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Notes -
Ubuntu and its derivatives have already been recommended, and they arent bad, so I won’t dwell on them too much. Instead, I’ll focus on what I see as two other options, depending on your goals.
If You Want to Learn and Master Linux: Arch Linux
If your goal is to truly understand Linux and become proficient, rather than spending years googling obscure errors with "Ubuntu" tacked onto the search query, I’d recommend Arch Linux. Not necessarily the "vanilla" version—you could start with more accessible Arch-based distributions like EndeavourOS—but going through the Arch installation process step by step has immense educational value. It’s essentially a hands-on way to build your own Linux system, teaching you the fundamentals as you go.
The main reason I recommend Arch is its outstanding documentation, which is second to none. While it’s possible to use Ubuntu and reference Arch’s wiki, Ubuntu often runs outdated software versions and introduces important differences that can leave you even more confused unless you’re already familiar with both systems. With Arch, the documentation is directly applicable, helping you bootstrap your knowledge in a structured and effective way. In my opinion, it’s the closest thing Linux has to a “manual.”
If You Just Want to Be an End User: Bazzite
If your goal is to simply use Linux as an end user—especially if your interest in Wine is related to gaming—then I’d recommend Bazzite. It’s essentially a more generalized, open-source equivalent of Valve’s SteamOS (used on the Steam Deck) but designed for broader compatibility with PCs.
Bazzite offers a curated experience, pre-configured for gaming and multimedia use, with support for features like VRR/G-Sync and potentially HDR (assuming you opt for the KDE-based version). Its architecture makes it harder to break and easier to recover from issues if you do manage to run into problems. This makes it an excellent choice for a seamless gaming setup.
The main downside is that Bazzite can feel limiting. It follows its own designs and workflows, which aren’t easily transferable to other Linux distributions. If you decide to move to a different distro later, you may have to re-learn certain concepts or configurations
The base Arch install has gotten a lot better these days: if you're considering something like Manjaro or EndeavourOS, I'd really recommend just going straight to Arch with a list of desired programs. And it will teach you a lot about what's actually going on. But that's less because archinstall is superhumanly easy to use, and more EndeavourOS/Manjaro will let you get really far over your head if you can't or don't want to get into the real nitty-gritty of things.
It's a lot better as an option after you've already gotten enough experience with a more placid distro to know what you need to run first, though, so I really can't recommend it for new Linux users unless they've got a very specific use case.
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