Hey everyone! I'm making a comeback to Linux as my main desktop OS after about 12 years away. I used to be a fan of Ubuntu (from 5.10 to 12.04), and then I switched to Windows starting with 8.1 and then 10 for work reasons. I still dabble in WSL and use Linux on some non-desktop devices, so I'm not completely out of the loop, but I feel a bit lost with all the recent changes in the ecosystem like Snap, Flatpak, and where Canonical is heading nowadays. My current rig is a 2017 PC with an AMD Ryzen, 32 GB of RAM, and a decent NVIDIA 1660 Ti, but I'm planning to switch back to something more aligned with Linux too. Here's what I'm looking for: a Debian-based distro that's stable for desktop development and doesn't require constant tinkering, as well as some privacy concerns for my data. I have a few specific questions about the modern state of Linux, especially regarding desktop environments, package management, hardware support, and more. Any input would be greatly appreciated!
5 Answers
MTP support has gotten better, but your experience can vary pretty widely based on the distro and your phone. Most will have MTP support out of the box, so your phone should show up easily. However, a lot of folks find KDE Connect to be a more convenient way of transferring files without dealing with MTP.
Debian has regular stable releases every couple of years. The latest, Debian 13, just came out, so it’s pretty modern. If you want newer software on Debian, there's a backports repo that can help, but you might need to use the unstable branch for cutting-edge stuff.
Ubuntu is definitely leaning into Snap for their packages now, and they’ve even replaced some APT packages with dummy ones that rely on Snap installs. On the other hand, Debian is still strictly APT-based, so you'll have a solid experience there if you prefer that method.
For 4K@60hz display on a KVM switch, as long as your hardware supports it and you have the right drivers, you should be good! A quality KVM will not interrupt your connection when switching, but with cheaper ones, you might run into issues. Just keep that in mind!
You’re right, encryption on Linux can be a bit different than what you’re used to with BitLocker. While it’s generally pretty straightforward to set it up, depending on your chosen distro, you might still have to enter your password at boot. Some distros do provide features that make it a bit more seamless though, so it’s worth looking into that.
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