Any good Debian-based OS for a laptop?
from fin@sh.itjust.works to linux@lemmy.ml on 09 Jun 06:14
https://sh.itjust.works/post/20577422

I’m planning to put Debian-based operating system onto my Surface Laptop Gen 1, following the guide (linux-surface). Any good Debian-based Linux recommendations? For now I’m considering AntiX (lightweight debian) and normal Debian.

P.S. I’ve installed pure Debian, as everyone suggests. Thanks for advice!

#linux

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just_another_person@lemmy.world on 09 Jun 06:19 next collapse

Pick one. It’s debian-based. You literally can’t pick “the wrong one”. You just have uninstall what you don’t like, and install what you want. That simple.

GolfNovemberUniform@lemmy.ml on 09 Jun 06:21 next collapse

You can just go for Ubuntu, Mint or AntiX if you want good experience. Debian can be harder but it’s quite stable (unless you use KDE). Any other suggestions depend on your use cases. For example, you can only use Ubuntu based distros for some Android development tasks

vk6flab@lemmy.radio on 09 Jun 06:28 next collapse

What about something novel, like installing actual Debian?

mrgreyeyes@feddit.nl on 09 Jun 06:55 collapse

Will work fine indeed. Only I always have some issues getting the touchscreen working seamlessly. Is there a window manager on Debian who does it well?

vk6flab@lemmy.radio on 09 Jun 08:31 next collapse

I don’t have a touchscreen, so I have no lived experience, but this should get you started at least:

wiki.debian.org/TabletAndTouchScreen

Fisch@discuss.tchncs.de on 09 Jun 11:26 collapse

I’ve used both KDE Plasma and GNOME on my Laptop with a touch screen and both worked well. GNOME is better with touch screens in general but that’s just because of the gestures and GTK apps working better with touch screens (e.g. you can always scroll by swiping up or down, not sure if that’s the same in QT apps).

filister@lemmy.world on 09 Jun 06:31 next collapse

Why don’t you give PopOS a try, it is quite user friendly Ubuntu/Debian based

shaked_coffee@feddit.it on 09 Jun 07:48 collapse

Up! Depending on what you are looking for also VanillaOS could be an interesting option

filister@lemmy.world on 09 Jun 14:11 collapse

Yes, this OS looks interesting and beginner friendly

solrize@lemmy.world on 09 Jun 06:34 next collapse

I just use Debian and it’s fine. I don’t understand the point of using “Debian-based” instead of just plain Debian. Maybe I’m missing something but we have some Ubuntu machines at work and it’s hard to tell much difference.

fin@sh.itjust.works on 09 Jun 06:49 collapse

Idk I thought something niche is better fun

solrize@lemmy.world on 09 Jun 06:56 next collapse

That would be Guix, I think. Debian is pretty traditional.

fin@sh.itjust.works on 09 Jun 09:22 collapse

Hmm… I wonder if Guix is ok to use with Surface

pmarcilus@discuss.tchncs.de on 09 Jun 08:58 collapse

Ur already a Linux user, being niche is kinda of our character

bloodfart@lemmy.ml on 09 Jun 06:46 next collapse

i tend to go with debian.

rtxn@lemmy.world on 09 Jun 07:17 next collapse

If you want something Debian-but-not-Ubuntu-based, give LMDE a try.

eugenia@lemmy.ml on 09 Jun 07:28 next collapse

Go with Linux Mint, but the Edge edition. This will have the best chances to support your hardware, because it uses a newer kernel.

pastermil@sh.itjust.works on 09 Jun 07:40 next collapse

Not Debian-based, but Debian. With KDE.

fin@sh.itjust.works on 09 Jun 09:21 collapse

Some say that KDE on Debian is unstable. Is it real?

pmk@lemmy.sdf.org on 09 Jun 09:49 next collapse

There’s a difference between stability and reliability. Stable means that functionality is the same over a period of time, no major changes to how it works. Reliable means that it doesn’t crash all the time. If something crashes the same way for the same reason, it’s stable but not reliable. If something changes a lot but doesn’t crash, it’s reliable but not stable.
In practice what it comes down to is a choice if you want outdated but known bugs or new surprise bugs.

pastermil@sh.itjust.works on 09 Jun 10:14 next collapse

Been using KDE since Debian 9. I’d say it’s stable enough.

pelya@lemmy.world on 09 Jun 14:01 next collapse

I’ve had problems with KDE on Wayland on Debian 12, it fails when entering sleep mode with multiple monitors. Thankfully, KDE on X is just one package install away, and it works with no bugs.

[deleted] on 09 Jun 14:51 collapse

.

SeikoAlpinist@slrpnk.net on 09 Jun 08:11 next collapse

Debian.

If you want to try something different, maybe LMDE.

ElectronBadger@lemmy.ml on 09 Jun 08:42 next collapse

Debian Testing. My daily driver since… a long time :)

veer66@lemmy.one on 09 Jun 08:43 next collapse

Maybe Sparky Linux …

Normally, I use Debian. However, Debian 12 installer didn’t work on my Acer Extensa 💻. So I installed Sparky Linux, and it works.

banazir@lemmy.ml on 09 Jun 08:55 next collapse

Just go with Debian.

yak@feddit.it on 09 Jun 09:11 next collapse

If you want Debian, just install Debian.

Maybe if you’re into wm setups and you’d like to not have to do everything from scratch you can install Bunsenlabs instead.

It’s just plain Debian with preconfigured Openox, that’s all.

fin@sh.itjust.works on 09 Jun 10:02 collapse

Never heard of Bunsenlabs. It looks good!

yak@feddit.it on 09 Jun 10:21 collapse

It is :)

There’s a very useful and friendly forum at forums.bunsenlabs.org and it is very easy to replace openbox with any other wm of your choice, as long as you’re fine with X11.

paolab@lemmy.ml on 09 Jun 09:24 next collapse

Look into MxLinux. It is Debian based with lots of noce tools. And as DE you could use KDE.

fin@sh.itjust.works on 09 Jun 09:59 collapse

MX seems good

pmk@lemmy.sdf.org on 09 Jun 12:04 next collapse

Which features are you looking for beyond what can be done on Debian?

fin@sh.itjust.works on 09 Jun 12:12 collapse

Lightweight and maybe has some “cool features”

pmk@lemmy.sdf.org on 09 Jun 12:32 next collapse

Maybe Debian with a wm? I like cwm, but there are many to choose from. You can add pretty much any cool feature on top.

Vivendi@lemmy.zip on 09 Jun 14:59 collapse

Debian is the lightest derivative of Debian

The installer outright gives you the option out of many different desktop environments and use cases and if you don’t like to install a desktop you can install base system debian that’s literally just a terminal environment and nothing else

drspod@lemmy.ml on 09 Jun 12:24 next collapse

You could try VanillaOS 2.0 Beta which is a Debian-based immutable distro, planned for final release later this year.

Meowie_Gamer@lemmy.world on 09 Jun 13:53 next collapse

Just use debian

Sammy@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 09 Jun 14:47 next collapse

My Son, SpiralLinux, is the neatest lil package of Debian you could ever want. It comes with all the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi drivers I need and it actually has an installer (Calamari’s I think?) that’s efficient and easy to understand.

Other than that-…. Uuuuhhhhh have you tried Hanna Montana OS?

fin@sh.itjust.works on 10 Jun 00:42 collapse

Hannah Montana Linux – a live Linux distribution based on Kubuntu with a Hannah Montana theme. It has been created to “attract young users to Linux”.

Thanks that’s attractive

electric_nan@lemmy.ml on 09 Jun 17:34 next collapse

Linux Mint Debian Edition.

jonwyattphillips@lemmy.ml on 09 Jun 17:39 next collapse

Check out projectbluefin.io, the developer experience has lots of goodies built in.

It’s a immutable/atomic fedora silverblue spin based on cloud native principles.

barsquid@lemmy.world on 10 Jun 02:01 collapse

I agree with you but I assume they want Debian for a reason.

jonwyattphillips@lemmy.ml on 11 Jun 13:31 collapse

distrobox enter debian-toolbox :)

jaagruk@mander.xyz on 09 Jun 18:12 next collapse

MX Linux

KindaABigDyl@programming.dev on 09 Jun 19:22 next collapse

Debian

spicytuna62@lemmy.world on 09 Jun 20:19 collapse

Can confirm. I use Debian on a laptop and it’s great.

rotopenguin@infosec.pub on 10 Jun 02:28 next collapse

How lightweight do you really need to go? I have a Lenovo “barely worth calling a chromebook” with 4GB/64GB/2 core N4000. It’s fine with Gnome on Bookworm.

CuttingBoard@sopuli.xyz on 10 Jun 02:32 collapse

MX