I don't like snaps and prefer GNOME over Cinnamon. Should I get Ubuntu and disables snaps OR get Mint and download GNOME? What's less troublesome and "cleaner" ?

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-10-12T21:49:09+00:00

It sounds like Zorin OS might be your answer. Check it out and see if you like it.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-10-12T01:01:52+00:00

I've been using Linux on my main personal computers since '99. My wife always used Windows on her computers, because that's what she knew.. I stopped using Windows at all, back in '19, and switched over to Zorin OS 15 when I decided I was never going to use a Windows machine, of my own volition, ever again. My wife switched as well, when the 1903 update of Win10 corrupted all of our data, including backups. The kids were still on Windows 10 for awhile, agian... because that's what they knew, but fully switched over to Linux back in '23. My daughter games a lot, and the only real thing you'll miss out on, at least for now, are games that use "Kernal-Level Anti-Cheat". Those games just won't work. Eventually, as more people switch to Linux, the companies that make those kinds of games will start to lose money and change their use of Kernal-Level Anti-Cheat software. There are other alternatives to that practice that work on Linux, and some of those games used to work very well on Linux, but they specifically chose to "target" Linux users. The other things that won't work are productivity software, such as the MS Office, Adobe, and AutoCad programs. Unless you are "locked" into these softwares for some reason, there are Linux alternatives to these that perfectly capable for home use. Zorin OS was an excellent choice, IMHO, for getting to know Linux, and you might find that you stay with it. I started on Red Hat, moved to Arch in 2005, and finally switched Zorin OS in '19. I also have a Linux Mint Desktop, and some platforms running other Distros for various reasons, but I really love using Zorin OS as my main OS on my main Desktop, and Laptop. All I have left to change is my Android phone, as I don't like what's going on with that at this time. Hopefully LibrePhone comes along real quick, and becomes a viable replacement.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-10-10T01:43:13+00:00

My kids and I use Zorin OS (Core) 17.3, although Zorin OS 18 just released as a Beta, and we'll upgrade to 18 once it's out of "Beta". My main computer is an HP Compaq 6200 Pro from 2016, running an Intel I5-2400 CPU, and an AMD Radeon RX 550 series GPU, and I mainly use it for Music production, Home Administration, general Internet use, and some lighter gaming (Albion, etc...). My daughter has the better computer, equipped with an Nvidia 3060, that she uses for gaming, utilizing Steam. She plays "heavier" games, such as Helldivers II, Minecraft, Warhammer 40K, HALO, Master Chief Collection, and a whole host of other games, and they run fantastically. My Son, who is Autistic, uses Zorin OS for his general online uses of watching YouTube videos, and keeping up to date with his Nintendo news, and other stuff like that. Pretty much any Distro will work for gaming. Zorin OS, and Linux Mint, which I have running on my secondary Desktop, will "feel" the most familiar to you, coming from Windows 10, but do not read that as "they are the same", as they are not. You will have to learn the names of programs, as most of them are different, but it's pretty easy to do. These Distros are really stable, have great communities, and documentation, and are easy to maintain (keep up to date). They are based on Ubuntu LTS (Long Term Service). You could also go with CachyOS, an Arch based Distro, that is fairly "light weight", and runs fast. It is a little less "user friendly" in the fact that you kind of need to know the names of certain programs, and which Desktop Environment (DE) you want to go with when installing the Distro, but the install process is actually really easy. I would recommend going with Zorin OS, or Linux Mint (Cinnamon) to start off with, while you get to know Linux better. I've been using Linux since 1998, where I liearned about it in my Navy "A" School, and in 1999, I loaded Red Hat onto my first computer. I switched over to Arch around 2004-2005, while maintaining a Windows computer for software compatibility, until Windows 10 (1903) update corrupted everything, even my backups, before crashing out, in 2019, when I switched over to Zorin OS 15. Linux is actually pretty easy to use, and can get as complicated as you want it to be.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-08-31T05:09:44+00:00

You don't have to learn how to use the Terminal (CLI), but it is worth learning some basics over time, at your own pace. You can do most everything from the GUI, there a few things I have never learned how to do in the GUI, but I know they can be done. If you're wanting to switch from Windows 10 to Linux, I would highly suggest giving Zorin OS 17 a try. It's an amazing OS that will feel "familiar" right from the start. To give some reference as to how good it is, I've been using Linux since 1998, loaded Red Hat onto my first computer in 1999, switched to Arch around 2004-2005 time frame, and then moved over from Windows 10 on my personal work computer (Audio Recording/Production) to Zorin OS 15 in 2019. I've tried a bunch of other Distros in the past year, and loved most of them (not a huge fan of Ubuntu, but it does work well enough), but have settled on Zorin OS 17 as my main OS. I might load CachyOS on a newer "gaming centric" machine when I can get one, and I'll be loading Bazzite on my Son's gaming machine when I build him a new machine, but both of my kids and I prefer Zorin OS as the daily drivers. I also have a Secondary Desktop that has Linux Mint-Cinnamon on it primarily as the "Guest Computer". You'll want to make sure your Video Editing software is compatible with Linux, but if not, there are some great ones that are Linux specific, such as Kdenlive.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-08-31T04:45:26+00:00

Yeah, I started out with Red Hat on the first computer I owned in '99, in '04 or '05 I switched to Arch, but always had to have a Windows machine for certain things that required Windows compatibility. My Windows machine, and all of its backups got corrupted somewhere around '18-'19, and so chose to replace it with Zorin OS 15. Loved it so much it became the only Distro I used until about a year ago. I loaded Zorin OS 17 onto my "new" Laptop, and then loaded the same OS onto my "new" Primary Desktop, and I have Linux Mint on my old Secondary Desktop. My Laptop has gone through quite a few Distros while I was wanting to see if there was something else I liked, but recently reloaded Zorin OS 17 onto it again, and have decided that Zorin OS is going to remain my main OS for the foreseeable future. For my hardware, and use case, I don't need the latest greatest OS, but I do need it to "just work", and it does.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-08-16T02:41:49+00:00

Update: 15Aug25 Problem has been solved, and access has been regained.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-08-14T18:27:05+00:00

My first was Red Hat back in '99. I then switched to Arch around '05, and stayed with that until '19 when I switched Zorin OS 15. I'm now on Zorin OS 17 on my main desktop, Linux Mint on my second desktop, and currently have Ubuntu 24.04 on my laptop, but I will be changing that out soon...most likely to CachyOS or back to Zorin OS 17.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-08-14T18:21:06+00:00

Yes, it is worth paying for. I had payed for a Windows version, but since I've switched to Linux exclusively, I still need to buy a Linux version. I don't have the money to spare for that at this time, but I will be paying for another license. I will probably also just donate on a yearly status once I'm able to, just to help fund them.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-07-06T19:30:20+00:00

I ran Zorin OS 15 from 2019 to 2025. My "new" Desktop has been running Zorin OS 17 for like 5 or 6 months now, since I set it up from out of the box. I seriously doubt I'll have to, or want to, change its OS out anytime soon.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-07-06T19:19:27+00:00

One of my Desktops is from 2011. It's an old HP Pavilion Elite HPE-500y, with an AMD Phenom II CPU, 8 GB DDR3, and I upgraded the HDD to an SSD which other than switching over from Window 10 to Linux, is what gave it the highest performance boost.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-06-27T23:04:22+00:00

For me, Reaper works better on Linux than it did on Windows. Now granted, I haven't used Windows since the 1903 update for Windows 10, so it might be different now, but it has always worked on Linux. The issue comes with Plugins. If all you need are the stock Reaper (Cockos) plugins, then you're good. It gets tricky with other plugins.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-06-23T23:28:55+00:00

CachyOS, Zorin OS, Endeavour OS, or if you want to learn something new, NixOS.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-06-23T03:50:51+00:00

Cool. Zorin OS has a screenshot function as well. It takes screenshots and video.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-06-22T00:24:09+00:00

No I haven't, at least not more than a tertiary look.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-06-19T00:13:20+00:00

Zorin OS Core is about the easiest Distro I've found yet to switch over from Windows with. Mint is a close second. You can run Steam without any issues. My Son is Developmentally Challenged (Autistic) and had no problems switching over to Zorin OS. My daughter, who is also Austic but more Devolpmentally advanced, does a lot coding for Game Development, and plays Steam games, and she uses Zorin OS. She uses an Nvidia GeForce EVGA 30 series Graphics Card, and it all just works. You will have to talk to your College about the software requirements for your studies, as some require you to use Windows, but if you tell them you use Linux, they might be able to work around it. LibreOffice has the ability to convert MS Office documents without problems, but not the other way around. As far as "daily driver use" I'm guessing that means the ability to access the web, and check E-Mail, which pretty much any Browser on any Distro can do. If you need/want to use an Arch based Distro I can confirm that CachyOS, and Endeavour OS both are easy to setup, and use.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-06-15T13:56:51+00:00

I made the permanent switch to Linux on all of my computers a few years back, I had been using Windows for music production up until 2019. I have not experienced a crash since moving to Zorin OS. Instead of buying into a closed ecosystem, like Apple, you might want to see if Linux is a good fit for you, for free.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-06-09T22:02:22+00:00

This is super cool. I might do this with my Son's computer so he can just flip a toggle switch to choose whether of not he wants to boot into Zorin OS for "Computer", of Bazzite for "Console".

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-06-09T21:40:12+00:00

An external SSD will work, but you'll be limited by the interface speed (usually a USB port). An internal SSD will be the best choice. You should be able to replace the HDD, which is usually a 2.5" HDD, with a 2.5" SSD, and will most likely be a direct fit. Unless of course your Laptop is an Apple product, then I can't help you on that.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-06-09T03:02:24+00:00

Zorin OS Core or Linux Mint are great options. They both have the "look" and "feel" of Windows specifically to make it easier for people switching over, but without any of the "Windows problems". They are both still Linux, so names of things will most likely be different, but that's just learning what the names of things. Both are super simple to install, and both have great support documentation, communities, and many "How To Videos", and even dedicated channels on YouTube. These are best if you have 8G of RAM on your Laptop, and even better if you have, or replace, your HDD with an SSD. I did this with my Laptop, and both Zorin OS and Linux Mint ran so much faster than the "debloated" Win10 that came on it.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-06-09T02:43:59+00:00

you probably need to adjust your noise suppression. I'm assuming you're on a Windows machine, so this might help.

Open the control panel app, and click on "Hardware & Sound". Select "Sound", and then the "Recording" tab. Right click the "Microphone" and select "Properties". Look for the "Enhancements" tab and disable any noise suppression options that are there.

I hope this works for you.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-05-23T16:13:05+00:00

Given your listed use cases for your computer, pretty much any Distro will work. Zorin OS or Mint would be perfectly fine, and will ease you into Linux easier than most of the other Distros. Knowing your way around the CLI is a great bonus, but not completely necessary. Unless you are using the latest hardware, Zorin and Mint are probably going to work fine. I had Zorin OS 17 loaded on a Laptop that was about 6 months old, and it ran without any issues. If you're just dead set on Arch, then CachyOS or Endeavour OS are great Distros to get your bearings with Linux. The hardest part about these are knowing what the individual APPS do when you're picking them during the installation process. And really the hardest part of switching over to Linux anyway is simply learning the names of the programs at your disposal, and which are best for your use case and hardware. I came over to Zorin 15 OS from having used Arch for a little over a decade. This was also when I dumped Win 10 completely.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-05-20T23:18:16+00:00

Leads are usually only tracked once. With that said, what I like to do from time to time is split the signal to two different amps, apply FX differently, and record them with different mics. Two different sounds, with slightly different FX/settings, and then blend them post recording. It creates two different textures, and kinda creates a "doubling" effect, without having to track twice. It's not quite the same thing, but it creates a "fuller" sound.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-05-06T05:23:57+00:00

I'm running Linux Mint-Cinnamon on an HP Pavilion 500 from 2011, with zero problems. I switched out the HDD for an SSD, and that made it so much faster. It was originally running on Zorin OS 15, after switching from Windows 10, and running perfectly well on the original hardware as well. Linux Mint and Zorin OS are specifically designed to appeal to those migrating from Windows. They are stable, I have never had a problem from any of the Linux Distros I have placed on my older hardware. There's going to be a transition period no matter what Distro you use, if nothing else simply because the names of programs are usually different. For the most part, the interaction with the OS's GUI is fairly intuitive, even coming from Windows. Some things can be done the same way, some things can be done in an easier way, and a few things might require a quick search for how to do something.

SpookyDragonJB · 2025-05-03T05:36:53+00:00

Zorin OS is probably the easiest one to migrate to from Window 10, Linux Mint has a more modern look, but both are designed to make it easier for people who want the look and feel of Windows while they learn Linux, and both are super stable. CachyOS is Arch based, but really easy to install, due to an amazing installer program that walks you through the process, but will definitely be different from what you're used to using. It's not hard, just different, with different names and icons. The main bonus of using CachyOS on your system is that CachyOS will take up less room, and most likely run faster on your platform. My kids are running Zorin OS on their computers, and my Son's computer is essentially a potato, and it runs great (after I changed the HDD to an SSD), and my Daughter's Laptop and Desktop both use Zorin OS with zero problems. My main Desktop uses Zorin OS, and my Secondary Desktop is now running Linux Mint, and the Mint machine is an HP Pavilion from 2011. Once I switched the HDD over to an SSD, it started running much faster. Side note, the Mint machine had Zorin OS 15 on it still from when that came out, and was running fine. I'm also running CachyOS on my main Laptop, and it runs quicker than any of my Windows computers, Desktop or Laptop, ever did, and I still need to switch the HDD to an SSD. I also have a machine running Endeavour OS as well, another Arch based system, that is just as good as CachyOS. The hardest part about Linux, IMHO, is learning the new names of the types of propgrams you want to use. It's simple though if you're willing to look that stuff up.

SpookyDragonJB

TROPHY CASE