5 Best Linux Distros for Beginners

Linux Stans ^ | 25 December 2020 | Valentino Bocchetti

[ShadowAce]

Are you tired of Windows problems?

Have you heard about this magic place called Linux and you want to try it out?

Here are the 5 best distros for beginners.

They are all Debian-based distros, so they all use the apt package manager by default. This kind of distro is easy to learn and to install.

Ubuntu

How can we not start with Ubuntu? This is one of the most famous distros out there. After the login, we throw into a friendly desktop, similar or not to Windows style. The force of Linux is the chance to have only the thing that we like (all pieces are in fact interchangeable). Following this line, Ubuntu gives us many desktop environments (called also flavor) to pick for all kinds of PC performance or tastes. The difference between those is about the consumption and the look and feel (so you are not limited to a single desktop environment and its features). Its default flavor is Gnome, but as just mentioned you can choose another flavor by installing one of Ubuntu’s derivate.  So based on your target of use I suggest you:

• Lubuntu and Xubuntu if you want a low consuming distro.
• Kubuntu, if your target is high personalization.
•  Gnome (and its fork Mate) if you want a Windows-like view.

Ubuntu offers to the users two types of version:

• The latest version (20.10)
• LTS (long-term support) version (20.04)

The difference is about guaranteed support.

If you have any problem you can count on its giant community, which helps you to learn and practice. So in a very tiny time, you can efficiently learn all you need.

Mint

You love Windows-style, but not Windows? Linux Mint is the distro for you! This distro is focused on easy use, cleary immediately. After the boot, you will feel like home, due to its 3 different version: cinnamon, mate, xfce (plasma is no more officially supported), that makes Mint easy to learn and manage. As just said the look and feel are similar to the habits of a Windows user, with a panel that displays all the information that you need, so a plus feature. It also offers a very useful community, for all your doubts.

WARNING: By default, version 20 (Ulyana) doesn’t allow snap package, but you can enable it following this command on terminal:

1. sudo rm /etc/apt/preferences.d/nosnap.pref
2. sudo apt update
3. sudo apt install snapd

Here we go!

MX Linux

MX Linux deserves special attention for well-made offline documentation, that guides the user to learn about how this system works step by step, a very friendly community, and a lot of tools out the box helpful to manage the system. By default, it is shipped with KDE and XFCE flavors.

In the installation live we can also install programs, which will be transferred to the final system (a very useful feature, if you make some changes, that you want to preserve after the installation).

Deserve a mention the presence of tools out the box helpful to manage the system:

• Nvidia driver installer;
• Codecs installer;
• User manager;
• Tools for the maintenance;
• iDevice Mounter (for iPhone users);
• Live tools for updates.

Elementary OS

If you are a lover of Mac OS style, Elementary OS is the distro that best suits you. It is shipped with Gnome too, so you won’t have problems with the position of all the screen elements. The home screen present:

• a status bar on the top (with all the toggles that you need) very similar to Mac-OS style;
• a bottom bar easily customizable (like the Mac-OS dock).

Helpful additions are:

• The key bindings for keyboard shortcut callable with pressure on Super key (the windows key);
• The screen time & limits (you can find it in the setting) that allow you to set a limit to the use of screen and internet (to avoid some contents for your kids)
• A very well-made “app-store”.

So if you like this kind of style you will feel at home.

SPOILER: if you want to install free Elementary OS you can set 0 on the payment offer

Zorin

Zorin OS is a distro for those who want to have a clean and futuristic design. It is derivate by Ubuntu, and like it is shipped with Gnome by default; there is also a version with xfce desktop environment for old PC. This distro present 4 edition:

• Ultimate, which has a cost of 39 $ (this price is to help them to develop the distro);
• Core;
• Lite;
• Education.

	ULTIMATE	CORE	LITE	EDUCATION
Libre office suite	✔	✔	✔	✔
Advanced desktop (Gnome 3)	✔	✔		✔
Lightweight desktop (XFCE 4)	✔		✔	✔
Zorin Connect	✔	✔		✔
Standard desktop layouts	✔	✔	✔	✔
Premium desktop layout	✔
Educational apps & games				✔
Business & media apps	✔
20 games preinstalled	✔
Zorin installation support	✔

These difference are minimal, because all of the pluses of the Ultimate version, can be installed also on the other version

INSTALLATION

All these distros are installable with a graphical installer, which is intuitive (you are not exposed to command-line). In the installation you can also choose the type of installation:

• lightweight installation (if you want to install other programs instead of the default programs)
• full installation (it includes all the updates and the basic programs)

The installation program presents you three choices:

• Automatic partition
• Manual partition
• Installing the distro alongside another OS (the dual-boot mode)

FIRST CHANGES

You don’t like the default theme? Don’t worry:  all these distros present a lot of themes besides the classic light and dark theme.

I suggest some of them:

• If you are a dark user:
  • Arc theme;
  • Adapta theme;
  • Darcula theme;
  • Material Theme;
• If you are a light user:
  • Numix theme;
  • Ultimate maia theme.

You would like to change also the icon theme, so here to you my favorite:

• Papirus icon theme;
• Numix Circle;
• OS Catalina (if you like Mac-OS style);
• Vimix;
• Breeze.

WHAT I NEED TO START

Mint

linux mint

You love Windows-style, but not Windows? Linux Mint is the distro for you! This distro is focused on easy use, cleary immediately. After the boot, you will feel like home, due to its 3 different version: cinnamon, mate, xfce (plasma is no more officially supported), that makes Mint easy to learn and manage. As just said the look and feel are similar to the habits of a Windows user, with a panel that displays all the information that you need, so a plus feature. It also offers a very useful community, for all your doubts.

WARNING: By default, version 20 (Ulyana) doesn’t allow snap package, but you can enable it following this command on terminal:

sudo rm /etc/apt/preferences.d/nosnap.pref sudo apt update sudo apt install snapd

Here we go! MX Linux

mx linux

MX Linux deserves special attention for well-made offline documentation, that guides the user to learn about how this system works step by step, a very friendly community, and a lot of tools out the box helpful to manage the system. By default, it is shipped with KDE and XFCE flavors.

In the installation live we can also install programs, which will be transferred to the final system (a very useful feature, if you make some changes, that you want to preserve after the installation).

Deserve a mention the presence of tools out the box helpful to manage the system:

Nvidia driver installer; Codecs installer; User manager; Tools for the maintenance; iDevice Mounter (for iPhone users); Live tools for updates.

Elementary OS

If you are a lover of Mac OS style, Elementary OS is the distro that best suits you. It is shipped with Gnome too, so you won’t have problems with the position of all the screen elements. The home screen present:

a status bar on the top (with all the toggles that you need) very similar to Mac-OS style; a bottom bar easily customizable (like the Mac-OS dock).

Helpful additions are:

The key bindings for keyboard shortcut callable with pressure on Super key (the windows key); The screen time & limits (you can find it in the setting) that allow you to set a limit to the use of screen and internet (to avoid some contents for your kids) A very well-made “app-store”.

So if you like this kind of style you will feel at home.

SPOILER: if you want to install free Elementary OS you can set 0 on the payment offer Zorin

Zorin OS is a distro for those who want to have a clean and futuristic design. It is derivate by Ubuntu, and like it is shipped with Gnome by default; there is also a version with xfce desktop environment for old PC. This distro present 4 edition:

Ultimate, which has a cost of 39 $ (this price is to help them to develop the distro); Core; Lite; Education.

ULTIMATE CORE LITE EDUCATION Libre office suite ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Advanced desktop (Gnome 3) ✔ ✔ ✔ Lightweight desktop (XFCE 4) ✔ ✔ ✔ Zorin Connect ✔ ✔ ✔ Standard desktop layouts ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Premium desktop layout ✔ Educational apps & games ✔ Business & media apps ✔ 20 games preinstalled ✔ Zorin installation support ✔

These difference are minimal, because all of the pluses of the Ultimate version, can be installed also on the other version INSTALLATION

All these distros are installable with a graphical installer, which is intuitive (you are not exposed to command-line). In the installation you can also choose the type of installation:

lightweight installation (if you want to install other programs instead of the default programs) full installation (it includes all the updates and the basic programs)

The installation program presents you three choices:

Automatic partition Manual partition Installing the distro alongside another OS (the dual-boot mode)

FIRST CHANGES

You don’t like the default theme? Don’t worry: all these distros present a lot of themes besides the classic light and dark theme.

I suggest some of them:

If you are a dark user: Arc theme; Adapta theme; Darcula theme; Material Theme; If you are a light user: Numix theme; Ultimate maia theme.

You would like to change also the icon theme, so here to you my favorite:

Papirus icon theme; Numix Circle; OS Catalina (if you like Mac-OS style); Vimix; Breeze.

WHAT I NEED TO START

In order to give a chance to Linux you need:

An ISO (image it as a complete copy of everything stored on a physical disc) of the distro chosen; A pen drive or a CD; A burn-iso program, such as Rufus or Balena-etcher (more friendly in my opinion);

And there is it. Now turn off the PC, connect the disc, and boot into it.

Enjoy it!

In order to give a chance to Linux you need:

1. An ISO (image it as a complete copy of everything stored on a physical disc) of the distro chosen;
2. A pen drive or a CD;
3. A burn-iso program, such as Rufus or Balena-etcher (more friendly in my opinion);

And there is it. Now turn off the PC, connect the disc, and boot into it.

Enjoy it!

[ShadowAce]

Tech Ping

[wombatsrule]

SOC Pi user, please add me to your ping list.

May God give you His Blessings

[martin_fierro]

I like everything about Linux mint except that ferkakte startup chime.

Like nails on chalkboard.

[srmanuel]

I personally like the Raspberry PI running Debian I have my one machine running ADS-B software with FlightAware tracking airplanes as they fly over North Florida.

The interesting thing is Raspberry Pi has a utility running on my Windows laptop that allows you to create boot disks for a number of different Linux versions so I a Ubuntu disk setup and ready to go

[Codeflier]

Linux piece 2021

[ShadowAce]

You’ve been added. Welcome!

[DollyCali]

BBT. to return when Im awake and learn something.(maybe) thanks ShadowACe

[ShadowAce]

I also run a Pi using Plex, connected to my Roku.

It's a very nice media server.

[DaxtonBrown]

I went Ubuntu Mint Cinnamon two years ago. Solid as a rock, easy to use, all you need.

[daniel1212]

sudo rm /etc/apt/preferences.d/nosnap.pref sudo apt update sudo apt install snapd

Thanks but mistake #1 in such helps is assuming a novice even knows what you are referring to. In this case what in the world "terminal" means or where it is or how to quickly shortcut-key access it (Ctrl+Alt+T in Ubuntu). Most Windows users do not even know what the Run or terminal command is or where to or how to quickly shortcut-key access it.

[daniel1212]

Most fun? https://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/puppy-bionicpup-8.html

[ShadowAce]

I think you are underestimating people's ability to pick up on things.

I could be wrong. I've been doing this for so long now, I literally cannot remember ever not knowing these things (Started in 1976).

[ShadowAce]

As far as terminals go, this one is kinda fun, but it's not really for me.

I installed it on my Fedora laptop as an AppImage, so I can run it, but I don't use it in my day-to-day work.

[ConservativeMind]

My mother does not know those things, and she’s used Windows in some form since 3.1. She used a DOS 2.0 transportable Compaq, before that.

Unbelievably, she’s a “computer expert” to relatives in assisted living.

She gets them to buy Dell and get Dell’s onsite and other support.

She didn’t know what a “URL” was until a couple years ago, because she just always came to Bing and clicked on search results.

Finding and understanding File Explorer is beyond her, but she knows how to find her photos. She only knows that her Word files are available by first double-clicking on Word, then choosing “Open.”

She has thousands of files in the default folder for Word and did not know how to attach any file to an email without using the creating program’s “Send” option. I found this latter thing out two months ago.

It does not matter how patient you are with your time to teach her, because she has a complete mental block and you can’t tell her anything because she’s her own “expert.”

[BipolarBob]

I have Zorin. Every Windows I had slowed down over time. I did the usual but over time it slo - o- - o ed down. Zorin is fast and stays fast. My only problem is watching video, it freezes up all the time. I have to right click it constantly to keep the video going. The sound keeps going but the picture stops. Other than that I love it.

[redcatcherb412]

Linux Mint Cinnamon and Windows 7 for only 2 software packages that don’t run outside of Windows on separate dual boot 250gb SSD’s. For over a year has been bulletproof without a hiccup. Fast isn’t even a term I use to describe it.

[politicianslie]

For later, other than that, I love it

[Varmint Al]

I have been using Linux Mint Cinnamon since Windows XP expired. Here is a screenshot of my system. I opened the Extra Software folder of software that is free except a commercial version of Aptik. The Software Manager folder is where one can install or uninstall additional software and it is all free. I am very happy and satisfied with Linux. It is a great operating system. The Linux kernel has all of the drivers for most all computers. Try Linux. It is GREAT.

Good Hunting... from Varmint Al

[Paleo Pete]

Nothing about Puppy Linux?

http://puppylinux.com/

Puppy is my favorite way to introduce newcomers to Linux, or Knoppix, but I haven’t looked into Knoppix in several years.

The idea is a “live cd”. You pop it in, reboot and you’re looking at Linux. Shut down, pull the cd, and you’re back into windows, untouched. Now you can also use it on a USB drive, I’m not going to try it until I get another issue figured out. How to install a few favorite games...

I have a recent version I use on my win 7 laptop now and then, and on a used eMacines with a botched win 7 install. It looks like someone rebooted during a windows 10 “upgrade” and now win 7 is there but only the core OS. No system utilities work at all. Can’t run msconfig, regedit, any system tools.

So I keep a Puppy CD in it. Just downloaded Mint a few days ago, haven’t taken time to burn it to cd yet, too much else going on trying to recover from the ice storm. I think I have an extra hard drive I can use as a test platform, it’s not hard to swap it out. If not, I know where to find them.

Only thing about Puppy I’m not pleased with is it only has a couple of games, and I haven’t figured out how to install a few favorite arcade games and make them keep working so I can burn the result to cd.

That’s another nice feature, you can customize Linux all day long, then burn the results to a CD and you have your own custom install, tailored to your likes. I’ve seen custom builds tailored to education, science and astronomy. The astronomy one was good but I don’t think it’s being developed any more. Everything you could possibly want for an astronomy related OS, including software to attach a telescope to a laptop and take pictures through it. Want to know when the space station will be overhead in your area? It’s there...CLICK...want to see Jupiter’s red spot? Yep, software was included to tell you what night and time, just set your time zone.

Strange though, I built and repaired computers for a living for 15 years, never figured out much about Linux except to boot it up and use it. Didn’t want to though, I wanted to see if it was “ready for prime time”, so I approached it as a complete computer illiterate, can I use it with no knowledge of anything but point and click?

Yes, but Linux in general had a steep learning curve 15 years ago when Puppy was still a 120MB file that would fit on a mini cd. (Puppy and Knoppix were easy, but a full install of Mandrake, Debian or Red Hat was an eye opener)

Just using it and getting online was no big problem, getting dial up working was fairly painless. (no broadband when I first checked out Puppy). Ran like a scalded dog, Puppy would run on a 386 that would choke on windows 95. On a 233MMX, it just screamed. Ran circles around win98 on tbe exact same machine and left no changes whatsoever, except for a small swap file windows would ignore. On identical, brand new 1GHz computers I built myself, XP ran like a dog, while Mandrake 9, released not long after XP, would still run on a 233. XP required a 500 PIII to just stumble along. Kinda reminds me of biden compared to Trump...biden would be XP on a pentium 500, Trump would be Mandrake on the 233mmx, and still running circles around windows, on a machine half as fast with half the RAM. No, I’m not kidding. Mandrake 9 on a 233mmx with 256 mb ram outran XP on a 1GHz PIII with 512 ram.

I also had Mandrake 9 installed on a 1GHZ PIII machine. Identical to my XP machine, with minor hardware differences, Mandrake ran circles around XP and never slowed down a bit while I had to reinstall XP after 2 years because it was so sluggish. That’s because Linux has always had much better memory management. I still don’t know of a reliable way to kill Windows processes once the application that requires them is shut down. Linux does it automatically.

And there were also some other options, like Feather Linux, Damn Small Linux, and a couple of others, all very small, would fit on a mini cd except for Knoppix, and just worked great as a bootable cd. Puppy and Knoppix turned out to be my favorites. Damn Small was quite good too. Feather worked great, light and fast.

I can’t remember which others I tried. Didn’t like Ubuntu much. It ran good, just wasn’t the OS for me. Mandrake, later Mandriva, was my favorite full install. I used it up to Mandrake 10, very good.