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I seriously stopped recommending ubuntu to new users of linux. Some ubuntu based ones are ok (like elementary) but ubuntu itself for years has had myriad issues

I seriously stopped recommending ubuntu to new users of linux. Some ubuntu based ones are ok (like elementary) but ubuntu itself for years has had myriad issues in stability for a long time. The only real benefit is since ubuntu is more popular, you're more likely to find getting help for it online, more readme's will have ubuntu specific install directions or packaged binaries, googling for errors and such will be easier, etc.

bodge5000 4y ago
Also concerns around privacy and similar things which first started to be treated more seriously when it came prepackaged with an Amazon app. To my knowledge right now they are just that, concerns, no absolute proof, but why risk it when there are so many other distros where those concerns don't exist? Also theres the whole snap controversy, yeh sadly Ubuntu's issues go beyond stability
P5fRxh5kUvp2th 4y ago
I don't see that at all, but OTOH I run i3 so maybe it's more an issue with their gnome setup?
codegeek 4y ago
Thr benefit of being able to find help online is a huge one. I use Ubuntu because ut just works for my use cases (VPS) and I can easily find issues/commands online if needed. Other distros, I m a bit wary. This doesn't apply if you are a Linux expert but most of us are just devs using Linux for hosting, deployments etc.
- LoveMortuus 4y ago
  >The benefit of being able to find help online is a huge one. Very very true, I'd say that's one of the biggest reasons why Raspberry Pi and Arduino are much more popular then STM32 or other, equality or more capable at an equal or even better price, microcontroller.
- 4oo4 4y ago
  I initially had this same concern too about migrating from Ubuntu as well, but for any Debian based distro those same commands are going to be almost exactly the same, and really the main differences are what comes default and package versions. How Debian feeds into downstream distros is something that Linux novices might not know, but I think that the differences aren't as intimidating as they might seem. It's called The Universal OS for a reason, and I think if people give themselves enough credit for using Linux in the first place they would be surprised at how capable in using other distros and they can be and how much the skills transfer over. I think part of that is because if you're used to using Windows you get a sense of learned helplessness because you're taught you're not worthy of learning how the OS works, so if the first distro people use is Ubuntu that same feeling will carry over, and you tell yourself "this is the only Linux I'm capable of using". Also when you've only ever used one distro having dozens of different options makes it seem like every one is radically different, despite having similar conventions and using the same code within distro families. So never be afraid to "fuck around and find out" and see what else is out there, if you can use Ubuntu you're capable of using many other distros. Ubuntu is geared for enterprise deployments and cloud VMs nowadays, instead of regular people just dipping their toes into Linux like it used to be. So its status as the default user friendliest distro isn't valid anymore. You can also get the "just works" experience from other distros, and in fact maybe more so because of all the issues with snap based applications that Canonical forces on you that add complexity, makes troubleshooting more difficult and creates a much worse overall user experience.
kayodelycaon 4y ago
What do you recommend instead?
- noobermin 4y ago
  So I should have specified, I'm mainly talking about linux for users, not as a dev tool like the first reply. As I hinted to, I do recommend elementary because it uses ubuntu under the hood so most terminal tutorials online will work with it but it's much more polished. I feel like the elementary folks put a lot of effort into the OS.

bodge5000 4y ago

Also concerns around privacy and similar things which first started to be treated more seriously when it came prepackaged with an Amazon app. To my knowledge right now they are just that, concerns, no absolute proof, but why risk it when there are so many other distros where those concerns don't exist? Also theres the whole snap controversy, yeh sadly Ubuntu's issues go beyond stability

P5fRxh5kUvp2th 4y ago

I don't see that at all, but OTOH I run i3 so maybe it's more an issue with their gnome setup?

codegeek 4y ago

Thr benefit of being able to find help online is a huge one. I use Ubuntu because ut just works for my use cases (VPS) and I can easily find issues/commands online if needed. Other distros, I m a bit wary. This doesn't apply if you are a Linux expert but most of us are just devs using Linux for hosting, deployments etc.

LoveMortuus 4y ago
>The benefit of being able to find help online is a huge one. Very very true, I'd say that's one of the biggest reasons why Raspberry Pi and Arduino are much more popular then STM32 or other, equality or more capable at an equal or even better price, microcontroller.
4oo4 4y ago
I initially had this same concern too about migrating from Ubuntu as well, but for any Debian based distro those same commands are going to be almost exactly the same, and really the main differences are what comes default and package versions. How Debian feeds into downstream distros is something that Linux novices might not know, but I think that the differences aren't as intimidating as they might seem. It's called The Universal OS for a reason, and I think if people give themselves enough credit for using Linux in the first place they would be surprised at how capable in using other distros and they can be and how much the skills transfer over. I think part of that is because if you're used to using Windows you get a sense of learned helplessness because you're taught you're not worthy of learning how the OS works, so if the first distro people use is Ubuntu that same feeling will carry over, and you tell yourself "this is the only Linux I'm capable of using". Also when you've only ever used one distro having dozens of different options makes it seem like every one is radically different, despite having similar conventions and using the same code within distro families. So never be afraid to "fuck around and find out" and see what else is out there, if you can use Ubuntu you're capable of using many other distros. Ubuntu is geared for enterprise deployments and cloud VMs nowadays, instead of regular people just dipping their toes into Linux like it used to be. So its status as the default user friendliest distro isn't valid anymore. You can also get the "just works" experience from other distros, and in fact maybe more so because of all the issues with snap based applications that Canonical forces on you that add complexity, makes troubleshooting more difficult and creates a much worse overall user experience.

kayodelycaon 4y ago

What do you recommend instead?

noobermin 4y ago
So I should have specified, I'm mainly talking about linux for users, not as a dev tool like the first reply. As I hinted to, I do recommend elementary because it uses ubuntu under the hood so most terminal tutorials online will work with it but it's much more polished. I feel like the elementary folks put a lot of effort into the OS.