The Linux Thread

[cyber]

This is the obligatory Linux thread. Discuss what distros you use.

[VerdiusArcana]

EndeavourOS.
Does what I need it to and is arch based, and a computer doing what I need it to do is the most important.
To much of a noob to install arch directly. And not really interested in "tinkering" beyond basic hardening.

Microsoft deciding that I should toss away my 2k USD computer because I do not have TPM 2.0 became a convenient excuse to abandon Windows permanently as a daily driver, but I've used Linux plenty before
on and off over the years and have tried to switch over several times, but the ecosystem was not mature enough in my opinion for anything other than servers or tinkering, and certainly not for gaming.

I still remember trying to "game" on Linux back in 2011 or so and it was god damn awful, in some respects it still is, but problems are very very rare compared to back then;
it's more minor nitpicking today than critical errors.
However the danger's of updates has never gone away. It's even more so on something based on arch, but I remember more "stable" operating systems
like Ubuntu and Linuxmint also fucking me over several times breaking the install.

Also I want to give a special "Fuck you cunt" to Canonical (aka Ubuntu), I don't know if it's still that way, but fucking retards don't update normal software packages unless it's about security, so
you can install a software from their own repo, find a severe bug or glitch, and then unless you know what you are doing and go around them, have to wait literal years for the software to get a update in the repo
when the software devs had already fixed it a long time ago. That's a major reason why I stick to arch based today.

[random]

I have been using gentoo for a few years now as a daily drive and been enjoying it. I distro hopped for a while trying to find something that would suit all my specific tastes and gentoo seems to check every box. I haven't once felt the desire to swap off it to something else. Having a powerful cpu helps with compiling, but more than that my general style of only updating once every few months works because the repo is stable so I'm not constantly trying to unfuck broken packages like with arch. i essentially only need to update when I feel like it or I install something new which is rare. Easier to not fix what isn't broken

[cyber]

I've been using cachyos for a while now. It's based on Arch, but the packages are recompiled to take advantage of optimizations on more more modern CPUs. The developers also compile some AUR packages and include them in the main repository. I really never had any issues with it. Similar to a lot of other people out there, I originally used Linux off and on for several years until eventually Linux gaming got good enough to basically not need a Windows install.

[huutti]

been on arch for over 5 years now, though I did main windows 7 for the remainder of its ESU and after it, until steam stopped supporting it

on the topic of OS, I've been semi-actively following the development of ReactOS, which is not linux or UNIX-like but rather an open-source clone of windows. It's a very interesting project for those who miss classic Windows (pre-8/10) such as myself but it's still very deep in alpha and not intended for daily use. Once it reaches beta I'm eager to dabble with it on a separate PC, until then it's mainly a toy for use in VMs as its hardware support is quite limited.

[REI SWANSON]

I use Artix Linux.

[Asmo]

I use LMDE cuz it just werks. I'm not a fan of hyper customizing my every aspect of my experience, I just need something that I can install and have working in under an hour. That and I've mostly stuck with Debian based distros since I started daily driving Linux 12 years ago. It's just what I'm comfortable with.

[VerdiusArcana]

been on arch for over 5 years now, though I did main windows 7 for the remainder of its ESU and after it, until steam stopped supporting it

on the topic of OS, I've been semi-actively following the development of ReactOS, which is not linux or UNIX-like but rather an open-source clone of windows. It's a very interesting project for those who miss classic Windows (pre-8/10) such as myself but it's still very deep in alpha and not intended for daily use. Once it reaches beta I'm eager to dabble with it on a separate PC, until then it's mainly a toy for use in VMs as its hardware support is quite limited.

Never heard of it before.
My immediate thought is to use it as a dev environment for when you want to sanitize your eyeballs from the DEI cancer that is current Microsoft, but
need to develop against it for some reason (for example this autistic need we have on ensuring parity between the Linux and Windows for the reverts plugin, or ensuring it works on Windows at all).

I wonder if it can run the Castaway dev obligatory suite (TF2 dedicated server, spcomp, and the changes Metamod and Sourcemod brings) right now.
Do you know anything about that @huutti?

[huutti]

been on arch for over 5 years now, though I did main windows 7 for the remainder of its ESU and after it, until steam stopped supporting it

on the topic of OS, I've been semi-actively following the development of ReactOS, which is not linux or UNIX-like but rather an open-source clone of windows. It's a very interesting project for those who miss classic Windows (pre-8/10) such as myself but it's still very deep in alpha and not intended for daily use. Once it reaches beta I'm eager to dabble with it on a separate PC, until then it's mainly a toy for use in VMs as its hardware support is quite limited.

Never heard of it before.
My immediate thought is to use it as a dev environment for when you want to sanitize your eyeballs from the DEI cancer that is current Microsoft, but
need to develop against it for some reason (for example this autistic need we have on ensuring parity between the Linux and Windows for the reverts plugin, or ensuring it works on Windows at all).

I wonder if it can run the Castaway dev obligatory suite (TF2 dedicated server, spcomp, and the changes Metamod and Sourcemod brings) right now.
Do you know anything about that @huutti?

I have no clue if it can run those at the moment, only way to find out is to try

[Joe Mama]

In light of the tpm requirements, and the fact that Windows 11 is basically malware. I have only 'fully' switched to Linux recently, Slackware to be specific. I’ve dabbled with Linux here and there throughout the years, starting with Mint around 2015, and Raspbian.

For most of 2025, I was looking for the best distro to go for, Arch? Void? Fedora? In the end, I went with Slackware. Why? I wanted something that was ‘stable’ but could also be cutting edge. Arch is appealing, cutting edge but it almost seems to a detrimental degree. Randos just pushing out updates on the AUR as fast as they can, being up-to-date is nice, but I want stability. Slackware, especially with Slackware -current basically just let you have a modern up-to-date system, but also one you can just leave as-is without worrying about some random ass update breaking everything. It’s both simple and let’s you have control of your system, and gives you all the libraries and bits for compiling anything else pretty much. But with the way it’s set up it’s pretty hard to break it, and you’d have to go pretty far out of your way to fuck up an install somehow.

I could have just went with Void or Arch or something, but I’m happy with how stable and simple Slackware is. The “OwO Nyaaa~~” femboy stockings culture shit around Arch might have also played a factor in my choice. But anyway, I’m not dumping out my $3000 gaming PC because Microsoft arbitrarily declared it outdated.

[random]

As an amusing bit of extra datamining here's some more setup info, others can share if they want

• Display Protocol: X11
• Window Manager: dwm + slstatus
• Init: OpenRC
• Terminal: urxvt
• Text editor: vim
• Boot Manager: rEFInd
• Browser: Firefox (heavily configured, using arkenfox user.js)
• Image Viewer: nsxiv
• Video Player: mpv
• File Manager: PCManFM (only used for seeing video thumbnails, otherwise terminal)

[Asmo]

As an amusing bit of extra datamining here's some more setup info, others can share if they want

Sure, however I mostly just use whatever comes pre-installed on LMDE. It just werks (until it doesn't).

• Display Protocol: X11 (Fuck Gayland)
• Desktop Environment: Cinnamon (XFCE is more comfy tho)
• Init: Don't know or care.
• Terminal: GNOME Terminal
• Text Editor: Xed/Vim
• Boot Manager: GRUB
• Browser: Librewolf
• Image Viewer: Xviewer
• Video Player: mpv
• Music Player: Strawberry
• File Manager: Nemo (Hot garbage, would nuke it from my system if Cinnamon wouldn't implode without it)
• PW Manager: KeepassXC

[Pasta]

linux mint

[LubricatedLarry]

I used linux in the past but was annoyed how there was no support for certain software like solidworks. Is there a work around to this without having to use a VM?

[Asmo]

I used linux in the past but was annoyed how there was no support for certain software like solidworks. Is there a work around to this without having to use a VM?

Wine, or when I'm feeling lazy I just add windows programs to my library as non-steam games and force compatibility with Proton. Works like half the time.