Ready to ditch Windows for good? This is the Linux distro I recommend for beginners

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• SDesk is disposable now, escaped of charge, and you tin instal it connected arsenic galore computers arsenic you need.
• It's a accelerated and dependable Linux organisation with a idiosyncratic interface that anyone volition beryllium instantly acquainted with.
• I experienced immoderate insignificant issues during my setup, which were elemental to resolve.

I wouldn't usually suggest an Arch-based Linux organisation for caller users, but each truthful often, I travel crossed 1 that challenges my perceptions. Recently, I discovered an Arch-based Linux distro called SDesk, and determination couldn't beryllium a clearer usage lawsuit for it.

Firstly, SDesk is reasonably straightforward and doesn't bash each that overmuch to abstracted itself from the ever-growing database of Linux distributions. Sometimes, that's a bully thing. I wasn't definite what to expect aft installing and logging into this desktop distribution, but erstwhile I did, everything was instantly familiar.

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SDesk opts for the GNOME desktop, which is configured to lucifer a "standard" desktop that would beryllium acquainted to some Windows and MacOS users. On the interface, you'll find a panel, a menu, a apical bar, favorites, and desktop icons. On the apical bar, there's the Workspaces fastener (far left), the time/date (which, erstwhile clicked, opens notifications and calendar), and the strategy tray.

The database of pre-installed applications is besides reasonably standard, including:

• LibreOffice (office suite)
• Geary (email)
  
• GNOME Music (music player)
  
• GNOME Video (video player)
  
• Octopi (GUI bundle manager)
  
• GNOME Maps
  
• Swirl (web browser)
  

Of course, if you don't find the app you need, you tin ever instal it with Octopi or Flatpak. 

The 1 curiosity I encountered was Swirl, which isn't based connected either Chromium oregon Firefox. In fact, I haven't had overmuch luck digging up immoderate accusation astir this web browser astatine all. I tin archer you that Swirl is reasonably minimal and has precise small successful the mode of settings. It works fine, but I'm not acceptable to urge a browser for which I can't find overmuch information. You tin ever instal Chromium oregon Firefox utilizing Octopi. I installed Firefox and it runs rather well.

The grade of the Swirl Browser settings.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

What I like

I truly admit however the developers created a GNOME layout that should entreaty to astir users. It's clean, it's easy, and it looks rather good. It's besides adjuvant that the organisation ships with astir of the tools you'll request (the superior being a web browser and an bureau suite). I would, however, suggest you instal Firefox oregon Chromium (as I mentioned earlier).

The show is besides rather good. I recovered applications responded instantly, thing stalled, and apps installed quickly. This is reasonably emblematic of Arch-based distributions, truthful I wasn't astatine each surprised.

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There's besides model snapping, which SDesk does well. Most Linux desktops person this feature, but immoderate bounds the basal configuration to fractional of the display. SDesk takes this a measurement further and allows you to resistance a model to immoderate of the 4 quarters of the screen.

Here you tin spot 3 windows open, each snapped successful its ain convenient location.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

What I don't like

SDesk is simply a reasonably caller distribution, which means it tin beryllium a spot unsmooth astir the edges. Let maine explain.

After the accustomed circular of investigating (installing applications, tinkering with the settings, etc.), I ran an update and rebooted the machine. Upon reboot, I went to log in, and the desktop locked up. This happened aft selecting the default idiosyncratic that popped up successful the login window. I did a speedy trial (after a hard reboot) and clicked "Not Listed." After typing my password, I was capable to successfully log in. I'm definite this is simply a bug that the developers volition soon fix.

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Another contented was multimedia playback. Out of the box, SDesk doesn't person the codecs to play MP3 oregon MP4 files. Fortunately, this contented was easy resolved by installing the VLC media subordinate similar so:

Once I installed VLC, I could play immoderate I needed.

Bottom line

Other than those 2 caveats, I recovered SDesk to beryllium a instrumentality connected Arch Linux that is viable for conscionable astir immoderate user. As with immoderate Linux desktop OS, determination truly wasn't overmuch I couldn't do. After installing a fewer elemental apps, I recovered SDesk could service conscionable astir immoderate purpose.

It's a beautiful, simple, fast, and reliable OS. What much bash you request from a desktop operating system? You mightiness adjacent find yourself preferring it implicit your Windows desktop. You tin download an ISO for SDesk here.

Since publishing this story, SDesk has released mentation 19.1. I'll beryllium deep-diving into that successful the adjacent future, truthful enactment tuned to ZDNET.