What are the best Linux operating systems for personal use?

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What are the best Linux operating systems for personal use?

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Apr 23, 2019

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2 Options Considered

Best Linux operating systems for personal use	Price	Default Desktop Environment	Based On
-- Ubuntu	FREE	GNOME	Debian Stable(core) Testing/Unstable(universe/multiverse)
-- Fedora	Free	Gnome Shell	Red Hat Linux

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score 2 · Answer 1

Ubuntu

Top Pro

Stable

It‘s one of the most stable Linux Distros. See More

Top Con

Relatively high system requirements

The default GNOME desktop environment is a resource hog which requires hardware accelerated graphics rendering in order to run smoothly, making out of the box Ubuntu unsuitable for low end systems and older hardware. Even mildly aged hardware, you'll get far better performance out of a lighter desktop environment like LXDE or XFCE. See More

Specs

Default Desktop Environment:GNOME

Based On:Debian Stable(core) Testing/Unstable(universe/multiverse)

Release Schedule:5 Year LTS / 6 Month Releases

Init-System:Systemd

See All Specs

Top Pro

Looks good

Ubuntu looks clean even when running from a LiveCD. See More

Top Con

Canonical (author) is proprietary

Canonical is focused on making money so you can see many proprietary offers by them and the OS has built-in trackers (Amazon). See More

Top Pro

Flexible

The setup for personal use is simple enough for anyone to achieve, and can easily be modified to act as a server. Programs and all features are easy to find and use, and first-timers can easily pick up on how to use it. See More

Top Con

No rolling release

New Ubuntu versions are released two times a year, during this period almost all software receives only security updates and minor bug fixes. See More

Top Pro

Good UI for small monitors

Because the menu usually is in the title bar and the launcher auto-hides, the whole screen can be used by an application. See More

Top Pro

Perfect for collaboration on open source projects

This is probably the best option when collaborating on open source projects in hardware. This is mostly because packages and tools are readily available via software center. See More

Top Pro

Just works out of the box

Lots of support for hardware, lots of pre-installed software, and a smooth install process means less time downloading drivers, less time digging through configuration files, and less time deciding on software to use just to get up and running. It also means less time digging through forums looking for support. See More

Top Pro

Use it on almost any device

Not just for laptops - Ubuntu was designed with tablets and touchscreen devices in mind, and with phone support on the way. Ubuntu also has Long Term Support releases, as well as a version oriented toward servers, so you can use the same OS at work or on mobile as you do on your desktop. See More

Top Pro

Great long term support release schedule (2 years)

This allows for users to always have a new supported release available without long unkown wait times in between. See More

Top Pro

Simplicity

Ubuntu is designed to be used by everyday people. Because of that, Ubuntu has tried hard to make a user interface that's intuitive and looks pleasant and clean. See More

Top Pro

Wide range of software out of the box

The default apps available in Ubuntu cover the gamut of most anyone's needs. From music, video or office applications Ubuntu has an app that will cover the users needs. See More

Top Pro

Lots of support

As the most popular Linux distribution, there's a wide range of sources for support online if you ever need help, including the Ubuntu Wiki, Ubuntu Forums and the Ask Ubuntu Stack Exchange site. See More

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score 2 · Answer 2

Fedora

Top Pro

Create user after the installation

Very good for selling PC‘s with Fedora. See More

Top Con

Proprietary drivers are unsupported

Fedora does not support proprietary drivers, meaning that users may have problems with a lot of hardware when using Fedora. The software to make that kind of hardware work can be installed, but it can be done only through third-parties and it's not easy for the average user. See More

Specs

Default Desktop Environment:Gnome Shell

Based On:Red Hat Linux

Release Schedule:6 Months

Init-System:Systemd

See All Specs

Top Pro

Spins and Labs

Spins are images with a different WM/DE, and Labs are filled with a specific theme of packages. See More

Top Pro

Integration with GNOME

It perhaps has the best integration with GNOME (GNOME software works out of the box). See More

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What are the best Linux operating systems for personal use?

2 Options Considered

Ubuntu

My Recommendation for Ubuntu

My Recommendation for Ubuntu

Stable

Relatively high system requirements

Looks good

Canonical (author) is proprietary

Flexible

No rolling release

Good UI for small monitors

Perfect for collaboration on open source projects

Just works out of the box

Use it on almost any device

Great long term support release schedule (2 years)

Simplicity

Wide range of software out of the box

Lots of support

Fedora

My Recommendation for Fedora

My Recommendation for Fedora

Create user after the installation

Proprietary drivers are unsupported

Spins and Labs

Integration with GNOME

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