Ubuntu, descent Desktop/Workstation distro.
Ubuntu Linux is based on the Debian Linux distribution. Ubuntu means: (“humanity towards others”). Ubuntu is a stable Desktop/Workstation environment distribution, Ubuntu also has a descent server edition.
Ubuntu comes with the Unity desktop environment, lots of default packages and therefore suitable for home usage as well. Ubuntu has good hardware support out of the box, all your grapichs cards will work out of the box.
There are also three additional Ubuntu-derived operating systems: Kubuntu (with KDE/Plasma desktop) and Xubuntu (with the XFCE desktop). There are several other derivative operating systems including local language and hardware-specific versions.
Short video on how to install Ubuntu
As Ubuntu is originally based on Debian, it also uses Aptitude for software installations and dpkg for manuall installtions of packages.
Canonical releases new versions of Ubuntu every six months and supports Ubuntu for eighteen months by providing security fixes, patches to critical bugs and minor updates to programs. LTS (Long Term Support) versions, which are released every two years, are supported for three years on the desktop and five years for servers.
At the time of writing the current version of Ubuntu is 20.04 with the Long Term Support and 21.10 with the latest kernel.
Ubuntu is often the first choice for people ditching Windows. Ubuntu works out of the box with probably all hardware out there, but in my opinion, it comes with way too much “garbage” pre-installed. Lots of bloatware and commercial stuff.
Ubuntu also uses snap by default, personally I don’t like this, for me snap packages are slower as they are containerized,
Con, Ubuntu has a huge community base for support.
For older desktops it’s also not recommended to install Ubuntu, better choice would be Xubuntu, this is Ubuntu but with XFCE as main desktop, without all the bloatware installed.
Download Ubuntu
Create your bootable USB drive
System requirements
– CPU: 2Ghz is recommended
– RAM: 4GB is recommended
– HDD: about 40G is recommended
– GPU: almost any
– CD-Rom drive or use a LiveUSB for installation
– Sound support, only if you want to hear something 😉
– Internet connection preferably