I feel like I'm missing out by not distro-hopping

I’ve been dailying the same Mint install since I gave up on Windows a few years ago. When I was choosing a distro, a lot of people were saying that I should start with Mint and “move on to something else” once I got comfortable with the OS.

I’m comfortable now, but I don’t really see any reason to move on. What would the benefits be of jumping to something else? Mint has great documentation and an active community that has answers to any questions I’ve ever had, and I’m reluctant to ditch that. On the other hand, when I scroll through forums, Distro Hopping seems to be such a big part of the “Linux experience.”

What am I missing?

KarnaSubarna, (edited )
@KarnaSubarna@lemmy.ml avatar

If your use cases (a.k.a. requirements) are met by your current distro, never switch.

If you are satisfied with stability, availability of support, quick availability of security patches, never switch.

This is particularly important when you are using your Linux desktop as your daily driver.

Most you can do is to check what additional features other distros are offering (rolling release, hardened/zen kernel, x86-64-v2/3 support, file system type, user base, availability of packages, package formats, overall documentation etc.), validate if you really need those features.

If you are interested or just curious to test those features, install that distro on a VM (QEMU/KVM) to try it out first safely. Use it on VM for a while, make yourself comfortable with it. Once you are satisfied with it, only then switch.

Cowbee,

The goal is for it to work. If it works, you’re doing it right. For some people, Mint isn’t enough. For many, it absolutely is.

MiddledAgedGuy,

You are. Reformat and install the first hardware compatible distro you find on distro.moe right now. Don’t think too much about it, just do it! /s, probably?

If checking out a different distro sounds interesting and/or fun then you should. If not, then don’t. Whatever way you Linux is the correct way for you.

possiblylinux127,

It sounds like you need distrobox and KVM.

noddy,

You can always distro hop inside a virtual machine if you have the time and nothing to do.

Octopus1348,
@Octopus1348@lemy.lol avatar

You should only hop if you know what you’re missing out on, if you don’t and don’t have any distro-specific problems, it’s just unnecessary. But if you really feel like it and have enough disk space, you can try dual-booting another distro and see which you like better.

I hopped because I wanted immediate updates and easy compiling (AUR) so I picked an Arch-based OS.

Distro hopping is pretty similar to changing instances on Lemmy. If you don’t have a reason, just keep using your current account.

Paragone,

If it works for you, stick with it.

Works is a feature, not a bug.

_ /\ _

ReakDuck,

I guess this is to figure out what is also possible on Linux, and getting to know that not all problems or missing features apply to other distros.

Sometimes you can lwarn amazing stuff, like a KDE distro can be customized to your liking while a Gnome desktop is a nearly forced workflow and design but can be slightly changed with buggy extensions.

ulu_mulu,

Distro Hopping seems to be such a big part of the “Linux experience.”

It’s not, it’s just a way to find the distro that suits you best.

If you’re already satisfied with what you have, there’s no reason to change and you’re not missing out on anything. If you’re ever curious about other distros, install Virtualbox and try them in a VM.

I stopped distro hopping years ago when I started using Linux MX (Debian based), I’m so happy with it that I have no intention to change ever again.

The only other distro I really like is LMDE (Mint based on Debian instead of Ubuntu), so I put that one on my laptop (MX on my gaming desktop).

TCB13,
@TCB13@lemmy.world avatar

There’s Debian and Red Hat Enterprise, everything else is pointless. Enjoy.

AVincentInSpace,

The time I spent “distro hopping” back in high school was because I didn’t have the balls to commit to a single distro. Even then the only time I actually switched was when I made a config change that blew up in my face so badly I needed to reinstall anyway.

If you’ve found a setup you’re happy with, by all means, stick with it. You’re not missing out on much by not voluntarily erasing your boot drive and installing an entirely new OS every week or so for no reason other than it looked cool.

(If you’re about to suggest dual booting multiple Linux distros, no. Just stop. I tried that once. You would not believe how many issues are caused by sharing a ~/.config between two systems with slightly different versions of the same software.)

kuneho, (edited )
@kuneho@lemmy.world avatar

What am I missing?

Nothing. If you are content with your current setup, you are missing absolutely nothing.

gian,

What would the benefits be of jumping to something else?

None if you want to do it just because

What am I missing?

Again, nothing if you are not needing some very specific feature that only other distro offer or something that is easier on another distro.

LoveSausage, (edited )

If you are happy with the way things are no need to change, want to Ty something out ? Live CD or VM. Dual boot if you want to keep 2 systems. Mint is pretty good. I like peppermint myself. A halfway stop between mint and arch. Shit works out of the box but runs on 1 GB ram. Worth checking out if you want to get some extra out of you computer

atzanteol,

Distro hopping is what you do when you don’t mind spending a week trying to get things “back the way they were”.

You’re not missing out.

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