I’m thinking of switching to linux and I’m looking for a lighter weight easy starter distro. Any tips or recommendations?

  • cfx_4188
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    2 years ago

    undefined> It’s more of a hassle than just installing Debian with your preferred WM. Plus doing the latter, you don’t have to scratch your head at snaps

    I think setting up wifi in Debian netinstall will be just as troublesome as fighting the dreaded and horrible snap.

      • cfx_4188
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        2 years ago

        There is a wifi/bluetooth module, the rtl8821. It comes with cheap or old Windows laptops, try to find an open source driver for it.

        • TheyCallMeHacked
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          2 years ago

          I happen to have this exact chipset in my laptop (RTL8821CE to be exact), and it has driver modules directly in the mainline kernel (rtw_8821ce). The only possible issue would be firmware, but I honestly had absolutely no issue installing Arch, Gentoo, or Debian (with the non-free firmware iso) on it multiple times.

          • cfx_4188
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            arrow-down
            2
            ·
            2 years ago

            undefined> I happen to have this exact chipset in my laptop (RTL8821CE to be exact), and it has driver modules directly in the mainline kernel (rtw_8821ce). The only possible issue would be firmware, but I honestly had absolutely no issue installing Arch, Gentoo, or Debian (with the non-free firmware iso) on it multiple times.

            We talked about using only free firmware, drivers, etc. I gave an example. For example, I am much more comfortable using OpenBSD than Arch/Gentoo/Debian. But I can’t do that because the elements of the firmware are in the kernel, but not enough to make it work properly. With any Linux distribution this is not a problem.

            • TheyCallMeHacked
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              2 years ago

              We never mentioned the restrictions of only free firmware. In fact your argument of installing Ubuntu only makes sense in the first place, because Ubuntu ships non-free firmware