Linux

48144 readers

923 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

Posts must be relevant to operating systems running the Linux kernel. GNU/Linux or otherwise.
No misinformation
No NSFW content
No hate speech, bigotry, etc

Related Communities

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

founded 5 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

126

Beginner's Guides for Switching to Linux? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

193 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Hello!

I'm interested in moving my personal computer to running Linux but I'm not sure where to even begin. As background, I am a casual user and have a desktop with hardware from around 2014 running Windows. I am hoping to setup a NAS drive as a media server in the next year or so, offloading all of the files currently on the Windows desktop and have been interested in open source software such as Jellyfin. I also mostly game on an Xbox and Nintendo Switch, but have used the desktop in the past for gaming such as with an Oculus Rift Headset and some Steam games so not huge on getting games working on the computer. But, I do sometimes torrent using the computer so don't want to lose that capability (especially with upkeep for the media server).

With all of that said, I didn't know how to get started with choosing what Linux OS to use, setting it up, backing up my files to make sure I can use them with the new OS, etc. Making the switch seems to have great options for customization and "choosing a distro that works for you", but I don't know what would work for me or what will be user friendly for a beginner.

Any tips or pointing me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes, most desktop environments work with most distros. And it is quite easy to switch between them.

Something I didn't think about when my Linux journey started: A new desktop environment is exactly that. By installing a second environment you will end up with two different programs to open pictures, two different programs to open your files,.. Not a problem, just very bloaty. So chosing the prefered desktop environment in the beginning is the easiest way.

More experienced users don't choose a distro based on the desktop environments they come with but because of other factors.. For me release cycle, package manager, stability and software philosophy were important and I installed Debian.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Would the programs I install while using one desktop environment not be accessible from the other desktop environment? Akin to installing software in a Windows computer and each user logging into that computer can access that software?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

All programs you install while using one desktop environment are also accessible from the other desktop environment.

As with windows: you can have different users using different programs. If user A installs a programm it is not automatically accessible for user B (Edit: Not correct. His/her configs are not accessible, the program itself is.) User A can install two desktop environments, from both he/she can access every programm he/she has installed.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So if I wanted two users for instance, then I'd have to download an extra copy of each piece of software (one per user) to be able to access (if I wanted tk store them on the drive and not on the network?)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Sorry, I have to correct/specify myself: By installing a programm it is by default installed on every user account. The only things that are user specific are the config and personal files. So you can make the programm look and behave in every way you want, independent from other users.

So the program files are only once on the system, independent from the number of users. There are ways to make a program accessible for only one specific user, but I never tried that.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Okay I see. Thanks for the clarification!