Why should I primary Linux for Home Desktop and which one do you recommend?

I have never identified a need to use it

Don't use linux.

I'll preface this with: If you like Windows and don't particularly care for Linux experiences, that's ok. Not everyone needs to use Linux - the world is more interesting with variety.

For me, I hate when my computer does things that I don't tell it to. I also hate ads. These, along with but really using it for a decade were deal breakers for me with windows.

Some things that Linux has that Windows does not:

• Native package managers: Realize that you need to use an image editor and don't have one installed? You can just install it with your distro's package manager. It will usually take care of any dependencies and make it easy to update or uninstall if you decide you want to. Some distros have particularly massive offerings in their package repos.
• Freely customizeable UI: Tired of how your system looks and want to try something else? Install a tiling window manager through the package manager. Or, maybe Gnome or KDE or XFCE. Huge amounts of customization in your GUI are possible.
• Programming: Interested in programming? Install some development tooling through the package manager.
• Embedded Programming: Interested in programming but want it to be more physically tangible or automate parts of your home? Setup the Arduino IDE, or Mu, or go old school and use vim/emacs. Then, compile and push it out to your microcontroller. Or, you can use something like Blinka on a Raspberry Pi or similar SBC and directly interact with sensors and devices across the built-in GPIO pins.
• Tinkering: Enjoy just poking about? The kernel being open-source means that its APIs are well documented and you can find lots of tools to tweak your system's behavior or do so yourself.
• Job opportunities: The Internet runs primarily on Linux servers. If you're interested in tech work, getting familiar with Linux can't hurt.
• Tux: What is Windows' mascot? A window? How about an awesome penguin? Distros and DEs often also have their own, like a chameleon, wildebeest, or dragons (2/3 of the examples can readily smash a window while the other one could at least get an E for Effort and scream at it in german).

For distros that work well with steam, I definitely suggest Linux Mint or Ubuntu for beginners. They're just way more "batteries included". However, if you could also give SteamOS, the distro developed by Valve (on top of Debian) a try and it will probably work quite well.

Most of all, have fun, whether you decide to take Linux for a spin or not.

For a normal Desktop user nowadays I think Linux is just not worse than Windows. Don't ask what Linux can do what Windows can't, ask what Windows is doing what Linux isn't: Spying on you, installing software you neither want nor need, forces you to use software you don't want, forces you to connect your local account with an online account, forces recent hardware on you and in the future, forces you to move all your data into the cloud. And all that while charging you a few hundred moneys. Linux just doesn't do that (well, depending on the distro of course).

For newcomers and non-techies I'd recommend Ubuntu or Ubuntu based distros. Plain Ubuntu is the distro which in most parts 'just works'. If you're looking for something which looks more like Windows have a look at Linux Mint Cinnamon. Linux Mint Mate (or XFCE) is a great choice if your computer is a bit older. I also mention Kubuntu because KDE is the a very popular desktop but rather demanding (but also feature rich), it may also feel more natural for people switching from Windows.

All of them will run Steam without trouble, but be aware that playing Windows games on Linux can in some cases be troublesome and require manual fixes. Maybe look beforehand which games are supported how well on https://www.protondb.com/ .

If Windows works fine for you and does not annoy you, there is no need to migrate.

Personally, I’ve been mostly happy using Linux as my sole desktop OS for ~15 years. However, I only switched because Windows kept breaking and reinstalling no longer fixed it. I couldn’t imagine going back now, but a big part is probably being used to it.

These days most major Linux distributions should be fine for desktop use.

Linux Mint Cinnamon use to be the go-to beginner distribution. Its design is apparently somewhat similar to Windows, giving you some initial familiarity. Linux Mint is also based on Ubuntu, which used to be so widespread that many support pages and simple how-to instruction still default to explaining it for Ubuntu.
(This can still lead to confusion if you search for "install [Windows program] Linux" and the instructions work for Ubuntu based distribution only, not for any other distros.)

The last few years, I’ve seen a switch to Arch-based distributions around. Valve itself switched away from Ubuntu to Arch in some ways. (On Steam, the system requirements still use Ubuntu as default.) SteamOS used to be based on Debian, which Ubuntu is related to, until the Steam Deck. Now it is based on Arch. More specifically, Valve seems to default to:

Base: Arch
Desktop environment: KDE Plasma (more powerful/options than Cinnamon)
Compositor base: Wayland for gaming, old X11 for Steam Deck’s desktop. (Apparently Wayland isn’t quite ready yet for that in their opinion.)

EDIT: Fixed thanks to feedback.

Arch itself is seen as a more technical distribution. There are extremely many support pages for every issue or question you may have, similar to Ubuntu, but some may be more difficult to understand. Still, support systems improve as the user base grows and Arch is growing.

For specific distributions, EndeavourOS is the one I’ve heard about being the most friendly. Manjaro is also beginner-friendly, but the folks who maintain it have some serious issues with seriously fucking things up sometimes.

https://itsfoss.com/arch-based-linux-distros/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVlD17OjFAc (Video compiling Manjaro fuckups.)

Not having Microsoft install candy crush and reenable telemetry trackers with every update.

• Telemetry and Tracking, you need to sign in to legitimately use your Windows 11 Machine and it does collect data you would not want to if you would know which and what data it is.
• Psychology feels different. You could actively be creative and do everything you want because noone watches you and there are no absurd backdoors on Linux.
• Linux Desktop with KDE (?) or Gnome (Fedora) it is... or Cinamon (Which mainly Linux mint uses). You have a wide variety to choose your Team that develops all the features into your comfort zone and if you elaborate with your Linux Desktop you will notice that many useful features exist since many years that enhance productivity or comfort. Like Window Tiling, set your window Always On Top or Always Below your windows, use Widgets (depends on which Desktop), make your windows wiggle or break in a quantum pattern or Fire when closed and discover more things that would not be possible on the hardcoded private Windows 10 or 11 Desktop.
• never ever update your PC again with Linux! Just get the newest Security updates and have a system running that will never force you to reinstall the shit again because a new Windows 12 came out and the transfer tool does not exist or deletes all programs. (Depends on Distro, Ubuntu needs complete upgrades that may break system, but Arch and Linux mint were perfect)
• Interested in encryption? No problem, it was always secure and easy to install with most GUI installers at OS install.
• Nicest way to install programs? Just use the easy to use package manager and be 3 clicks away to install the official and legitimate way of Steam, Blender or other application instead of needing to search the internet.
• Its satisfying and has a nice file structure.
• Learn your OS to the roots. You can learn how the details work if you want or are interested in a specific thing.
• Nerdy community instead of casuals who downplay you for not knowing that its obviously Wednesday patchday or another irrelevant day for Microsoft. (You also can get bad communities that downplay you anyway in Linux communities, but are very rare in my opinion compared to Windows focused ones)

Btw, if you don't feel like the current distro feels comfy, just try a different one with maybe a different Desktop or different Desktop design. The best part about Linux is, its perfect. But there is no perfect fit for every Human, thus why I hate Windows for trying this "fit for all" Philosohpy, but maybe its just that I have setup a perfect Arch Linux System with KDE after using Kubuntu, Pop OS, Manjaro for 3 years and gaining knowledge about Linux.

so what does Linux have that I need?

That should be the other way around, no? What do you need that Linux has (and Windows doesn't). Otherwise it's a case of "solution in search of a problem". You presently do not seem to have a need as you have mentioned, so ideally you should leave it at that and continue using Windows.

What can motivate me to migrate?

While as I implied above only you can answer that authoritatively for yourself, a few examples of what other people seem to like about Linux might help perhaps -

• "Free as in beer", so not having to spring for another license if you build another rig
• "Free as in Freedom", which matters to many but not necessarily everyone
• Better environment for development
• Less susceptibility to malware (not necessarily because of inherent security, but also because Linux is not targeted as much)
• Heavily customizable, at the kernel, desktop environment, other software-level
• Choice of software update mechanisms as well frequency of updates depending on use-case
• Reviving of old computers where Windows would typically struggle to run
• Community participation, though this can be a hit or a miss depending on where you hang out and who you interact with

... and so on.

What is a good Linux to have for a desktop + steam?

There are many, but I generally recommend Linux Mint or Pop! OS for this use-case.

If you don't feel the need, don't do it. But linux can give you extra privacy, customizability or a way to tinker with everything on your system. Distros like fedora, linux mint and pop os are great distros to start if you feel the urge some day.

For me the reason I've switched is Windows just feels bloated and slow to use especially on less powerful hardware. When I open a program on Linux it just opens instantly, no spinning wheel, no waiting 5 seconds for the start menu to finally decide to open

That and package management, on NixOS I have a list of installed programs and system config all in one place, so no random applications I installed 3 years ago and forgot about, uninstallers that don't work, dodgey .exes etc

Most answers you will read here will have technical reasons at its core. For a normal average user that gew up with it, windows is fine. But as soon as you get a bit more tech savvy and/or privacy minded you suddenly see a lot to be desired. Most people switch to linux because they want more control, because its structure is more technically elegant, more responsive and because they don't trust microsoft to respect their privacy.

Windows is 50GB on disk to install. An insane size for an OS. Windows often calls home without any indicaton or transparancy why. In linux you can control everything yourself. Windows is often slow or inefficient.. On windows you have only limited ways to craft and costomize your desktop experience, which in linux allows fully. And more reasons like these.

As you can see for tech savvy people linux offers the tools to take control over your computing needs, if you have or develop the skills to do so. For more mainstream grade experiences distros like Ubuntu or Pop!OS provide a great environment that allows people to ignore the more technical stuff and get on with their needs. Using linux as your daily driver will require you to leave behind some old habits and learn some new ones, but its worth it in my opinion.

I daily drive PopOS on my gaming rig and whatever distro that catches my fancy on my development homelab labtop.

A few reasons other than privacy to use linux:

1. Drivers for majority of the software are already installed. This means for most devices, it is just plug and play, no need to scour the internet for device drivers.
2. Installing and updating packages through package manager is a much-much better solution than going to websites, downloading installer, than installing the software and then remembering to update each and every piece of software.
3. Customization, you make the UI look and behave like you please. It is my belief that the UI should be user-specific not how a certain company feels a UI should be like.
4. Much better OS updates, Updating the OS doesn't all the time require restart (you should do that anyway), but OS updates don't happen suddenly forcing themselves, when you maybe doing something important.
5. Printing is a much better experience. This may not be for all, but I print stuff regularly, but I had issues with printers on windows, that I don't have on linux. Cups and Sane are amazing.
6. Its just faster and runs like a champ, even on old hardware.
7. No ads. This shouldn't even be a thing, but microsoft in their infinite wisdom, show ads on a OS that the user has paid for.
8. You can uninstall any software you don't want. Don't like firefox as default browser? just uninstall and use whatever you want. Don't like your file explorer? there are quite a few to choose from, or don't want to have a file explorer? the choice is yours.
9. You should explore it, you should check out what all it has to offer, try different desktop environments, try tiling window managers, maybe you will find something you really like. Virtual desktops for example, in my personal opinion are done much better on linux than on windows/mac.

After you setup Linux to your requirements, there really isn't a reason to use windows.

A few reasons not to use linux:

1. Your work/school require that you use windows/mac.
2. Some hardware that is necessary for you doesn't have linux support/drivers.
3. Some software(this applies to games as well) you use is not available/work on linux and the alternative doesn't exist, or the alternative isn't good or you really require that specific software.
4. You are happy with your OS. This is a perfectly fine, use whatever you are comfortable with.

If you do decide to use linux a few recommendations:

1. If you plan on using linux for a long term, use something like debian (or debian based, ubuntu is fine, but I don't like it)/redhat based distro like alma or rocky . These are stable and for the most part you can just install them and forget about them. Arch is good, but you have so many updates daily, it kind of takes a toll on you. fedora,opensuse are a good middle ground if you want regular software/os updates but not daily.

You may also be interested in something like NixOS. Check it out, it is a really interesting project but it isn't I would say yet for majority of the users.

2. try out different Desktop environments, I would say this is much more important than your choice of distro. Experience them all and pick one you find the best for yourself. Do this in a VM, trust me on this.

Just wanted to share my experience as a new Linux user. I recently started getting much more serious about privacy and open source over the past year but I didn't make the leap to Linux until Reddit killed all the 3rd party apps; probably because of all the Linux posts I began reading on Lemmy. I was searching up all posts similar to yours seeing which distro is "best" or to start out with. I decided to take the route of researching what I'm looking for and just trying out different distros and desktop environments.

Fast forward to today and after much trial and error, internet searching for troubleshooting answers, how-to videos, and testing about 7 different distros, I landed on OpenSUSE Tumbleweed and couldn't be happier.

Linux is fast, customizable, and I no longer have to worry about windows spying on me. It definitely was a challenging switch, even though I'm very tech savvy, mainly because it's a whole new language (for me). It was also extra challenging because I have a Samsung GalaxyBook3 Pro 360 and for some reason audio is shot on all the distros I tried. Thankfully, some very smart folk on the internet had a guide on how to get audio working (not perfectly though) using a command script and HDA verbs (like wtf are HDA verbs??? Lol). I also had to find a workaround for being able to use my laptop for work as well which heavily relies on Microsoft's suite of apps. My solution? Install edge alongside my default browser of choice, to be used only for work, and operate entirely from office 365 web apps.

At the end of the day, I've found that everything you can do on windows, you can do on Linux (literally even run windows apps) and you can sometimes do things better on Linux. It takes patience, troubleshooting, and you may have to format a partition or two along the way but it's so worth it. Just dive in and have fun with it. Everyone can give you their opinion on a distro to run or desktop environment to choose but remember they are just opinions at the end of the day and very much subjective.

Have fun! :)

what does Linux have that I need?

• Better interface than Windows (KDE WM)
• Stable and noo downtime internet speed like Windows because background update, can increase your internet speed to 40% (can up to 80% in my case with Q4OS + pure profile installation)
• Customizable interface according to your preference (with learning curve first)
• As a home desktop, there's so many useful apps from Linux (Recoll for example) that you can't find on Windows
• Very lightweight and power save (according with the linux you use)

What can motivate me to migrate?

IMO when you migrate to Linux, you can learn many things that you never think about before and it give you the easiest solution for daily life. From piracy, privacy, ideology, and deep tinkering other things that you can't do on Windows (Coreboot / Libreboot, or HAM Radio hack for example).

What is a good Linux to have for a desktop + steam?

Pop! OS is the best choice you have. But if you want to create home desktop for your family using it, I recommended Q4OS with Pure Profile installation, just install Firefox + Ublock Origin and you can go perfectly good..

I recommend Linux Mint. It's really great and works on older hardware as well as newer.

freedom of speech, actually owning your computer, more privacy. I recommend using mint or Pop!_OS

In the last 10 years I've used linux from time to time on my personal PC, mostly used for gaming and web browsing. Always switch back to Windows, because it was not ready for my use, mostly due to gaming.

3 months ago I got fed up by windows forcing on me the connected account and installing crap by default, so I tried a few distrib and stick to ArchLinux, this time I didn't switch back to Windows, and for now, I don't intend to. I don't play online "competitive" FPS anymore, which tend to not work well on linux because of anti cheat. Linux compatibility improve every day for gaming, it has been mostly flaw less for the past 3 months. With the steam deck, compatibility greatly improved, and it's getting better everyday.

I feel like Arch is more snappy than Windows, everything feels more responsive, and man update are so quick, Windows takes forever to update... And I like having more controls of what my PC is doing for better and worse.

Do a list of what you want and don't want for your usage, then try some distrib and check if it fit your needs or not.

For me Linux is about customization, from windows7, Microsoft is removing a lot of things and trying to force a streamlined way of use it. I hate it.on Linux you have a much more control of your workflow, doing things in your wa, also there is a sense of community, wikies work, tutorials usually are better.

But, if you are super confortable with windows I will suggest you to not change. There is no reason for that, only if you are curious, but none system will be better that one you already like in every aspect and you need nothing.

For a beginners a distro is not even the most important thing, but the desktop environment, i can recommend endevourOS, manjaro, and mint, i the order i like most, and for the DE i highly recommend Cinnamon or KDE since you clearly don't feel the need to change your desktop so much, Mate is also a greatDE but it is just a little bit uglier but has a good performance if you have a less potent machine

Personally I would say start with Fedora and try Gnome (maybe with some extensions like dash to panel) or KDE. KDE is more buggy poorly, but has far more features. On Gnome you can run some KDE apps too though, Dolphin for example is awesome

In Fedora add Flathub and try to only use Flatpak apps from there.

Then if you think you are happy, you can try an immutable Distro. They will basically never break, but some advanced apps and plugins may not work that well. In theory you can simply install these apps as RPM apps though too.

Fedora Silverblue/Kinoite with Flatpaks is SO ahead of Windows. Updates go in background while running, and after a reboot you always have a completely new system. Updates are fast, and extremely stable, due to the system image being like on Android.

Flatpaks run in containers, isolated from the system. They are getting better slowly, but are mostly not made to run there, unlike apps on Android. So they cant be as secure, but still are waaaay better isolated from the system, you can restrict internet access, state the folders they are allowed to access and way more. On KDE in the settings, in Gnome using Flatseal.

This is also wayyy more modern.

Also, Dolphin, or actually any other file manager. Dolphin runs on Gnome too perfectly. They are soooo much better than the Windows explorer crap. Extensions everywhere. Tabs. Drag-drop menu. Creating links. Windows is so horrible to use.

Also Linux is way better at processing small files. Try starting GIMP, unlocking a big Cryptomator vault (for cloud backups). Windows just crashes sometimes.

Also, Linux has so much more Opensource software for nieche purposes. Windows has a lot, and a lot of old crap like Openoffice, FreeMind and other not maintained software. May not be there on Linux, because its outdated. But just look through flathub.org, its amazing.

A good place to start is Linux Mint with the Cinnamon desktop download option.

As others have said if you're happy with Windows then why change? If you're wanting to then instead of looking at the OS, look at what applications you use and see if there's a Linux version or an alternative you could use.

Personally, I actually support Windows on a day to day basis but use Linux at home. If there's one hate I have for Windows it's their awful update process, making my computer basically crawl until it finally decides it's going to reboot randomly as I've put the update off too long.

Added with the artificial software restrictions put in place for Windows 11, Linux seemed a no brainier.

I've been using Debian for a while. It's not as resource hungry and rock solid. It's survived several OS upgrades and keeps happily ticking along. Where for work I have a Microsoft Surface that the camera driver crashes unless I roll back to a previous version. Every so often Windows will decide that actually I'll want that new driver regardless of what I say. How can a MS OS fail to work with MS hardware?

In terms of recommending an OS, I'd say Linux Mint. It's a great starter OS and as it's popular it's well supported.

I have had better luck with Linux updates applying faster and they are more reliable than Windows. You can customize your desktop to have whatever theme you want. Also the privacy benefits are great too

If you care about your privacy and you are a kind of IT guy, then never ever just watch into wireshark while using windows. I was so fucking scared about the shit running in my background while I had a really clean windows installation and a lot of services and tasks disabled. Holy moly, I could not tell if this where MS calling home or some maleware. Even a simple netstat was full of messy unneeded stuff I can‘t disable (I figured out how ti disable everything via registry, ending up having an unusable windows) Hint: I was beeing hacked on windows OS some years ago, which makes me paranoid not having any chances on windows to check if some unwanted programm uses your PC and sending data over the ethernet.

Switched to endeavourOs 1y ago and would never go back. Runs 10 times faster, can do 95% of my tasks and games without having huge workarounds, thanks to proton. I have finally the feel the OS belongs to me and I can mostly control what the hack is going on on my PC.

I can see only a few scenarios where you couldn't use the Linux full time.

1. The game you want to play doesn't work. E.g. football 2023
2. The software you need to work professionally with doesn't run on Linux and does not have alternative on Linux. E.g. Adobe suite
3. All your hardwares are too new that Linux doesn't have enough driver yet e.g. Apple silicone M1,2

If you have none of them, the best reason to use is curiosity. I started my first Linux out of curiosity and now I am a full time Linx user though I still have windows dual boot and a Mac book pro.

If you are using your PC to play games, stick to Windows.

Linux is better if you want to run servers or do software development.

If you're a casual user who only uses office software and spreadsheets and watches pirated anime, you can use either but you should use Linux because it's cheaper.

the main reason are package managers, since the package managers on linux are much easier to use than winget(the one in windows). apart from that, there are not many other reasons to switch.

Debian Stable is a solid choice as it has the best support and is a hassle-free experience. Maybe with KDE Desktop. Its the most userfriendly windows-like desktop i know of.
Optional: You can also install the MX-Tools from MX Linux to get some comfortable GUI system tools.

Tl;Dr: if you don't do nothing, the CPU stays at 0% utilization. Magic?

(I'm kidding)

I'm using Linux for work. At home, I have Windows on my desktop, I mainly use it to play games.

One day I've tried to move to Linux for my home system, but it came out that games work slower because of DirectX adaptation layer. And most of the games can only work with DX.

Hey, if you're comfortable and happy with Windows, and don't feel the need to switch, then don't feel pressured. If you want to try Linux for fun, try a distro like Arch, that gives you a lot of control and a lot to play with.

If you have to ask, don't do it. People moving away from Windows usually have strong enough motivation to be able to tolerate the occasional tinkering Linux will require (any distro will, some more than others).

Personally, I switched a couple of years ago because I was fed up with Windows telemetry bullshit. But I admit that's mostly ideological because you don't "feel" it if you choose to ignore privacy rights violations.

I then discovered Linux to be much faster (booting, I/O, program start-up, basically everything) and not becoming shitty just by using it like every single Windows version does. Also, if you run into problems it's much easier to find and understand the root cause. Windows is just a black box.

Seems like you're pretty happy with Windows. I don't really see a reason to convinced you otherwise, but since you asked…

Basically, Linux can range from a bit to a shit ton more secure. It's also, the the off and on exception of Ubuntu, free of ads, and much more respectful of your privacy. Also, depending on your hardware, Linux can offer a modest performance boost. I personally find maintenance to be much faster and less resource intensive, if a bit less noob-friendly.

But like I said - if you're happy, why change?

I’m in a similar boat—would love a compelling reason to move to Linux but just don’t feel it yet. Many of the things other commenters dislike about windows I don’t experience. I’d consider myself fairly competent at tinkering with windows, so I have a completely local login, don’t see any ads, and it doesn’t install updates until I tell it too (I scripted manually installing the Defender definition updates every day though). I use Actualtools AWM for fine grained control over desktop and window features which I’d need to find the equivalent of in a Linux desktop—doable I’m sure, but it feels like a lot of effort to be exactly where I am right now.

So I’ll keep looking for the opportunity to move, install Kubuntu on an old laptop, and in the meantime just get on with work.

I think that, IMO, you have to have a reason to move AWAY from Windows. The fact that you're asking the question tells me that you may have problems with Windows (and maybe Windows 11 in particular?). TPM and an initial user creation process that requires a Microsoft account come to mind.

I still recommend Ubuntu or Mint Linux for new users, although I dislike Snap packages (in the case of Ubuntu) and I recommend getting away from Snaps as soon as possible. These distros pretty much just work. I'm more fond of the MacOS look and feel, so this is what my desktop looks like currently .

EDIT: I should point out that this is actually STOCK Ubuntu 23.04...

As you can see, my setup is very similar to MacOS (but not EXACTLY the same, which I prefer). Mint Linux is basically like Windows 10, only much better IMO. You pretty much can't go wrong with these two...

My server is Linux and it works great. My PC is Windows because, despite its flaws, it just works. Especially for playing games.

I like linux lite

For home desktop use you really shouldn't.