Choose a Linux distribution like Ubuntu or Fedora, paired with a desktop environment such as GNOME, KDE Plasma, or XFCE.
Choose a Linux distribution like Ubuntu or Fedora, paired with a desktop environment such as GNOME, KDE Plasma, or XFCE.
I’ll walk you through setting up Debian. Obtain a "net-install" image and follow the steps. Ensure your internet connection is active when prompted. (A wired link is recommended here.) Arrange your partitions as follows: boot (100MB) - "/" (leaving space for everything except 8GB) - swap (8GB). Choose your PC roles or, if you’re starting fresh, simply select "install base system." After completion, the system will boot into a terminal. Log in as root and install your preferred desktop environment using commands like "apt-get install xfce", "apt-get install xorg", and "apt-get install synaptic". Launch the GUI with "startx". You may need to set the GUI as the default, refer to available guides for details. Once inside the GUI, locate Synaptic and launch it. From there, browse through thousands of packages to select your desired software. A note about Debian: you might need to manually install third-party firmware for features like WiFi if it isn’t open source. Just configure apt and run "apt-get update", then install the "linux-firmware-nonfree" package.
I completed the full installation and am making solid progress. Here’s what I’ve done: 1) Fixed the default installation settings. 2) Added sudo. 3) Registered my account in the sudoers file. 4) Set up netselect to determine the best update connection, then added it to the synaptic package manager and made it the default. 5) Updated sections in non-security repositories to “contrib non-free”. 6) Configured deb-multimedia as a source in my repository. Then I installed the keyring, updated packages, upgraded ffmpeg, enabled gufw for firewall protection, added 32-bit support, and installed necessary drivers for nvidia. Now I’m ready to install and configure the XFCE theme from that link. However, when trying to use it with gdebi I get an error saying it’s not a Debian package but an XFCE one—why does that happen? Also, I’m having trouble finding a clear list of available XFCE themes online.
You mentioned wanting more authority? Just set up Arch Linux and pick your preferred desktop environment (Stay in charge).
Create your own Linux distribution and have full authority over everything. People probably don’t have the time for that, right? The ease of Arch Linux depends on how much you care about your time.