Linux is actually not just an operating system. It’s the bones of an operating system in the form of a Linux kernel, but everything else is up for debate.
Two Linux distros may be so similar in use that you wonder why they both exist, or they may be so different that you question how you should actually use Linux. With so many distros to choose from, what are your chances of using the best one for you? While constant distro-hopping can be pointless and unhealthy, if you’re seeing signs that your current distro is breaking your temper, maybe it’s time to move on. buuuuddy. Sorry, I looked Pauly Shore movies.
You are constantly looking for tutorials just to do basic tasks
RTFM: Read the Cleaning Guide
I wrote earlier that there is none indeed something like a starter distro, but if you’re using one of the Linux distros that doesn’t have much mainstream traction “BTW” you’re probably always trying to figure out how to do things.
If you’re stuck on niche forums looking at posts from five years ago because you need to install software that’s not in any of your repos and you don’t know how, or if you need to do something with a hardware driver but no one knows what the deal is with “Edgy Linux No One’s Head Of”, then maybe you can just use Ubuntu, Mint, or Zorin. With millions of users, everything you could ever want to do has already been done, documented, and is available as a YouTube tutorial with an accent that’s smarter than the rest of us.
You spend more time customizing than actually using your PC
One more pinch
Now, this is only a bad sign if what you want is a functional computer that can help you achieve a different goal. If your hobby is Linux and you spend all day with it, then guys, nothing to see here. However, if you’re constantly interrupting what you’re trying to do to make one more UI tweak, or if you’ve changed your desktop environment and then changed it multiple times, you might want to look for a distro that’s closer to what you need out of the box.
I’ve seen this more times than I can count over the yearswhere someone is “still building everything” months after installing the OS. If you can’t get to a point where things are stable and you can do your thing every day, you’re not in the right place.
Your needs have changed since you first installed Linux
Growing pains
Operating systems such as Windows and macOS has a pretty tough job. They should be everything to everyone. While there may be several different editions of Windows with minor specific differences, overall this is the lowest common denominator deal. This is one of the reasons Windows isn’t great, but this approach has its strengths.
With Linux, you can be a gamer, coder, homelabber, etc. Distro developers focus their energy and attention on those users and less on anything else. This isn’t a bad thing, it’s just that if you were one type of user when you chose your distro, but have since developed different needs, you may need to look elsewhere.
You only stick to it because everyone says you should
Peer pressure is never a good reason
Look, we all know how tribal people literally get everything, and if you want Linux users at each other’s throats, ask them what the best distro is and why. Each person’s choice of distro is like tying their identity to a sports team (perhaps even in some cases with religious fervor), and so it’s easy to fall into an echo chamber of other people telling you to stick with the distro you’re using. Even if you hate it.
But this is never a rational reason to use any software. Just because a lot of people are shouting in your ear doesn’t mean it’s right for you. So take a step back and look at what you actually need from an OS, then measure your existing distribution against those needs as objectively as you can. Without running to Reddit and asking “should I switch distros?”
You no longer agree with the distro’s philosophy
We have many distros both big and smallbecause people cannot agree on a central philosophy. Say what you will about Windows, but at least it has one main purpose, even if that purpose is to squeeze as many nickels and dimes out of you as possible. You have to respect it in a weird way. It’s awful, but it’s consistently awful.
Different distros have different approaches to things like security, privacy, software support, licensing models, and really any Linux community sticking point you can think of. Small disagreement? We’ll split into two distros that are almost identical, with just one small difference. But that means you might change your mind about the distro’s philosophy, or the distro itself might change in a direction you don’t agree with. At this point, you’ll probably want to join a new sect.
