Vanilla OS: maybe the future of Linux on the desktop | Hacker News Reader

Vanilla OS: maybe the future of Linux on the desktop

vanillaos.org

20 pointsphilspectrum9 comments

I don't like these vague distros. No where on the page they do they even explicitly stated that that they're a Linux distribution. Or what DE is shipped, what init is used or what their release model is or what their package manager is.

As for the latter, they only allow installation of FlatPaks and Snaps, or packages from other distributions running in a container.

Just looking into Vanilla, and hey, I like it. They've found workarounds for a lot of Linux architectural problems:

- A/B root partitions so you can update without worrying about bricking your install.

- Multiple driver sets available on install, minimizing the need for driver futzing.

- Runs Android apps out of the box (instantly increases the number of supported apps by, millions, and you don't need to install the compatibility layer, it's just there)

- No more running things with sudo (about time Linux caught up to modern desktop operating systems)

- The distro installer looks more user-friendly than any I've seen

- A GUI for switching between graphics cards

So yeah, I can see this becoming more popular in the future. These features are just too good.

It is great that people are experimenting with other approaches, however right now the future of Linux on the desktop is running it inside a VM, at least in what regular consumers are concerned about.

WSL, Crostini, DeX, VZVirtualMachine

What is missing is the value proposition beyond those virtualization approaches, and Linux specific hardware vendors like System76, Tuxedo Computers and similar.

Why would I be running anything else than Linux as as a host system tho? Are there any benefits?

Getting laptops where the hardware actually works all the time.

Why would a "regular consumer" want to run another operating system in a VM?

Developers are regular consumers as well, not everyone wants to bring work to home just to make their laptops work as designed.

Well, it is the other way around in my bubble. If there is any Windows it is running in a VM. But I guess we are not regular consumers. :-)

However, I think common Linux Desktop usage (Browser, Media, Mail, …) was never easier than today. Just don't buy crappy hardware. No need for special vendors, get a refurbished Thinkpad T480 or something comparable for your Mom, try a current Fedora or Ubuntu, and there will be less issues than running Windows on this . All hardware, including mobile and LTE stuff, will work out of the box.

I use Linux distributions since 1995, I know perfectly well how support in Laptops works out.

It is never, ever, 100% of their hardware capabilities.

It gets tiring versus Google, Apple and Microsoft's blessed experiences.

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