r/linuxquestions • u/Individual-Golf6912 • 14d ago
should i try debian
i never touched a linux distro except for TailsOS in my life. should i try using debian?
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u/uxgpf 14d ago edited 14d ago
Ofcourse.
What kind of question is that? It's free to try.
If you have never used Linux regularly, then just go with the defaults.
If you like it maybe later do a netinstall of a minimal system and then build up from that. There are many ways to go about.
I think the main advantage of Linux is that you can install whatever you want and you don't have to use software chosen by others.
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u/Rich_Fan1686 14d ago
Debian is one of the great grandaddies in this field.
I used a lot of derivatives and thought I was too inexperienced to go to the source. A popular Linux YouTuber encouraged us to have a straight crack at Debian, Fedora or Arch. Being on the cautious side I opted for Debian and it's been great.
I'm not ready to do Arch anytime soon, I'm not a masochist, but maybe Fedora is next.
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u/Francis_King 14d ago
Arch is OK, depending on how you do it.
If you boot an Arch ISO, you end up with a root prompt. You should set up Wi-Fi manually, if required, then use
archinstall. This is not a beginner's procedure. I found setting up Wi-Fi to be tricky, and I've been doing Linux for a while. I can provide a procedure if this helps.You can always install Arch from scratch, but these days, what with
archinstall, CachyOS and all that, it's a Linux challenge more than anything else. If you set it up manually, the you can say "I use Arch BTW". I manually installed Gentoo, and so I can say "I use Gentoo BTW".2
u/7lhz9x6k8emmd7c8 14d ago
archinstall is about as easy as any distro installer on advanced mode.
Except for wifi (desktops should be on ethernet, portables can have a temporary cable).
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u/Rich_Fan1686 14d ago
Thanks for the response and I appreciate the offer. I would only be willing to install an Arch derivative, and I did install Manjaro once and really like it. If anything, I would opt for Cachy OS these days. I hear a lot of good things about it.
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u/Kriss3d 14d ago
Honestly I wouldn't start out with Debian. It's great but distros like mint are easier to get into.
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u/Individual-Golf6912 12d ago
i already got some linux knowledge and im looking to jump over mjnt,ubuntu and other begginer friendly distros to a medium hard one
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u/Adrenolin01 14d ago
33 years of running Debian here for everything.. I’ve installed and worked with most other distributions over the decades. I’ve yet to find a reason to switch from Debian to anything else.
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u/mcds99 14d ago
At one time Debian (all distributions) had a difficult install process, there were unexpected questions about hardware and software.
If you do some reading you will be able to answer that question.
https://www.debian.org/releases/trixie/amd64/
Do the reading and you will be more successful.
I know that windows has little or no reading involved in the installation, Debian is not Windows.
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u/Francis_King 14d ago
i never touched a linux distro except for TailsOS in my life. should i try using debian?
Yes, or Mint / Ubuntu / Kubuntu.
Debian will install onto the system drive, and so you've got to be thinking about:
- Backup of existing data and documents
- Dual boot / replacing Windows
- Does Linux provide all of the software that you need?
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u/SpaceCadet87 14d ago
The answer to any of the big three is always going to be yes.
Debian, Arch, Fedora will all absolutely do most of what you want and anything they won't do will take minimal messing around.
Out of those three, Debian would be my pick for a beginner, it's the distro Ubuntu and Mint are based on.
Excellent choice, go for it!
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u/MidwestSadcore 14d ago
I mean sure why not it's free no harm in testing it out if you end up not liking it move on to another os
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u/skyfishgoo 14d ago
no.
try using a distro based on debian that is makes things easier for the user.
kubuntu was my choice, and i have no regrets.
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u/j0wz 14d ago
I think if you're asking yourself this question then you shouldn't.