Don’t get me wrong. I love Linux and FOSS. I have been using and installing distros on my own since I was 12. Now that I’m working in tech-related positions, after the Reddit migration happened, etc. I recovered my interest in all the Linux environment. I use Ubuntu as my main operating system in my Desktop, but I always end up feeling very limited. There’s always software I can’t use properly (and not just Windows stuff), some stuff badly configured with weird error messages… last time I was not able to even use the apt command. Sometimes I lack time and energy for troubleshooting and sometimes I just fail at it.
I usually end up in need of redoing a fresh install until it breaks up again. Maybe Linux is not good for beginners working full time? Maybe we should do something like that Cisco course that teaches you the basic commands?
The UI or DE (desktop environment) is actually interchangeable no matter what diatro you’re on. But KDE is kind of moving ahead as the favorite it seems. The you have Gnome, which is what vanilla Ubuntu comes with… And that has spinoffs like cinnamon that come with Mint.
A few distros have really made the user experience pretty damn simple. I personally love EndeavourOS as it seems to be the best of all worlds for me personally. But for any of my non techy friends, I suggest or personally set them up with Mint more often than not Mint is a far better experience overall than Ubuntu in my opinion. But I greatly prefer the package manager (yay) in EndeavourOS.
Mint is awesome. The best beginner distro, but also just one of the best distros there are period.