this post was submitted on 13 Nov 2023
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Why does this quiz have so many fuckin distributions? If a newbie is looking for a distro to install, why would you ever recommend anything more niche than Ubuntu/Mint, or Endeavour if they're interested in bleeding edge? I answered the questions as though I was new to Linux and got a massive list of every Ubuntu and Fedora derivative, with Manjaro sprinkled in for good measure.
I am very new to linux. this is actually great for me because of how detailed the results are. it doesn't just say "this one."
it gives pros and cons based on the things you want to do with your install. which is very nice when this is all new and you're not sure what they all are really for.
it means I can learn a little about every distro, not just the ones that might be right for my needs at the time, but maybe later if I want to use a different one for something else.
more distros means more for me to shop around for. it's nice to have more options, not less.
Right, but the fact of the matter is you can do most things on any distro, it's very rare that any one distros is "really for" anything specific. They're not all that different to one another at the end of the day, and to a new user potentially paralyzed by choice this site doesn't really help either.
Sometimes it's much easier to say "here's 3 that offer the most stable new experience, try them out." And afterwards if you get really tech savvy then go down the niche distro-hopping rabbit hole.
More distros is certainly a good thing, but most new linux users don't even know what they're looking for or would even get to the technical depth where the difference between any two distros would actually matter to their daily use. Even more so with the current migration of gamers onto Linux.
I too am a new to Linux person. I started with mint, as the most like what I'm used to. I like seeing that there are options I might like better, along with why I, personally, might prefer them. as well as why mint didn't rate high. and I like that it's not just spitting out the creator's favorite distro.
some people get decision paralysis, i get your recommendation. but you'll also lose some people if you just give them the Linux that's easiest and closest to what they already know, instead of highlighting how it's flexible and customizable. we need both methods of recommending a distro.
there's plenty of beginner guides telling me to start with mint. I like this picker that considers my interests. looks like I might be trying OpenSuse in the future.