I’ve been using System76’s Pop!_OS Linux for about five years now. Before that, my distro was elementary OS. Why this change? Mainly because I bought System76 desktops (first the Leopard Extreme and then the Thelio) and Pop!_OS was the default distro. I adopted Pop!_OS almost immediately.
But over time, several strange things have happened. First, System76 started focusing on its own operating system, Cosmic desktop, with the goal of creating something completely new. The problem is that updates have become increasingly rare and System76 has decided to skip the 23.04 update altogether. Of course, that’s not a bad thing, because 23.04 was not an LTS (Long Term Support) release. And Pop!_OS 22.04 was still getting security updates.
The big problem I started having was bugs. I was writing something and my computer froze. Combined with a nearly full 250GB hard drive, it was time for me to do a clean install of Pop!_OS or switch to another distro. And then I realized that I wasn’t as enamored with Pop!_OS as before. Sure, it was still a good cast, but some aspects of the cast were starting to bother me. Besides the instability, I didn’t like the app launcher and the update process was getting a bit cumbersome.
After removing the disk containing Pop!_OS, I installed a 2TB SSD and put Ubuntu Budgie on it
With that conclusion made, it was time to decide which cast I was going for. I considered going back to elementary OS. But I remembered the problems I had with Pulse Audio (the audio server) on this distro. During my last two years with elementary OS, I was constantly struggling to get Pulse Audio to recognize my external microphone. Which (considering I was working on seven different podcasts at the time) was quite problematic. This decision alone kept me from going back to elementary OS.
I quite liked the layout of the Pantheon desktop, so I decided to find a distro that matched that aesthetic. The search led me to Ubuntu Budgie, which I had recently tested for ZDNET.
After removing the disk containing Pop!_OS (I wanted to be able to easily roll back, if the need arose), I installed a 2TB SSD and put Ubuntu Budgie on it. Almost immediately, I remembered one of the benefits of using Pop!_OS…it’s optimized for System76 hardware. However, it was enough to install the System76 driver and everything worked perfectly. Since the switch, I haven’t had a single problem and I’m very happy with Ubuntu Budgie.
My beginnings under Linux
This whole process reminded me of my Linux days. Back then, there weren’t as many Linux distributions as there are today, but there was still a small smattering of them. I started with Caldera Open Linux 1.0 and immediately upgraded to Red Hat 5.0. From there, I started switching between distros, including:
I then went from one to another until I found something that suited my needs and my personality at the time. More often, however, the distro I chose was Ubuntu-based, simply because I found it easier to use.
I sincerely thought this zapping was over for me. But when Pop!_OS started showing signs of trouble, I knew it was time to move on.
Some might think that such a vast choice would be overwhelming for users. I’ve always found it to be quite the opposite. With so many Linux distros to choose from, there is always hope of finding the perfect fit. If you don’t like the distro you’re currently using, choose a different one. Don’t like the desktop that comes with your free operating system? Install another.
When I first started using Linux, that was part of the fun. With so many options, I knew that if I didn’t like what I had, I could jump from one distro to another until I found the one I needed. When I first started using Linux, the prospect of trying something new was exciting. When I was disenchanted with Red Hat, there was Ubuntu. When Ubuntu lost its charm, there was elementary OS. When elementary OS became problematic, I could always go back to Ubuntu or try something completely off the beaten path.
I sincerely thought this zapping was over for me. But when Pop!_OS started showing signs of trouble, I knew it was time to move on. And I don’t think Ubuntu Budgie will be my last distro. At some point, another team will release something I need to try.
That’s part of the beauty of Linux. It’s not only a more flexible, powerful, secure and stable operating system, it’s also more diverse. Also, you will rarely feel stagnant or stuck with a single Linux distro, as there are hundreds to choose from.
And as a side note, I use secondary drives to house all my files, so when I do a reinstall I know I just need to remount the drives and I’m good to go.
Source: “ZDNet.com”