W
warlockk
Guest
I agree with you.Solus provides a multitude of experiences that enable you to get the most out of your hardware.
Just works Linux distro.
- Thread starter lekkerlinux
- Start date
OP
lekkerlinux
Active Member
LMDE is a good option to try out some day, because I tried on various occasions to install Debian itself with the netinstaller without success. I keep missing some step and end up with no desktop.
Hope your Mint installation stays in mint condition.
OP
lekkerlinux
Active Member
Solus is good, but Fedora is even better. I have a old AMD A10 APU that came out in 2013 or something and a old Radeon 6670 2 Gig graphics card and the this PC has never worked so good.
Had Windows 7, Zorin, Solus, Manjaro, Q40S, Antergos, MX Linux and Lubuntu on it.
Fedora has been the best. I though it was more for new hardware and developers to use, but I find it user-friendly.
Unlike Windows, which for a long time pushed PC architecture and structure, and pretty much dictated what would work, Linux doesn't do that. Linux is fully capable of running on a vast array of hardware, in many configurations. The point is there is no way of predicting what hardware Linux will be installed on, but Linux can accommodate a variety of configurations - but not all, out of the box. Also, Linux is uniquely about choice and does not dictate what will be done in terms of applications, while providing a solid set of defaults - out of the box.
Like others here, I have tried a lot of distros, both Linux and BSD, and have had very few true issues, just a lot of satisfying problem solving. And to think it all began with a box labeled Red Hat Linux 5.2 found in a thrift shop some 25 years ago, after growing weary of battling the abomination of early Linux - Slackware. I never looked back, and it has gotten better every year thereafter.
Just work with it, slow down, pay attention, and research before trying something completely new. Linux is worth it.
OP
lekkerlinux
Active Member
Maybe it's just me, but Ubuntu based distro's have been getting slower on my system in recent years. Have been using Zorin for years. Very reliable but slower than before.
Then I tried Solus this year, but it caused one program to crash after the kernel update on a Friday.
Now I have been using Fedora for a week, and it took a few days before setting up everything to work. Adding codecs through VLC so all video's play on websites and so on. Fedora hanged a few times and then got better after a update. I works much faster than Ubuntu and derivatives, even on my 7 year old mid range hardware.
I guess you can't get performance and rock solid reliability in the same Linux distro. You have to choose what is the most important.
I haven't used Windows for years and I will feel pretty disappointed when I buy Windows 10 and a updates breaks something or I have to trouble shoot a problem. Better support for Linux from various forums.
I rarely use a stopwatch for anything, especially a process on a computer. What is happening is the old problem of: bigger, faster, cheaper - pick two.
While it is possible that a computer is actually acting more slowly now than it did some time ago, there can be many reasons for that, including the fact that we demand more of our computers than we did some time ago. So while we have expectations of speed, we also have the reality of wanting to get more for the same payment, effectively. It doesn't matter what OS platform, the only solutions are: find a less capable OS, buy a more capable PC.
While it is possible that a computer is actually acting more slowly now than it did some time ago, there can be many reasons for that, including the fact that we demand more of our computers than we did some time ago. So while we have expectations of speed, we also have the reality of wanting to get more for the same payment, effectively. It doesn't matter what OS platform, the only solutions are: find a less capable OS, buy a more capable PC.
This is why it is often advised on various Linux forums to NOT update to a newer kernel unless there is a compelling reason to do so (such as new hardware support). If everything is working - sometimes it is best to leave the kernel as it is.
If I remember correctly Fedora does not include 'proprietary' software such as codecs, etc.? Must be installed manually.
D
Deleted member 58530
Guest
Performance of a computer can change for different reasons.
Browsers are becoming a lot more demanding on system resources.
The security patches that are now included in the updates to mitigate the meltdown / spectre vulnerabilities / and the security vulnerabilities we now seem to be discovering on a regular bases I could go on and on.
So many reasons for computers not to be running as fast as they use to.
How about browsing history and cache does that get cleared on a regular bases.
How about the simple fact that your brand new super fast computer from years ago don't seem as fast because you've become used to it and now you think it's slower.
All of my Linux computers are discards from other users or curb finds I've upgrade with spare parts I have laying around so no speed racers in my stable of internet cruisers although very capable and adequate for my use.
You want speed with reliability than start test driving the small footprint lightweight Linux distros.
There are plenty small footprint lightweight Linux distros that are just as reliable and do everything the big mainstream flagships Linux distros do.
This is what I call having fun with Linux others call it distro hopping.
Damn I become long winded in my old age.
Browsers are becoming a lot more demanding on system resources.
The security patches that are now included in the updates to mitigate the meltdown / spectre vulnerabilities / and the security vulnerabilities we now seem to be discovering on a regular bases I could go on and on.
So many reasons for computers not to be running as fast as they use to.
How about browsing history and cache does that get cleared on a regular bases.
How about the simple fact that your brand new super fast computer from years ago don't seem as fast because you've become used to it and now you think it's slower.
All of my Linux computers are discards from other users or curb finds I've upgrade with spare parts I have laying around so no speed racers in my stable of internet cruisers although very capable and adequate for my use.
You want speed with reliability than start test driving the small footprint lightweight Linux distros.
There are plenty small footprint lightweight Linux distros that are just as reliable and do everything the big mainstream flagships Linux distros do.
This is what I call having fun with Linux others call it distro hopping.
Damn I become long winded in my old age.
Nik-Ken-Bah
Well-Known Member
On that score I quite agree.
OP
lekkerlinux
Active Member
The only thing is that the updates comes bundled together sometimes. Like in Fedora showed a OS updated but when I clicked on it, Firefox was also included in the OS update.
It's strange, while using Solus it was the LTS updating that caused a program to crash.
Yes, that's right, Fedora needed just some extra codecs to play all video's on websites. I just enabled the RPM Fusion repo and installed VLC and everything worked.
D
Deleted member 58530
Guest
Sometimes certain updates can slip by or doesn't fail when tested prior to being released.
I manually install my updates or at least view what is going to be installed and I will never allow updates to be installed automatically.
Most Linux Distros do require additional media codecs installed to run certain media.
I prefer MPV Media Player because I don't need everything that comes with VLC Media Player although VLC Media Player comes with every codecs known to man.
OP
lekkerlinux
Active Member
That's the thing! I am running Linux kernel 5.5.8 and the latest kernel is 5.5.9. Why am I running the nearly stable kernel on old hardware and with just a few programs? I have seen that in spite of Linux wisdom of LTS being more stable, that the opposite have been true for me. Other variables might be at play, like desktop environments or specific programs that's not in general use and therefore not tested much. Like even when I tried Manjaro, it was some wrapper program that caused others programs not to work and not the kernel being at fault.
As far as the extra codecs are concerned, one can just choose to install them from a menu in the Ubuntu/Zorin installer that gives you all the codecs and Wi-Fi stuff that's compatible with everything. I didn't even know which codec I needed, thus the shotgun approach of installing VLC.
I wish I can make my own Linux! It will play Shotgun Blues by Guns 'n Roses on startup.
A simple thing with big consequences...
You all talk about how much it is needed to be able to just pop in a DVD or go onto CNN and watch a video.
Sure it's a no-brain work for much people. But still it show us one of the problem related to patent holding and DMCA. If you want to watch a encrypted DVD (most are) or watch MPEG-4 video (some are on the Internet) then you are going to use some software that fall on the grey side of is it legal or not. And the answer will partly depend on the part of the world you are in.
For example to watch a DVD you'll need libdvdcss.
Most corporation or entity that have any possibility of being exposed to being liable don't want to have the risk of being sued.
So they normally leave those software (or codec) outside of repository.
And this is why some person will make their own "cooked" distribution that already include the library. It's much more safe to install them on your own and not rely on any one else. You are better using a recognized distribution and just add a repository for those software.
And do a little of brain work about stability. It's not because you install a codec from a repository that all your system will be risking of crashing. Yes some distribution are quite conservative (Debian) and you can deviate from their strict rules (and create Ubuntu). Installing some user library doesn't hurt, I'd say it's even safer on the long run that going for a who know him distribution.
You all talk about how much it is needed to be able to just pop in a DVD or go onto CNN and watch a video.
Sure it's a no-brain work for much people. But still it show us one of the problem related to patent holding and DMCA. If you want to watch a encrypted DVD (most are) or watch MPEG-4 video (some are on the Internet) then you are going to use some software that fall on the grey side of is it legal or not. And the answer will partly depend on the part of the world you are in.
For example to watch a DVD you'll need libdvdcss.
Most corporation or entity that have any possibility of being exposed to being liable don't want to have the risk of being sued.
So they normally leave those software (or codec) outside of repository.
And this is why some person will make their own "cooked" distribution that already include the library. It's much more safe to install them on your own and not rely on any one else. You are better using a recognized distribution and just add a repository for those software.
And do a little of brain work about stability. It's not because you install a codec from a repository that all your system will be risking of crashing. Yes some distribution are quite conservative (Debian) and you can deviate from their strict rules (and create Ubuntu). Installing some user library doesn't hurt, I'd say it's even safer on the long run that going for a who know him distribution.
