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content/posts/2024/05/linux-select-distro/index.md

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 author = 'Janis Hutz'
 tags = [ 'Linux' ]
 categories = [ 'Guides', 'Tutorials' ]
-series = [ 'linux-beginner-guide' ]
+series = []
 series_weight = 1
 featuredImage = "cover.jpg"
 +++
 
+**NOTE: This post has been [updated](/posts/2026/03/selecting-a-linux-distro/)** This post here is outdated!
+
 Selecting a Linux distribution isn't as crucial as you might think, and other articles might tell you.
 
 {{< admonition type=info title="What is a distro?" open=true >}}

content/posts/2025/02/why-steamos-is-not-a-good-desktop-os/index.md

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 featuredImage = "cover.jpg"
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+**IMPORTANT NOTE** There is an updated version of this post available [here](/posts/2026/03/why-steamos-is-not-a-great-desktop-operating-system/)
+
 *Welcome back! I have had some issues with my blog engine that took a bit of time to figure out, but now it's working again. I will also have much more time now, since my exams are over*
 
 # What is SteamOS?

content/posts/2026/03/selecting-a-linux-distro/index.md

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+title = 'Selecting a Linux Distro'
+date = 2026-03-28T14:57:46+01:00
+lastmod = 2026-03-28T14:57:46+01:00
+draft = false
+author = 'Janis Hutz'
+tags = [ 'Linux', 'Windows', 'macOS' ]
+categories = [ 'Guides' ]
+series = [ 'linux-beginner-guide' ]
+series_weight = 1
+featuredImage = ""
++++
+
+{{< admonition type=info title="What is a distro?" open=false >}}
+A distro, which is short for distribution, is an assortment of Software that makes up a whole Linux-based operating system. 
+It consists of various components, such as a User Interface (which is what you see on screen),
+called a Desktop Environment, Software Repositories (which is where you get software from) and some pre-installed applications
+{{< /admonition >}}
+
+
+# Selecting a Linux Distribution
+It is very important to remember that the Distribution you choose has a way smaller impact on your user experience than picking a desktop environment
+(you can think of that as your user interface)!
+If that sounds a bit strange to you, then open the below box
+
+{{< admonition type=info title="Why being able to pick a desktop environment makes sense" open=false >}}
+Coming from proprietary operating systems like Windows and macOS, you are used to having things such as how you are to interact with a PC dictated by the companies
+that make the Operating Systems (OS).
+If you have never before used anything different, you may think you like this more, but there are better concepts out there than the one Windows uses.
+macOS's concept would be a bit more efficient, had they properly tuned the animations and fully implemented some features a window manager with that concept needs to have.
+
+At first then, it may be a bit overwhelming having to make so many decisions at once.
+This is where this guide comes in, it helps guide you through all the important decisions you need to make.
+
+The most important thing to remember is that you don't have to decide within 10 minutes. Give a few options you think you may like a try
+and don't try to make it do what you are used to, try to learn how it does it, as that can open your eyes two whole new ways of interacting with a PC.
+{{< /admonition >}}
+
+
+## Picking a desktop environment
+While it is a bit annoying to do, you can change your desktop environment down the line as well without having to reinstall your entire operating system.
+
+Crucially, don't just pick something because you think it looks most like Windows, also don't try to get something else to work like Windows or macOS,
+because if you are changing your operating system, why not also change how you interact with it, as that can be a very eye-opening experience.
+
+The best way to evaluate which ones you like the most is to try them out.
+If you have an old laptop or PC laying around that you don't use, just install something onto it and give it a try.
+
+
+### KDE
+
+### GNOME
+
+### Cinnamon
+
+### Cosmic
+
+### Xfce
+
+
+## Picking the distribution
+Using the DE you picked above and some other aspects, these are my distro recommendations in the table below
+
+| Distribution | Target audience | Base distribution | Advantages | Disadvantages | Available DEs |
+|--------------| ----------------|-------------------|------------|---------------|---------------|
+| CachyOS | Intermediates / Beginners | Arch | Very fast, up-to-date, excellent docs, great community, all DEs & WMs | Arch base (thus a bit more challenging), likely a bit less stable than others on this list | All |

content/posts/2026/03/why-steamos-is-not-a-great-desktop-operating-system/index.md

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+title = 'Why SteamOS is NOT a great desktop Operating System'
+date = 2026-03-28T14:33:37+01:00
+lastmod = 2026-03-28T14:33:37+01:00
+draft = false
+author = 'Janis Hutz'
+tags = [ 'Linux' ]
+categories = [ 'Rants' ]
+series = []
+series_weight = 1
+featuredImage = "/posts/2025/02/why-steamos-is-not-a-good-desktop-os/cover.jpg"
++++
+
+If you are looking to get into Linux and are looking for advice on which distro to choose, I have a few recommendations [below](#recommendations) in here
+and a more general beginner guide [here](/series/linux-beginner-guide/), albeit some information in there may be a bit outdated,
+for example, I would now recommend CachyOS over EndeavourOS.
+
+
+# What is SteamOS?
+SteamOS is an immutable Linux Distribution based on Arch. Immutable means that you cannot edit certain files, mostly system files and the like.
+
+It is the operating system that has been designed to run on the Steam Deck and now also the Steam Machine, thus primarily as being a console operating system.
+It however does feature a full Plasma 6 Desktop, so using it as a desktop operating system is theoretically possible.
+The immutability of the system is also not that big of an issue with most of the important software being available as flatpaks.
+
+
+# Why this blogpost then?
+Many people are begging Valve to release SteamOS as a standalone distro that you can install on your own hardware, not just a select few.
+What these people however fail to realize is that SteamOS has a few fundamental flaws that make it unsuitable to daily use.
+Additionally, you can achieve anywhere from worse to higher levels of reliability from a normal distribution, where the reliability usually is about comparable.
+
+Some members of the Tech community tend to misrepresent the state of stability on Linux. Don't get me wrong, it's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination,
+but picking Pop!_OS as your distribution on anything really but System76 hardware is just asking for disaster to happen.
+
+Additionally all the "Gaming distros" don't generally offer a real benefit over the standard distributions,
+maybe apart from in a handheld or media PC where you want to have a controller interface.
+
+However, it Bazzite and some other "gamer distros" are doing a fairly good job in the stability department as well,
+but many of them tend to break more due to all the changes that have been applies, with sometimes lacklustre testing or improper package mirror maintenance.
+This leads to some packages from the upstream distro being pulled in that don't work well with the modified packages the distro ships.
+
+This is why I always advocate sticking as close to upstream as possible, i.e. going for vanilla Arch instead of Manjaro, etc, because if you can't install Arch yourself
+(which by the way is not hard if you read the documentation properly), you also can't maintain it properly.
+
+
+## Where does this leave us then?
+If you are a beginner looking to switch to Linux, you can do it before SteamOS is released.
+Pick a normal distribution you like, maybe with the help of my article.
+
+A common misconception is that a normal Linux distribution is not suited to gaming.
+This is not in fact correct and you will in most games see a difference of *at most* 3% from a fairly outdated version of Ubuntu or Debian
+to an up-to-date gaming-optimized distribution. The difference shrinks even more if you compare them against something like Arch or CachyOS.
+
+And you also have to keep in mind that many Games nowadays run faster on Linux than they do on Windows, regardless of what distribution you pick.
+And installing Steam on any normal distribution is about as easy as downloading an App on your phone.
+
+**So in short**, what you are giving up on with not going with SteamOS or a gaming distro is basically just these two things:
+- Pre-Installed gaming-software (that you can easily install within a few minutes, which is still faster than on Windows)
+- Optimizations (that may actually sometimes hurt performance or stability)
+
+However, in turn you get all of these (and more):
+- If you run into an issue, there is likely more documentation out there
+- You are also less likely to run into issues with non-gaming related things
+- You get a pleasant desktop experience (as that is the main goal of the distro)
+- Still very good performance
+- Often pre-installed office suites, mail clients, etc (if you wanted that)
+- ... many more
+
+
+## Recommendations
+See my new [distro recommendations post](../selecting-a-linux-distro/)
+
+
+# Conclusion
+While SteamOS gives you the benefit of being pre-configured with some performance gains,
+it nowhere near justifies the wait (and thus being at Micro$lop's mercy), nor the sacrifices in day-to-day usability you will have to make.
+
+
+
+On a side note:
+You may have read my old post on this topic, which is still available [here](/posts/2025/02/why-steamos-is-not-a-good-desktop-os/).
+
+This post aims to be more factual / toned down and also clarifies some things mentioned in the old post.