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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Some Linux distributions require a bit of extra work.
- Your effort will pay off in big ways.
- These five distributions are my favorites
Years ago, I actually preferred installing Linux distributions that required a bit of extra work out of the box. Why? They challenged me, and I knew that my effort would be rewarded with an operating system perfectly suited for me.
Sometimes, the challenge was getting all the software necessary for me to “do my thing;” other times, it was getting the desktop environment exactly how I wanted it. Either way, that work never failed to pay off.
Also: This is my favorite Linux distro of all time – and I’ve tried them all
These days, I just want my OS to work out of the box, because I don’t have the kind of free time I once enjoyed.
Still, I sometimes reminisce about those bygone days. For those who have the extra time on their hands and want to try a distribution that most often requires a bit of extra work out of the box, here are my favorites.
1. Arch Linux
First things first: The most challenging aspect of Arch Linux is the installation. Yes, some forks (such as Manjaro) do a great job of simplifying the installation process, but if you want to get the full Arch experience, you should try the real deal.
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However, understand that you might need to learn a new package manager right out of the gate. Because of that, I would recommend you educate yourself on pacman before you dive into Arch Linux.
But that’s not all. Although Arch Linux is a rolling release (which means it includes a newer Linux kernel), you might find yourself dealing with hardware issues. Many peripheral manufacturers now offer Linux drivers for their devices, but those often come only in the form of .deb, .rpm, and source, which means you very well might have to install those drivers on Arch via source. To that end, you’ll also need to bone up on commands like configure and make – otherwise you could find yourself out of luck.
Once you get Arch Linux installed, you’re in for a stable, reliable ride.
Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
At the same time, once you get Arch up and running how you want it, it’s worth the effort because you’ll a lot about Linux in the process.
2. Fedora
I hesitated to place Fedora on this list because it’s such a good distribution. That said, it’s often considered a “bleeding edge” distribution: Fedora rapidly adopts new software and technology, and uses a shorter release cycle and support period than other distros. That bleeding edge means you get the latest features and better support for newer hardware, but it also means you will most likely encounter various bugs and technical issues.
Also: 5 of my favorite Linux distros ready to use out of the box – no setup required
On top of that, Fedora takes a rather Windows-esque upgrade process; you’ll often have to reboot the system to apply the updates. Very often, right after an installation, updates will be available, and — before you even get to use the system — you’re having to reboot for the updates to apply. Also, the flagship desktop environment is GNOME, which often requires a bit of tinkering (by way of installing extensions) to make it more user-friendly.
Fedora 41 might be the fastest iteration of the OS I’ve ever tested.
Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
However, Fedora is lightning-fast and can keep up with the best of the minimal distributions. That alone makes it worth the effort.
3. Debian
One of the first things I always have to do after installing Debian is add my user to the sudo group. But since my user isn’t a member of the sudo group, I have to first su to the root user and then add the user to sudo with the usermod command. Every. Single. Time. The reason for that is security, but it also means users would have to su to root, which is often considered a security issue.
Also: My favorite way to run Windows apps on Linux just got even better
Then there’s the usual “locate and install newer versions of the software I use because Debian ships with older packages.” Debian ships with older packages for one simple reason: stability. That’s not to say the packages are out of date (they aren’t) or no longer supported (they are); it just means the Debian developers prefer apps that have been well tested and proven to be rock solid.
Although Debian does ship with Flatpak preinstalled, it is not bundled with GNOME software (the GNOME app store). To fix this, you have to run the command sudo apt-get install flatpak gnome-software-plugin-flatpak -y. Of course, to do that, you first have to add your user to the sudo group (which is why it’s the first thing I always do with Debian).
The good news is that, once you have everything as you want it, you’ll find Debian to be as rock-solid and reliable as any OS you’ve ever used.
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4. Bodhi Linux
I have a soft spot for Bodhi Linux for two reasons: It reminds me of my days with the Enlightenment desktop environment, and it revels in not being the “same ol’ same ol'” desktop operating system.
Bodhi Linux uses a desktop environment inspired by Enlightenment Moksha. Moksha is different than any operating system UI you’ve ever used, which means you’re going to have to spend a good amount of time getting up to speed with it. You might also find yourself doing a lot of tinkering with the desktop, simply because you can. When Enlightenment was my desktop environment of choice, I’d spend hours playing around with it to get it exactly how I wanted. Chances are good that you’ll find yourself wanting to do the same. That doesn’t mean you have to. The default Moksha layout is perfectly suitable for most users, but you still might find yourself wanting to tinker.
The Bodhi desktop menu makes opening applications a simple affair.
Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
In the end, if you take the time to learn the Bodhi desktop, you’ll find it very satisfying, efficient, and fast.
5. openSUSE
Hear me out on this one. Sure, you could install openSUSE and use it straight away with zero extra work. However, when you start poking around the desktop menu, you’ll find that the supremely powerful YaST configuration tool is being phased out in favor of Myrlyn (replaces the YaST software management GUI), Agama (handles the installation), and Cockpit (takes over system management tasks).
Also: XeroLinux could be the most beautiful Linux desktop on the market
Few users are accustomed to accessing a system management tool from within a web browser, but that will soon be the case with openSUSE. Although it might seem confusing at first, it’s probably a good move for openSUSE, because YaST was far too powerful for the average user. Within YaST, there were things that, if used incorrectly, could seriously break your system.
Another issue you’ll have to deal with is installing the necessary multimedia codecs, so you can play audio and video files.
OpenSUSE Tumbleweed lays out KDE Plasma in an all-too familiar way.
Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
The good news is that once you configure openSUSE as you want it, the OS will serve you reliably for a long time.
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Source: Robotics - zdnet.com
