Beginning Linux - where would you start?

[DrGonzo]

I'm thinking of dipping my toes into Linux. I got a bunch of old Intel Macs that definitely can be used for stuff. If one were to start building a new installation - what would you do and what would you not do.

Just a few pointers would be helpful. If it can be used for audio, fine. But main purpose, basic usage. Web, play movies perhaps mail? Stuff like that. No crazy local server stuff.

/Carl

[BertKoor]

Step 1: pick a distro.
Step 2: install chosen distro.
Step 3: try out basic things in the distro.
Step 4: hop back to step 1.

[AsPeeXXXVIII]

If it can be used for audio, fine. But main purpose, basic usage. Web, play movies perhaps mail? Stuff like that.

Any mutable distro can be used for all of this.

[kvotchin]

LMDE is my pick for you. But in the end, just pick one you like the looks of, that seems likely you can get along with. Check for basic hardware compatibility, if necessary (it generally isn’t these days). Do a default install, again generally speaking. And explore.

Honestly, for the most part, especially for just light use, modern Linux tends to, on the surface, look and operate very damn close to Windows or even MacOS, depending somewhat on distro and setup.

[DrGonzo]

You make it sound easier than I expect it to be.
Thanks guys.

[Tiles]

I have one for the negative list. Avoid Ubuntu. Too many flaws, too much we do it our way. Snap is battling with Flatpak. Incompatibilities with own point upgrades. And much more.
My favourite is still Debian with a Cinnamon desktop, but i heard Mint is good for old Mac hardware too. Fedora maybe, in case you really insist to make music.

[DrGonzo]

I have one for the negative list. Avoid Ubuntu. Too many flaws, too much we do it our way. Snap is battling with Flatpak. Incompatibilities with own point upgrades. And much more.
My favourite is still Debian with a Cinnamon desktop, but i heard Mint is good for old Mac hardware too. Fedora maybe, in case you really insist to make music.

This is very helpful. Thanks!

[GaryG]

I've been using Mint (which is effectively Debian with the Cinnamon desktop and some Ubuntu malarky in the stew) on an intel pc, few generations, old for audio and everything else fine. For audio use, I did cheat and install the Ubuntu Studio tools which made changing the kernel, tweaking performance easy (no script editing). For the couple of windows plugins I wanted to use, I found a script that just installed all the wine and yabridge gubbins required in one hit, no config at all.

Can't speak from experience about Mac hardware but this guys channel has loads of videos relating to linux on old macs, looks pretty do-able...

ActionRetro on Youtube

(couldn't embed a link without YT getting confused...)

[uOpt]

I also can't recommend Ubuntu anymore. Way too wild a ride and lots of experimenting on the user.

Mint brings back sanity.

[lunardigs]

Always shop for class complaint USB hardware.
Avoid nvidia.
Avoid Ubuntu.

[avid_d]

I have been testing a variety of distros over the past few months: testing has been on a 2012 MacBook and a 2012 MacMini.

The one which I found to run immediately on both of the Macs, and has a pretty low RAM footprint is MX Linux. Wifi, bluetooth and (on the MacBook) touchpad worked out of the box.

MX Linux comes in 3 desktops options for instal:
KDE, which I think is the nicest looking but I found to be rather heavier in use.
FluxBox - very lightweight but its looks were not for me.
XFCE - my preference. Not beautiful, but pretty configurable and noticeably lighter/quicker in use that the KDE flavour.

I really liked the new Pop!_OS using Cosmic desktop, but it seemed a bit buggy and resource hungry.

[imrae]

For a newcomer the desktop environment matters more than the packaging system: any major base distro will be fine. Have a look at some recent screenshots/videos of GNOME vs KDE vs MATE etc and see what looks comfortable. Make sure there is a nice graphical software installer. Lightweight desktops are nice for old hardware but I don't entirely trust them to come with a full suite of graphical interfaces for basic user settings, networking, sound, bluetooth etc.

If I had to set up a machine for my Linux-curious Win11-escaping friend tomorrow I'd given them a taste of stock Fedora/GNOME and if that feels too weird then Mint.

If I had to set up a machine for my Mum that needs to work reliably and self-update but not install software herself, then something atomic like Silverblue or VanillaOS.

I've started using Silverblue myself and it's pretty neat, but wouldn't recommend this kind of distro for a Linux newbie to administer themself.

[audiojunkie]

For a newcomer the desktop environment matters more than the packaging system: any major base distro will be fine. Have a look at some recent screenshots/videos of GNOME vs KDE vs MATE etc and see what looks comfortable. Make sure there is a nice graphical software installer. Lightweight desktops are nice for old hardware but I don't entirely trust them to come with a full suite of graphical interfaces for basic user settings, networking, sound, bluetooth etc.

If I had to set up a machine for my Linux-curious Win11-escaping friend tomorrow I'd given them a taste of stock Fedora/GNOME and if that feels too weird then Mint.

If I had to set up a machine for my Mum that needs to work reliably and self-update but not install software herself, then something atomic like Silverblue or VanillaOS.

I've started using Silverblue myself and it's pretty neat, but wouldn't recommend this kind of distro for a Linux newbie to administer themself.

This is good advice. Stock is easier to troubleshoot as well.

[lunardigs]

Avoid Fedora.
Avoid Gnome.

[BertKoor]

Avoid Fedora.
Avoid Gnome.

Because ??