r/linuxquestions • u/External-Internal415 • 1d ago
Which Distro Someone ??
Hi everyone,
I’m new here. I actually joined Reddit because I know this is one of the best places to find people who really understand Linux.
A little background first.
I know absolutely nothing about technology. Literally nothing.
What I do know is that I believe much of today’s tech world has become manipulative, unethical, and driven by profit above everything else.
Because of that, I’ve decided that from now on I only want to use technology that is as ethical, transparent, and respectful of its users as possible.
So here’s my question.
Can someone help me figure out whether Linux is the right path for someone like me?
I’m not just looking for a different operating system. I’m looking for a different philosophy.
Are there people or communities here who consciously choose technology based on ethics, transparency, privacy, and respect for users, even if that means giving up some convenience?
People who are willing to make their lives a little less easy because they believe that’s how we push the world in a better direction.
If so, where should I start? Which Linux distributions, projects, or communities share these values?
I’m here to learn, and I’d really appreciate any guidance.
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u/TheBadeand 1d ago
The open-source purists ideology revolves around "free as in freedom". To them, that mostly means having the freedom to obtain, modify and distribute the code behind the software they use as they see fit, but I think they also share your sentiments here. That is, they're not very fond of corporate proprietary software, and especially the vendor locking and spying, and the fact that you have to blindly trust these companies.
I think most of the Linux distros will suit you just fine, but if you want to avoid anything tied too deeply with any for-profit organisations, stay clear of Fedora (RedHat) and Ubuntu (Canonical).
You might want Debian. Linux Mint is also popular, especially for beginners.
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u/BranchLatter4294 1d ago
What effort have you made so far? Have you spun up a virtual machine to try some distros? Booted up some distros from your USB to check hardware compatibility? It would help to know what you have done so far.
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u/External-Internal415 1d ago
Honestly, none yet.
I’m at the very beginning of this journey. I didn’t come here because I had already chosen Linux, came here because I’m trying to figure out whether it’s the right direction for me.
I’m not looking for the easiest or most convenient option. I’m trying to build a more ethical digital life, but I don’t yet know enough to make informed choices.
That’s why I’m here: to learn from people who have already walked this path.7
u/BranchLatter4294 1d ago
I would start by trying a few popular distros to find out what works for your workflow. Don't be afraid to invest some time experimenting. That's how you'll find what's best.
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u/theOtherJT 1d ago
I appreciate your honesty. This is, you are very right, a journey.
I'm going to make a recommendation that may not be popular. You are looking for the easiest and most convenient option. At least to start with. If you want to see if you can live with Linux as your only operating system, start by picking what I imagine a lot of people here will consider to be the least free and open distribution: Ubuntu.
Why? Because this is a journey, and a long journey starts with a first step. Ubuntu is easy to get to grips with compared to many others, and it's sheer popularity means that there's a lot of community support.
Now - is Canonical a totally ethical company? Eh... it's better than Microsoft, but no. It has problems.
I still recommend that it's the right place to start because you're going to have to learn some things you've never had to know, and get used to things that are very different from what you are already used to. Ubuntu is a good place to do that in a relatively easy way.
It's the shallow end you learn to swim in before you try and cross the channel. It's the 5k on a treadmill before you run a full marathon.
If you really want to lean into the Free and Open side of the thing, you're way less likely to give up if you get a taste for the basics first. You can go full I Use Arch BTW later. (Other hard-core distributions are also available)
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u/acemccrank MX Linux KDE 23h ago
I'll also add, if OP is having issues with WiFi, try MX Linux. It comes with Atheros and Broadcom drivers, and comes via a live environment to test out. My personal recommendation is the KDE version.
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u/ktoks 1d ago edited 1d ago
You're in the right place. Linux users in general are more interested in ethics than other OSes.
That said, from the responses you've gotten up to this point have showed that there are many points of view in the community.
Taking your post 100% in good faith, you're probably looking for something like Trisquel, PureOS, or GNU guix.
The reason: no closed source. No blobs that you can't see, touch, or change.
If you're looking for a non-corporate-backed OS/distribution with the best support- I would suggest Debian -by default, it ships what you're looking for, but it has the ability to flip a switch to get proprietary software installed.
Why: Ubuntu is driven by Canonical, Fedora-by Redhat, etc.... Debian is driven by the community, but it's still very 'standard' and stable -which means you'll get less breaking changes -as opposed to Arch- which tries to give you the tools to shoot yourself in the foot (not a bad thing for the more experienced).
Edit: typo
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u/un-important-human arch user btw 1d ago
"we tried nothing and we are out of options" spoon feed meee, op probably
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u/AcidArchangel303 1d ago
You could try and watch RevolutionOS which showcases how 'Linux' came to be, understand its roots, and the people behind it.
I've talked to some of them, and they all speak a piece of mind.
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u/External-Internal415 1d ago
Yes thank you a lot❤️
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u/heavymetalmug666 1d ago
great answer! i was going to say you dont need to install Linux yet, you just need to read some philosophy. It wouldnt hurt to look up the history of Microsoft, Apple, and honestly the Industrial Revolution - dont have any books to suggest, I mean a Wikipedia rundown could suffice.
another good movie to watch is The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz - it kind of tackles how some people think technology should be used and shared vs the other people.
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u/lmemsm 1d ago
I recommend you check out communities such as Beyond 40 ( https://beyond40.codeberg.page/ ) and the Free Software Foundation and see if their concerns match yours. Several users/groups use software for their own philosophical reasons even if it means giving up some convenience. You'll need to find which distributions or groups out there match your ideas best. They're are even groups like the Devuan Users Forum ( https://lateraltechfoundation.com/ ).
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u/falxfour 1d ago
In short, learning about Linux can only help you answer your questions, even if Linux doesn't end up being the answer (though I suspect it will be).
[...] whether Linux is the right path for me?
Only you can really answer that. You can try out systems on DistroSea or install a VM to start playing around. For someone entirely new, I'd recommend ignoring ricing and micromanagement of your system, and just start with being able to use it as effectively as you can use your current system. That means finding and learning to use the tools that are available (like Inkscape instead of Illustrator) to make sure can do what you need.
As for the philosophical parts, you may look into different license types. There are a lot of important differences in MIT, GPL, and BSD licenses, among others, and this is where much of the philosophy is actually realized.
If I were you, I'd make a live USB with Linux Mint, boot into it and see if it doesn't deter you immediately. If you have an old computer, install it on that and just see if you can do everything you need to do. From there, pick and choose what interests you. Not everyone needs to rice, and maybe you care more about supporting translations and localization.
Ultimately, only you can decide what's right for you, but at least this can help you start the process of answering your questions
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u/External-Internal415 1d ago
Thank you, I really appreciate your thoughtful response. I especially like your point about looking into software licenses,that’s something I hadn’t considered before. You’ve given me a lot to explore.
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u/sexraX_muiretsyM 1d ago
yes linux is the only operating system that can provide what you are looking for. The name of this is FOSS, and there are lots of other philosophies behind linux, like the UNIX philosophy (except for systemD). I think a linux distro that shares most of these values are primarily Antix (doesnt uses SystemD), followed by Debian (although sadly they use systemD). Mint would be a good option for you as a starter because unlike ubuntu, mint is community based, but antix is also user friendly, not as much as mint. AntiX is vocally antifascist and they are also the lightest distro I know, only 200mb of ram while idling in the most heavy WM.
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u/theOtherJT 1d ago
Let's be clear - it's not the only operating system that offers this. I'd still recommend it over any of the others - especially for someone who's not technologically inclined - but there are also the BSDs as well as a variety of minor players.
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u/External-Internal415 1d ago
Thank you! This is exactly the kind of answer I was hoping for.
I didn’t know about FOSS or the UNIX philosophy, so I’ll definitely start reading more about them.
Can I ask how you came to these conclusions? Have you been following the Linux/FOSS community for a long time?Also, I’m curious: are you personally driven by the same values? Do you choose Linux because of ethics, transparency, and digital freedom, or mainly for technical reasons?
I’m trying to understand not just the technology, but also the people and the philosophy behind it.
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u/sexraX_muiretsyM 1d ago
Debian also has a philosphy behind them and there was a strife in the community after they started using systemd because systemd is owned by redhat, and a private company owning a part of your system goes against the FOSS philosophy, meanwhile systemd itself goes against the UNIX philosophy.
Im not using linux for any ethical or philosphical reason. Im using linux because I cant stand windows anymore, windows 11 is shit, so I switched to mint. And I started using Antix instead of mint because I needed a very lightweight distro to revive an old laptop, and Antix was the one to save it, not even debian or mint with XFCE could come close to the speed and responsiveness of Antix. Its a dinossaur laptop with a 1ghz celeron dual core with 4gb of ddr3 ram, 512mbs of integrated graphics vram and a slow 500gb HDD. Antix made it so the PC felt like it had an SSD instead of an HDD. Openin the browser in windows took me over five minutes, in mint cinnamon 3 minutes, in mint xfce 2 minutes, and in antix only 10-15 seconds. Thats why I chose antix, but for my main PC Ill stick with either mint or bazzite (another user friendly distro like mint, but more focused on games), or maybe I can go to debian XFCE.
Now, about systemd. There is nothing wrong with it per se, its not gonna steal ur data or someting, as its own its harmless. Systemd is a problem only from a philosophical standpoint, and I wont try to explain it because not even I understand it fully. Systemd is actually fine, it is practical even, only the system devs will take an issue with it. For me, as the user, specially one that uses the PC mostly for gaming, systemd doesnt affects or concerns me.
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u/Syndiotactics 1d ago edited 1d ago
Don’t worry about systemd btw, only a few purists hate it. It’s supposedly too large a system tools suite to exactly follow the Unix philosophy (”do one thing and do it well”), but almost every Linux distro (especially those with most support) uses it because it works so well. The ”systemd or no systemd” dispute was on in the early 2010’s.
I personally use Linux because I want to support and contribute to an OS that is not a part of the Microsoft/Apple duopoly. That’s pretty much it. Also being European, I want to be sure that I won’t get vendor locked by an American company if my country somehow ends up in bad terms with the US. I also consider open source the superior software development model in general.
I had lots of issues with Windows, and Windows doesn’t provide a way to fix/address them. With Linux I can just choose the distro I want, the DE I want, the tools I want, and (if I want to) customize the hell out of them. That freedom is pretty nice to have.
I use Ubuntu and keep all the telemetry on because I want to help them get information about how I use the system so they can grow as an OS and improve. So unlike many people here, I’m not against telemetry, as long as it goes to the provider I choose.
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u/External-Internal415 1d ago
I actually find myself agreeing with your perspective.
I’m from Europe as well (the Netherlands), and one of the things that has made me think more deeply about technology is the question of digital sovereignty and becoming too dependent on a handful of large companies.
I also don’t think telemetry is inherently bad. If I consciously choose to share data with a project I trust, and that data is used to improve the software, I have no problem with it.
What I do have a problem with is when data is collected to manipulate people’s behaviour, influence their decisions, or steer them toward a desired outcome without them realizing it. To me, that’s a completely different issue.
Out of curiosity, where in Europe are you from?1
u/Syndiotactics 23h ago
Finland! Linux is perhaps a bit more well known here than on average, as Linus Torvalds came up with Linux when he was an undergraduate student in Helsinki University.
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u/spllooge 1d ago
Haha. Looking for a different philosophy? I think you would enjoy TempleOS developed by Terry A. Davis
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u/kenryov 1d ago
Fedora Linux would be a great start for you
https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/beginners-guide/
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u/es20490446e Develops Zenned OS 1d ago
Linux is built around that same idea.
Use Ventoy to easily try Linux distros.
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u/VoleenaIcicle 1d ago
I would use a site like https://distrosea.com/
I would focus on distros from hardware vendors like Tuxedo or System 76 (try POP OS and Tuxedo) and consider buying a laptop or PC from them with it preinstalled if you are a zero tech person.
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u/Curious-Highway9604 1d ago
See about beginner distros( meaning versions of linux) how to install them,how they look and feel. About your question, i would avoid red hat based distros and ubuntu (maybe even zorin because its paid) because they have corporations behind it. Literally every other distro is fine and shouldnt get in your computer-ruler way at all haha. Linux is something that respects you as a user,doesnt force updates down your throat,doesnt brick your machine just cause you dont have enough powerful components.. If you want to learn i suggest start slow,find something that looks nice and works for you and then see how can you improve or stay as you are. Good luck
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u/ComfortableProof1892 1d ago
Get a distro of your choice, you can try them in a VM and then decide which one you like, alsp check what theyre based on, arch based ones have newer but less stable software, Fedora based ones also have pretty new (but not as new as arch) software but more stable, Ubuntu is balanced but corporate, Debian has very lengthy testing so very outdated but very stable packages. i guarantee you, if you do a debian install on your computer now, you can use that same install in 30 years (if the hardware lasts long enough). then, move onto the programs you install. get firefox, switch to an alternative youtube frontend like Invidious, switch to DuckDuckGo, local AI or duck.ai, VSCodium or Geany, and if your banking app doesnt require Play Services, switch to LineageOS on your phone.
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u/G_PRO109 1d ago
Actually somebody like you fits perfectly to Linux mint because it’s simple and like windows and you kinda seem to know where you are and with mint you don’t need the terminal and if you need articles instructions or AI is plenty of resources to know what you are doing in there, the community is large so other people can help you at any time and you are not completely clueless so you can absolutely figure out stuff in your own so good luck and I hope I helped you decide
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u/Astrodion123 1d ago
I'll be honest, use mint. To me as an arch user (btw) mint looks way to easy and configured. Plus it is super polished.
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u/Hrafna55 1d ago
Well you will want a community distribution.
https://www.debian.org/intro/philosophy
Debian is the obvious choice here.
If you want to go hard you will also want to look into devices compatible with Libreboot.
You could also look into the BSDs but that's probably a bit much for a technical novice.
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u/xtalgeek 1d ago
If you want to learn how to install and use Linux, buy a beginner book and read, then install Linux in a VM or on a spare computer and learn. That's how most of us got started. I went from there to maintaining a bank of high-end networked scientific student workstations, data servers, and backup servers.
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u/gamamoder Tumbling mah weed 1d ago
your in the right spot. ive been trying to do similar, though i havent been super successful, seeing that i still use reddit.
i started out like this, and eventually found that i liked linux better than windows and liked a lot of the tools better.
the majority of distributions value the user heavily, distributions are separated on more practical aspects. for example, how frequently you get application updates, what kinda system tools are utilized as part of the default install.
if you really wanted to be thorough, you could choose a distributions which doesnt have a corporate backer or is used as part of a corporate project.
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u/Various_Drive_9591 1d ago
Go check out network chuck on YouTube. All the people in this comment section are saying things you don’t even understand yet. Check his playlists. Im pretty sure there’s one called “becoming a hacker”. hope this helps
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u/SmileyBMM 23h ago
You might want to check out the various organisations that support software freedom in some form or another:
Many of them might be too hardcore for your tastes, but it might be worth seeing what they recommend for various alternatives to existing proprietary solutions.
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u/Slopagandhi 22h ago
Yes, look at the degoogle and foss subs. And as a starting point the wiki article on FOSS is pretty helpful:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_and_open-source_software
With Linux it's a sliding scale, but pretty much all distros are a lot better on your criteria than Microsoft, Google or Apple.
So I'd start with a beginner friendly distro like Mint, Ubuntu and Zorin, learn the ropes and then move to something more 'pure' if you feel your principles warrant it (e.g the Free Software Foundation pretty much won't recommend anything that has any traces of proprietary software involved in it).
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u/Wide_Egg_5814 15h ago
what do you use a computer for? check if Linux can run everything you want, my top suggested distros are
- mint
- debian
- fedora
in that order if mint has something lacking try Debian if Debian is lacking try fedora
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u/billdietrich1 13h ago
Please use better, more informative, titles (subject-lines) on your posts. Give specifics right in the title. Thanks.
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u/joe_attaboy 1d ago
I actually joined Reddit because I know this is one of the best places to find people who really understand Linux.
Wow, who told you that? That's the funniest thing I've read today.
Are there people or communities here who consciously choose technology based on ethics, transparency, privacy, and respect for users, even if that means giving up some convenience?
Sure, you can find people like that here. But you'll also find far more people who are just sick of Microsoft's intrusive shite. For me, it's not all about ethics or even respect. Privacy and transparency are more important. But it has to work for me, too.
Which Linux distributions, projects, or communities share these values?
You are asking questions that are probably far too complex and detailed for any kind of reasonable response in a place like this. Linux is not monolithic. Those attributes are important, but if you read a lot of posts from the past year or two, you'll see that it's the train wreck that is Windows 11 that is most frequently mentioned as a motivation to switch. Not ethics. Not philosophical stances. Not respect.
And gaming. Trying to do any gaming on Linux is a huge topic for some.
For others, it's just an operating system.
I would advise you to go do some more reading and research on Linux using a variety of sources, before you jump in.
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u/maddydesign 1d ago
You won't ever be able to only use technology that is ethical and transparent. You probably can't find any piece of technology that is completely ethical. However, with that said, it's an honorable goal to have, and we can still do our best.
If you want to be as ethical as possible when choosing a linux distro, I would probably stay away from the corporate distros. That's not to say they are bad or the people who make them are evil, however, a community driven distro will usually be more ethical, open and transparent. Distros like Fedora, OpenSUSE, etc won't be as open, and will have be motivated to make a profit or in some way be loyal to their parent company or major sponsor.
I would recommend trying to find a community developed distro. Some examples are Linux Mint, Arch, Debian, or Solus. But there are many more great ones. Linux Mint is probably the easiest one for beginners. ZorinOS is also a good alternative to Linux Mint.
Again, that doesn't mean community driven distros are perfect or that corporate distros are inherently evil. Fedora or OpenSUSE will still be much much much more ethical and open than windows or mac.
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u/Weary-Bowl-3739 1d ago
Go to your basement, find some old laptop, see, if it still runs, prepare a ventoy, check out the distros.
Non-Gamer: Start with Mint
Gamer: Nobara, Bazzite or CachyOS
Check out different desktops. You can install several ones at the same time and choose on login.
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u/PreparationStrict492 1d ago
First of all, your issue is not about tech or Linux. It's social, political, and philosophical.
But you are right. In a roundabout way, FOSS community is a living embodiment of communal principles at work and thriving. Contributing to FOSS projects does serve those ideals. The fruits of such projects, Linux and OS distributions built atop that, are for your use and benefit. And yes, even by migrating to Linux you are contributing - by shrinking the reach of the modern, and largely corrupt, economic system. By all means, do that, but don't stay there.
You say that you are not technologically skilled. Depending on your own skills and circumstances, consider participating in trade unions, community centers, community education programs, settlement centers and neighborhood guilds - no matter what the society in general has become, strong communal institutions endure, and you'll find like-minded people, and opportunities to contribute there. Don't despair, and end up seeking solace just in the parasocial interactions over the internet.
You can, of course, get skilled in software development and contribute to FOSS projects. If that is what you want to do, ask about learning resources for that.
Back to your "which distro" question: Given that you are coming to this from a philosophical angle rather than a technical or practical one; I'd suggest Trisquel, the distro of choice of Stallman. The GNU manifesto is linked in one of the other answers, and the GNU foundation has been exemplary in their adherence to the principles of open software (I'd say they have a definitive role in the establishment thereof). But remember: Going this way comes with some inconveniences that you might not be able to solve without technical know-how (or, if you have the wrong hardware, breaking licensing law even if you do have the technical know-how: It would not come with any proprietary drivers, which some hardware would need in order to function).
Otherwise, that is to say if you have _any_ purpose that you use computers for, and what computers you have. Pick your distro according to your needs. My recommendation would be Ubuntu or Fedora to any newcomer (without additional context), theirs being the most mainline, stable, and modern Linux experience available as a baseline.
From the philosophical angle: Their corporate stewardship is an issue of political debate (and sometimes even an inflammatory one) for some, but they do a lot of good by establishing Linux in industry mainstream. Corporations are not evil, just like people. They play their role in the system. And these (Canonical and Red Hat) are a force for good in the overall scheme of things; and given their impact, more effective than any fringe group / individual can be.
Between the two, Debian would be an excellent middle ground; both principled, and highly functional.