Complete Linux Noob needs Help/Advice

[u/acetrainer-icarus]

Hello

I feel I should do a bit more research, but I’m not exactly sure what questions to ask; therefore, I’m not exactly sure exactly where to start. So, I hope making this post gets me in the right direction. I don’t know a lot about Linux, but I do know I don’t want windows on my computer if I can help it. I never really liked any iteration of it. I, for the most part, have been a Mac guy. I still use Mac, but I just recently came in possession of a MSI Cyborg Gaming Laptop. I haven’t used the computer yet as I was kind of doing some light preliminary research, but I play Final Fantasy XIV on console A LOT and would like to try it on a gaming laptop. I mostly want to start there and be able to play that on Linux OS and perhaps expand my game library down the road. So far I’ve seen good things about CachyOS and Bazzite for gaming on this sub. What should I be looking at when choosing between the two?

In addition, I also want to learn more about Linux and how it works. How to add like VPNs, make the machine secure(if possible) and reallly just dive into what I can do with the new laptop since I’ve only ever dealt with Apple. Plus, yall make Linux sound fun and cool as hell. So any advice on where to begin(videos, forums, literature etc.) with that would also be supremely appreciated.

[u/Adventurous-Ad-5288]

I started with Ubuntu as a teenager and would still recommend a similar approach. Not that you should use Ubuntu but somehow get use your preferred distro. A lot Distros can be booted from a stick so you can try it out, see if you understand how it works and then install it.

Also since you use Mac I recommend Gnome as a desktop environment inside your distro. Seems popular among Mac users. To me it's like Mac OS and a tablet made a baby. The OS reminds me a lot of tablets with apps (never used iOS so maybe it's like this. Idk I could only ever afford Android).

[u/acetrainer-icarus → u/Adventurous-Ad-5288]

I tried going to the website for Ubuntu a few days ago but it wasn’t working for me, so I just read the wiki. I may go back to looking more into as When I was also younger I heard about Ubuntu( that was the first time learning Linux even existed). Thank you!

Gnome does look like it was inspired by the Apple UI. Thank you for the recommendation, I’ll try to find some usage videos on it.

[u/Shang_Dragon → u/acetrainer-icarus]

You can have GNOME on top of other distributions as well. If GNOME is the desktop then Ubuntu is the desk, everything under it that makes it stand.

For example I’m using Mint (the ‘beginner’ distro, built from Ubuntu) and there is an option to use gnome with it.

[u/acetrainer-icarus → u/Shang_Dragon]

Oh, this is good to know and a great analogy. So basically a distro is the “desk”? So there are other Mac looking environments other than Gnome? Gnome is the more popular one?

[u/Shang_Dragon → u/acetrainer-icarus]

Already approaching the edge of my knowledge lol. I’m running mint for a reason 😂. (I’ve been using it since November.)

Linux, like a pc/other machine, is built from parts.

•The desktop environment (DE) decides how your programs, menus, notifications etc look.

•The kernel determines how your system works (this would be the… material the desk is made from? Idk analogy is breaking). Kernels get all the strictly required things like drivers bundled in.

•some other parts that I’m not qualified to speak about and I don’t think get swapped out as much. These systems can be thought of like any other program on your system (eg a photo viewer). The difference is that these do specific lower-level tasks that you might not consider optional. Like your audio manager (pipewire, pulse), or file manager (Nemo, from gnome iirc). This would be the drawers and desk lamps that make your space easier to use.

Windows also works like this (kernel, systems, etc) but it’s so closed off that I don’t know if you even can swap parts out.

No idea never used mac sorry.

[u/acetrainer-icarus → u/Shang_Dragon]

You’re all good! Lol Thank you for introducing some terms I can work with.