Beside DE and terminal commands , is there anything else I should try in a linux distro ?
It sounds as you want to evaluate different Linux Distributions.
DE/GUI is a good one, terminal commands is a bit useless since the vast majority of Linux systems use Bash as default.
This is what I would look into on a new distro:
UI - What DE or WM is it using, what is the default config like, and try to learn from that. How is the terminal prompt configured (the default Ubuntu and Debian prompts are terrible, I allways change them)
Package Manager - how does it work, what software is available?
Unique software - Does the distribution include some tools, applications or games I haven’t heard about? If so, what do they do, and how do they work.
This gives me a feel for the distribution and how to use it.
I disagree that the UI/DE/WM is a good way to evaluate a distro. One could make any distro look and feel like any other.
In my opinion one should look primarily at three factors:
- Package manager
- Release type
- Stability
From there just choose either Debian or Arch and install the UI you want with the DE/WM
Naaah… you know enough by now. Just try to replace Windows from your friends’ PCs with Linux. And tell them to do the same soon too.
It depends on your goals with linux.
If your goals are on devops, you may find a good idea learn about docker, ansible and other tools to make your life easier. If you’re a home user, maybe it’s a good idea try flatpaks, for example. And there is much more, but you need to define your goals.
“If you don’t know where you want to go, then it doesn’t matter which path you take.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Terminal stuff. I change from bash to fish and love fish. Although I believe it’s not posix compliant or something
Spin up a VM in the distro of your choice and try to install everything you might need or want (like VPN clients, remote desktop software, gaming platforms, video production stuff, etc.). See if you can do everything you need, and highlight any problem areas to see if you need to explore alternatives or if there’s things you can live without.
The DE is pretty surface level, these days, since they all work pretty well for most people, and the terminal apps are pretty standardized. Focus on how you might use your computer from day to day.
