this post was submitted on 13 Jan 2025
66 points (85.9% liked)

Linux

49217 readers
649 users here now

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

Rules

Related Communities

Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Hi, I just want to share / get some opinion.

I started using Linux 2 years back. I was dual booting back then and after a year switched to Linux completely.

I started out using Ubuntu, hated it, installed Manjaro after a week and when pacmac broke the thing within 2 months, I watched a bunch of YouTube videos, read the arch wiki and installed arch. Things were going great except for some Nvidia issues (I am using an Optimus laptop) but utt was running smoothly. Then decided that I want to build a game engine and the nvidia issues were significant. So I read somewhere that Fedora has great nvidia support and I installed it and everything worked. I installed Fedora 39, and it worked. When Fedora 40 came, I upgraded no issues, Fedora 41 came, no issues.

But just a few days back when I had vacation, I decided my system was getting bloated and I didn't manually want to uninstall apps, I decided let's format it. But I thought... Arch might take up less space on my disk(1 have a 512gb nvme, and t 2tb hdd, but I like to put things like games and projects I am working on, on the nvme). So I installed arch and loving the experience. I installed Nvidia-open drm drivers and it just works.

TLDR: Is it normal to distro hop after being using a distro perfectly for so long?

PS: I used archinstall because I didn't want through the lengthy process again. And archinstall works great.

(page 2) 17 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] codenul@lemmy.ml 10 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

back when i started with Linux, i would distro hop in the beginning since i was trying out different ones, making mistakes, but taking that knowledge with me onto the next one. Then i discovered Manjaro, then EndeavourOS and have been on it for years now

Have thought about reinstalling EOS once i rebuild my computer, but see how that goes -

[–] BananaTrifleViolin@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I'd say it's normal, but also normal to not distoe hop - everyone has their own preferences and Linux gives people the freedom to do what they want.

I have wiped my distro before just because I felt I'd let it bloat. I like tinkering and installing all sorts of random packages a long the way but am not good at cleaning up. I stayed with the same Distro - OpenSuSE.

But before OpenSuSE I used to use Mint. I liked Mint but I managed to break the updates in a minor but annoying way with a customisation I did on one version prior to an a major system update. When I decided to fix the problem I decided to distro hop.

I also have a HTPC and I just reinstalled my distro this week - I did this to wipe Win11 off the device which had been pre installed and I kept when I installed Linux "just in case". I haven't used it once and it was taking up half the hard drive. So I figured I'd back up my home folder, wipe the computer and reinstall Nobara and then restore my home folder. Worked like a charm, and I was back up and running in about 30mins.

It also gave me a new appreciation for User level Flatpaks, much of my software was already there, installed and ready to use. I did even consider distro hopping again but Nobara has worked well in my HTPC.

So yes, Distro hopping is normal, reinstalling on a whim is normal, and staying with a distro and just letting it update for years is also normal.

[–] Caravaggio@feddit.nl 3 points 1 week ago

It's normal. As is to stick to one distro for ever. It's great to have options, no?

[–] idotherock@lemm.ee 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Oh yeh, totally normal. I switch distros roughly once a year and if I have more than one device on the go then I almost always have different distros on each of them. I think I was with Linux Mint the longest, but even then I switched DE at least 3 times.

I have 4 Linux devices on the go at the moment. My desktop is on OpenSuSE, my laptop I recently moved from windows to OpenSuSE, my HTPC is on Nobara and I have a Raspberry Pi on Raspbian.

I've also used Mint as my main before OpenSuSE and still use Mint in KVM on my desktop to run Virutal machines. My most used VM is for Servarr / torrent use - nice to run it in a contained sandbox with its own VPN.

[–] ButtBidet@hexbear.net 3 points 1 week ago

So I read somewhere that Fedora has great nvidia support and I installed it and everything worked

OK maybe I'll try Fedora or Arch, cuz Mint is being weird about my video card.

[–] elucubra@sopuli.xyz 12 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Not normal, you are a weirdo.

I use W11 bloat edition, BTW

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] algernon@lemmy.ml 15 points 1 week ago

TLDR: Is it normal to distro hop after being using a distro perfectly for so long?

I have used the same distribution (Debian) for over 20 years when I decided to change distributions and switch to NixOS. Debian was - and still is - a very fine distribution. I just needed something radically different.

So, to answer your question: yes, it is perfectly normal. Two years isn't even long.

[–] DavidGarcia@feddit.nl 11 points 1 week ago

Every Linux user has to go through a period of compulsive distro hopping. Don't worry, eventually you'll grow tired of it and just settle on one workhorse distro.

[–] onlooker@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 week ago

Yeah, it's normal. There are so many flavours of Linux out there, why wouldn't you want to try some of them?

[–] HornedMeatBeast@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

It's pretty normal as far as I am aware.

I have another friend who uses Linux and he also disro hops, same as me.

We'll try out a distro and if it turns out we don't like it, doesn't suit our needs, doesn't support something we want to do or it just breaks then we try another.

I started on Ubuntu many years ago and grew to dislike it. I stay away from Debian for the most part these days. Tried Kubuntu, Ubuntu Studio, Mint etc.

I tried Manjaro and hated it. It stopped working when my monitors went to sleep, could not bring them back. Also had some PC freezes. Tried another installation of it and same thing.

I tried Garuda, did not like.

I tried Pop!_OS but I don't recall much about it.

I've now settled on Fedora based distros. Fedora is quite nice but my main one is Nobara. I'm currently playing around with Bazzite.

I'd like to see what Steam OS is about when they do some releases for their current version. I think I played around with a very old version years ago.

Never tried Arch, I might do it just because or so I can say I did.

I've probably forgotten a few others between.

[–] False@lemmy.world 29 points 1 week ago

Who cares if it's normal or not. You do you

[–] eskuero@lemmy.fromshado.ws 32 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (6 children)

I started using Linux 2 years back.

Here's the cause and it's normal.

I remember going through a lot of hopping the first 3 or 4 years but have been settled on Arch since then.

[–] Dungrad@feddit.org 17 points 1 week ago
load more comments (5 replies)
[–] sumguyonline@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

In the current landscape of the distro wars, admitting you just jumped sides is grounds to call forth the raiders from your old distro, they know the distro specific vulnerabilities and will unleash a fury of which you have never seen. The first sign will be a blinking hard drive light...

[–] gay4dudes@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 week ago

Nah its normal, been hoping since 6 years. I keep an external hard drive with important info, so i can nuke my system without worry.

[–] bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de 18 points 1 week ago (4 children)

Are you even a real Linux user when you don't switch distros every day?

Personally I'm usually content for a long time. Although my ideal distro still doesn't exist and probably never will with the way the meta is currently going.

But you do you. You know how hard/easy it is to reinstall so as long as you're having fun just experiment away.

load more comments (4 replies)
load more comments