I am currently using Manjaro Cinnamon with the Unstable branch and enjoying the experience. I like to reinstall my OS a couple of times a year to keep it clean and fresh, and I have a script that automates the installation and configuration process. I chose the Unstable branch because I enjoy using new software as soon as it’s released, even if it means dealing with occasional bugs and issues.

I’ve had two nagging technical issues that I haven’t been able to resolve:

  1. The key repeat rate in Cinnamon keeps getting reset after my computer has been on for a while. I’ve set the rate with dconf but it reverts to default. Restarting Cinnamon fixes it temporarily. I haven’t been able to determine what is causing this.

  2. I have static crackling noise in my wired headphones. Reinstalling sof-firmware used to fix this but no longer works.

I’ve tried troubleshooting both problems but just can’t seem to find solutions. They’ve persisted for months now through reinstalls and config changes.

Because of these two ongoing errors, I’m interested in exploring other Linux distros that might provide a similar experience to Manjaro Cinnamon but without these technical headaches. I’m wondering if there are any other Linux distributions or operating systems that can provide a similar experience to what I have with Manjaro Cinnamon Unstable branch. I’m open to trying new things and would love to hear your suggestions.

Some key features I’m looking for in an OS are:

  • Simple GUI installation process
  • A very large package repository, similar to AUR in size
  • Frequent updates and access to the latest software releases
  • A clean and customizable desktop environment, similar to Cinnamon
  • A supportive and active community for troubleshooting and assistance

I’d appreciate any recommendations you can provide, along with a brief explanation of why you think the suggested OS would be a good fit for my preferences. Thanks in advance for your help!

  • Jacob@lemmy.sdf.org
    9·
    10 months ago

    NixOS sounds perfect for your use case.

    Of your key features it has:

    • A simple GUI installation process
    • A very large package repository (the largest, in fact)
    • Frequent updates and bleeding edge software through nixos-unstable and nixpkgs-unstable channels
    • The ability to try any desktop environment you like by editing one or two lines in your config
    • A very supportive and active community

    Additionally, if you like to reinstall frequently, NixOS negates the need for maintaining an installing/config script since the singular configuration.nix file that you edit to customize your system will rebuild the exact same system on another computer. For example, I copied my configuration.nix on my PC to my laptop and now they are exactly the same, packages and all.

    NixOS may seem a little daunting at first, since it has often been referred to as an “expert” distro with a steep learning curve. Don’t let this fool you though–despite NixOS’ unique advanced capabilities–it is actually quite straightforward and simple to use as a desktop machine. Speaking from personal experience as a perpetual linux noob, it’s really not difficult and the benefits and stability of it far outweigh any small hiccups you might encounter initially.