I was a Windows guy (1996-2006) who switched to Mac (2006-2021) and now I'm moving to Linux since I think Apple is losing its touch with macOS, specially with security and UI.
I bought a cheap laptop (Asus L510). It has only 4GB RAM, a crappy screen (15 inch but a horrible viewing angle) but a decent laptop overall. First thing I did was remove Windows (amount of bloatware and spying is scary). I'm tried different distros like:
Ubuntu: Huge install base but the UI is ugly. Botched Gnome with purple and orange? Give me the impression devs listen to too much (c)rap. I think its the only who recognizes WiFi out of the box since it comes with non-proprietary drivers/software)
Fedora: Uses the latest Gnome and looks like a clean distro (my favorite so far). Also has big install base and I was able to fix the wifi problem without too much of a hassle (dnf update + dnf install broadcom-dl. People say it's a "beta test" for Red Hat, it has short term support... Will I be able to update to Fedora 36 by just using a command and restart?
I tried other distros like Zorin (seemed solid), Clear (fast but limited apps), elementary (beautiful but unstable), OpenSUSE/Mint (don't like KDE), pureOS (less support as Fedora but looks the same/ but Debian), Tails (not good for day-to-day), Qubes (might be the best but needs HW with a lot of RAM).
Arch seems to be the best for advanced users but when I see the hassle it is to install it gives me the impression devs are not prioritizing important stuff.
I also hate distros that come with a bunch of software. I prefer something bare and I can install what I need after. I remember slimming down Windows XP to -200MB.
Speed; Why does Gnome feel so slow? It takes seconds to open a browser or app. Windows XP +15y ago feels like a rocket in comparison.
Sorry for writing a book but I want to give as much info as possible before somebody replies recommending a distro I already tried.
Which distro you recommend?
Desktop should be Gnome. Might not be the fastest (compared to XFCE) but it looks great and even Gnome apps look great. They follow good standards.
Lightweight. Is possible for apps to open instantly in Linux?
I try to stay away from obscure distros that might be discontinued. Is there any difference between Wayland and X11 in performance?
I dont want to ramble even more. Would love to hear suggestions.
I bought a cheap laptop (Asus L510). It has only 4GB RAM, a crappy screen (15 inch but a horrible viewing angle) but a decent laptop overall. First thing I did was remove Windows (amount of bloatware and spying is scary). I'm tried different distros like:
Ubuntu: Huge install base but the UI is ugly. Botched Gnome with purple and orange? Give me the impression devs listen to too much (c)rap. I think its the only who recognizes WiFi out of the box since it comes with non-proprietary drivers/software)
Fedora: Uses the latest Gnome and looks like a clean distro (my favorite so far). Also has big install base and I was able to fix the wifi problem without too much of a hassle (dnf update + dnf install broadcom-dl. People say it's a "beta test" for Red Hat, it has short term support... Will I be able to update to Fedora 36 by just using a command and restart?
I tried other distros like Zorin (seemed solid), Clear (fast but limited apps), elementary (beautiful but unstable), OpenSUSE/Mint (don't like KDE), pureOS (less support as Fedora but looks the same/ but Debian), Tails (not good for day-to-day), Qubes (might be the best but needs HW with a lot of RAM).
Arch seems to be the best for advanced users but when I see the hassle it is to install it gives me the impression devs are not prioritizing important stuff.
I also hate distros that come with a bunch of software. I prefer something bare and I can install what I need after. I remember slimming down Windows XP to -200MB.
Speed; Why does Gnome feel so slow? It takes seconds to open a browser or app. Windows XP +15y ago feels like a rocket in comparison.
Sorry for writing a book but I want to give as much info as possible before somebody replies recommending a distro I already tried.
Which distro you recommend?
Desktop should be Gnome. Might not be the fastest (compared to XFCE) but it looks great and even Gnome apps look great. They follow good standards.
Lightweight. Is possible for apps to open instantly in Linux?
I try to stay away from obscure distros that might be discontinued. Is there any difference between Wayland and X11 in performance?
I dont want to ramble even more. Would love to hear suggestions.
