Update 2024-05-29-welcome-to-linux-distributions.md

_posts/2024-05-29-welcome-to-linux-distributions.md

@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ Welcome back to "Welcome To Linux", my user-friendly, non-technical guide to usi
 
 ## What Are Distros?
 
-I have a confession to make. Every time I referred to Linux in the previous <a href="/posts/welcome-to-linux">Introduction</a> post, I was actually referring to something called the [Linux Kernel](https://www.kernel.org/)-- a super basic, super modular piece of software that can be extended in any which way you want to build a custom computing system. On it's own the Linux Kernel is actually not a fully functioning operating system with apps, a desktop, or really much of anything you might recognize. Instead, the kernel it is just the framework used for building those tools out. If you were to go and download the Linux Kernel right now, it probably wouldn't be of much use to you.
+I have a confession to make. Every time I referred to Linux in the previous <a href="/posts/welcome-to-linux">Introduction</a> post, I was actually referring to something called the [Linux Kernel](https://www.kernel.org/)-- a super basic, super modular piece of software that can be extended in any which way you want to build a custom computing system. 
+
+On it's own the Linux Kernel is actually not a fully functioning operating system with apps, a desktop, or really much of anything you might recognize. Instead, the kernel it is just the framework used for building those tools out. If you were to go and download the Linux Kernel right now, it probably wouldn't be of much use to you.
 
 That's where distributions come in.
 
@@ -20,7 +22,9 @@ Doing this by hand is [famously rather difficult](https://www.linuxfromscratch.o
 
 At last check, there are [over 600 Linux distros in existence](https://distrowatch.com/), some of which haven't yet been discovered (note: I'm totally serious, some distros are private and nobody knows about them yet)! 
 
-Some distros are hand-made to solve specific technical problems, others are best suited for powering web servers or phones, but the distros we're interested in are used for personal computing on a laptop or a desktop. Even then, not all distros are made equal. Some appeal to more technical users who like to tinker, others are made for newcommers to Linux who expect their computer to look and behave a certain way, and still others are designed for people who want to use the newest software. As you might expect, we're going to focus on the distros for newcomers to Linux.
+Some distros are hand-made to solve specific technical problems, others are best suited for powering web servers or phones, but the distros we're interested in are used for personal computing on a laptop or a desktop. Even then, not all distros are made equal. 
+
+Some appeal to more technical users who like to tinker, others are made for newcommers to Linux who expect their computer to look and behave a certain way, and still others are designed for people who want to use the newest software. As you might expect, we're going to focus on the distros for newcomers to Linux.
 
 All of the distros I am going to talk about in this post provide powerful and intuitive tools for managing your computer, come with the latest and greatest software available, and are backed by huge and dedicated communities that can offer support and guidance when you get lost. And, the best part, they all respect your privacy, are infinitely customizable to your exact needs, and are free to use. 
 
@@ -82,11 +86,15 @@ Zorin will be a comfortable solution to people who want a plug-and-play, batteri
 - Support: [https://elementary.io/support](https://elementary.io/support)
 - Developed By: elementary, Inc.
 
-Elementary OS is without a doubt one of the most stylish distros out there, with ultra-clean looks reminiscent of Mac OSX. Elementary takes a more minimal and modern approach to their desktop interface. There is a dock at the bottom of the screen, a top bar, a gorgeous wallpaper (usually of the sort you would expect from Apple, perhaps of a national park or a shot of Antelope Canyon), and that's it. The interface intentionally omits desktop icons for a less cluttered look, but you can still manage all of your files from the integrated file browser.
+Elementary OS is without a doubt one of the most stylish distros out there, with ultra-clean looks reminiscent of Mac OSX. Elementary takes a more minimal and modern approach to their desktop interface. 
+
+There is a dock at the bottom of the screen, a top bar, a gorgeous wallpaper (usually of the sort you would expect from Apple, perhaps of a national park or a shot of Antelope Canyon), and that's it. The interface intentionally omits desktop icons for a less cluttered look, but you can still manage all of your files from the integrated file browser.
 
 If you've been reading this guide from the beginning, you may have noticed that a lot of the software we've talked about is totally free to use with no cost to the end user. That said, the cost to maintain, distribute, update, fix, and support a custom operating system is considerable, and the people who maintain these projects often work long hours solving difficult problems for free. Although people willingly volunteer their time and energy to contribute to open source operating systems, this is an admittedly difficult position to be in when you have real world bills to pay.
 
-Elementary OS advertises itself as "[t]he thoughtful, capable, and ethical replacement for Windows and macOS" and it addresses the issues of developer compensation by implementing a unique pay-what-you-can model. Developers who decide to contribute to Elementary OS are given a share of the funds earned when a user pays for the distro. Of course, you don't have to pay anything to use or install Elementary OS, but the option is there if you're feeling particularly generous. The upside of this is that the community of volunteer developers who make Elementary OS have an incentive to stay involved because they are getting paid to contribute to it.
+Elementary OS advertises itself as "[t]he thoughtful, capable, and ethical replacement for Windows and macOS" and it addresses the issues of developer compensation by implementing a unique pay-what-you-can model. Developers who decide to contribute to Elementary OS are given a share of the funds earned when a user pays for the distro. 
+
+Of course, you don't have to pay anything to use or install Elementary OS, but the option is there if you're feeling particularly generous. The upside of this is that the community of volunteer developers who make Elementary OS have an incentive to stay involved because they are getting paid to contribute to it.
 
 This pay-what-you-can model is also reflected in Elementary's beautiful app store (which other distros have subsequently baked into their software center offerings because it is remarkably elegant to look at). Elementary OS also has a partner program with app developers to help them get re-reimbursed for their work. If you are an app developer, you can actually partner with Elementary to list a suggested donation price alongside the download button for your app in the Elementary app store, that way you can get paid for you work that would otherwise go without compensation. Again, these prices are optional for the person downloading it, and you can opt to pay nothing if you wish.
 
@@ -151,7 +159,9 @@ The second reason it is on this list is because Ubuntu is developed and managed
 
 Between those two things, I think it is fair to recommend Ubuntu to hands-on sorts of people who want to dive head first into Linux and learn as much as they can. For those who like to play around with their setups and tinker with things, I think Ubuntu will suit those needs without making them feel too suffocated by the hyper-traditional layout and workflow of other operating systems.
 
-In further parting from tradition, Ubuntu's default user interface is markedly different than what you will find from those made by Apple or Microsoft. There is a top bar with a system tray for your clock, calendar, and notifications, and on the left hand side of the screen you will find a relative oddity in computing: a vertical dock. This may seem like an unusual choice to those unfamiliar with the idea, but it's something a lot of users with small monitors enjoy because it means they can still see all of their apps at a glance, but they do so without expending their ever-valuable vertical monitor space.
+In further parting from tradition, Ubuntu's default user interface is markedly different than what you will find from those made by Apple or Microsoft. There is a top bar with a system tray for your clock, calendar, and notifications, and on the left hand side of the screen you will find a relative oddity in computing: a vertical dock. 
+
+This may seem like an unusual choice to those unfamiliar with the idea, but it's something a lot of users with small monitors enjoy because it means they can still see all of their apps at a glance, but they do so without expending their ever-valuable vertical monitor space.
 
 Some other elements of Ubuntu's desktop design also depart from the familiar. It doesn't take long to notice the bright orange, gray, purple, and reds making up the primary color pallet as opposed to the whites and cool blues that make up most user interfaces. Not everyone is a fan of the "Ubuntu look", but you can say with certainty that it is striking and unique. If you open up your Ubuntu laptop at a coffee shop, don't be surprised if you get onlookers or people asking you what kind of computer you're using.
 
@@ -163,7 +173,9 @@ One thing that may impact your decision to use Snaps over Flatpaks is that Ubunt
 
 I bring all of these points up as a nod towards the fact that there are an abundance of alternatives in the Linux universe. If you don't like one piece of software or a specific solution, you can almost always find another out there that works for you, and at the end of the day there is no universal commandment demanding you to use a solution you don't like.
 
-Part of what makes Ubuntu well loved among Linux users is the fact that there are Long Term Support releases of Ubuntu that are guaranteed to receive security updates and dedicated support for 5 years after their release date. These are usually called the "LTS" release, and is the one I would recommend for any user, regardless of how seasoned they are. This 5 year release cycle is a big deal in the Linux world, especially for the distros that remix Ubuntu to make their own custom operating systems. You will often find that there is a 6-to-8 month delay between when Ubuntu makes a new LTS release and when descendants of Ubuntu (like the Zorins and Elementarys of the world) make their official releases.
+Part of what makes Ubuntu well loved among Linux users is the fact that there are Long Term Support releases of Ubuntu that are guaranteed to receive security updates and dedicated support for 5 years after their release date. These are usually called the "LTS" release, and is the one I would recommend for any user, regardless of how seasoned they are. 
+
+This 5 year release cycle is a big deal in the Linux world, especially for the distros that remix Ubuntu to make their own custom operating systems. You will often find that there is a 6-to-8 month delay between when Ubuntu makes a new LTS release and when descendants of Ubuntu (like the Zorins and Elementarys of the world) make their official releases.
 
 Altogether, Ubuntu is a good choice if you want to use a distro that is pretending to be something else. It doesn't hide the fact that it is different, and it makes a lot of decisions that make the Ubuntu workflow pretty unique among distros. In addition, the fact that Ubuntu is backed by a big company may bring some comfort to new users looking for a safe haven to start exploring Linux in earnest. You might have to do a little extra leg work to set up your system the way you like, but the resources to help you along that path are plentiful.
 
@@ -219,7 +231,9 @@ The first is the fact that OpenSUSE comes in two versions "[Leap](https://get.op
 
 On the other hand, re-installing your operating system fresh every couple of years can be a pain. So, for those who want a system that they only have to install once and it always stays up-to-date, OpenSUSE's [Tumbleweed](https://get.opensuse.org/tumbleweed) version is the way to go. This is because Tumbleweed is something called a rolling release distro. By design, Tumbleweed is meant to only be installed one time and then kept up to date forever afterward. As long as you keep up with updates, you shouldn't ever have to pay attention to when a new major release is coming out and wonder if your system is still compatible.
 
-This is another way the "set-and-forget" approach is supported in Linux. Besides OpenSUSE Tumbleweed, there a lot of other distros that follow the rolling release model, but many of those distros require a bit more technical expertise and investment to make sure they stay stable over time. It isn't unheard of in the rolling release world that a new update breaks something for a subset of users, and then they have to figure out how to fix it. The good news with OpenSUSE Tumbleweed is that those updates undergo rigorous testing before they hit your system, so you can be sure that it will play nice with your existing setup. If you want to play it even safer, there is also another experimental version of OpenSUSE Tumbleweed called "[Slowroll](https://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:Slowroll)" which works just like Tumbleweed, but instead of receiving new updates right away Slowroll delays those updates by a month or so. This slight delay gives testers and users more time to ensure that the new updates work the way they're supposed to.
+This is another way the "set-and-forget" approach is supported in Linux. Besides OpenSUSE Tumbleweed, there a lot of other distros that follow the rolling release model, but many of those distros require a bit more technical expertise and investment to make sure they stay stable over time. It isn't unheard of in the rolling release world that a new update breaks something for a subset of users, and then they have to figure out how to fix it. 
+
+The good news with OpenSUSE Tumbleweed is that those updates undergo rigorous testing before they hit your system, so you can be sure that it will play nice with your existing setup. If you want to play it even safer, there is also another experimental version of OpenSUSE Tumbleweed called "[Slowroll](https://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:Slowroll)" which works just like Tumbleweed, but instead of receiving new updates right away Slowroll delays those updates by a month or so. This slight delay gives testers and users more time to ensure that the new updates work the way they're supposed to.
 
 Regardless of which version you choose, there are still lots of other reasons to consider OpenSUSE.