[SOLVED] Suggesting a new Picking a Distro sticky for Newbie Forum

Originally Posted by jsbjsb001 Personally, it's almost done, but I'd still say to change "Hello" in the intro there to "Preamble" or "Introduction". As you want it to come across as a serious document for people to read and try and decide which distro they might start using Linux with. I would also change "3: Desktop Enviroments(DE)" to "Graphical Environments" - and I just noticed "Environments" is spelt wrong in your current draft. As a desktop environment is not the same as a window manager. And more to the point: your trying to explain and get the reader to understand the differences between them. I know it's probably just nit picking, but it's just to make it look more professional, that's all. And great work once again.

Changed

Originally Posted by RadicalDreamer It looks good but I think there should be something about UEFI, MBR, and age of hardware in choosing a Linux distribution. What are your choices if you have a new system within 6 months? What does a newbie use if they have UEFI? Any distribution hoppers have an opinion on newbie friendly distributions that handle UEFI well after install without extra steps?

Added a short paragraph, might need improving? I would like to avoid mentioning distro names as much as possible, if you know what i mean.

First I'll say a continued "Well Done!" about the draft.

It might be helpful to link to the draft if this thread continues much more. Rather difficult to find it sometimes.

If the consensus is that it is ready for publish, then I'd like to see some feedback from fellow members saying this and clarifying what the chosen sticky title is.

I will continue with review comments now, however do realize that some of them are very particular, but also potentially superfluous. Therefore no concern if you choose to ignore them, they are only offerings of minor possible enhancements, from my point of view.

• Regarding the paragraph about Kali, perhaps rewriting that sentence to say:

  Avoid all security/penetration testing distros. These distros are not suitable for a general desktop distro and can be extremely dangerous for an inexperienced user. Please review the Kali Linux Sticky Thread for further information

  My thinking here is that if you say to them "unless you really know what you are doing" is some sort of challenge half of them will wish to step up to match.
• When you cite the link for Distrowatch and as part of that link name you say "scroll down". This is unnecessary, by clicking on the link they will go to Distrowatch. Fine there's a duplicate link down below, telling them is TMI.
• When you talk about size, it is unclear that you are talking about RAM. Maybe make this more clear.
• When you discuss installing it may be helpful to give them the thought towards being prepared with a secondary system to download new install media and be prepared that it may not always work and boot the first time.
• This sticky is lengthy, neither good nor bad, however you could put in a table of contents with links to each section and also have a "back to top" link at the end of each section, or periodically throughout the post so as to give them some accelerators, people do get tired of reading every little detail.
• Finally ... (finally? ) I'm unsure if this is a moderate to major miss. We see so very many newbies who wish to switch to Linux, to try Linux ... why? Security, malware, ad popups, and so forth. And this is all over the map even a bit in Linux. We have people who dislike certain distributions because those distributions have reputations of being data collectors. We also have many discussions here in LQ about what constitutes better security, or different ways to suppress ads, etc. Maybe this topic is helpful to have here because many newbies who have no clue about Linux come to Linux and also LQ looking for supposedly magical answers, where the story is good, but the answers are not necessarily magical.

Originally Posted by rtmistler Regarding the paragraph about Kali, perhaps rewriting that sentence to say My thinking here is that if you say to them "unless you really know what you are doing" is some sort of challenge half of them will wish to step up to match.

Agreed, I didn't think of that, but it is too true. Changed

When you cite the link for Distrowatch and as part of that link name you say "scroll down". This is unnecessary, by clicking on the link they will go to Distrowatch. Fine there's a duplicate link down below, telling them is TMI.

Oops, looks like that needs changing, it was supposed to mean: scroll down on the web page , since the list starts halfway down.

This sticky is lengthy, neither good nor bad, however you could put in a table of contents with links to each section and also have a "back to top" link at the end of each section, or periodically throughout the post so as to give them some accelerators, people do get tired of reading every little detail.

Ive been thinking about that too but is it possible to link to the same post? if so, how?

Finally ... (finally? ) I'm unsure if this is a moderate to major miss. We see so very many newbies who wish to switch to Linux, to try Linux ... why? Security, malware, ad popups, and so forth. And this is all over the map even a bit in Linux. We have people who dislike certain distributions because those distributions have reputations of being data collectors. We also have many discussions here in LQ about what constitutes better security, or different ways to suppress ads, etc. Maybe this topic is helpful to have here because many newbies who have no clue about Linux come to Linux and also LQ looking for supposedly magical answers, where the story is good, but the answers are not necessarily magical.

I'll probably farm this section out to external sources/links, since I can't see adding all that in a short post.

Once Again Thanks for your time.

Mill J

Well I ran out of time and can no longer edit the original draft here:

https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ml#post5807177

So before I create a new draft/post let me ask everyone: Should we continue to a sticky or should I just create a blog? Either way is totally fine with me. I feel that even if it never gets stickied, it was still worth my while.

Thanks

Originally Posted by Mill J Well I ran out of time and can no longer edit the original draft here: https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ml#post5807177 So before I create a new draft/post let me ask everyone: Should we continue to a sticky or should I just create a blog? Either way is totally fine with me. I feel that even if it never gets stickied, it was still worth my while. Thanks

While I'm not LQ or Jeremy and can't speak for em', if there was no chance it was going to get stickied, I would think that Jeremy would have chimed in by now stating that. So if that's what your worried about, I don't think you need to worry about that.

Personally I think it would make a nice addition to the Sticky's in Newbies there. So I hope you do get a final draft posted. Also remember that the word 'final' doesn't mean you can't still edit the final draft, if people have more ideas, that are worth adding.

Here's one more idea;

A section for common terms and jargon, like for example; DE (Desktop Environment), CLI (Command-line Interface), etc, etc. Just pick the ones most relevant to Linux. Up to you tho...

Originally Posted by Mill J Well I ran out of time and can no longer edit the original draft

Go to that draft entry, "quote" it, and then you can edit that as a new post.

Originally Posted by rtmistler If the consensus is that it is ready for publish, then I'd like to see some feedback from fellow members saying this and clarifying what the chosen sticky title is.

Decide if this is your final draft, and advise us.

I'd still like to hear from other members what their input is about this, and it would be nice to know if more than two people support this. Perhaps you can cite some number of recent new threads where people have asked the question about what distro to choose.

Originally Posted by jsbjsb001 Also remember that the word 'final' doesn't mean you can't still edit the final draft, if people have more ideas, that are worth adding.

There are no specific rules one way or another for sticky threads.

My policy on sticky threads is that they are final, and I do close the thread. Yes it can be reopened and edited, however the intention is not to edit it on a regular basis.

@rtmistler,

I meant as in: Mill J posts his final draft here in this thread, before it's sticky'd so that, if anyone has any more ideas, Mill J could add them here before it's sticky'd - if Mill J still plans on doing one and hopefully he does. Sorry for the confusion, I should have been a little clearer.

I was going to reply before, but I didn't want Mill J (or anyone else) to miss your reply.

Introduction

The purpose of this post is to help you get started on your Linux journey. It is not intended to be a complete guide to Linux or all the different distributions of Linux ("distros"), and it is not endorsed in any way by Linux Questions (LQ).

Before you dive into learning Linux, you might want to make sure that Linux is what you’re looking for:

• Linux is not Windows
• Several Things To Know Before Switching To Linux
• And Several Reasons Why You Should Switch To Linux

Of course, sometimes the only way to figure out if Linux is for you is to try it.

Let’s start by saying that there is no single “Best” Linux Distribution for everybody - you’ll have to find the “Best” one for yourself. Asking which is the “Best” on a forum will probably not get you very far, since most Linux users have already found what works best for them personally.

It is also important to realize that this question has been asked many, many times. In fact, a search of LQ alone will bring up many such instances. A great way of narrowing down distros is through a web search. “Beginners Linux Distros 2018”, for example, will bring up several websites with the “Top 5” or “Top 10” Best for the year 2018, which generally narrow down to the same “Beginner-friendly Distros”. However, these may not be ideal for you as an individual.

Things to avoid

• Avoid picking a distro just because it is highly recommended by a friend or relative. You can consider it, but unless the recommending person knows your needs and is willing to work with you and answer your questions as you get started, do your own research.
  *
• Do not get an unofficial copy of a paid Linux distro and expect the community to help you when something goes wrong. Instead, most enterprise Linux distros have a free version available, e.g. Red Hat has Fedora, SUSE has OpenSUSE, etc.
  *
• Avoid all security/penetration testing distros. These distros are not suitable for use as a general desktop distro and can be dangerous for an inexperienced user. Please review the Kali Linux sticky thread for further information.
  *
• Don't give up on Linux because the first distro you try doesn't boot. Try another distro until you find one that boots and go from there.

Things To Consider

Note: The following six sections do not cover all the dimensions of Linux distros, and are not meant to replace your own research but rather to give you some preliminary ideas.

1: Skill Level

You will find distros ranging from "beginner level", such as Linux Mint, ZorinOS, PCLinuxOS, etc. to "expert level", such as Slackware or Gentoo. Even if your ultimate goal is to use an expert distro, it is a good idea to start with a distro designed for beginners until you get some practice. A regularly updated list of beginners’ distros can be found at Distrowatch.

2: Age Of Your Hardware

Linux distros range in size from several megabytes (Tiny Core, Slitaz, etc.) to several gigabytes, and the selection of distros you will be able to run is directly based on the power, RAM and age of your hardware. If you have a modern/powerful system with lots of RAM, you should have no problem running even the heaviest distro. However, if your system is a little older, less powerful, with a medium amount of RAM, you’ll want to check out distros that specify “Lightweight”. On extremely old, low-power systems with very little RAM, you might want to try the minimal distros that are actually built for old hardware (antiX, Puppy, etc.). Check the distro’s own website for minimum RAM and CPU requirements.

NOTE: Different Graphical Environments will also make a difference to the size/speed of the distro.

Something else to take into consideration when choosing a distro is the bootloader. You'll want to check the firmware of your hardware to see if it is UEFI/GPT or BIOS/MBR. If UEFI, you can use it in its native mode or in legacy mode where it behaves like a BIOS. Some of the smaller Linux distros need a BIOS or a legacy mode UEFI for their installation. If you plan to dual-boot and are using Windows on a UEFI machine, it is advisable to boot Linux with the same method as Windows. Older hardware will use BIOS for your bootloader, while newer hardware tends to use UEFI. Select your distro candidates accordingly. For more information on the differences, see here and for information on installing on Mac/Apple hardware, see the link in the Further Reading section below.

3: Graphical Environments (GUIs)

While the graphical environment in Linux is not technically a part of the operating system, it's something that is usually included in a desktop Linux distro and it is a very important choice for the beginner. As with the distros, they range from Heavy Desktop Environments (DEs) (KDE, Cinnamon, Gnome, etc.) to Lightweight Window Managers (WMs) (Fluxbox, Openbox, JWM, etc.).

The "Heavy" DEs have many features and generally have a smooth modern interface. The "Light" DEs/WMs are still very customizable (though you sometimes have to configure them by hand) but, without all the animation, they run much faster. There are many choices, but you can narrow this list down with a web search, for example "Best Linux Desktop Environments 2018". Watching videos describing the features of a DE is a good way to see what it is capable of doing, but even then you’ll probably have to install several different DEs before finding your favorite.

Remember that if you don't like a DE, you can always tweak it or replace it until you like it. In Linux there is never any need to settle for less then the "Best" for you.

4: Terminal/Command-Line (CLI)

While you do not have to learn the terminal to use a desktop Linux distro (it is necessary for most server distros), sooner or later you’ll find that the best way to do some tasks is with the command-line. But don’t worry, there is no need to dread the terminal. The terminal is not only easy to learn and use, but is also very powerful. Showing you how to use the terminal is beyond the scope of this post, but you'll find some tutorials linked in the Further Reading section below. A web search, for example “Linux Terminal” or “Linux Terminal Tutorial”, will also bring up many references and step-by-step tutorials for learning the Linux Terminal.

There are a number of different terminal applications, some fancier than others. The desktop's default terminal is good enough for most people. But if you don't like it for some reason, there are plenty of alternatives.

5: Server or Desktop

A desktop distro is for your general “home/office computer”. It is a good choice if you are looking for something for everyday tasks (web browsing, editing and viewing files, reading, etc.). These distros usually ship with a GUI (Graphical User Interface) preinstalled.

A server distro on the other hand is optimized for hosting web services such as websites, web-apps, email, etc., and often ships with applications to achieve that. Servers seldom have a GUI preinstalled since this is unnecessary for regular server tasks and a drain on CPU and RAM resources. A thorough knowledge of the command line/terminal is essential to install or set up a server.

Note: A Desktop Environment can be installed on a server distro, and server applications can be installed on a desktop distro, but it is recommended to use a distro for what it is designed to do.

6: Release Model

You might be wondering what the difference is between a Stable/Fixed and Rolling distribution. A fixed distribution does not change except for updates to fix bugs and security holes, which makes it very stable. Most software problems will have been resolved before the new version is released. This makes it a recommended option for a beginner, especially a version that has LTS (Long Term Support) since these are supported for several years. Eventually, however, a new release will come out and you will have to upgrade your entire system.

Rolling Releases have small and frequent updates. You install once, but update frequently. These distros are less stable but you will always have the latest software without ever needing to reinstall your whole system. There are of course some hybrids that might be considered Semi-Rolling, for example Debian Testing. These behave like rolling releases most of the time, but become frozen from time to time when they are being prepared to become the new stable release.

Some More Steps

Now that you’ve narrowed your choice down to several promising distros, you should visit the websites of these distros. Here you'll find out why a distro exists and how to download and install it. Many have great tutorials, videos, forums and wikis in case you get stuck. Also ask yourself some questions such as:

• What are you going to use the distro for?
• What do you want it to look like: Modern, streamlined?
• How heavy a distro can your system run?
• Does your system run UEFI or BIOS?
• Do you want a specialty distro, such as one designed for the office, Multimedia, Graphics, etc?
• Which release model sounds better: stable with LTS or rolling?
• Do you want it to work out of the box, or are you prepared to do some tweaking?
• Do you need a Desktop or a Server distro?
• Do you want to dual boot with Mac/OSX or Windows?

If you still can’t decide on one to try, just download and test (see Testing/Trying below) several that sound close to what you’re looking for. It's actually a good idea to try several distros since you will then be able to better compare them.

Testing/Trying

There are several ways of testing different Linux distros without installing to a hard drive. Downloading and creating a Live CD or a Live USB of the distro you are testing (check the distro’s website for instructions) is probably the best way to go. This is a great way to figure out if the distribution will run on your hardware. It will also allow you to check if you can connect to the internet, or whether you like the Desktop Environment and the Package Manager.

NOTE: Unless you have a distro that supports persistence, any settings, installed packages, or any other changes you make, will not be saved when you reboot.

Another great tool for testing distros is VirtualBox. This application allows you to install and run Linux in a virtual environment on your existing operating system (e.g. Windows or macOS), without worrying about messing up. You'll find many tutorials on the internet. You can also find many distros peinstalled on virtual harddives at OSBoxes, these are also a great way of trying a distro without the need of installing.

Here are several tools that can be used to create bootable flash drives and CDs. It is not a complete list and is only provided to give you some ideas on what is available:

• K3b is for burning CDs and DVDs on Linux.
• ImgBurn is a disc burning tool for Windows.
• Rufus is for creating bootable USBs on Windows.
• Unetbootin is for creating bootable USBs on Windows, Linux, and Mac.
• Etcher is for creating bootable USB and SD cards on Windows, Linux, and Mac.

Installing

This brings us to installing. Head over to the distro's website for instructions. Unless you are one of the lucky ones who find their “Best” distro the first time they install Linux, you’ll likely need to test, install and use multiple distros (this is called "Distro-Hopping") before you find the “Best”. Even then, some never find the “Best” and install and use several different distros.

If you ever have a question or a problem: "Just Do A Search". 99% of the time, somebody somewhere has had the same problem or question. If this web search fails, that's where Linux Questions comes in. Don't be afraid of breaking your install, you'll learn a lot when you fix things. Remember to keep your data backed up regularly and, if the worst comes to the worst, you can always reinstall.

Good Luck on Your Linux Journey!

Further Reading and Links

50 Open-Source Alternatives to Windows XP is several years old but still relevant today.
Installing Linux on Mac
Dual Boot Mac And Linux
Basic Commands For Linux Beginners
More Basic Commands For Terminal Beginner
Getting Started With Linux
DistroWatch is a website for finding and staying up-to-date with different Linux distros.
Alternativeto.net is a great site for finding alternatives for your software.
Linux App Finder is great for discovering new apps.
The Linux Kernel

Alright I've posted what I think is the final post above. So is there anybody else who thinks it would be a good idea the sticky it? and is there anybody who thinks it should not be a sticky?

edit: of course suggestions are still welcome


Thanks

Mill J

Suggested (pedantic) amendments:

General - opening brackets '(' should always have a space before them.

Introduction
------------
. "Linux journey, it is" -> "Linux journey. It is"

. "and it is not endorsed in any way by Linux Questions(LQ)." - are you sure this is required? It makes it look as if it is dodgy in some way. Perhaps could be replaced by "and the points listed below are all the personal opinions of the author(s)".

. "to figure out if Linux, is for you is to try it." -> remove comma.

. "Lets start by saying There Is No Single “Best”" -> "Let’s start by saying that there is no single “Best”"

. "for everybody, You’ll" -> "for everybody - you’ll"

. "most Linux users already found" -> "most Linux users have already found"

If this is too pedantic, please feel free to ignore this post (and it will be no skin off my nose, honestly). If you welcome it, then I can paste a revamped version of the entire text, excluding any non-grammatical changes which could do with further debate such as the endorsement comment above.

If only this text were on Github.

Okay. Here you go. Please feel free to accept/reject any suggested changes. Note that I've used some jiggery-pokery to separate some of the bullet point entries which could probably best be done otherwise.

Introduction

The purpose of this post is to help you get started on your Linux journey. It is not intended to be a complete guide to Linux or all the different distributions of Linux ("distros"), and it is not endorsed in any way by Linux Questions (LQ).

Before you dive into learning Linux, you might want to make sure that Linux is what you’re looking for:

• Linux is not Windows
• Several Things To Know Before Switching To Linux
• And Several Reasons Why You Should Switch To Linux

Of course, sometimes the only way to figure out if Linux is for you is to try it.

Let’s start by saying that there is no single “Best” Linux Distribution for everybody - you’ll have to find the “Best” one for yourself. Asking which is the “Best” on a forum will likely not get you very far, since most Linux users have already found what works best for them personally.

It is also important to realize that this question has been asked many, many times. In fact, a search of LQ alone will bring up many such instances. A great way of narrowing down distros is through a web search. “Beginners Linux Distros 2018”, for example, will bring up several websites with the “Top 5” or “Top 10” Best for the year 2018, which generally narrow down to the same “Beginner-friendly Distros”. However, these may not be ideal for you as an individual.

Things to avoid

• Avoid picking a distro just because it is highly recommended by a friend or relative. You can consider it, but unless the recommending person knows your needs and is willing to work with you and answer your questions as you get started, do your own research.
  *
• Do not get an unofficial copy of a paid Linux distro and expect the community to help you when something goes wrong. Instead, most enterprise Linux distros have a free version available, e.g. Red Hat has Fedora, SUSE has OpenSUSE, etc.
  *
• Avoid all security/penetration testing distros. These distros are not suitable for use as a general desktop distro and can be dangerous for an inexperienced user. Please review the Kali Linux sticky thread for further information.
  *
• Avoid giving up on Linux because the first distro you try doesn't boot. Try another distro until you find one that boots and go from there.

Things To consider

Note: The following six sections do not cover all the dimensions of Linux distros, and are not meant to replace your own research but rather to give you some preliminary ideas.

1: Skill Level

You will find distros ranging from "beginner level", such as Linux Mint, ZorinOS, PCLinuxOS, etc. to "expert level", such as Slackware or Gentoo. Even if your ultimate goal is to use an expert distro, it is a good idea to start with a distro designed for beginners until you get some practice. A regularly updated list of beginners’ distros can be found at Distrowatch.

2: Size/Hardware Age

Linux distros range in size from several megabytes (Tiny Core, Slitaz, etc.) to several gigabytes, and the selection of distros you will be able to run is directly based on the power, RAM and age of your hardware. If you have a modern/powerful system with lots of RAM, you should have no problem running even the heaviest distro. However, if your system is a little older, less powerful, with a medium amount of RAM, you’ll want to check out distros that specify “Lightweight”. On extremely old, low-power systems with very little RAM, you might want to try the minimal distros that are actually built for old hardware (antiX, Puppy, etc.). Check the distro’s own website for minimum RAM and CPU requirements.

NOTE: Different Graphical Environments will also make a difference to the size/speed of the distro.

Something else to take into consideration when choosing a distro is the bootloader. You'll want to check the firmware of your hardware to see if it is UEFI/GPT or BIOS/MBR. Older hardware will use MBR for your bootloader, while newer hardware tends to use UEFI. Select your distro candidates accordingly. For more information on the differences, see here and for information on installing on Mac/Apple hardware, see the link in the Further Reading section below.

3: Graphical Environments (GUIs)

While the graphical environment in Linux is not technically a part of the operating system, it's something that is usually included in a desktop Linux distro and it is a very important choice for the beginner. As with the distros, they range from Heavy Desktop Environments (DEs) (KDE, Cinnamon, Gnome, etc.) to Lightweight Window Managers (WMs) (Fluxbox, Openbox, JWM, etc.).

The "Heavy" DEs have many features and generally have a smooth modern interface. The "Light" DEs/WMs are still very customizable (though you sometimes have to configure them by hand) but, without all the animation, they run much faster. There are many choices, but you can narrow this list down with a web search, for example "Best Linux Desktop Environments 2018". Watching videos describing the features of a DE is a good way to see what it is capable of doing, but even then you’ll likely have to install several different DEs before finding your favorite.

Remember that if you don't like a DE, you can always tweak it or replace it until you do. In Linux there is never any need to settle for less then the "Best" for you.

4: Terminal/Command-Line (CLI)

While you do not have to learn the terminal to use a desktop Linux distro (it is necessary for most server distros), sooner or later you’ll find that the best way to do some tasks is with the command-line. But don’t worry, there is no need to dread the terminal. The terminal is not only easy to learn and use, but is also very powerful. Showing you how to use the terminal is beyond the scope of this post, but you'll find some tutorials linked in the Further Reading section below. A web search, for example “Linux Terminal” or “Linux Terminal Tutorial”, will also bring up many references and step-by-step tutorials for learning the Linux Terminal.

The Shell and Terminal Emulators are not the most important choices you will make, and often the distro’s default is good enough for most people. But if it is not, you still have plenty of choices.

5: Server or Desktop

A desktop distro is for your general “home/office computer”. It is a good choice if you are looking for something for everyday tasks (web browsing, editing and viewing files, reading, etc.). These distros usually ship with a GUI (Graphical User Interface) preinstalled.

A server distro on the other hand is optimized for hosting web services such as websites, web-apps, email, etc., and often ships with applications to achieve that. Servers seldom have a GUI preinstalled since this is unnecessary for regular server tasks and a drain on CPU and RAM resources. A thorough knowledge of the command line/terminal is essential to install or set up a server.

Note: A Desktop Environment can be installed on a server distro, and server applications can be installed on a desktop distro, but it is recommended to use a distro for what it is designed to do.

6: Release Model

You might be wondering what the difference is between a Stable/Fixed and Rolling distribution. A fixed distribution does not change except for updates to fix bugs and security holes, which makes it very stable. Most of the problems with the distro have been resolved before releasing it. This makes it a recommended option for a beginner, especially a version that has LTS (Long Term Support) since these are supported for several years. Eventually, however, a new release will come out and you will have to upgrade your entire system.

Rolling Releases have small and frequent updates. You install once, but update daily. These distros are less stable but you will always have the latest software without ever needing to reinstall your whole system. There are of course some hybrids that might be considered Semi-Rolling, for example Debian Testing. These behave like rolling releases most of the time, but become frozen from time to time when they are being prepared to become the new stable release.

Some More Steps

Now that you’ve narrowed your choice down to several promising distros, you should visit the websites of these distros. Here you'll find out why a distro exists and how to download and install it. Many have great tutorials, videos, forums and wikis in case you get stuck. Also ask yourself some questions such as:

• What are you going to use the distro for?
• What do you want it to look like: Modern, streamlined?
• How heavy a distro can your system run?
• Does your system run UEFI, MBR, or both?
• Do you want a specialty distro, such as one designed for the office, Multimedia, Graphics, etc?
• Which release model sounds better: stable with LTS or rolling?
• Do you want it to work out of the box, or are you prepared to do some tweaking?
• Do you need a Desktop or a Server distro?
• Do you want to dual boot with Mac/OSX or Windows?

If you still can’t decide on one to try, just download and test (see Testing below) several that sound close to what you’re looking for. It's actually a good idea to try several distros since you will then be able to better compare them.

Testing

There are several ways of testing different Linux distros without installing to a hard drive. Downloading and creating a Live CD or a Live USB of the distro you are testing (check the distro’s website for instructions) is probably the best way to go. This is a great way to figure out if the distribution will run on your hardware. It will also allow you to check if you can connect to the internet, or whether you like the Desktop Environment and the Package Manager.

NOTE: Unless you have a distro that supports persistence, any settings, installed packages, or any other changes you make, will not be saved when you reboot.

Another great tool for testing distros is VirtualBox. This application allows you to install and run Linux in a virtual environment on your existing operating system (e.g. Windows or macOS), without worrying about messing up. You'll find many tutorials on the internet.

Here are several tools that can be used to create bootable flash drives and CDs. It is not a complete list and is only provided to give you some ideas on what is available:

• K3b is for burning CDs and DVDs on Linux.
• ImgBurn is a disc burning tool for Windows.
• Rufus is for creating bootable USBs on Windows.
• Unetbootin is for creating bootable USBs on Windows, Linux, and Mac.
• Etcher is for creating bootable USB and SD cards on Windows, Linux, and Mac.

Installing

This brings us to installing. Head over to the distro's website for instructions. Unless you are one of the lucky ones who find their “Best” distro the first time they install Linux, you’ll likely need to test, install and use multiple distros (this is called "Distro-Hopping") before you find the “Best”. Even then, some never find the “Best” and install and use several different distros.

If you ever have a question or a problem: "Just Do A Search". 99% of the time, somebody somewhere has had the same problem or question. If this web search fails, that's where Linux Questions comes in. Don't be afraid of breaking your install, you'll learn a lot when you fix things. Remember to keep your data backed up regularly and, if the worst comes to the worst, you can always reinstall.

Good Luck on Your Linux Journey!

Further Reading and Links

50 Open-Source Alternatives to Windows XP is several years old but still relevant today.
Installing Linux on Mac
Dual Boot Mac And Linux
Basic Commands For Linux Beginners
More Basic Commands For Terminal Beginner
Getting Started With Linux
DistroWatch is a website for finding and staying up-to-date with different Linux distros.
Alternativeto.net is a great site for finding alternatives for your software.
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guys, this has been hard work and it's probably very good reading.
but now imagine the target group; their attention span is too short to do even the most cursory research themselves.
they see this wall of words, maybe they click the first three links (itsfoss.com? seriously?), and scroll to the end.
how many will actually bother to find the parts that are relevant for them, even if they are below the 50% mark?
cut the length by half, is what i suggest.

Originally Posted by ondoho guys, this has been hard work and it's probably very good reading. but now imagine the target group; their attention span is too short to do even the most cursory research themselves. they see this wall of words, maybe they click the first three links (itsfoss.com? seriously?), and scroll to the end. how many will actually bother to find the parts that are relevant for them, even if they are below the 50% mark? cut the length by half, is what i suggest.

I see your point, however I think the paragraph(s) that will do the most good are at the top:

Originally Posted by Mill J Let’s start by saying that there is no single “Best” Linux Distribution for everybody - you’ll have to find the “Best” one for yourself. Asking which is the “Best” on a forum will likely not get you very far, since most Linux users have already found what works best for them personally. It is also important to realize that this question has been asked many, many times. In fact, a search of LQ alone will bring up many such instances. A great way of narrowing down distros is through a web search. “Beginners Linux Distros 2018”, for example, will bring up several websites with the “Top 5” or “Top 10” Best for the year 2018, which generally narrow down to the same “Beginner-friendly Distros”. However, these may not be ideal for you as an individual.

@hydrurga
Great Job, as you can probably see, most of the typos are from the stuff I added After hazel proofread it the first time

Want me to do it again?

@Ondoho. If we treat newbies as hopeless

their attention span is too short to do even the most cursory research themselves. They see this wall of words, maybe they click the first three links and scroll to the end. How many will actually bother to find the parts that are relevant for them, even if they are below the 50% mark?

how will we ever be able to help them? When I was a newbie, I was treated with more respect than that!

Originally Posted by Mill J I see your point, however I think the paragraph(s) that will do the most good are at the top: @hydrurga Great Job, as you can probably see, most of the typos are from the stuff I added After hazel proofread it the first time

Oops, I didn't realise it had already been proofread. Oh well, as the U.S. Congress found out recently with their State of the Union invitations, you can't have too much proofreading. My pleasure anyway. I was sceptical about the project at first, but having seen how it has panned out, I am impressed.