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UBUNTU without the CONTROVERSIAL choices: try these 5 Linux distros!

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#Linux #Ubuntu #linuxdistro

00:00 Intro
00:51 Sponsor: Regain control of your network connection
01:49 Why not just use Ubuntu?
03:54 Debian (instant clickbait)
05:14 Linux Mint
06:19 Rhino Linux
07:37 Pop!_OS
09:18 Tuxedo OS
11:01 Why not these ones?
13:24 The LTS problem
14:23 Sponsor: Get a PC made to run Linux
15:28 Support the channel

Generally, what people dislike about Ubuntu are the inclusion of Snaps, the proprietary backend of the Snap Store, the opt-out telemetry, and some questionable decisions over the years.

But you could always disable all of that? That’s just part of the story. If what you dislike is Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, then disabling this doesn’t really help.

And we’ll begin by immediately lying, as this one isn’t Ubuntu based: it’s actually the one Ubuntu is based on: Debian. If what you like about Ubuntu, and what you want to keep using, is apt, the package manager, the vast software repos, but you want a vanilla KDE or GNOME experience, and none of the Canonical projects and decisions, Debian might be a really solid bet.

Mint is based on the latest Ubuntu LTS, and removes basically everything that makes Ubuntu, Ubuntu: snaps aren’t there, some apps that don’t have a debian package anymore in Ubuntu have on in Mint, like Chromium, and they don’t use the GNOME desktop: you get Cinnamon, a desktop Mint developed themselves, once based on GNOME 3, but now pretty much its own thing.

One you might want to try is Rhino Linux. It’s also a relatively recent distro, and it moves away from the Ubuntu template by being a rolling release: it doesn’t give you major upgrades, it’s always updated in the background, especially the Linux kernel, and some important apps, like Firefox.

Rhino Linux doesn’t use the GNOME desktop by default, it uses its own vision of XFCE, that, let’s be honest, feels very much like modern GNOME. You can use apt, but Rhino Linux also comes with a meta package manager, called Rhino-pkg, that lets you install debian packages from the repos, flatpaks, snaps, and it also lets you use pacstall, an equivalent to the Arch User repository for Ubuntu.

Another Ubuntu based distro that has a few cool tricks up its sleeve is PopOS. PopOS has some updates on top of that base, notably for drivers and the Linux kernel, and has some applications that are provided in their own repo, so you’re not stuck on very old versions of important apps. They also have some interesting tweaks to the GNOME desktop: they offer a different experience, with a dock by default, an app launcher, and auto tiling features that let you switch from floating windows to a tiling window manager at the press of a button, or with a keyboard shortcut.

If you’re more of a KDE user, then there’s Tuxedo OS. It’s Ubuntu based, with the latest KDE apps and desktop, plucked straight from KDE Neon’s repositories: this means you get a semi rolling release model, with access to the repos for Ubuntu’s latest LTS version, plus some extra repos on top of that for more recent kernel and drivers, and some applications that need to be more up to date.

And now for a list of the distros I didn’t really include, and the reasons why!

The first one is Zorin OS: while it’s a good take on Ubuntu, being basically exactly Ubuntu LTS, but with a customized desktop, pre made layouts, and support for virtually every packaging format out of the box, it’s also based on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, and the Linux kernel 5.15.

The second one is elementary OS. It’s based on 22.04 LTS, and does have access to the full Ubuntu repos. While I personally think it’s a really great option, the defaults won’t fit everyone, including the removal of all debian based packages from their graphical app store.

And then there are all the Ubuntu flavours: they’re also now constrained by Canonical’s decisions, like preventing them from shipping another packaging format than snap.

source

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41 thoughts on “UBUNTU without the CONTROVERSIAL choices: try these 5 Linux distros!”

  • I wanted to try TUXEDO– but couldn't get it to boot at all…..BUT Then- that was when I had a download speed here of 4 meg on a good day– could have gotten corrupted or something– NOW Ihave fiber optic and 100 meg min .. upand down.. maybe I'll try it again. I've used ZORIN— it's OK- but just didn't " do it " for me.. and- lastly– SNAPS IS CRAPS.. so that lets this out for me.

  • Tried Rhino– looks too"cartoony"for me– didn't like it..

  • I really like the NEW mint– IF– I F they would come up with some way to do AUTO-TILING (like the pop shell does for gnome or BISMUTH does on kde)..then it would be PERFECT..

  • Just want you to know- I LOVE your reviews– the style makes it so entertaining- and factual without fluff. I LIKE that. I agree with you MOST of the time- but sometimes I piss you off– (like hating the way the IDIOTS that made gnome call it "G-nome" which IS incorrect by english rules regardless of what they think.. or why…. BUT- all that crap aside– your reviews are EXCELLENT– all of them!!! RIGHT now I use DEBAIN BASED NEPTUNE– love it– and also SPARKY– love that too.. both GREAT- FAST, light- and fun.. and based on debian 12.. but with flatpaks so they're UP TO DATE pretty much- close enough- NO ONE needs everything up to the minute NEW– that's just stupid..

  • I never noticed your Fehu tattoo on your left arm before. Trying to coax a little extra cash into your life? 🙂

  • "You can always uninstall snap, disable the telemetry…" Last time I tried running Firefox (installed via apt) on Ubuntu, it told me I had to install the Firefox snap. Not sure whether uninstalling snap would fix that.

  • A little annoying that none of these offer gnome outside of debian. It either requires ubuntu's gnome, or isn't promised to work

  • Sparky also comes in game edition , rescue edition , minimal CLI as well as minimal GUI edition

  • It's not an Ubuntu based distro but sparky Linux is debian based you can get most any desktop just install sparky minimal GUI then from app center goto desktops and pick your favorite and you can get most Ubuntu apps (for desktop choose cinnamon , kde, gnome shell, gnome flashback , CDE , i3 , awesome, enlightenment or One of a dozen others.😊

  • I never see covering of Ubuntu Studio which is prime for the Linux audio community and not bad for those into video editing as well.
    May I ask why?

  • You missed MX Linux. A fair choice to try IMO.

  • Debian with KDE Plasma + Flatpaks = 💪😈

  • the problem is canonical makes it soooooooo inconvenient to get rid of all the stuff u don't want, 1 cannot live with such an OS. i am making a conscious effort 2 "eject" ubuntu from my life. i find it such a great pity bec i came on board ubuntu bec of watt the software stood for & watt ubuntu means. it seems over the years, it has come to mean anything but "ubuntu."

  • Ubuntu is a good OS and their desktops a lovely but it the Snaps that spoil it. You cannot remove Snap because it breaks the whole operating system. That's why I use Linux Mint which I an using with the Kubuntu desktop on one laptop and Ubuntu Gnome on another. I have all of the features of Ubuntu as well as the Mint apps but no Snap. Ubuntu should make having Snap optional like Mint does. I don't know why they don't.

  • I'm glad I jumped ship to Mint long ago. It's insane how Canonical is chasing the Microsoft/Apple model.

  • I actually used Zorin OS on my Dell laptop sometime early this year.

  • Which application is used at 8:12 to display the sources and packages? From the icon it looks like eddy but I'ver never seen that view.

  • I love pop os but they look ugly out of box

  • Two weeks later and Linux Mint Debian Edition 6 has been released.

    Based on Debian 12 with the latest kernel, Cinnamon desktop and utilities. I'd say this is the best option for most people right now. You get all the Linux Mint goodness but with a stable Debian base.

  • Ubuntu (and its variants) bricked my system multiple times along the years. Fedora on the other hand has been rock solid. I still don't get why so many people are in love with Ubuntu when better alternatives exist. I get it was easier to get into linux 15 years ago (I myself started to use linux as main OS in 2008) but honestly times have changed since then.

  • !!! KDE DE fans need to give Tuxedo OS more love !!!

    I only considered it an option for dualboot with XeroLinux (arch based ready to use KDE) because it flew under my radar.

    – The minimal KDE NEON have 2 big problems : documentation support in their webpage and a Driver Utility (nvidia GPU install is squetchy).
    It is more of a developer distro than anything tbh. I like its barebone aspect but without doc it makes it harder to use than arch if you are in a productive environment.
    Not to forget KDEneon bloat you with snaps in the Discover manager without a way to get rid of them resulting in a pollution of search results when looking for programs.

  • I may be in the minority here, but I've been using Ubuntu 22.04 LTS for almost a year now and I've been very satisfied with my experience. Granted, I don't use it for much (only Maptool and web browsing and image processing), so that's probably helping its case here.

  • For me, it's extremely hard to choose a distro when there are so many good options out there. It's hard for me to choose a web browser, now imagine choosing a distro 😅 that's why I'm sticking with Windows

  • @thelinuxexperiment are you a 40k fan? Looks like an ork and space marine box on your book shelf in the background. I already loved the channel now I am just geeking out now lol

  • The only problem i have with modern gnome is that its a resource hog and is coded poorly.
    If they could reduce the overhead and make it lighter while keeping the same design, i would absolutely love to use it.

  • I can't use Linux anymore at work! I am a programmer and installed Ubuntu on my work laptop. Recently, for security purposes, IT is requiring Okta Verify installed. Logging in to our internal systems will require it and search for it locally. Okta doesn't have a Linux version. I am forced to go back to Windows. Ugh! 😢

  • Not controversial in my opinon,. They are educated and logical options. Snap Store allows control of the packages. Some other open managers are wild west and can easily contain malware.
    If all distributions what the most noisy in the community wants, all distributions will be exactly the same. Most of the "controversial" options are easily changed by uninstalling and installing tools. But the beautiful thing about Linux is you can use what you want.

  • I installed Debian Testing but I have a problem, at the settings it says WiFi adaptor not found but my WiFi is actually connected and internet is working

  • Naw 😐 just use regular Ubuntu 😁

  • Just one note about the firefox thing: Mozilla ASKED Canonical to distribute firefox snap and not the deb… For whatever reason. Amazon thing? Well yeah fucked up but like a decade ago. I don't use Ubuntu because it kinda reminds me of Windows with the snaps being kinda forced still and the fact that canonical really cares more about the server side nowadays rather than desktop.

  • Well, despite its Irish origins, Zorin OS has a rather questionable background .. at least for me .. the Zorin brothers – the co-founders of the OS – are still Russians and I would ask myself if I would entrust my sensitive personal stuff to Russians .. knowing what they are capable to.

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