Best Linux Distro Privacy/Usability for a mid level user
What do you think is the best linux distro for a user who wants to migrate from windows in terms of privacy, usability and respect for the FOSS spirit?
I’m thinking to give a chance to #ElementaryOS https://elementary.io
I think to start, Mint or Ubuntu is a good choice, it has support for most hardware and will probably run on whatever you install it.
Also something that I think most new Linux users should focus on; instead of distro pick the desktop environment (DE). As a beginner it does not really matter if you use, lets say, a Debian- or Fedora-based distro. Pick a DE that looks pleasing to you maybe GNOME or KDE and take the installation with that DE. Maybe do not start with Arch or Gentoo as they are for more experienced users that already have some Linux experience.
Distros will be way more interesting and important when you got a hold of Linux and you want to explore the differences of them.
Last tip: Make a separated /home directory, so when you want to change to a new distro you do not have to delete all your files and start over with an empty machine.
I wish you a good start into Linux and do not hesitate to ask questions if they arise!
I’d recommend against ubuntu (but not against derivatives of it) because they clearly don’t respect the FOSS spirit with their insistence on snaps.
True, but you can easily switch to Flatpaks and use them instead.
At that point, why not just run mint instead?
Mint all the way. Have had nothing but good experience with it.
So far, I understand that mint doesn’t use snapd, right?
By default Mint uses Apt.
At that point, use Mint.
@Encryption @privacy I’ve discarded Ubuntu due to snapd. Does Linux mint also use snapd? 🤔
Linux Mint makes a point of excluding all the Snap stuff. It’s a very good distro where everything usually just works.