If you have been using Linux for +10 years, what are you using now?
Been using Linux for over a decade, and last few years Ubuntu (on desktops/laptops), plus Debian on servers, but been looking to switch to something less “Canonical”-y for a long time (since the Amazon search fiasco, pretty much).
Appreciate recommendations or just an interesting discussion about people’s experiences, there are no wrong answers.
Edit: Thanks for the lots of interesting answers and discussions. I will try a few of the suggestions in a VM.
Debian.
It’s pretty great for desktop stuff these days. Basically Ubuntu minus the shit. Any desktop you want, it’s got live installers now (several different ones with different desktops), it’s got nonfree firmware on the disc, they’ve really upped their game.
(And if the recent systemd stuff skeeves you out, you can toss out systemd, even. It’s not for the faint of heart though.)
– Frost
I don’t have 10 year experience but RHEL desktop and server. I used Fedora Copr to rebuild Fedora packages for my desktop, as well as my custom packages.
I have a Windows 7 VM I use when I need something more powerful than GNOME.
Arch everywhere (desktop with KDE, personal laptop with GNOME, work laptop with COSMIC, a remote raspberry pi) except a Raspberry Pi Zero (Raspbian) and the Steam Deck
Ubuntu was my entry back in 2012. Started using Ubuntu family seriously 10 ya. Then sparky Linux (Debian based) then manjaro for a long time. Jumped into Archlinux in c 2019 and have been having chilling exp with arch+KDE. Linux mint (Debian) was among the best, but settled in arch. Tried others in the process and did not work - fedora, open SUSE, elementary, solus. I m sure they are pretty good, but I see no point in learning them for no extra benefit.
Only now, with age classification shit in systemd, I feel motivated to try other distro. But it is a hassle.
debian on my server. it’s rock solid. I run a LOT of shit on it, and it rarely cracks about 4-5 GB RAM out of 32GB.
Gaming PC - Nobara (Fedora base with lots of gaming-specifc kernel optimizations baked in.)
Personal laptop - Linux Mint
Business laptop - Linux Mint Debian Edition
Junk/Test laptops - Void
Home lab main hypervisor - XCP-ng (Highly customized Fedora under the hood.)
NAS - TrueNAS (Debian under the hood.)
Virtual servers - Mostly Debian, but a few Alma Linux VMs to get that RHEL experience. Ubuntu Server for my self-hosted gaming servers.
Steam Deck - SteamOS (Valve’s immutable spin of Arch.)
Arch on my personal machines, Debian on my servers.
This is also my setup. I’ve tried nix a few times on desktop and servers, but didn’t stick. Keep going back to arch and debian
Up until recently, Debian on everything. Main PC/ laptop are running Artix (Arch minus systemd) and my servers are still on Debian
Debian on everything (well except the router is on OpenWrt).
First installed Debian more than 25 years ago. Tried some other stuff, Debian is still best for me.
Arch on my desktop and laptop. Debian, Gentoo, OpenBSD on servers
Ive swapped around but for now im good on Arch, I like the AUR too much and tbh it does what I need (other distros are great and I installed Debian on my families computers but for me I use Arch).
Debian.
I started using Linux in 2016, I stopped distro hopping with arch and I’m using it since 2019. But I’m looking forward to try nix like OSes like guix. I see the value of it, it’s just too much hassle right now. Meanwhile I’m using aconfmgr for tracking my modifications in my system.
I started using Linux in '98 with Red Hat 5.2. I have swapped between many, many different distros. But for the last 10 years or so, I’ve mostly stuck with Fedora. It generally just works, is up to date, and I’ve never had issues upgrading on their 6 month release cycle. My desktop probably started on Fedora 20-something and has been upgraded to the latest (43) without ever doing a reinstall!
My primary computer is my Frame.work laptop running Fedora 43.
