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notes:distro_comparisons [2020/09/05 07:41] – Sean Rhonenotes:distro_comparisons [2024/01/02 07:13] – Sean Rhone
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 ====== Notes ====== ====== Notes ======
  
-  * The following list contains various operating systems, along with what I like and don't like about them+  * The following list contains various operating systems and my opinions
   * These are my experiences below; YMMV   * These are my experiences below; YMMV
   * Any other distro or OS not mentioned was either not tested, or isn't worth using   * Any other distro or OS not mentioned was either not tested, or isn't worth using
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 ===== Good ===== ===== Good =====
  
-  * Secure (SELinux, up-to-date packages) +  * SELinux 
-  * GNOME first-class +  * Vanilla GNOME 
-  * Anaconda (installer allows me to set software RAID0 easily with GUI and allows for root/boot XFS filesystem)+  * Allows XFS and F2FS root partitions
  
 ===== Bad ===== ===== Bad =====
  
-  * SELinux is annoying on servers +  * SELinux on servers (annoying and fragile) 
-  * Randomly has long boot times seemingly because of Corsair USB devices +  * RPM Fusion (shoddy behavior with mesa-freeworld VA-API ordeal) 
-  * Minor concerns over IBM ownership of RedHat, and it being a US-based company that could be compelled to introduce/enforce backdoors or encryption bans +  * GNOME (appindicator has been broken for years; it's either use GNOME on Fedora or some other DE not good enough for official presentation) 
-  * Long metadata refreshes (even on F32 still)+  * Wayland (absolute train-wreck for gaming, but being pushed anyway without regard)
  
 ===== Conclusions ===== ===== Conclusions =====
  
-  * Works nicely, and is usable as a primary OS+  * RHEL/CentOS is mostly relevant in US business and thus makes Fedora a good choice to be familiar with for a Linux sysadmin 
 +  * GNOME works but is not optimal
  
 ====== openSUSE Tumbleweed ====== ====== openSUSE Tumbleweed ======
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 ===== Good ===== ===== Good =====
  
-  * Rolling +  * Rolling-release 
-  * GNOME first-class +  * Vanilla GNOME and Xfce 
-  * Installer (allows for root/boot XFS filesystem) +  * Allows XFS root partition
-  * AppArmor isn't annoying+
   * Various Wine packages (standard, staging, standard with nine, staging with nine)   * Various Wine packages (standard, staging, standard with nine, staging with nine)
   * Yast is nice for configuring the network on servers   * Yast is nice for configuring the network on servers
-  * Seemingly has better out-the-box integration with iOS device file transfers ((no need to double-hotplug initially like on Fedora 32)) 
   * LiveUSBs automatically have persistence even when ''dd'''d directly to flash drives   * LiveUSBs automatically have persistence even when ''dd'''d directly to flash drives
 +  * Has ''steam'', ''intel-media-driver'', and other packages of interest that Fedora doesn't have in default repos
  
 ===== Bad ===== ===== Bad =====
  
-  * Keybase is awkward to install ((it's either use the officially-supported command-line version, or use the official repo without proper signing; :!: TODO: is this still the case?)) +  * None 
-  * PackageKit is super annoying (it doesn't honor trying to gracefully quit it) + 
-  * Repo priority and vendor changes is strange +===== Unsure ===== 
-  * GNOME comes with a lot of unnecessary software+ 
 +  * AppArmor (it's not annoying, but it's not obvious what all it protects)
  
 ===== Conclusions ===== ===== Conclusions =====
  
-  * Works nicely, and is usable as a primary OS for both workstations and servers +  * Xfce LiveUSB is a great sysadmin tool!
-  * As of 2020/09, using it as a primary OS+
  
 ====== Ubuntu ====== ====== Ubuntu ======
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 ===== Good ===== ===== Good =====
  
-  * Good package selection +  * All packages ever wanted exist in default repos 
-  * Good 3rd-party app support +  * The largest support for Linux apps; if it exists it likely supports Ubuntu 
-  * Plenty of repos (PPAs) +  * oibaf PPA for graphics 
-  * Bleeding-edge graphics stack available (oibaf or padokaPPA) +  * Liquorix and xanmod kernels 
-  * Various 3rd-party kernel options available (xanmod, liquorix, official mainline packages) +  * [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Unicode_chart_Egyptian_Hieroglyphs|Loads theses fonts fine]]
-  * Minimal Install option+
  
 ===== Bad ===== ===== Bad =====
  
-  * Doesn't boot at all on a Ryzen 2700X system, even with the 20.04 LTS+  * GNOME 
 + 
 +===== Unsure ===== 
 + 
 +  * Snaps (they work, I prefer them over Flatpak, but don't like the concept as a whole)
  
 ===== Conclusions ===== ===== Conclusions =====
  
-  * Good for server installs +  * Ubuntu is the best distro for desktop Linux in 2023
-  * Lubuntu was my choice for LiveUSB diagnostics, but since the Ryzen issue above, not worth using+
  
-====== Arch Linux ======+====== macOS ======
  
 ===== Good ===== ===== Good =====
  
-  * Can use F2FS for root partition+  * Message sync between iPhone and macOS 
 +  * UI scaling (it somehow scales a lower res to a higher res while maintaining crisp text, and being compatible with programs not expecting this) 
 +  * Better performance with windowed applications with eGPU on internal screen 
 +  * Hackintosh builds are neat!
  
 ===== Bad ===== ===== Bad =====
  
-  * Behind openSUSE TW with some packages (took them a while to get GNOME 3.24 and other popular software, which is odd for a distro highly praised for being rolling) +  * eGPU needs 3rd-party software on <del>outdated</del> "unsupported" Macs (automate-eGPU) 
-  * Installations are tedious +  * Creating custom resolutions needs 3rd-party program (SwitchResX, which is paid) 
-  * Mandatory access controls are a hassle to install and maintain if using the NVIDIA proprietary driver (not a problem on other distros)+  * Some games have significantly lower performance 
 +  * Limited hardware diagnostic apps, and most are paid 
 +  * :!: 2023/12: Can not under any circumstance get a recovery ISO or Online Recovery working on a mid-2010 MacBook Pro; Apple offers no guidance or proper tools to get their own OS working on their own hardware unless you're on Apple Silicon
  
 ===== Conclusions ===== ===== Conclusions =====
  
-  * Arch requires a lot more set-up and maintenance, without any obvious gain over using openSUSE Tumbleweed +  * Lacks the hard-grit of Linux and performance for games on Windows, but makes up for it being the best visually :p 
-  * Not worth using+  * Might be interesting if using Apple's ecosystem
  
-====== macOS ======+====== Windows 10 ======
  
 ===== Good ===== ===== Good =====
  
-  * Message sync between iPhone and macOS +  * Best performance, by far, undeniably, no matter the GPU vendor for anything with graphics ((Linux fanboys are pushing obvious inferiority to a concerning degree; I've tested a NVIDIA RTX 3060, AMD RX 6600 XT, and Intel UHD 630 and confirm this in 2023)) 
-  * 30-bit color at 4K@60Hz +  * The most reputable memory testing programs are Windows-only 
-  * UI scaling (it somehow scales a lower res to a higher res while maintaining crisp text, and being compatible with programs not expecting this) +  * Best VR (virtual reality) support 
-  * Better performance with windowed applications with eGPU on internal screen +  * No hardware oddities (stuff just works and works as-expected, notably more-so than Linux) 
-  * Screen recording built-in+  * WSL makes Linux barely appealing on desktop
  
 ===== Bad ===== ===== Bad =====
  
-  * eGPU needs 3rd-party software on "unsupported" Macs (automate-eGPU) +  * Some drivers are an absolute nightmare to source, but Windows Update does pretty well //most// of the time 
-  * Creating custom resolutions needs 3rd-party program (SwitchResX, which costs money) + 
-  * Some games being bundled in Crossover/Wine instead of native +===== Unsure ===== 
-  * Some games have significantly lower performance (FFXIV, GW2, both RS and OSRS) + 
-  * No built-in or free deep hardware diagnostics (temp monitor, CPU and/or GPU frequency)+  * WU forces an Alps touchpad driver that constantly polls the mouse pointer even when it isn't used, and has a service that eats CPU while doing it; WU does not offer an option to deny it, <del>but Device ID restrictions save the day</del> (disabling the Alps HID service works better) 
 +  * CRU developer claims an Intel driver bug causes issues ([[https://www.monitortests.com/forum/Thread-Custom-Resolution-Utility-CRU?pid=15053#pid15053|post]]), and naturally Intel isn't going to rush to release a driver to fix a 3rd-party tool, unofficial behavior, and on legacy hardware
  
 ===== Conclusions ===== ===== Conclusions =====
  
-  * Usable, but not ideal for gaming or hardware diagnostics in most cases+  * It just-works, and consistently 
 +  * The best option by-far for gaming and VR
  
-====== Windows ======+====== Windows 11 ======
  
 ===== Good ===== ===== Good =====
  
-  * Memory testing programs (notably for Ryzen) +  * Latest-and-greatest
-  * AMD Wattman for easy overclocking/settings +
-  * BIOS modding guides mostly (if not all) expect Windows+
  
 ===== Bad ===== ===== Bad =====
  
-  * Deep settings are cryptic and require a lot of research on registry keys +  * Can't hide clock in Taskbar 
-  * 3rd-party software needs to be manually updated +  * Oculus in early 2023 still had inconsistent performance with Blade & Sorcery running at like 50 FPS 
-  * Drivers also need to be manually updated (WU will download ancient years-old drivers) +  * Insider editions are notably slower real-world even on NVMe 
-  * Some Intel drivers (SST, Serial IO) require trial-and-error to get right +  * :!: Could not (mid-2023) disable Windows Defender nor its real-time scan permanently even with NSudo; it randomly re-enables
-  * Consistently scores lower than Linux in Geekbench with a Ryzen 2700X, even with the newest 2004/20H1/19041 release and scheduler improvements+
  
 ===== Conclusions ===== ===== Conclusions =====
  
-  * Good for games, and usable for everything else, but not ideal+  * Non-insider may be viable for a general Windows install