GustavoM

It's completely fine to use a beginner-friendly distro and stick with it. Just be aware you are missing a lot by not going deeper into linux.

t. Started with ZorinOS. Ended up using (pretty much) anything that is in front of me, minimal install, sway, no DE. On a orange pi 5 MAX.

Simply put -- you've got to realize a couple things:

1- Linux is not Windows.

2- Use Linux like a brand new type of software you never heard about -- do not make any pre-assumptions.

3- Use Google to search for the most simple things, including "How do I install something on (Linux distro name you've chosen)"?

4- Have some patience -- you won't learn (everything) on day one. There will be mistakes, there will be problems you will not solve em today. But you will solve em tomorrow.

And here's a little "cheat sheet" of mine on how to use (and get used with) linux:

1- Get used how to use the package manager. (Where you will search and install stuff.)

2- Learn what are your audio and graphic packages (The "drivers") are. (See 3- above.)

3- Learn how to run the stuff you installed.

4- Learn how you configure the distro to your liking.

Learn all these four steps, and you can consider yourself a linux "pro" user.

Guess I must be an alien then. (That's 'pure' sway -- no toolbars, icons... nothing. I use my own dmenu-esque app to run binaries.)

Forgot to mention it also has a "poor man's htop" at the top center of the screen, that fetches memory and cpu usage at each keystroke (only). Definitely not for the "powerhouse PC gamer" out there, but for the potatoes (raspberry pi zero, a very old router, etc).

That is a bunch of unnecessary noise just because an AI managed to code a working python code for you. Like that'd make your command "cursed" or some sort.

You will go back to your "usual" linux setup when you realize that most packages you set up with LFS are now broken and you'll need to redo the whole process again.

t. arch linux minimal installation only master race

Absolutely yes. You'd be better buying a dedicated PC for Linux tho.

t. Got a Orange pi 5 MAX with Linux installed. It's tricky to set up, but worths a lot in the end (low power usage while providing a decent performance -- can be used as a "mini server" to host your own personal file server or anything else you'd like while providing a smooth experience for anything your job may require from it.)

I don't mind a little "change" every now and then, but still -- "Sway" on my "potatoes" (Orange pi zero 3 and Orange pi 5 max) and "Hyprland" on my x86_64 PC.

How to become a hacker

Average Linux user: Hack the white house

Your mom: Install pi-hole

Dietpi user here. I've got a orange pi zero 3 w/ 1GiB of ram serving me nextdns under docker + playing a live stream 24/7 (via yt-dlp/ffplay) and it does its job just nicely.

Nice cherry picking/moving the goalpost, but that is not how refuting works. A PC at NASA has a much higher "threat level" than my Orange pi zero 3, just chilling on the background. Which means, a potential "security hole" may prove harmful for these pcs... but it'll definitely not hurt me in the slightest.

And before you parrot with other links and/or excuses... yes, I'm not negating their existence. I'm just saying they are there... but, well... "who cares"? If anything, its much faster to set up my distro back up "just like never happened before" than performing any "maintenance" whatsoever. Again, "Common sense antivirus" reigns supreme here -- know what you are doing, and none of these things will matter.

All you have to do is to install "Common sense antivirus", pretty much.

Comparing a PC maintenance to leaving the keys outside the front door is too dramatic, to not say the least...

...unless you work at NASA and/or your PC is holding something too valuable/sensitive/high-priority for others to want to hack it "that badly" -- which I (highly) doubt it.

You simply don't do any maintenance whatsoever.

t. Got a arch linux install that I (rarely) perform "sudo pacman -Syu --noconfirm" and it works like a champ.

I was about to say that you should learn the "ins and outs" of Linux first before choosing a distro until I've noticed these part(s) of your post.

I’ve been toying with Linux on and off for almost 20 years now.

I’m comfortable in the command line

20 years is more than enough time for a user to use Linux properly. And with that in mind, well... you are overthinking it -- just go with whatever you want, really.

If you have lower standards, even a $10 arm pc can be "mainstream".

Just buy a minipc and use it solely for gaming on Windows if you really need to game.

Truth be told, most folks aren't interested in having a conversation with strangers on the internet -- but "use" em as a scapegoat for their personal/irl issues. With that said, the logic behind "downvote-happy" users is simply, "Have this downvote because I'm feeling like shiz and I must downvote you so I can feel a false sense of superiority/intelligence over you and feel less like shiz.".

For the same reason you typed this post.

More like the same thing.

At 80's however will be like "Damn, I used to talk with randoms about my age and making such a big deal in my 20'ties. And now I'm in my 80'ties and I could die in any moment."

At 100'ties will be like "Ah, fu-"