In 20+ years of Linuxing, I've never heard anyone ask for one distro. I think the overlap of 'people who want fewer choices' and 'people who are interested in Linux' is very, very small.
this post was submitted on 14 Nov 2025
77 points (88.9% liked)
Linux
13984 readers
148 users here now
Welcome to c/linux!
Welcome to our thriving Linux community! Whether you're a seasoned Linux enthusiast or just starting your journey, we're excited to have you here. Explore, learn, and collaborate with like-minded individuals who share a passion for open-source software and the endless possibilities it offers. Together, let's dive into the world of Linux and embrace the power of freedom, customization, and innovation. Enjoy your stay and feel free to join the vibrant discussions that await you!
Rules:
-
Stay on topic: Posts and discussions should be related to Linux, open source software, and related technologies.
-
Be respectful: Treat fellow community members with respect and courtesy.
-
Quality over quantity: Share informative and thought-provoking content.
-
No spam or self-promotion: Avoid excessive self-promotion or spamming.
-
No NSFW adult content
-
Follow general lemmy guidelines.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
Unfortunately, I've seen it quite a bit here on Lemmy. People suggest that all of the Linux ecosystem should come together and focus on creating one perfect distro, with one DE, one audio system,..... and so on.
I have no proof of this, but I always picture them silently adding "....and it should be the one I currently enjoy, obviously" in their head.
I'd wager they just have a fundamental misunderstanding of how the free software ecosystem operates.
You could take it as an opportunity to educate them on how distros are cobbled together from software made by different people, most of whom have no affiliation with the distro in question.
Yeah, fair. You seem to possess a lot more patience than myself though... I usually don't bother responding to the comments in question, simply because there is no chance of this happening anyways.
I've used Linux since the 90s and this seems to be a video about something that's not really a thing. I've seen more people discuss Hannah Montana Linux than proposing a single distro.
I don't think it's a popular opinion among people who actually use Linux. But I did hear it as an argument against using Linux or an attempt at explanation why it's not more popular.
Which is a bonkers argument. You still have all that choice out there, a Windows user just chose an option that is less compatible with the other options. There are fair arguments as to why it is impractical for some, but choice is the least of the problems.
So, possibly astroturfing?
Same, but I typically hear it from recent Windows converts. I think they just get overwhelmed. And of course you have all the less recent Windows converts pushing their favorite distro for confirmation bias. i.e. "Arch BTW", "Mint FYI", "MX Linux IMO". I don't hear it from the experienced users.
Its hella confusing at first and seems like it matters more than it does when its mostly the same experience and des matter more. You just use different terminal commands and have different default defaults, different backend, they all work mostly the same from the perspective of the user. You open firefox and use your computer. If you need an app you open the appstore and search for it. Most ppl arent even using windows specific apps, I was doing 90% of my sht on a webbroswer with google docs for the last decade.
You mean the same people that complain about a perceived lack of antivirus software?
I've seen more people discuss Hannah Montana Linux than proposing a single distro..
from Imgflip Meme Generator
Its been somewhat new-ish that ive seen people discussing trying to get one linux distro to use. And why we should push people to use that specific linux distro. Its a strange argument but there are some talking about it.
I dont think it will ever get any real traction for the desktop. However for devices people dont know are Linux to begin with, we may get stuck (like Android for example).
i think there does need to be a small number of distros that are very user friendly and just work for 90% of users
distros like bazzite are getting there
I agree with Nick on this, Linux is interesting and awesome because there are so many choices for users to choose; upstream work is still shared and can be used to improve Linux as a whole. That will affect the quality of other distros going forward too.
What's more the diversity helps with the quality. All pieces must be compatible with different variations, forcing software to be more bulletproof.
It’s amazing because you already can switch distros or just stick with one! Wow! Everyone already wins!
Yeah, but the newbs don't realize that in the beginning. They act as if their choice is a permanent decision and they are already overwhelmed and don't really understand the choices. At least until they realize it's LInux Boi Summer and go whoring around riding the distro carousel.
I keep hearing people wanting steamOS, but it's just gonna be another distro. I think it'll be good, it might have decent support and be moderately stable, but you can have that experience like already, in a few different places. Not perfect, but the option is a few bugs or constantly having to battle Microsoft trying to spy on everything.
Everything will be nix 😜
Just about lol.
To refer to all distros we should plurarize Linux. The Linee! The Linuses! The Linus! The Linuxen!