Would linux be the better option and what are some distros that are very similar to windows10/11

Posted by Michdepainblanc2@reddit | linux | View on Reddit | 14 comments

I'll get a rog ally x for Christmas and I have heard that windows can be useful, but also a curse at the same time.

I will probably try to only boot one OS but I could try dual booting.

I have heard that steamOS and bazzite are good on the ally but I'd maybe rather have something more similar to windows 10 since it's what I'm familiar with.

I think that mint or Ubuntu would be great.

I will probably have to do schoolwork on it so I need to be able to have the office 365 apps and like visual studio code.

If I can't have what I need then I'll dual boot: windows for work and school and Linux for everything else.

Also I wonder if armoury crate is available without using windows 11🤔

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goonwild18@reddit

There's the MacOS distro and the ChromeOS distro.

Linux on the desktop is trash - as it has been for 30+ years.

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If you're looking for a distro that is similar to Windows you'll only find this in regard to the look and feel. The system itself will always be a Linux system. The way it works and the way it needs to be administered will be different to Windows. The "Windows" approach won't get you very far so you have to adapt no matter how similar these systems look to Windows.

Regarding the look, the term desktop environment (DE) is key. There are DEs that are pretty similar to Windows in the way they are laid out. KDE Plasma, Cinnamon and xfce are pretty close to the UI in Windows.

Linux Mint for example is designed to be administered pretty conveniently out of the box. It comes with Cinnamon (or xfce resp.). Kubuntu is a distro among the Ubuntu family that comes with the KDE Plasma desktop. Ubuntu and it's flavors like Kubuntu are also designed to be administered conveniently. Other distros like Zorin OS, while using another DE, provide a range of great looks to choose among that resemble MacOS or different iterations of Windows.

As said above, no matter how similar a distro looks to Windows, it won't be any different to other Linux distros in the way it functions under the hood. This is the reason why people often say it doesn't matter which distro you're running. However, there are differences regarding the tooling that is provided to make the administration more convenient.

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xXBongSlut420Xx@reddit

i would just do steamos tbh. it’s going to be the most seamless experiece, and the desktop mode uses kde plasma which has a very traditional desktop metaphor with a bottom taskbar, “start” button, etc that should feel very familiar for a windows user. plus it’s gonna be fully configured right out of the box. i believe valve even has a steamos version specifically for the ally

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FineWolf@reddit

It's not the distro that is important, it's the desktop environment.

If you want a Windows-like experience, then you want to use a distro with KDE or Cinnamon. Bazzite actually would be a great choice as it comes with KDE. So would Mint, but it's more of a general use distro less tailored to the ROG Ally.

Gnome on the other hand is very much its own thing. Ubuntu is a Gnome distro, so you wouldn't have a Windows-like experience.

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Michdepainblanc2@reddit (OP)

I know nothing about Linux I've done like 5 minutes of research but I think that I'll enjoy mint the best. Also what is the deal with wine?

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Electrical_Tomato_73@reddit

If you want to install linux, you must do more than 5 minutes of research picking a distro and DE. Even after installing you will need to do lots of homework to get comfortable. Don't just poke around and experiment (though some of that is OK too), read the docs and understand how it works. It's way better than windows, if you do your homework first, otherwise it's useless.

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FineWolf@reddit

Mint is really not tailored for a handheld gaming device, and it won't support all the ROG Ally X's inputs out of the box.

Wine is a translation/compatibility layer for Windows applications on Linux. Not all apps are supported, and Office 365 is not currently supported due to some APIs not being implemented.

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Michdepainblanc2@reddit (OP)

Wait why would I try to run Linux instead of windows... I don't own any "intense" games so I don't need the os to be more performing and I don't really mind the bloatware since I am used to it. I guess bazzite could be the way to go but I need to do more research to have a clearer opinion

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FineWolf@reddit

Wait why would I try to run Linux instead of windows...

Tabarnak, you're the one who asked a question about running Linux. I'm only giving you the facts:

You are choosing an OS for a device with fairly bespoke hardware
You want a Windows-like user experience

Thus:

You want a desktop environment that behaves like Windows: KDE, or Cinnamon
You probably want a distribution that WILL support your bespoke hardware.

Therefore:

Bazzite is probably the best option for Linux on your ROG Ally as it will support its hardware out of the box, and will give you a Windows-like DE (KDE).

However:

You will be running a different OS than Windows (Linux), therefore expect some applications, like Microsoft Office 365, to not be supported/working.

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Michdepainblanc2@reddit (OP)

Merci man. Dual-Booting windows + Bazzite =🤝👍

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Michdepainblanc2@reddit (OP)

I've looked it very briefly and it looks very similar to the layout in windows 10. I like it❤️