I'm nearing the end of my engineering degree, and I've had enough of Windows. I study both electrical and mechanical engineering, so I have some coding skills, but I'm not very experienced with Linux. I'm looking for a Linux distribution that meets a few key needs: it should be relatively beginner-friendly but also customizable (I want something that looks good!). It needs to be fast and efficient on my mid-range laptop, especially since Windows can be quite slow. I need to run programs like MATLAB and code in Python (and possibly use VS Code and SOLIDWORKS), plus I don't care about gaming at all. Additionally, I'd like something that would allow for an easy transition to a more advanced distro later on. I've heard good things about Linux Mint but I'm wary of moving to a lesser-known distro that isn't well-documented or too challenging to master. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
5 Answers
As an engineering student, you'll need Windows for many applications. MATLAB does work on Linux, but SolidWorks is still out of the picture. Dual-booting might be your best bet if you really need it for class.
Honestly, the specific distro isn't a huge deal. If you go for something Debian or Fedora-based, you'll find installing MATLAB easier. Just remember, SolidWorks is still tricky on Linux, and your school likely has workstations set up for that anyway.
My advice? Stick with Windows for now, especially since you need SolidWorks for school. You can always try Linux Mint on a spare computer after classes. You want to focus on studying and not wrestling with compatibility issues with your software!
I’m in the same boat. I installed Mint on a secondary device and it’s pretty decent for miscellaneous tasks.
Linux Mint is a solid choice! Just a heads up, if you're using a Hi-DPI screen, avoid enabling fractional scaling to prevent tiny fonts. Instead, try increasing the text scaling in the font settings if you encounter any issues.
If you want to go the Linux route, Mint or Ubuntu is easy and stable. Just keep in mind that while MATLAB is available for Linux, it was problematic for me last time. Using Windows in a VM might be your best option for compatibility with software like SolidWorks without issues.
I agree! I’ve set up Mint on a spare machine and it’s working out well for casual stuff, but for school, you really need Windows to avoid any last-minute surprises.