#linux-based

[brandinotbroke]

Linux distros - what is the difference, which one should I choose?

Caution, VERY long post.

With more and more simmers looking into linux lately, I've been seeing the same questions over and over again: Which distro should I choose? Is distro xyz newbie-friendly? Does this program work on that distro?

So I thought I'd explain the concept of "distros" and clear some of that up.

What are the key differences between distros?

Linux distros are NOT different operating systems (they're all still linux!) and the differences between them aren't actually as big as you think.

Update philosophy: Some distros, like Ubuntu, (supposedly) focus more on stability than being up-to-date. These distros will release one big update once every year or every other year and they are thoroughly tested. However, because the updates are so huge, they inevitably tend to break stuff anyway. On the other end of the spectrum are so-called "rolling release" distros like Arch. They don't do big annual updates, but instead release smaller updates very frequently. They are what's called "bleeding edge" - if there is something new out there, they will be the first ones to get it. This can of course impact stability, but on the other hand, stuff gets improved and fixed very fast. Third, there are also "middle of the road" distros like Fedora, which kind of do... both. Fedora gets big version updates like Ubuntu, but they happen more frequently and are comparably smaller, thus being both stable and reasonably up-to-date.

Package manager: Different distros come with different package managers (APT on ubuntu, DNF on Fedora, etc.). Package managers keep track of all the installed programs on your PC and allow you to update/install/remove programs. You'll often work with the package manager in the terminal: For example, if you want to install lutris on Fedora, you'd type in "sudo dnf install lutris" ("sudo" stands for "super user do", it's the equivalent of administrator rights on Windows). Different package managers come with different pros and cons.

Core utilities and programs: 99% of distros use the same stuff in the background (you don’t even directly interact with it, e.g. background process managing). The 1% that do NOT use the same stuff are obscure distros like VoidLinux, Artix, Alpine, Gentoo, Devuan. If you are not a Linux expert, AVOID THOSE AT ALL COST.

Installation process: Some distros are easier to install than others. Arch is infamous for being a bit difficult to install, but at the same time, its documentation is unparalleled. If you have patience and good reading comprehension, installing arch would literally teach you all you ever need to know about Linux. If you want to go an easier and safer route for now, anything with an installer like Mint or Fedora would suit you better.

Community: Pick a distro with an active community and lots of good documentation! You’ll need help. If you are looking at derivatives (e.g. ZorinOS, which is based on Ubuntu which is based on Debian), ask yourself: Does this derivative give you enough benefits to potentially give up community support of the larger distro it is based on? Usually, the answer is no.

Okay, but what EDITION of this distro should I choose?

"Editions" or “spins” usually refer to variations of the same distro with different desktop environments. The three most common ones you should know are GNOME, KDE Plasma and Cinnamon.

GNOME's UI is more similar to MacOS,  but not exactly the same.

KDE Plasma looks and feels a lot like Windows' UI, but with more customization options.

Cinnamon is also pretty windows-y, but more restricted in terms of customization and generally deemed to be "stuck in 2010". 

Mint vs. Pop!_OS vs. Fedora

Currently, the most popular distros within the Sims community seem to be Mint and Fedora (and Pop!_OS to some extent). They are praised for being "beginner friendly". So what's the difference between them?

Both Mint and Pop!_OS are based on Ubuntu, whereas Fedora is a "standalone" upstream distro, meaning it is not based on another distro.

Personally, I recommend Fedora over Mint and Pop!_OS for several reasons. To name only a few:

I mentioned above that Ubuntu's update philosophy tends to break things once a big update rolls around every two years. Since both Mint and Pop!_OS are based on Ubuntu, they are also affected by this.

Ubuntu, Mint and Pop!_OS like to modify their stuff regularly for theming/branding purposes, but this ALSO tends to break things. It is apparently so bad that there is an initiative to stop this.

Pop!_OS uses the GNOME desktop environment, which I would not recommend if you are switching from Windows. Mint offers Cinnamon, which is visually and technically outdated (they use the x11 windowing system standard from 1984), but still beloved by a lot of people. Fedora offers the more modern KDE Plasma.

Personal observation: Most simmers I've encountered who had severe issues with setting up Linux went with an Ubuntu-based distro. There's just something about it that's fucked up, man.

And this doesn't even get into the whole Snaps vs. Flatpak controvery, but I will skip this for brevity.

Does SimPE (or any other program) work on this distro?

If it works on Fedora, then it works on Mint/Ubuntu/Arch/etc., and vice versa. This is all just a question of having the necessary dependencies installed and installing the program itself properly. Some distros may have certain prerequisites pre-installed, while others don't, but you can always just install those yourself. Like I said, different distros are NOT different operating systems. It's all still Linux and you can ultimately customize it however you want.

In short: Yeah, all Sims 2-related programs work. Yes, ReShade too. It ultimately doesn't really matter what distro you use as long as it is not part of the obscure 1% I mentioned above.

A little piece of advice

Whatever distro you end up choosing: get used to googling stuff and practice reading comprehension! There are numerous forums, discord servers and subreddits where you can ask people for help. Generally speaking, the linux community is very open to helping newbies. HOWEVER, they are not as tolerant to nagging and laziness as the Sims community tends to be. Show initiative, use google search & common sense, try things out before screaming for help and be detailed and respectful when explaining your problems. They appreciate that. Also, use the arch wiki even if you do not use Arch Linux – most of it is applicable to other distros as well.

[valyrfia]

fixed TWO bugs in my code today i want you all to be very proud of me

[hiyari8]

first base is removing copilot off me second base is installing firefox on me third base is installing ublock origin on me

[systemdeez]

I hope everyone realizes that I'm mostly joking when I try to gatekeep computer operating systems. I don't actually care what operating system anyone uses. Unless you use a Chromebook, then I definitely don't respect you.

[definitely-zen-browser]

fuckin hate when people say the software thay're promoting is "available for PC and mobile" but they really mean "available for windows 10/11 x86, iOS, and android"

there's more than 3 fucking operating systems.

are devices running linux not PCs?

what about Macs?

How about KalibriOS? do you support that?

And HarmonyOS? that has roughly the same market share on mobile that linux does on desktop.

can it run on ARM or RISC-V?

if it does support linux, what package managers can you install it with?

and for fucks sake if it costs money at least say how much

if you mean windows 11 x86 then just fucking say windows 11 x86, it's not that hard.

[superbellsubways]

more of Thomas Saur's work in (somewhat) decent quality

[neco-cait]

after about a month of being mutuals with @manjaro-official i have finally actually installed manjaro on a computer and used it for more than 15 minutes.

[greatnovadragon]

The Grid should have run on Arch Linux with an auto-updating script and not an outdated version with Encom OS

[window-to-the-void]

Hey so what's Linux and what's it do

It’s an operating system like macOS or Windows. It runs on like 90% of servers but very few people use it on desktop. I do because I’m extra like that I guess.

It’s better than Windows in some ways since it doesn’t have a bunch of ads and shit baked into it. Plus it’s free (both in the sense of not paying and the sense of freedom [like all the code is public so you know what’s running on your system, can change whatever you want if you have the skills to, etc]). Also it’s more customizable.

The downside is a lot of apps don’t run on it (games that have really invasive anti-cheat [cough Valorent cough], Adobe products, Microsoft office — although a shit ton of Windows-only games do run totally fine). There’s some alternatives, like libreoffice instead of MS office (also anything in a browser runs fine, so Google docs too). GIMP as a photoshop replacement does exist, it’s fine for basic stuff but I’ve heard it’s not great for advanced stuff.

[seens]

character development is my parents going from being like "noooo you cant do piracy its wrong and bad and illegal" like 2 years ago to being very excited because i am making them them a plug and play, remote controlled piracy box

[linuxgamenews]

A Webbing Journey: Exciting Features Unveiled

A Webbing Journey physics-based sandbox adventure game is coming to Linux, Mac, and Windows PC with a Demo. Thanks to the creative minds at Fire Totem Games for bringing us this charming title. Working to make its way onto Steam soon. Alright, spider-fans and sandbox adventure fans — get ready to crawl, swing, and web your way into one of the most charming physics-based indie title to hit PC this year. The debut title from Fire Totem, A Webbing Journey , is releasing into Early Access on May 19th. And it's also coming to Linux (yes, fellow penguin-powered players, we’re invited too!). And if that wasn’t enough to tingle your spider senses, they’ve releasing a brand-new release date trailer that’s equal parts adorable and awesome. So, what’s the deal with A Webbing Journey ? You play as Silky, a ridiculously cute little spider on a mission to help their favorite humans with life’s big (and small) tasks — whether that’s baking cookies, doing the dishes, or keeping those thirsty plants alive. It’s basically household chores... but through the eyes of a tiny web-slinging hero. And honestly? It’s way more fun than it sounds. A Webbing Journey isn’t just about crawling around and looking cute (though you’ll do plenty of both). Silky can swing from walls, ceilings, furniture — basically any surface you can see, you can climb. Want to build a web bridge from a lamp to the fridge? Do it. Wrap a fork in silk and fling it across the kitchen? Heck yes. The web-building system is flexible and wild, and it’ll have you dreaming up new ways to turn your environment into a personal jungle gym.

A Webbing Journey - Early Access Release Date Trailer

And yes — this game supports Linux right from the start. No waiting for a port, no begging on forums. We’re in. At Early Access launch, you’ll get access to three full levels. Each one is full of hundreds of physics-based objects you can interact with, swing from, or tie together in creative chaos. And that’s just the beginning. Fire Totem has big plans for more levels, secrets, and surprises as development continues. Want more good news? A Webbing Journey already has a free demo live on Steam, so you don’t have to wait to try it out the physics-based sandbox adventure. Go ahead — dress up Silky in adorable hats, max out your fluffiness, and start exploring every hidden corner of this playful little world. If you loved the zen weirdness of Exo One, the cozy vibes of Gourdlets, or the whimsical touch of SUMMERHOUSE (yep, all published by Future Friends Games, who are helping bring A Webbing Journey to life), then this title is gonna hit you right in the feels. So mark your calendars, Linux gamers and cozy chaos enjoyers: May 19th is the day we all become spiders. And honestly? It’s about time.

[goldendrake]

Behold, the birth of a new video series highlighting games from the wonderful world of FOSS (free and open source software)! 💻

We begin with a focus on text-based games and the genre known as "roguelikes," so our first topic is none other than the original Rogue. 🗡️

[technicoloryuri]

Pray for you robot girl followers and moots, they or a loved one of theirs may have been affected by the crowd strike outage

[ntrlily]

mostof my issues running linux happened because i was doing weird shit on weird architectures so if someone asks me whats going on with their relatively normal setup im like

[regicidal-defenestration]

Oh shit they've redone TARDISguide

[protoctist]

forcefemming a cute boy by wiping his windows install and putting a linux distro on her desktop