Need ideas for distributions to consider?
Need ideas for distributions to consider?
Manjaro is built on Arch Linux, which adds some complexity, particularly for newcomers. Begin with a Debian-based system—it's the most user-friendly option and offers excellent support. The skills you gain in Debian can generally be applied to other distributions, though certain aspects may vary.
Linux isn't the easiest to grasp, especially with Debian-based systems that are well-organized and user-friendly.
Pop!_OS would be the top choice. It’s ideal to enhance your graphics driver on Linux. Ubuntu-based systems, including Debian, also provide access to tools from Canonical (the creator of Ubuntu) for installing Nvidia drivers. Any system based on Ubuntu would function well.
Manjaro is a great choice—it’s straightforward, includes everything you need, and comes with a lot of software thanks to the AUR. It really has all the features you want. I don’t think Ubuntu is worth recommending these days; it just isn’t as strong as Manjaro anymore.
manjaro makes it simple to add graphics drivers through the settings. It’s quite straightforward. Usually you’ll see “auto install proprietary driver,” but since I’m using a VM that hides that, it doesn’t appear. I wouldn’t suggest Pop!_OS because it’s based on Ubuntu. Installing unusual software on Debian-based systems can be really complicated and sometimes the programs just aren’t available at all. You often end up mixing different packages—apt, Debian files, AppImage, Snap, Flatpaks—and it becomes a real mess. On Manjaro and other Arch-based distros, this isn’t an issue thanks to the AUR. Ubuntu is getting less popular, but Manjaro offers a better experience and more capabilities.
manjaro makes learning Linux enjoyable. arch is not ideal for this purpose. Setting up software on Debian-based systems can be overly complicated because programs might come from multiple sources if they aren't available via apt. They could arrive as a deb package, an appimage, a bundle, a snap, or a flatpak—making things messy. With manjaro, everything is centralized and easy to access through a user-friendly GUI thanks to pamac.
Pop!_OS stands out quite differently from Ubuntu compared to Debian. I've faced no problems with Nvidia drivers, encountered only minor issues with unusual hardware (except a graphics driver that stopped working until a kernel update), and even found some hidden applications more easily. Although Pop!_OS is related to Debian, it doesn't cause major headaches for obscure software. With AppImage, the situation is much smoother—Debian, Snap, and Flatpak all struggle, whereas Pop!_OS builds many packages itself. Manjaro presents its own challenges, often becoming unstable and difficult to manage unless you're well-versed. Manjaro has strengths but also significant flaws.
manjaro stands out as the most reliable distribution I've used in ten years. I've never had issues with it, yet I've messed up pop!_os and Ubuntu many times. In my view, people should abandon Debian-based systems for desktop purposes—they're better suited for servers. The main drawback is outdated software and a complicated installation process.