best distro for "people" ?

[albertcamembert]

Aloha

I'm not into computing, programming or anything like that, I'm using my computer for a very basic use such as administrative work, internet included, managing files, working on design, drawing, picture restoration with GIMP, making some noise and other regular everyday life on XXIth c.

I had this feeling that Linux distros were done to offer alternative to Windows and Apple
But it appears to me that 1_spending more time trying to figure wherever is this and that problem, loose a lot of time, totally lost with the systme, unable to know this command line forever and so on, 2_by time passing loosing all that I can do with a computer, printing first, entering sound to make music or record, I have lost for a long time now the ability to game (I was on XP), GIMP had lost many good point, and now I also lost sound (from videos or from mp3 playing)
So what's working? OpenOffice (still problems with some font management), scanning (but GIMP is not doing that anymore and the scanning tool totally changed for some reason, much less friendly now, Internet, thanx Brave

So I'm wondering if I was not totally wrong with Linux distros intention, so maybe it's not done for "normal people" but for programmers and other professional computer user? I can see by the overparanoiac system of password that the system is fragile and also that this is done for people working in building in administrative companies (french "cadre") - I don't like Windows for this reason but LM is even worst

SO, finally, going here: what would be a good distro for people like me, something easy, basic, stable, with long life in front without changes, is there a better choice than Mint ?

[AZgl1800]

I'm not into computing, programming or anything like that, I'm using my computer for a very basic use such as administrative work, internet included, managing files, working on design, drawing, picture restoration with GIMP, making some noise and other regular everyday life on XXIth c.

based on your first paragraph, which is how "most Windows" folks probably use their computers, the "best distro" for ease of transistioning to Linux, will be the Cinnamon Desktop.

why?
because it is configured to "look like", and feel like "windows", even the keyboard Shortcut keys are the same.

Alt-F4 will kill any process.
the WinKey + E brings up the File Manager ( NEMO )

the WinKey + D will collaspe all of the window screens to the Desktop.

and more...

does Linux give you freedom to get away from MS Windows?,
yes, it does, but to get your feet wet, most choose Cinnamon for a while, until they lurk around and try out the different functions.

for me, that was about two years of following this forum, and then I came to the conclusion, that for me, the Cinnamon Desktop does everything I need, and more.

XCFE and Mate are for Linux purists who really want full control...
I don't.

[trinidad]

These are the distros I ran and tested in 2022 and my opinion.
https://dbts-analytics.com/favdstr22.html

TC

[Pjotr]

what would be a good distro for people like me, something easy, basic, stable, with long life in front without changes, is there a better choice than Mint ?

No.

[Moem]

I can see by the overparanoiac system of password that the system is fragile

A strange conclusion. If you see that a car has seat belts, does that tell you that the car is unsafe?

and also that this is done for people working in building in administrative companies

This is even stranger.

[albertcamembert]

First of all, I need to say that I'm not looking for a "windows like" system, I think that's one of the main problem here

To me it's like evrything is "problem"
Look, I'm opening whatever file navigator it is, working a bit on picture management, and this logiciel brutaly stop and close
I don't know and I don't want to spent hours onto that, I just make my way with it
Some loves working on computer, I hate that, to me it's like spending hours to solve a minute like job, I simply don't have time for that, out of taste for it
Just like having a car for working on mechanics, it's exactly the same, why not ?
Computer is not a choice nowadys, we need it, but I don't need to make complexe networks or programming, nor going to Mars or whatever it is truly able to do
Also, i'm not easy enough to buy an apple or a windows licence, even if I liked them, we are a little benevlent organisation and we are many like us

Example: GIMP, they say "we do this and that (stupid changes) for real professionnals need that"... ok, so GIMP is not for unprofessionnal? This means GIMP is a free tool for professionnal with good money going ? Is that the politic of GIMP ? Sounds really weird to me

Just right now I can't even say if i'm using xcfe or cinnamon or whatever

Moem: your logic is not mine, if i see a system saying "don't touch anything because it's not stable" and every move is under 3 level password, yes it is unsafe at all! Your comparison is not good, let's say that there's a place and there' a place with a lot of camera, woldn't be a dangerous place now?
So, it's not for virus (yes a pseudo windows affair), it's done for coworkers, and this is also true within windows where everything is office workers made, lik sharing a printer for example. I don't need to share or protect, I'm all alone here and I don't give a damn if anyone is looking secretly this o that, I don't need this level of security. But i do know that if i'm opening a folder with root everything can happen, this is unsafe

[t42]

SO, finally, going here: what would be a good distro for people like me, something easy, basic, stable, with long life in front without changes

...nothing like that is possible...

[altair4]

I looked through all of your other posts.

I don't think Linux is for you.

Linux - desktop Linux - requires a certain mindset I think you lack. Not meant to be derogatory it is just the way Linux desktop is built vs how all the other desktop operating systems are built..

All desktop operating systems are made up of many parts. The Linux desktop is made up of those many parts collected from different software teams building their parts. Sometimes there is a level of coordination between those teams - sometimes not. When they do not we the user must make it work.

In contrast Windows and MacOS is the result of software product development. All the independent parts are under the direct control of the company that makes it. At some level of management one person has responsibility for all of it.

Mint doesn't own all of it's parts. Nor does any other desktop Linux distro.

There is now a branch of Linux distros that are called immutable. For example: https://www.makeuseof.com/best-immutable-linux-distros/

They don't change but they are just a snapshot of where the development process was at the time of it's release.

[AZgl1800]

I looked through all of your other posts.

I don't think Linux is for you.

I am going to have to agree here,
the OP is not willing to "learn" a new operating system.

go back to Win11 or Mac and quit growling at how the Safety Net of Linux keeps getting in your way.

that Safety net, of requiring a Password is why Linux is SAFE!!!
outsiders cannot hack your Linux desktop, because they are NOT allowed to change any of the OS modules.

[albertcamembert]

this last post is nonsense, you don't understand what i'm talking about and I haven't used windows since XP (and even then that was a coccinelle distro)
you got maybe an average of three pass to install a log with desktop tools, don't you?

I don't know where you are all living here, I am in France and for the last 20 years I know Linux distros for being proposed to peoples in alternative world, benevolent organisation, mostly left winged, militant... ain't that true in your place ? Linux distros being opposite to mercantilism, submission, brand, being smarter, more efficient, working on old devices... Ain't that the speech you hear there?

Linux in science, great, I am not talking about that but for regular desktop & large audience distros

so here you say (and I do start thinking that way) the exact opposite, i that the way it is ? or just for Mint?

And thanx #trinidad for link, I will check, already quoted Lite and MX, maybe wrongly

[Hoser Rob]

... I can see by the overparanoiac system of password that the system is fragile and also that this is done for people working in building in administrative companies ...

Au contraire. That's rubbish. Apples use passwords the same way (you need a password to install anything), and Apples are the most "for people" machines around.

If Microsoft would just do the same thing and not let you install anything without a password, the virus problem would largely disappear overnight. It's a huge security feature in both Linux and Apple.

[MurphCID]

There are two and only two distros I pass on to people who want Linux: Mint and POP!_OS. I use Mint on all but one of my laptops.

Mint for Windows users who are NOT computer people, and just want a system that works. I have never had any issues with Mint for people who just use their computers for email, web browsing, word processing, etc. I pre-configure everything for them, and tell them where the update button is and where the software store is located. That is it.

POP!_OS for those who are more computer saavy, and like to tinker.

[wwblm]

Is it possible that albertcamembert's posts got stuck in a time warp for several years? Kind of reminds me of how I felt when I managed to get Ubuntu up and running a decade or so ago.
I guess I can do some things with a computer however, most of my computing life has been spent on the Mac where there just wasn't that much you needed to mess with to keep everything running and productive. I'm not trained and I don't get my thrills from messing with computers. Would prefer to just use them. That said, I know that in order to use computers I'm going to have to put some effort into learning no matter how good the program or OS is.
2023 was the year that Linux became my daily driver. This was because of Linux Mint. Mint just works. Really don't have to mess around with much of anything anymore. Easy to set up and get running. Easy for my Wife to simply continue to use her computer only faster and more reliable without the endless Windows updates.
Lately I've been working on learning more about QEMU / KVM. Have made it far enough in my learning that it is trivial to download and ISO of a distro and fire it up. After playing with several distros I would have to say that, as of today, if I were wanting to dig in and fiddle around like a computer nerd I would likely choose KDE Neon. However, I just don't want to put that much work into it and I expect to get "normal" non-techie users to move to Linux. Mint just seems the best suited for that role.

[Hoser Rob]

... the "best distro" for ease of transistioning to Linux, will be the Cinnamon Desktop....

I heartily disagree. The most Windows like desktops in Linux are Xfce, which is XP like, and KDE, which is the closest thing in feel to Windows 7 in the Linux world. Note I'm a KDE user and that is not why I like it.

[Hoser Rob]

... I am in France and for the last 20 years I know Linux distros for being proposed to peoples in alternative world, benevolent organisation, mostly left winged, militant... ain't that true in your place ? Linux distros being opposite to mercantilism, submission, brand, being smarter, more efficient, working on old devices... Ain't that the speech you hear there?...

Not really so much as in France, though Linux attracts a fair share of the tinfoil hat crowd.

The only really leftie Linux distro I know of is Antix, which is what I run on my old POC netbook. It's meant largely for old crap boxes and I often recommend it because the support's good for something like that. But I don't care about the politics one bit. It's just a good distro.

I do know that a while ago quite a few European government offices ... largely municipal AFAIK ... converted to Linux in their offices. Thing is, a lot of them have converted back to Windows. They didn't switch to Linux offices for ideological reasons, it was the free software, ie. $$$. But they then discovered that they also had to set up and staff an IT support department to keep it working. It ended up costing more than a Windows network.

[RollyShed]

Moem: your logic is not mine, if i see a system saying "don't touch anything because it's not stable" and every move is under 3 level password, yes it is unsafe at all!

Moem is right.
Passwords? What passwords? Of all the installations I've done, over 100, a password, just one, is required if updates or apps are to be installed.

So where is this 3 level password you are talking about?

[Moem]

Moderator's note:
Two posts removed. One for mocking the OP and one for suggesting the OP is a troll. Please don't do those things. Use rational arguments and information instead.

Also:
let's not make this political or we'll have to close the topic.

[Hoser Rob]

... Moem: your logic is not mine, if i see a system saying "don't touch anything because it's not stable" and every move is under 3 level password, yes it is unsafe at all! ...

Interesting how someone who accuses a very knowledgeable user of not knowing what he's talking about turns out not to understand the difference between stability and security.

[Moem]

not knowing what he's talking about

That would be "she". But thanks.

[majpooper]

Let people rant . . . it's OK. I find it interesting if not amusing. If I think it's someone trolling I just move on. In this case it's obvious no one is going to convince the OP. I don't think the OP is a troll though just very opinionated and not ever going to embrace what linux actually is compared to Windows and Mac . . . . so be it. I will follow the thread for a while but quickly find it degenerates into the same old arguments (although linux = left wing is a new one for me which gave me a pause and a confused reaction). Anyway pretty quickly it gets old so I'm moving on.

HAPPY NEW YEAR !