Ubuntu is good, actually. It has basically the widest out of the box hardware and software support of any distribution, a decent default UI and an easy installer. Its downsides are that it has a reputation as baby’s first Linux so you don’t get any hipster cred and some people don’t like that it uses snap as a package format for some things, including Firefox.
snap pushed into the default distro, long before it’s a net-positive (and it’s still not a net positive, IMO)
You want this security update that somebody else published? Yeah, we want your money.
I’ve used Ubuntu heavily since 14.04 through 24.04… my new system installs are going Debian 12 with XFCE, and yes - I did evaluate Xubuntu, I’m actually typing this from an Xubuntu machine right now that’s planned to be getting Debian if it ever needs a re-image.
Ubuntu wasn’t a bad choice, still isn’t a terrible choice, but if you’re going to have to strip out snap by hand and deal with security updates by hand after 4-5 years and install a “niche” desktop version to get out from Gnome’s rather inflexible view of things, might as well just go to Debian and be done with whatever “new deals” Canonical comes up with in the future.
Ubuntu is good, actually. It has basically the widest out of the box hardware and software support of any distribution, a decent default UI and an easy installer. Its downsides are that it has a reputation as baby’s first Linux so you don’t get any hipster cred and some people don’t like that it uses snap as a package format for some things, including Firefox.
How do I dislike Ubuntu, let me count the ways:
I’ve used Ubuntu heavily since 14.04 through 24.04… my new system installs are going Debian 12 with XFCE, and yes - I did evaluate Xubuntu, I’m actually typing this from an Xubuntu machine right now that’s planned to be getting Debian if it ever needs a re-image.
Ubuntu wasn’t a bad choice, still isn’t a terrible choice, but if you’re going to have to strip out snap by hand and deal with security updates by hand after 4-5 years and install a “niche” desktop version to get out from Gnome’s rather inflexible view of things, might as well just go to Debian and be done with whatever “new deals” Canonical comes up with in the future.