In 2017, I installed Debian on my old x86 Vaio VGN-Z21XN and have been really happy with it. However, I've learned that the LTS support for the latest 32-bit Debian version will end in 2028, and I don't want to be forced into using a commercial OS. I'm just a home user with basic needs, and I've come to appreciate Debian's slow update cycle and extensive repositories. I don't mind diving a little deeper into Linux internals for better performance or security, but I prefer a simple, enjoyable experience. So, I'm curious: what other distributions are similar to Debian in terms of stability and minimalism? I'm not interested in a rolling release.
2 Answers
You mentioned using LibreOffice mainly, so that should be sufficient for a typical 32-bit distro. Just make sure to keep your backups updated. Also, don't worry, Debian 12 is still good until 2028 for your needs! If you're not eager to upgrade, you might really want to consider sticking with Linux since BSD might be a steep learning curve for you.
If you're looking for something that still supports 32-bit, MX Linux is a solid choice with XFCE. It's user-friendly and maintains a similar experience to Debian while providing good performance on older hardware. Another option might be Q4OS, which is based on Debian; they might have updates regarding 32-bit support, so keep an eye on them. For a non-Linux alternative, Haiku OS could keep your old machine running, but it’s quite different from traditional Linux distributions.
Thanks for the suggestions! I'll definitely check them out.
What’s BSD? I’ve heard about it but don’t know much.