For example, I’m using Debian, and I think we could learn a thing or two from Mint about how to make it “friendlier” for new users. I often see Mint recommended to new users, but rarely Debian, which has a goal to be “the universal operating system”.
I also think we could learn website design from… looks at notes …everyone else.

  • Titou@feddit.de
    2·
    9 months ago

    If you want Debian but user-friendly, just use Mint, Debian is easy enough to install. It’s like asking Gentoo or Arch to drop a easy installer, it would break the point of using it.

    • laurelraven@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      31·
      9 months ago

      Gentoo and Arch do have easy installers (Arch via the Arch install script, Gentoo… Well, they provide stage 3 already built, a genkernel option, and even binary distribution now, which greatly simplifies the process)

      • Titou@feddit.de
        2·
        9 months ago

        Arch install is not official and it’s not that stable, and what’s the point of using Gentoo if you don’t use the main reason to use it ?

        • laurelraven@lemmy.blahaj.zone
          1·
          9 months ago

          Honestly, that one had me scratching my head too, I doubt I’d ever use the precompiled binaries on Gentoo myself

          The stage 3 tarballs and genkernel, though, make an install that could take a week or more down to a few hours; having successfully built a system from a stage 1 with customized kernel, that’s not an experience I feel a burning desire to go through again

          • Titou@feddit.de
            1·
            9 months ago

            having successfully built a system from a stage 1 with customized kernel, that’s not an experience I feel a burning desire to go through again

            It’s a way to do, and yes it’s not made for everyone. Currently im using vanilla Arch but i understand how great source installed Gentoo is

    • pmk@lemmy.sdf.orgOP
      0·
      9 months ago

      Would it detract from Debian if it had an installer which was more intuitive to new users? As long as they don’t remove the options to configure, I see no harm, only benefits. To me, the thing about Debian is that it’s a community. If a distro wants to be elitistic, sure, that’s up to them, but I don’t see Debian having that goal.

      • Titou@feddit.de
        3·
        9 months ago

        There’s already an gui installer on Debian, what do you want ? The system to install himself without asking for your preferences ?

        • pmk@lemmy.sdf.orgOP
          1·
          9 months ago

          I don’t know. It’s difficult for me to answer because I’m so used to the Debian installer. But, for some reason the general opinion is that it’s difficult for many compared to some other distros.

          • Titou@feddit.de
            1·
            9 months ago

            More difficult because Debian rely more on the terminal than mint. The terminal is not a accessorie like on Windows, it’s part of basics Linux uses. In my opinion it’s important to learn how to be familiar with

            • pmk@lemmy.sdf.orgOP
              1·
              9 months ago

              I think text based interfaces is a strength of unix-like systems, valuable tools to be used when the situation calls for it. It might be a lot to ask of new users to be familiar with terminals before they have even installed the system though. If Mint can get the same result with a GUI, I see no reason why Debian can’t offer that option too, and let users discover bash and TUI when they have a working system.

              • Titou@feddit.de
                1·
                9 months ago

                When you’re beginner it’s normal to not be familiar with terminal, that’s why i recommend Mint as a first distro. What im saying is that We already have Mint as a beginner-friendly distro, we don’t need Debian to be as simple as Mint, also they included non-free firmware in their iso it’s pretty enough imo.