retiringwhen wrote: ↑Tue Jan 24, 2023 8:01 pm
roamingzebra wrote: ↑Tue Jan 24, 2023 5:59 pm
gavinsiu wrote: ↑Tue Jan 24, 2023 3:14 pm
My issue typically is more with integrating with my existing eco-system. Can I connect to my synology server and backup to it. Can I print to my printer. Can I connect to my veracrypt containers.
Finding a daily driver is one of those areas where all talk, no action doesn't work.
Just dive in and try a few distros -- maybe starting with several Ubuntu-based ones.
I remember when I made the switch from Windows, failure wasn't an option. I was highly motivated to dump Windows and would do whatever it took, however long it took, to find a substitute. Once you find something that is almost perfect, it can be a keeper for years, and you can, as time allows, fill in any gaps until it becomes more perfect.
So run a "beauty contest" of sorts of various distros/DEs in a virtual machine, or use a live USB. See how many boxes each allows you to check off.
The reason there is no perfect answer is not just that people's indivual needs are different, but different hardware has different degrees of support for Linux. Dell and Lenovo, and I've heard HP also, are good bets. I can't talk about the fancier machines since I always use low-end, but the low-end machines always work for me as far as Linux is concerned.
This is the core problem with Linux on the Desktop, it is a massive time sink for something that 95% of the population has no skill or interest in performing and a sufficient alternative can be bought at Best Buy for less than $500 with no real configuration. For the remaining 5%, the search is reward in itself. Unless the OP has that desire and will reap the emotional/intellectual reward for the search, it is just wasted effort.
If you find the search satisfying, by all means continue, but don't expect the effort to be minimal.
I think you may have misunderstood my post. Trying out several distros is similar to trying on different types of clothes in a department store. Yes, time consuming, but fundamentally a precaution against buying clothes that won't fit. IOW, trying several distros gives a better chance of finding that one distro that does fit. Once found, it's easy coasting for the most part, or at least fewer annoyances.
The only major time sinks for me were when I first was looking for a distro and when I switched from 32-bit to 64-bit. The initial foray into Linux was harder for me than for most since my hardware was so ancient, it was practically from the floppy disk era. But once I got the system on my computer, the amount of time tinkering was the same that I used when on Windows. As much as I loved Windows XP, it never was perfect for me. I had to learn how to modify the registry and read a couple of books to understand the Control Panel settings. In other words, whatever OS one is using, there usually is a period of customization and learning. That is not unique to Linux.
And did I mention that I used the Mac before Windows?! Wow. That was a huge learning curve going from Mac to Windows. Windows to Linux was similar. Unless one just uses the browser, there usually is a learning curve regardless of operating system.
As an addendum, I'll cite a little history. Mac was always considered the easiest OS to use, but in the beginning, it supported very little software. That's really the main reason Windows became popular. It was hard to use, a bit convoluted and a bit techy, but people latched onto it because there was more software for it (and it was cheaper). Similarly, people now think Windows is easy to use since they're used to it and a key reason for switching to Linux is because Windows broke the sacred covenant: "The customer is always right". I.e., against fierce opposition, they made a radical change in the UI and shoved it down its users' throats. So, now some people are willing to go through a new learning curve, this time for freedom.
