Project: Linux Mint
Version: 22
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-12-12
Votes: 11
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I recently transitioned to Linux Mint 22 with the Cinnamon desktop environment on my 6 year old Acer laptop and my custom-built desktop computer, both of which were running Windows 10 and didn't meet the stringent requirements for Windows 11. Not sure how old the desktop computer is, because I bought it second-hand, and it originally had Windows 7. Both computers perform flawlessly on Mint 22. I have a couple of Windows specific apps I need to use, so have installed Virtualbox VMs for Windows 7 and Windows 10 to access these apps. With the Virtualbox extension packs, I have full access to USB shares on both computers. I find Linux Mint to be an excellent option for anyone thinking about making the switch from Windows to Linux.
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Project: Debian
Version: 12
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-12-12
Votes: 7
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It's been at least a decade since I last installed and ran Debian, so I decided to give it a spin and see how it's changed. The install was much easier and quicker than I expected. There was no problem connecting to my Wi-Fi router or printer. The Gnome desktop looks clean as does the file manager. I especially like Debian's simplicity, but I was surprised that by the number of games that were prepackaged. I'm not a gamer, so I uninstalled them, which took longer than it did to install my usual go-to apps. In short, Debian is now my everyday Linux distro.
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Project: Zorin OS
Version: 17.2
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-12-12
Votes: 1
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The Zorin team has put together what I consider to be the perfect Linux desktop distro. I say that thinking about stability, outstanding hardware support, a beautiful desktop environment that can please users coming from Windows or MacOS, a lot of customization features built in with more available through installation of Gnome extensions, full support for Snaps, Flatpaks, and Deb packages, and more. If you just want to get your work done, and aren't interested in constantly tinkering with your system just to get it to run, Zorin OS is probably a good choice for you. I want to mention the Pro version, which I do pay for to support the project. You do get some additional features and a lot of additonal software pre-installed. Not that you could't get the software yourself, but a lot of the work is done for you. I use Ubuntu on three of my computers, but have Zorin OS 17.2 Pro on a six year-old Dell tower with an nVidia GTX 1060 card. Everything works great, even many of my Steam games (I don't do much gaming anymore, but I appreciate being able to play Bioshock and a few other games once in awhile). If there are any major pitfalls to Zorin, I haven't encountered them yet. Some people might find Zorin a little boring, I suppose, but again, this is an OS that simply gets out of your way and in an elegant and attractive way.
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Project: Ufficio Zero
Version: 11.1
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-12-11
Votes: 6
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I installed version 11 of Ufficio Zero Linux and noticed that the desktop interface is similar to Windows, which makes it easier for users coming from this operating system to adapt. The PostInstall section is helpful for quickly configuring the system, offering a set of tools that allow for easy customization of the installation. The included SIITE services are designed to support small businesses, providing solutions for document management, internal communication, and security. These tools make Ufficio Zero Linux a functional choice for those looking for an operating system that doesn’t require advanced configurations to be used in a professional environment.
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Project: Qubes OS
Version: 4.2.3
Rating: 7
Date: 2024-12-11
Votes: 0
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I am a non-technical user with experience in Windows, Ubuntu, Manjaro and GhostBSD. Having learned something about virtual machines with VirtualBox, and having heard about the security virtues of Qubes, I decided to give it a try. I read in the supporting documentation that it really cannot run in a virtual machine environment. I tried that nevertheless and it would not install, but of course this was not unexpected. I considered a complete install on a separate laptop, or installation into a partition but rejected both, mainly because I know I don't have enough experience to rescue a laptop from an installation disaster in those two scenarios. This left me with an installation on a live USB disk, which succeeded my first try. However, neither the installation directions nor (as far as I could find) the community comments warned about or explained the issues with allocating sufficient space for the vm-pool - a most critical issue. Once I was installed, with no apparent opportunity to allocate space, I discovered that I did not have enough space allocated to the vm-pool to even run one qube. I still had a chance to test-drive the desktop environment and learn more about how the OS works, but still at this time I don't know how to solve the vm-pool problem with a USB drive (mine has plenty of space). Putting my hands on the system, I find it elegant, and -- once I understood the basic design -- attractive. I am intrigued with the possibility of running different OS's in different qubes, but have since learned that it may not be possible to install ones I need, such as Windows, and am not sure whether it will work with Ubuntu or Manjaro or GhostBSD, which I like. In researching my installation issues, I discovered many limitations when trying to install it on just any laptop. I have decided to explore it later, either if I have an expendable laptop (not likely), or when I need a new laptop and can purchase one with Qubes OS installed out of the box. Even so, I remain nervous about facing hardware compatibility issues in the future with upgrades to the system. This will cause me to watch sources like DistroWatch to get more comfortable with those aspects. Bottom line, I love the idea, but I'm not sure my limited needs for virtual machines will be worth the effort it will require of me. Stay tuned.
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Project: GhostBSD
Version: 24.10.1
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-12-11
Votes: 0
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I am a non-expert user with user-level experience in DOS, Windows, Ubuntu and Manjaro, always on the hunt for a user-friendly, secure, stable operating system with access to a wide variety of apps for daily use. In my particular case, I decided to install GhostBSD in a virtual machine on my Ubuntu laptop. I had absolutely no issues with the installation. To a Linux user, the entire system, including desktop environment (I run MATE) seem familiar, and it has been easy to learn the unique features. I am exploring this setup for two reasons: (1) with the increasing incidence of malware attacks on Linux users, I want access to a less-obvious target having strong security features, and (2) I want to try to take advantage of some of the apparent firewall advantage of separating sensitive activity and data using a virtual machine. I took a close look at Qubes, to the extent of installing it for a test drive on an external USB drive, and found that, while it could serve my purposes, it is much more technical than I am comfortable with, is designed for a variety of dimensions (i.e. cubes and OS's) beyond my needs, and appears to be very finicky and demanding of deeper technical knowledge than I presently have. While Qubes is still on my list to consider for the future, as it becomes more widespread and stable and/or I get more proficient, I can slip right into the driver's seat with GhostBSD and achieve everything I presently want to do. I find the FreeBSD handbook exceptionally useful, but the GhostBSD wiki is very hard for me to use and often hands off to the forums. Forums are great for unusual or technical issues, or for sharing user experience, but they are not friendly as a handbook-type resource. Similarly, I can find no non-official resource such as a "GhostBSD for Dummies. Something of the sort is needed. However, so far, I have needed it seldom enough that I only find that shortcoming an annoyance rather than a barrier, and it is strongly overcome by the attractiveness of the OS itself to me.
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Project: Manjaro Linux
Version: 24.2.0
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-12-09
Votes: 10
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Have been around the 'distro block' a time or two this year. I just downloaded Manjaro 24.2.0 Xfce and I love it. Up to recently I was using Solus Plasma 2024-10-14 and this newest Manjaro 'sings' to me. I downloaded a copy from their website, put it onto a USB Stick and began the install. It took only 8-minutes from start to reboot, that's amazingly fast. After rebooting there were no updates, everything from the new version was already up-to-date on the .iso downloaded. Having an old Asus B75M-A mobo with an Intel i3220 cpu runs blazing fast. Having an Epson, and a Brother printer as peripherals, both had installed effortlessly with the included cups software. Also being old school yet, and having two CD/DVD burners installed in an old Lenovo tower the included Xfburn works just great. The only three additional downloads I needed was Simple-scan for my Epson flatbed, Gnome-Disk-Utility to turn my additional desktop HDD off after 15-minutes and Xscreensaver for my individual amuzement. So far I'm living the dream at 70 years old and still having the presence of mind to operated a computer that doesn't use Windblows. Thanks, Manjaro!
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Project: Linux Mint
Version: 22
Rating: 2
Date: 2024-12-09
Votes: 1
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Nothing but troubles trying to install to a partion of my choice, hard to really test it without it messing up my existing OS (linux Debian based). And for what.. Even though it proportedly has Wayland imbedded even the demo dropped me to X. So again a failed test to try to convince me to change to Mint. I guess if I wanted to do a clean install it might work, however my system has 5 physical hard drives so you would think it would be a no brainer to let it install to an empty drive easily... but, nope. So I cannot rate this OS very high I'm afraid.. it is not "just an easy" system. All that being said, at one time it was my daily driver( Back when it used KDE) and I loved it.. since they dropped it, I've tried it many times only to it break on the first full update it wanted to do.. so, for me... not worth the hassles
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Project: AnduinOS
Version: 1.0.1
Rating: 1
Date: 2024-12-08
Votes: 0
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I gave this a 1 only because when testing a distro I expect it to run well in a virtual machine for testing and if it doesn't perform well in the vm then whats the point of installing it on the actual pc? This does not run well at all. I had similar results with virtual box and even parallels. A lot more stability work needs to go into this for it to be great. It's fairly new so maybe give it a little more time. It resembles windows 11 for new users to transition easier to linux. It still has work to do so maybe it will succeed in it's efforts?
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Project: Devuan GNU+Linux
Version: 5.0.0
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-12-07
Votes: 9
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Devuan works very well, it uses the classic init system 'sysvinit' and it is a good alternative to Debian which uses 'systemd' instead. If you don't want to use systemd, Devuan will work for you and it gives you the freedom to choose the init mode you prefer (SysV, OpenRC or runit). Compared to Debian, not much changes: if you know how to use Debian, then you know how to use Devuan. The installer is intuitive, easy to use and fast. There is a wide choice of desktop environments: Xfce, MATE, Cinnamon, KDE (it uses Wayland by default), etc.
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Project: Pinguy OS
Version: 14.04.5
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-12-07
Votes: 0
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I fully enjoyed using PINGUY OS and was sad it was discontinued. It ran smoothly and quickly....and ha...still does despite being out of date now. I ONLY use LINUX system OS's for the internet. If the browser Firefox can still be updated somehow, I don't see why it can't continue being used. Anyhow, didn't see anyone say anything about it....I had discovered it by accident several years ago was very pleased using it. I liked that there was a version for the older 32 Bit computers also, I like to keep the older stuff running as long as I can.
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Project: GhostBSD
Version: 24.10.1
Rating: 4
Date: 2024-12-07
Votes: 6
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C'mon Ghost! after all these years, the same problems remain. I downloaded the XFCE edition. It's a good looking, good running distro when it's plugged into the ethernet, but my Dell Latitude laptop still can't get a wifi signal. How long is that going to continue? Then the deal breaker. No audio icon! I couldn't find one anywhere. Even after downloading and installing PulseAudio. I could hear sound, I can raise and lower the volume, but nothing else. I can't record, or edit. This is fatal for a podcaster like myself. There are no sound controls anywhere within the distro itself. I have never encountered anything like this. I really want Ghost to work well, but I can't wait forever.
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Project: Commodore OS Vision
Version: 1.0-beta9
Rating: 9
Date: 2024-12-07
Votes: 0
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Can remember back in the day when I got my first Commodore 64 computer, the hours and sometimes days of typing code and saving to a cassette was how it was. The Amiga wow what a machine. And now we can have it back as a great Operating System. I installed it with no issues at all. Thanks for bringing the memories back...The colors and sound all come back so quick when you think of the C64 and Amiga 500 Days. I remember when I got my first Hard drive for my Amiga 500 it was a whopping 20 Megs and the was like a couple hundred dollars. Oh the Commodore memories will come and go but with a Vision like this they may just be around for many years to come...
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Project: Linux Mint
Version: 22
Rating: 9
Date: 2024-12-06
Votes: 22
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I have tried many different distros and the one I like most and use as a daily driver is Linux Mint XFCE edition. It is light on system resources so my apps run faster, and mostly just works. It has good hardware support and lots of software. XFCE is high customizable and comes with a good set of utilities like a screen capture program that lets you select parts of a screen to capture, customizable hotkeys, etc. As someone coming from Windows 10, the way Mint is set up makes it easy to use as the user interface follows similar conventions.
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Project: MX Linux
Version: 23.4
Rating: 1
Date: 2024-12-06
Votes: 8
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MX Linux has several drawbacks that may concern some users. Firstly, it has a relatively outdated appearance compared to more modern distributions, which can be a turnoff for those seeking a sleek interface. Additionally, its package manager, Synaptic, can be intimidating and less user-friendly for beginners. The lack of Wayland support limits advanced graphical capabilities and future-proofing. Furthermore, its default applications are somewhat dated, and the community support, while active, is smaller than more popular distributions like Ubuntu. Additionally, MX Linux's use of sysvinit instead of the more widely adopted systemd can lead to compatibility issues with software and services optimized for systemd. Gaming on MX Linux is also suboptimal due to less comprehensive driver support and fewer optimizations compared to distributions tailored for gaming, resulting in poorer performance and compatibility with gaming hardware and software.
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Project: Ubuntu
Version: 24.10
Rating: 6
Date: 2024-12-06
Votes: 0
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out of the box experience was what i expected on Ubuntu 24.10, but the installer was bad because of snaps, but the performance is still great and nvidia drivers are open source which i really liked it, impressive performance boost from 24.04 to 24.10, so there was been a improvement for gaming and desktop type apps but the snap performance is worst i ever saw, better on 24.04 really, they made so bad on snap development, i recommend using deb for better performance at firefox and other bunch of stuff, i dont recommend using snap apps
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Project: Fedora
Version: 41
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-12-06
Votes: 18
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best performance i ever get on Linux, im so happy to be user of Fedora 41, back in the day i was using Ubuntu 24.10, but for the latest and best performance Fedora 41 is needed, latest nvidia drivers, amd drivers, no problems, always stable and good, i liked it and im recommending it for who reading this, gnome 47 makes this UI better too, and latest almost latest linux kernel is best for my acer nitro 5 laptop which is pretty bad at linux support but new kernel makes this better you know, i liked it, i will recommend it to use
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Project: Linux Mint
Version: 22
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-12-05
Votes: 46
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I have tested and used many different Linux distributions over twenty years. But one distribution I have always come back to is Mint Cinnamon. I am now using version 22 and have no plans to switch to anything else. Mint works as one would expect from an operating system. I have not encountered any problems so far. I have also tested installing Ubuntu studio installer in Mint, and it seems to work without any problems. I have also tested installing Windows programs on the desktop in Mint with/via Wine and that worked too. So no excuse for continuing to use Windows! I bow and thank the Mint developers for a wonderfully secure and stable Linux distribution, I look forward to the next version.
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Project: Linux Mint
Version: 22
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-12-03
Votes: 37
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I have been using Linux Mint since version 17, and it has been a great daily use for me. The themes look nice (although I’d prefer a more 3D skeuomorphic look for the default theme and icons), but I can download many other themes and icon packs from the Cinnamon Spices Linux Mint site and Cinnamon Look site (since I mainly have experience with the Cinnamon desktop environment). It’s definitely easy to use, pretty stable (based on LTS versions of Ubuntu) and I can get a lot done because applications work well and respond quickly.the forum is active and full of nice and helpful people. The developer is also very active with the community too. This is definitely a beginner friendly distro and I do recommend it to others looking for a stable, easy to use and good looking distro.
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Project: Linux Mint
Version: 22
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-12-02
Votes: 12
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I've been a Linux user for almost 30 years now. I started with Slackware, then Red Hat (when it was still available on floppies). I then switched to Debian, then S.u.S.E., then Stampede, and Arch. I also worked as a sysadmin, using FreeBSD for a few years. I also switched to Mint for several years. However, in the past few years, Mint started making some changes that I didn't really care for. So, I distro-hopped once again, this time I going with MX Linux. I like it, because it's a Debian-based distro, and is pretty rock-solid. Unfortunately, I ran into some more problems, therefore giving me the urge to switch distros, once again. Needless to say, I've decided to give Mint-Cinnamon another go, and I like that familiar look & feel I'm so used to. So with that said, I'm looking forward to another good experience with Mint, again. Just waiting to see how things, ultimately turn out.
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Project: MX Linux
Version: 23.4
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-12-01
Votes: 1
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If you are looking for a stable linux distro that is very user friendly, then look no farther than MX Linux. I was a big fan of Linux Mint, but after an update that kept crashing my system, I decided it was time for a change. I tried CachyOS, Zorin and TUXEDO, and all of these were very good distros. After doing some research I ended up installing MX Linux, and I haven't looked back. This distribution has all the features I need, and it is very stable. Since installing this close to a year ago, I have not had one glitch. This is a great distro and one that I can highly recommend.
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Project: Linux Mint
Version: 22
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-11-30
Votes: 3
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It works fantastically for me. I also have machines with Pop!_OS and EndeavourOS installed... I am happy with all 3, but Mint is great. The Graphical User Interface (GUI) is great, driver support is great, VRChat and Resonite (VR) are working well from Steam though video play in-game isn't working for me yet (this is to be expected.) Audio source selection utility ("Sound") works great. Installing apps with the apt (I actually use "nala" in place of apt), Flatpak and Snap file installation management tools works great. It's pretty easy to figure everything out when I search forums for answers or ask a couple experienced friends. This is a really nice version of Debian/Ubuntu! Love it.
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Project: Solus
Version: 4.6
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-11-30
Votes: 41
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I've been doing a lot of distro hopping lately, trying out both various distros and various DE's. I was surprised that I liked Budgie as much as I do. I thought I might settle down with my hopping for a bit with Ubuntu Budgie, but then on further thought, I thought I'd try out what is technically Budgie's birth distro. Solus installed unbelievably quickly and boots unbelievably quickly. And I like the simplistic software installer, and so far, haven't come across anything they don't have a package for. I hope the bad times I have read about are done. Bottom line: I'm impressed with it.
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Project: Linux Mint
Version: 22
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-11-30
Votes: 26
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It just works out of the box! Even my old scanner is working without any issue. I don't have much time ton configure a lot of things. Linux Mint is perfect for my needs. I really like Cinamon. Very user friendly. It's stable and works fine on my Dell Inspiron laptop. Even after 5 years, the computer is still as fast as day one. I've kept Windows as a dual boot system. But I've never went back to Windows. Next installation, I will remove Windows completely as I don't need it anymore. Maybe I will reinstall it as a VM, who knows.
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Project: Chimera Linux
Version: 20241027
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-11-28
Votes: 31
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I came across Chimera Linux in 2023 when I was looking for distributions other than Artix Linux that use the Dinit init system and service manager, as it is super fast, stable and easy to use. I found the unusual combination of Chimera Linux's system components quite intriguing and tried it out. The deeper I delved into Chimera, the more I learnt about the shortcomings of other distributions. What makes Chimera so special is not a single feature, but the combination of many well-chosen components. Everything together results in a really smooth-running and stable system. The focus on reproducibility and easy cleaning of an existing installation also stands out here. The APK 3 package manager contributes a lot to this. Only the explicitly installed packages are stored in the plain text file /etc/apk/world (i.e. a kind of list of the differences to the standard system) and the rest is done by the programme that internally draws a dependency graph. If you remove a package from the list and then run 'doas apk add' or uninstall a package with 'doas apk del PACKAGE' (which is equivalent to deleting it from the list and running apk add), all dependencies that are no longer required are uninstalled. This is a much cleaner solution and much smoother than all the other package managers I have come across on Linux and OpenBSD, as the list in /etc/apk/world contains only the really relevant information and thus remains very short and manageable for humans. The fact that the much leaner doas is used instead of sudo is already an indication that Chimera Linux also uses many good solutions from the BSD world, which are otherwise rather uncommon in Linux distributions. I also think the idea of using musl libc instead of glibc, which means that Chimera Linux is not binary compatible with most other Linux distributions, but at the same time providing flatpak in the repository by default, which solves the disadvantage of a package manager that is not widely used and the lack of binary compatibility due to musl libc, is ingenious. This automatically provides sandboxing for non-open source software and software that is not provided by the distrubtion itself and solves the dependency problems of old or non-open source software. Another choice that keeps the base system clean. For lovers of ZFS, Chimera Linux also comes with well-maintained packages for this filesystem.
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Project: Kubuntu
Version: 24.10
Rating: 9
Date: 2024-11-28
Votes: 7
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If you are looking for a KDE distribution, Kubuntu is the best choice in my humble opinion. Let me explain a little more. The KDE team has done a phenomenal job in preparing Plasma 6. In addition, Plasma development has now become more intensive. Yes, in each branch, bug fixes are made up to version 6.X.5. Unfortunately, this has a downside: there are quite a few bugs in versions .0, .1. These are the ones that users of distributions who receive continuous updates have to deal with. Fortunately, the Plasma development schedule coincides with the release of new versions of Kubuntu. So this distribution already includes versions 6.X.5. Tried and tested. Currently, 24.10 is version 6.1.5. And although this is not the latest version of Plasma, it works without any bugs. It is also worth noting that the Kubuntu developers provide an optimized version of the shell. You will not see Akonadi services here. The solid Debian/Ubuntu base adds to the pleasure of using Kubuntu. And of course, when talking about Ubuntu-based distributions, you can't ignore the topic of snap programs. I must say that they work very well and you shouldn't miss them. Don't believe the horror stories about snap that are circulating on the Internet. The only thing I would note about snap is the fact that snap programs don't support accent colors. That's why I gave it a 9 instead of a 10. But overall, I highly recommend this distribution. Friendly Computing is its slogan. And it's completely true.
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Project: Q4OS
Version: 5.7
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-11-27
Votes: 3
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I use Q4os kde and am very satisfied. Ease of use, minimal system and you can choose whether you want the basic or complete one instead. You can choose whether to install discovery and synaptic or not. Once installed you can install the MX-tools with backports and software being tested on mx-linux. Stable being based on Debian a rock. A computer always ready to use and always ready and always ready for the updates you want. They are very satisfied I have no temptation to change it. Previously I changed one distro a week now NOT ANYMORE!!
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Project: MX Linux
Version: 23.4
Rating: 8
Date: 2024-11-27
Votes: 0
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I have used MX Linux since version 14. In addition to the latest version, I have also used LMDE and Xorin Os. The reason for this has been that I have noticed that the development direction of MX Linux has somehow been lost. It has become more and more a tool for Linux experts. As a regular user, I have not needed them very often. I have also not liked the desktop options. The xfce version of MX Linux always has a lot to configure to make it look nice. With other distributions, you can start working right away. MX Linux is of course a good and stable distribution, but I am now tired of it. For the basic user, it would be good if they made a Mate version of it. It is a respin version that is available, but I have not wanted to use it, so I have switched to other distributions.
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Project: Devuan GNU+Linux
Version: 5.0.0
Rating: 8
Date: 2024-11-26
Votes: 0
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There still are some aspects where you have to go "under the hood" when you have to manually disable some (few) systemd references, but it works very well and is a good alternative if you are familiar with debian. If you cannot or don't want to use systemd, Devuan may be well worth a 2nd look. It's a pity the graphical installation menus aren't yet ported. Devuan closes a gap left open when more and more distros switched exclusively to systemd. There's also no problem, of course, to switch to an alternative desktop environment like Mate.
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Project: CachyOS
Version: 241110
Rating: 1
Date: 2024-11-25
Votes: 0
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This seems good but I wasn't able to install it on a test laptop, seems to have a lot of bugs in the installer and severe hardware compatibility limitations, including some very basic issues: it seems wasn't able to write any changes to the partition table, so the first installation said it was complete, but on reboot it couldn't find a boot device. Thereafter it couldn't delete any partitions on the HDD. This seems a very basic bug. Maybe with more development it will become a viable option for a desktop, but given the bugs encountered, I can't imagine it would be trustworthy enough for daily use.
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Project: Athena OS
Version: 23.11
Rating: 8
Date: 2024-11-25
Votes: 1
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Has much potential. Two distro variants, one is Arch Based, the other is NIX based. That alone was enough to peak my interest. My exprience was more on the Arch side, it has some bugs with install and setup which may aggravate beginner learners, but if you're accustomed to tinkering and getting deep into your own setup, AthenaOS is ideal. It's highly customizable, being Arch based, you can choose your own custom kernel, build your own as well as access to the Arch AUR and wiki. Also having access to the massive BlackArch repo for a vast number of tools. Note: if you choose FISH as your shell which isn't fully POSIX compliant it's likely expected for some tools to break. AthenaOS quite polished and stable on the Arch setup, I hope they continue it. As for the Nix variant which is still in beta, I didn't explore too much as it was too buggy for me. I think this is where the project is focusing on in future, using the infrastructure as code and everything as a declarative dataflow config. It's intriguing and quite different to other distros, though for me, quite a learning curve to eventually learn one day. For others more technical with a NIX is the new Arch mindset that don't mind the technical learning curve like a wall, then this is an ideal distro to hone your cybersecurity craft.
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Project: Linux Lite
Version: 7.2
Rating: 4
Date: 2024-11-25
Votes: 6
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I have tried it several times and find that it does not bring anything special to the table that other distros can not bring. It may be called "Lite" but in my opinion in using it is that it is heavier in resource usuage than other distros that I use or have used. PCLinuxOS openbox, Archbang, Mabox, EndeavourOS and Void are examples that top this distro when considering bloat and resource usuage.I would consider another distro before settling on this one for everyday use. For me, this distro does nothing special. YMMV.
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Project: Fedora
Version: 41
Rating: 5
Date: 2024-11-23
Votes: 0
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I was excited about Fedora 41. Kinoite installed with ease and I loved the concept of an immutable distribution. All worked well for a month and I thought I had finally found a stable, reliable, favor of Red Hat for my Dell laptop. Then things started to go wrong. Fedora failed to run my HP printer, even though it could connect to, and recognize the printer. No problem. I don't do much printing anyway, Then Firefox stopped connecting to the internet. So I started using Chrome. Then Chrome began only connecting the internet sporadically, and finally not at all. Gone are the days when I would spend hours working on correcting problems with a linux distro I'm much older now and don't want to spend the time, So I installed Ubuntu Mate, and everything works fine, So long Fedora.
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Project: Void
Version: 20240314
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-11-23
Votes: 25
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Void Linux is very interesting distribution. It stands out with it's unique init system, package manager (xbps) and minimalistic setup. Void is my choice today. I like it's speed and stability and also oppotunity to make my working environment as i wish. I was build it with my favorite window manager Hyprland and i got the system of my dream. Runit is powefull and simply to use. XBPS is very fast and rich of futures (binary build). Void repository is not aur, but you can find here most of popular applications. Anyway you can use build function or use appimage (flatpak, snap). Today Void is not in the top list of linux distributions, but in future can be here (must be)
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Project: KaOS
Version: 2024.11
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-11-23
Votes: 0
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It's a great distro. Works out of the box. fast and without recognizable bugs. It is not a real rolling distro, but the update philosophy is clearly described on the website. For me, it's the best distro I know, and I've tried a lot of them. I'm surprised that the disto doesn't have more fans, it's a bit under the radar. Unfortunately, not much is disclosed about the development team. It seems to be just one person called demme if you browse the forums, possibly a few more contributors. With the philosophy of Kaos this seems to be possible, no own apps are developed, the focus is on the packaging, but that is implemented excellently.
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Project: CachyOS
Version: 241110
Rating: 9
Date: 2024-11-22
Votes: 17
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Cachy has given me a barebones, but customizable experience of Arch Linux. Things like yay for AUR access are readily available on their repos so you can get going faster. CachyOS offers heavily optimized packages and settings by default, and it sits on the very edge of "bleeding edge". I recommend not using testing repositories on this distribution. I recommend this distribution for people looking to squeeze maximum performance from their hardware. One of my favorite features is being able to choose from various kinds of kernels from the repositories, and the ability to change CPU scheduler on the fly via scx-sched. Overall, this distro has done well as a daily driver.
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Project: Devuan GNU+Linux
Version: 5.0.0
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-11-21
Votes: 25
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I am using devuan GNU/Linux 5 daedalus xfce for many months. I am very impressed with its performance since first day. its running very fast and smooth. its theme clearlooks -saphire is quiet impressive and I like it most.I have installed chromium browser that is running very fast on my computer. I am very happy with this linux distro . It should be the best linux distro in my opinion. overall performance is very good. Earlier I would use debian but this devuan is running fast on my old system without any errors.
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Project: Whonix
Version: 17.2.0.1
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-11-20
Votes: 0
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Whonix is my go to OS for online anonymity and security. While it is tedious to set up, it never stopped working due to an update (or something similar). It is easy to migrate and runs with 1GB memory and 1 core each (per vm), which is more than tor-browser however the second identity you get outweighs the cost. The documentation is really well done which makes whonix suitable for beginners. Overall it is easier and more intuitive than Tails OS or qubes. A must have for anyone seeking privacy!
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Project: Calculate Linux
Version: 20241101
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-11-20
Votes: 2
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I've always tried to get through the complicated installation of Gentoo /which I recognize for its flawless documentation and pleasant, relatively good support/. But like Derek Taylor from DistroTube, I couldn't do it either. Until I came to the Gentoo fork Calculate Linux. Everything I need works as it should, /I use XFCE4 modified for i3/. IDE Helix, Doom Emacs, Sakura terminal, and what I can't find in the repositories I get via flathub. I've been on Linux since 2006, I also use other distros like Calculate /Crowz, MX, Void/ so I can compare. Best way to secure /nosystemd/, fast and stable linux distro.
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Project: Fedora
Version: 41
Rating: 9
Date: 2024-11-20
Votes: 8
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I am truly excited after switching from Debian Bookworm to Fedora 41 as my daily driver desktop OS. I have been in the Debian/Ubuntu world since I switched from Red Hat 9, when they first went to the Fedora/Red Hat relationship. I gave up on Ubuntu when they started forcing snap packages (among other issues) and switched to Debian stable for a few years, but I don't like the idea of waiting forever for current software/firmware. I have been monitoring Fedora for a few years now, contemplating the switch, and I must say that with Fedora 41 push came to shove. Performance is snappy, the software/firmware is very up to date (almost cutting edge), and for the most part, everything just works. My only caveat is no X11 is included in the initial install (it can still be downloaded and installed from the repositories), so if you want a remote desktop connection you are SOL unless you revert to X11. I would be happy if someone could please correct me if I'm wrong.
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Project: Linux Mint
Version: 22
Rating: 9
Date: 2024-11-20
Votes: 58
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It's the most reliable distro for average users. Linux mint cinnamon edition is very easy to use. It's first, lightweight, and beautiful. Everything just works out of the box. Adding timeshift and media codec installer package by default is very useful for new users. Several times i have switched to other distros but every time i have come back to linux mint. Besides linux mint forum is very helpful. Cinnamon is a very customizable ui and good looking. Linux mint has less bug and system update is very easy, everything is graphical.
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Project: Debian
Version: 12
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-11-18
Votes: 170
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If you want a distribution that really works, the answer is Debian. This latest version is extremely functional and user-friendly. I even find Debian today strange. When I started using Debian in version 3.1, everything was difficult. You had to do everything by hand. Today it seems like child's play, you install it and everything works. If you have some knowledge of the system, of course it helps, but it doesn't compare to the pain of installing it in the 2000s. I am particularly impressed with the lightness and stability of the system. I had problems downloading videos from YouTube with yt-dlp, but the latest version of backports worked perfectly. For the unbelievers, I say: Debian works!!!! God save GNU/Linux.
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Project: RebornOS
Version: 2024.07.27
Rating: 9
Date: 2024-11-18
Votes: 0
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Installed it yesterday on a virtual machine first. Lots of error during installation on both ext4 and btrfs file system. Downloaded a fresh ISO again and have not looked back since. Went from Zorin OS to Reborn on my Lenovo Thinkpad immediately after using it on the virtual machine for a day. It was finally down to between Cachy OS or Reborn OS. Both were similar in GNOME experience. App management in Reborn is better. Runs fast and efficiently. Will keep it as my daily driver. Finally on a Arch based distro which I have wanted to do for a long time. Reborn comes with the latest firmware and GNOME 47. All that made me choose a very under-rated distro.
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Project: Q4OS
Version: 5.7
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-11-16
Votes: 9
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Thank you DistroWatch, without you I can't get any news from the Linux distro world. And the same to Q4OS. Installed and working fine in five-six minutes. My pro about Q4OS is: Debian, easy to use, friendly, beautiful Trinity desktop, less comsuption energy for my laptop, plasma desktop at my home tower pc and trinity desktop laptop, no fear to use a non-windows11 system (thank you to all reviewers here for my decision to use Q4OS). And another pro is the site: a clear and simple documentation, a forum and - why not - a win11 desktop for all former win11 users like me! Just for joking all my friends thinking it is a simple win11 and now... all they want me to go their home for explaining all about this distro. But I know nothing about Linux. They have to use Q4OS simply. All at your fingers. Now the cons are that some window based program doesn't exist in Linux. So I have to use a dual boot (nothing to do, all is chosen in your install moment) and if a use a commercial (with regular licence) program I have to use windows. And that problem exists in for all Linux distro obviously. Q4OS deserves to be seen. Like me and after that I have understood that it's the right distro for me. Everyone from win11 has to install it because is similar for appearance but without all security concerns and above all without any AI inside your computer. Microsoft I hope you know what I mean...
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Project: CachyOS
Version: 241110
Rating: 7
Date: 2024-11-16
Votes: 0
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Overrated imo. Its nothing different from endeavor OS. I haven't tried every game but these days all distros do good gaming. The installation process is so long compared to installing ubuntu or fedora. also there is a flaw in the installation workflow where you cannot choose multiple env and have to stick to default KDE. I don't see any value. This seems to be the new hype in the town so I don't want to berate the boy but to me its just another "also ran" candidate. I will update if my opnion changes in the future but it nothing great.
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Project: Fedora
Version: 41
Rating: 9
Date: 2024-11-16
Votes: 8
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Fedora has made some marked improvements since the last time I used it, some years back. Nvidia installation is quite straight forward now. I like the 8GB default swap allocates (debian only does 1 GB). I also like, the feature when you type an app in terminal, which may not be available, it goes and searches for the app and return with a request to install the app. This is feature is very nice. For e.g. I typed cmatrix in terminal which was not installed previously, and it automatically searched, installed and even ran the app. Anaconda installer is a bit counter intuitive to understand and may not be the best for noobs especially when they dual boot, but its not that hard. I was able to trouble shoot without reading a doc, and I guess they going to update anaconda soon with a web version. All in all I think this is using as a daily driver. Fedora is an un opinionated. I used to love Ubuntu (still do) but with everything moving to snaps I find it a bit constraining for daily use especially when snap can run a jobs while you are running something else. Debian is equally good but software updates are slow, which may be a good thing for servers but for desktops there is no risk using cutting edge Distros. For eg. fastfetch is not available in debian repo
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Project: Garuda Linux
Version: 240428
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-11-15
Votes: 1
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Garuda Linux is a solid choice if you're dealing with an old or low-spec PC. Even though it's based on Arch Linux, which is usually for more cutting-edge setups, Garuda is optimized so well that it can actually make old machines run like a charm. With lightweight desktop environments like LXQt or i3, it won’t bog down your system. Plus, it’s ready to go right out of the box with performance tweaks, so you don’t have to mess around — just install and watch your old PC speed up! garuda best linux on me
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Project: Pardus
Version: 23.2
Rating: 10
Date: 2024-11-14
Votes: 0
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It offers great stability. Everything has been thought of for the end user. The software store is very fast and works great. They offer customized software for themselves. It's nice that it comes with both GNOME and XFCE desktop options. If you have good hardware, go for GNOME. Both desktops offer a great experience. The customer service and support when you need it is very good. I've been using it since the very early versions and I'm happy with it. I would have liked to have the KDE desktop option, but I can say that I had some minor difficulties in terms of some of my habits.
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Project: Vanilla OS
Version: 2
Rating: 2
Date: 2024-11-13
Votes: 3
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Tried installing on 2 different laptops and a desktop, failed all 3 to install. On laptos it complained t could not find the drive after the installer partition it, which I could see after when I was looking into installing anything else to the laptops... so for some reason the weird installer can't keep track of what it was doing. Error log was not helpful, add to this that the thing does not have a live mode for one to try and diagnose while installing on the same device one is installing. Seemed insteresting but I can't recommend if I can't install on various machines.
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Project: Ubuntu
Version: 24.04
Rating: 1
Date: 2024-11-13
Votes: 2
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As for this distribution, which was rock solid with the 20.04 and 22.04 releases, almost nothing works with this one. I wanted to install it on my Thinkpad L430, i3 processor, 8 GB ram, but already during the installation process some kind of background program crashed. Those who review this mess on YT and various sites probably use different hardware. the problem is that the synonym Ubuntu = reliability and stability no longer applies. If you have the luxury, avoid this mess by all means, prefer a distribution with an older base, but it will work all the more stably during installation. The rule here is, if you want Ubuntu, look for a derivative
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