I've been trying out different Linux distros and have faced several frustrating bugs. I started with Zorin OS, but encountered problems with scaling, graphics, and fonts. After messing things up by renaming my desktop, I switched to Kubuntu, which has its own set of issues—apps like Obsidian and Cursor AI won't launch when I double-click them. I'm really trying to focus on learning programming, but these distro problems are wasting my time. Is there a Linux distro that's more stable and beginner-friendly, one that doesn't commonly have these headaches?
5 Answers
Check out this [distro selection page](http://www.reddit.com/r/linux4noobs/wiki/distro_selection) for more options! And always remember to back up your data. Smokey says to try things in a VM first—definitely a smart move if you’re just testing!
For your problem with Obsidian, make sure you’re using the .deb package. For Cursor AI, verify if it’s an .AppImage. You need to make these executable using the `chmod` command in the terminal or through properties. Sharing the exact steps you took can help others give you better support!
If you downloaded them as AppImages, remember to set their permissions first! You can do this with the terminal using `chmod +x
You might want to consider trying a live version of a distro before fully installing it. It really helps to check how it runs on your hardware without the commitment!
It's great that you're diving into programming, but learning the OS is part of the journey. You're going to hit challenges like this regularly, so embracing it can help your skills grow. If you're looking for stability, Debian or Fedora could be good choices—many people recommend Fedora with KDE for a smooth experience.
If you want something user-friendly, I’d recommend Linux Mint. It’s very popular and has a friendly interface for new users, plus it generally runs smoothly without a ton of setup issues.
I managed to get Obsidian running via terminal. I'm still having trouble with Cursor though; it never seems to find the path, especially since my desktop has non-English characters in the name.