viewer and packages manager, all built to integrate well with the environment.

KDE

^{image from wikimedia: KDE [GPL (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html)]}

The KDE Plasma desktop is a highly customizable desktop environment. There are a plethora of options and settings for just about anything related to your OS. It can be a bit overwhelming if you're not accustomed to so many features, but to people who like to tweak everything, it is perfect.

KDE also comes with a good number of default apps that complement the experience.

XFCE

^{image from wikimedia: Kliu0117 [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]}

XFCE is a lightweight desktop environment that is easy on the resources. It is suitable for use with low-end machines and even high-end ones. It is fast and minimalistic, with just the basic apps. I also like that it has configurable panels that you can use to create a dock, workspace viewer, open-windows viewer and more.

Other desktop environments

There are many other options out there. Some lightweight examples include LXQt and LXDE. Another one is Pantheon, which is the flagship desktop environment used by ElementaryOS.

A different computing experience

In summary, using Linux is a computing experience that is different from Windows and MacOS. There are no lock-ins and you can switch distros at any time. All distros share the same secure kernel and as such are less prone to malware and viruses.

A lot of innovation is going on and many people around the world work to make these systems secure and enjoyable for all. I like using Linux and I am enjoying the freedoms and lessons it brings.