A major misconception about Linux exists.
A major misconception about Linux exists.
Supporting Linux, especially Ubuntu-based ones (Lubuntu, ZorinOS Lite, Linux Mint Mate), makes it simple to add software from the store or install .deb files using gdebi, handling dependencies effortlessly. Flathub packages also function well out of the box. Overall, most popular distros still have quirks and confusing features, making advanced systems like Arch seem even more challenging.
Yeah, no. You might not be used to the way Linux does things, you might even not like the way Linux does things but that doesn't equate to them being weird and non intuitive, just unfamiliar. Linux is designed to give the user as much or as little control over their system as they want. Your mum can quite easily use Ubuntu for facebook, office and other home user things and your sysadmin can use CentOS to run their high volume cloud server. Fun fact: I've had an Ubuntu 20.04 Server VM running on my NAS acting as my webserver for the best part of 2 years, it is never rebooted, it has never crashed and it still feels identical in terms of speed today as it did the day I installed it. Absolutely no offence intended here but if your Linux experience is "a buggy piece of shit" then the problem is more than likely with you or something you are doing.
You chose a very poor reference and then drew a wide conclusion about Linux. That’s not helpful. DaVinci Resolve is a closed-source tool that’s only officially available on CentOS. If you’re looking for issues, it won’t run properly outside of RHEL, Fedora, or CentOS. You might still try, but don’t be surprised if it doesn’t work as expected.
The issue lies in the sheer number of Linux distributions available. This diversity is a major weakness of Linux. Instead of concentrating efforts on one project, developers are spreading themselves thin across various platforms. While individual contributions are valuable, the collective momentum often leads to fragmentation. I’m part of the D.tube DEV team and focus on the frontend. I don’t prioritize personal preferences over community needs, but I do care about creating solutions that benefit everyone. If developers ceased releasing new distros due to aesthetic disagreements, we’d see a more unified experience. Having choices is good, but the lack of alternatives means no one has invested deeply enough. Linux remains powerful, yet its evolution has been hampered by constant changes and the absence of a central vision. Over the years, I’ve seen projects grow from small teams to large communities, highlighting how collaboration drives progress.
The Ubuntu Store offers a single-click deb package option (or at least I recall it did). I’m pretty certain it existed before, since I remember using it to verify OpenCL functionality on my RX580. It’s been quite some time since I’ve touched any Ubuntu Desktop lately.
Yep, the only time my internet facing webserver went down was when I did sudo chown -R www-data:www-data / instead of sudo chown -R www-data:www-data ./ and TBH, I could have fixed that without nuking the root FS, I just didn't want to risk running a server that had been bodged back into working and I am storing my root FS and all my important files on separate partitions so I didn't really lose anything.
Some older releases of Linux Mint Xfce had issues after updates—OS would crash unexpectedly and certain apps would behave oddly. Current Lubuntu LTS version experiences random errors during login, with some programs malfunctioning, icons missing, and parts of windows appearing when maximized. These problems disappear after logging out and back in, but it’s frustrating. The touchpad also stops working intermittently. Getting a consistent theme across systems is difficult, especially since another LTS version worked perfectly on the same machine. ZorinOS Lite tends to freeze completely, though the mouse remains functional. There’s no community support available for these issues. All these problems are major dealbreakers. Ideally, I’d just install the OS and add required apps without worrying about system stability. I expect basic tasks like watching movies or browsing should run smoothly without major glitches. As of now, I’m using Linux Mint Mate LTS and it’s performing well overall. Occasionally, double tray icons appear (like extra Wi-Fi or power icons), and some default themes don’t display properly on my work laptop compared to a personal one, but these aren’t critical issues. I hope these problems remain resolved.
These seem more like LXDE problems than Linux issues. Gnome works well for everyday use, KDE shines if you love customization, and I’d say Cinnamon is the top choice for a light desktop. I admit I rarely use LXDE myself, so I’m not sure about its stability. I’ve never tried Mate, though I hear it’s solid and user-friendly. To be honest, I haven’t used Mint or any of its versions.
In fact, the earlier Lubuntu LTS version based on LXDE performed very well for me. I was satisfied with it and only moved to the latest, which runs on LXQT, since the previous one stopped receiving support by April. Unfortunately, LXQT represents a significant shift from LXDE. The Mint that failed for me was xfce, and ZorinOS Lite was essentially a modified version of xfce, suggesting the issue might not be with the desktop environment itself. The operating systems were just problematic, with no straightforward online solutions. I hope Mint Mate lives up to expectations in the future.