Ask HN: Which Linux distro provide the easiest transition from Windows in 2022?

[esperent]

I'm finding that Windows aligns less and less with my values over time until now it feels like I'm fighting against Microsoft to avoid advertising and unwanted online account requirements, automated updates that interrupt my work, and blatant violations of my right to privacy on the computing device that I own. I already do all my dev work though WSL and from what I hear most of the Windows apps and games I use should work under Proton or Wine now too. So I'd like to give Linux another shot as my daily driver.

However, I'm not interested in switching from fighting MS to fighting broken drivers and struggling to get things I need to run. I want as seamless a transition as possible where I install a Linux distro on my laptop and it "just works" (within reason), especially with regards to graphics drivers and so on. My laptop has a Nvidia 3070m and I do a lot of graphics work plus some gaming, so that has to work well.

The last time I tried this, I guess about six years ago, the obvious choice was Ubuntu. Is that still the case? Or are there better alternatives these days? I hear Fedora and Arch mentioned quite a bit.

[8bitsrule]

Many people have tried and liked Linux Mint;[0] the 'Cinnamon' version has been popular with Win-expats.[1] For that distro Nvidia is sometimes a problem, but Mint has an active and helpful online forum (with several savvy experts). You might take a look at that.[2] You can also look at Distrowatch (right column) for popularity and reviews. [3]

I've tried the other stuff, returned to Mint 6 years ago and stayed.

[0] https://www.linuxmint.com/] [1] https://old.reddit.com/r/linuxmint/ [2] https://forums.linuxmint.com/ [3] https://distrowatch.com/

[brudgers]

Which laptop?

Thinkpads and Macbooks tend to be less troublesome than other brands.

Please note, I said 'less troublesome' not 'seamless.'

Since you've had difficulty troubleshooting Windows drivers, at least you'll have some vaguely relevant experience when you switch to Linux. But be aware there's no equivalent to right clicking and running a program in XP compatibility mode.

As for privacy, Chrome is still Chrome on Linux, logging in with Twitter is still logging in with Twitter, and Github is a Microsoft property.

Good luck.

[esperent → brudgers]

It's an MSI GE66, about a year old. Great laptop for graphics and dev work, although the fan is nasty under heavy load.

> Since you've had difficulty troubleshooting Windows drivers

Apologies, I was unclear here. I have (almost) zero driver trouble under Windows. I just have Microsoft troubles. I'm afraid of switching those for driver troubles under Linux.

I do have a good amount of experience with Linux so it's not that I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it. I'm afraid it'll become a massive time sink.

[brudgers → esperent]

I have a Dell Precision that was available with Linux from Dell but didn’t have it because it was a scratch and dent I purchased as spec’d directly from Dell.

I ran Ubuntu on it for five years until I switched to Windows at the beginning of this year.

It has atypical laptop hardware. Like your machine which is why I mention it.

Things have broken several times under Linux. The touchpad driver was broken for about 9 months when the Alps driver was deprecated. The WiFi once briefly. Nvidia drivers briefly at least twice…or always if I consider Prime support. Same for Hdpi - 4K was one reason I hopped on the particular deal - except that it’s brokenness goes down to the application-library-compile level under X…never mind Wayland.

Note that’s without the compatibility and configuration complexity of WINE or the TTfM of Arch.

And again this is a laptop that had factory Linux available and technical support suitable for enterprise customers, not a gaming laptop.

I don’t have anything against Linux. I just wasn’t gaining anything from dying on Ubuntu Hill.

[CoolCold]

I probably do something in unusual way, but kinda never I have updates interrupting my work - it's a nice notice and possibility to delay if needed. I do reboots on 2-3 weeks interval on average when system needs it.

Not to mention this is actually Beta channel of insider's build and I expect reboots and updates to be much more often, but it's not.

Pretty standard win11 pro (had win10 pre before with similar behavior).

Taking other complains, but this one not I personally can agree from my experience.

[7174n6]

Pop_OS by System 76. I run it on a Thinkpad X1 carbon and it's a pretty nice daily driver.

[esperent → 7174n6]

Huh, that wasn't on my radar at all but it looks great, thanks for the suggestion.

[liveware]

Ubuntu with the Cinnamon desktop environment works well. It feel similar to Windows XP and has the same default keyboard shortcuts.

[farseer]

Ubuntu is your safest choice. If Microsoft Office somehow worked on it, you'd never need Windows again but alas.

[achrono → farseer]

Not to forget Adobe Acrobat not letting you sign documents on non-Windows versions!

[mobilio]

Without a doubt - Ubuntu.

[brudgers → mobilio]

That’s my recommendation too.

Because Ubuntu is tailored to people who are asking ‘which Linux.’

And because it has it’s own StackExchange site.