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this post was submitted on 26 Feb 2026
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Linux
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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I recommend EndeavourOS to newbies because I'm biased towards Arch. I think it's a relatively low BS distro that gets you up and running. You also have access to the AUR which is awesome.
If that seems like too much I've heard Linux Mint is dead simple and stable.
I love EndeavourOS and I use it myself, but inflicting CLI package management and pacnew files on someone fresh from Windows is like throwing a baby into shark-infested oceans to teach it to swim.
My recommendation for new users is Fedora KDE:
Mint is what I'd recommend for an elderly person who just needs to browse the internet and reply to emails, but for someone who needs to get work done it's Fedora KDE all the way.
EndeavourOS meets all of those criteria except for the GUI package management which, admittedly, is unnatural to the Windows convert. However conquering that small, surmountable hump will unlock the AUR which imo is the real value add. There are many packages that are not included in standard repos that are included in the AUR. Regardless users can choose whatever they want. EndeavourOS is a great distro that is not complicated. It uses the calamares installer and ships with KDE. An afternoon of reading about how pacman works and installing yay/paru provides a great user experience and they will never have to do a system upgrade.
I agree that the learning curve is surmountable, but the fact is that many people are unwilling to use a CLI, which is valid. It's also very easy to bork your install with EOS, which is terrifying for people who don't have the knowledge to even begin to troubleshoot issues and who just want their system to work. IMO new GNU/Linux users, unless they specifically request a more advanced distros that will help them learn how things work, should always be recommended a distro with the lowest possible learning curve in order to keep their data safe, their confidence high, and minimise downtime. They can distro-hop later if they want to learn.
Yes, it does, and yes, it is.