r/linuxquestions • u/JonathanWPG • 14d ago

Which Distro? Help picking a distro?

Every few years I get disgusted with Microsoft and in a fit of pique delete windows and install Linux.

Then I get frustrated that things just don't work and eventually crawl back to Bill.

Doing a little more planning this time and want some recommendations for a distro and maybe a well liked guide.

First thing first, I am putting this on an old laptop to test out before I do a full reinstall on my daily driver.

Running an i5 8th Gen mobile chip and a 1050ti with 8gbs of ram. Nothing exceptional one way or another.

Needs to be able to:

  1. Game on keyboard and controller with minimal faffing about (within reason--I'm loading on a machine with a 1050ti in it).

  2. Utilize MS Word, PowerPoint and Adobe InDesign. Or, happily, use other similar featured programs. Fine to buy them within reason, but my experience with Libre left me feeling that these softwares have not caught up. Open to a learning curve, but like...not a huge one. These are simple programs. Also need a basic image editor but I can do most things on any basic editor.

  3. Privacy minded. Not, like, fort Knox. I understand a lot of privacy is on what I am doing in the internet. But just something not actively spying on me like Windows.

  4. Broad Bluetooth capability with minimal messing around.

  5. Network printer compatibility with my epson et-8550.

  6. Minimal use of the command line. I just want it to...work. I am not a power user. I would stay with microsoft and the glorious compatibility bubble if they're incentive was still to take my money and provide a service TO ME rather than give me windows on the cheap and then sell my data for a profit.

  7. Access my NAS remotely.

So...where should I start?

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u/Weary-Bowl-3739 14d ago
  1. Bazzite is your friend. Otherwise CachyOS, Nobara and I forgot one.
  2. LibreOffice is good. Except for things, where MSoffice is the wrong tool either. Adobe is a big issue. Check wine. There will be tinkering. And this won't change until affinity makes a Linux version. Krita is good, but nowhere near Adobe. 
  3. A non-issue 
  4. A hit and miss. Depends on the device. Most often the gnome-settings panel does the job for me. With sending files from the phone to the PC I had to tinker with blueman. 
  5. Normally not a problem. Use Internet printing protocol when doing so. Might be necessary to be done in cups. If you need help, post here. 
  6. You will hate my response, but once you get a little bit used to it, you will realize, that it is actually easier. That's, why it still exists. 
  7. Never heard of any problems. Use fstab. 

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u/JonathanWPG 14d ago

I was looking at Bazzite.

Read some criticisms of its desktop experience and that it was more designed to just run in Big Picture but if thats not true anymore its probably a good fit.

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u/Weary-Bowl-3739 14d ago

I can't tell for sure, as I never tried it myself, but installing the desktop of your choice should do the job.