Is Distro Hopping dangerous now? Why do Linux User do It?

If you’re already familiar with Linux, you’ve probably come across the term “distro-hopping” or “distro hopper.” But what’s behind it? Why does this phenomenon exist, and should you be concerned if you’re a distro hopper yourself?
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[@brostoevsky22]

My work computer is a Windows machine. I'm allowed the freedom to distro hop on my personal laptop. I landed on Fedora KDE. The most difficult switch for me wasn't from Ubuntu-based to Red Hat based, but from Gnome to KDE. Now I could easily use both. The truth is you have to try out a few different distributions and desktop environments before you find something you like.

[@jawuku3885]

What contained my distro-hopping habit was 1) Flatpaks 2) VMs and 3) Distrobox. I have settled on Fedora Atomic Desktop using Flatpaks. I run some software on an Ubuntu distrobox. I wouldn’t consider changing desktop environments as distro-hopping if they are in the same distribution.

[@und3rpr]

OpenSUSE Tumbleweed cured my distrohopping.

[@fabriziot1467]

Amen!

[@raymondkemboi1349]

I get the feeling it’s the sweet spot for me too.

[@ArtemSayapov]

Nixos's reproduceability and the opt-in saving cured mine.

[@SirChristoferus]

A worthy inclusion, directly descended from the very first living distribution - Slackware.

[@Skibbehify]

Fedora Gnome has made me settle.

[@cholst1]

It's the pretty (subjective ofcourse) and easy option, and where I landed as well after daily driving linux since 06.

[@Bunny501]

Same, tried many but only fedora is decently stable, up to date and (mostly) has sensible defaults.

[@pirespro]

Same here

[@CristobalWatsonHernandez]

"I started with suse, red hat, and mandrake" Me too, those exact three, although I didn't use the gnopme version of red hat, they had a KDE version as well

[@-iIIiiiiiIiiiiIIIiiIi-]

Once you go bluefin you never go back.

[@bobpeters61]

I occasionally go for a round of exploratory distro hopping, just to keep a feel of what's out there and what I may recommend to new users. For example, my last round of messing around with it revealed to me that both Pop! and Elementary put "Microsoft Data" partitions on the system drive of the machine, therefore I can't recommend either of those in good conscience. I know to stick with Linux Mint and Zorin for my noob recommendations. At the end of that day, however, I always build back my beloved Cinnamon Arch system.

[@steeltormentors]

MX-Linux XFCE has my vote! Stability is priority #1 for me.

[@dragonballjiujitsu]

If Stability is priority #1 id go with zorin or mint. MX is one of the lest stable I have used other than arch.

[@michaelgreaves2375]

Mx made everything work for me. I've been on it for 5 years. Mx Tools solved all of the problems I ran into with out having to use the terminal. I've experimented with other distros on my alternate computer but I haven't found anything as suitable for me. Now I have installed it several times on friend's and and family's computers. They've had no complaints.

[@steeltormentors]

@dragonballjiujitsu yeah MX allows you to install the latest update..but that's an option, it's there if you want it but that's not the default behaviour. Same with GUI/TUI..you can go full TUI, or if not GUI settings are there to help.

[@jeandutoit1413]

@@dragonballjiujitsu Weird. I used to install Mint on the old folks' computers up to about 2018 or so, and then I started noticing constant crashes with newer versions of mint. Updates were failing etc. Switched them over to Manjaro of all things, and everything just worked once more. Moral of the story: Your mileage may vary.

[@dragonballjiujitsu]

@@jeandutoit1413 Yep. Manjaro has been completely stable for me on my laptop for almost 5 years now.

[@FirstLast-ml7yf]

Mint did it for me. Tried POP, Zorin and Garuda...

[@PaxAlotin]

Good choice - I hope you try LMDE-6 -------- Mint's Debian based system.

[@dragonballjiujitsu]

This is why I dual boot Fedora and Zorin OS. The best of both worlds. I started with Linux with Redhat also back in 2003 I think.

[@UltraZelda64]

My distrohopping days have been long gone for decades. I've been using a stable day to day distro for years now. If I switch, it's normally only after every few years and only for a reason (or occasionally out of curiosity). There is no real need to distrohop these days when you have tools like Ventoy and when virtual machines have reached the level of maturity they have. Distro hopping is fun, but like everything it does have its drawbacks and potential dangers. Luckily, there are other methods available these days that do not require literally wiping your main OS and installing a new one every few days, and hardware has advanced to a point that actually makes them possible.

[@HustleGrind-ff1xv]

Arch has made me stable

[@haplozetetic9519]

I advise having a working OS on one drive, and another drive to test other distros. The user retains a functional OS, and can test others when there is spare time.

[@jasminesidney8174]

Ventoy?

[@haplozetetic9519]

​@@jasminesidney8174 I haven't had need to try it. I just checked the procedure to enable persistence, and it's definitely not something for noobs. I think it would scare many of them away from Linux.

[@PaxAlotin]

*I've been using Linux for more than 25 years* In that time - I have done more 'Distro-Hopping' -- than Skippy the Bush Kangaroo --- 🙂 But it is all part of the learning experience that has allowed me to compare Operating systems. *Nowadays* - I am far more settled - preferring to run just 2 Debian systems side by side - LMDE 6 & Q4OS

[@tom-hy1kn]

The dark penguin, if you disto hop too much a demon will visit you at night.

[@TheLonelyMoon]

freebsd daemon pulls you in at night

[@jackknight7070]

distrohopping is journey to arch linux

[@flexcube]

Still struggling with this. For now stayed with Ubuntu, but who knows what will be tomorrow :) There are so many distros to choose from. It is hard to decide, especially on the beginning

[@mmyes8076]

I stopped distrohopping and ended up on arch. It's 3 years on arch now and I think about getting deeper into the linux by building my own OS with LFS. Just want to learn more about how everything works and probably that will help me get some great knowledge for my future career.

[@TheLonelyMoon]

3 months hopping and 3 months settled on Arch. I love Arch. LFS is my end goal but probably when my workloads lighter 😬

[@sravants]

Atlast I settled for Arch Linux.

[@jeandutoit1413]

Arch is the final destination.

[@bacalhau_seco]

​@@jeandutoit1413gentoo is the best distro

[@joe-skeen]

You forgot to say btw

[@bacalhau_seco]

@jay-j6l missinformation

[@jeandutoit1413]

@jay-j6l I wrote FINAL destination, not FIRST destination. By the time you get to Arch, you should already know what you're doing. And then you're free to build the OS that YOU want. It's the best feeling in the world to work on a system that you've tailor-made for yourself. It's like building your own dream sportscar.

[@jacobwerner8533]

i used to do a lot of distro hopping until i got on debian. i might try a new distro in vm if its unique enough or something BSD based, but otherwise it usually just annoys me. I got used to Debian's way if doing stuff that other distros just mess me up.

[@TheLonelyMoon]

Fedora (and derivatives) to Nix to Arch (and derivatives) to Fedora, now on vanilla Arch. Been hopping for three months, settled on Arch. Half a year using Arch now, it's hard to go back to any other OS

[@SirChristoferus]

Arch is my favorite as well. I’ve been using it with GNOME, the Zen kernel, and the Pamac App Store. Thus far, it’s been a very smooth experience. Things don’t break very often - but if they do, it’s usually a temporary breakage during the upgrade process of a major GNOME release.

[@L0um15]

I hopped around many distros then i found out all of them are lacking somehow so i chose different approach. I decided to go with Fedora Silverblue on my laptop so i can get my work done when im not home and arch because my gaming pc needs that bleeding edge with frequent nvidia driver and kernel changes.

[@AriSosnovsky]

NixOs cured my distro hopping. I now suffer of desktop environment hopping lol

[@jazzyniko]

I don't need no distro hopping coz Linux is almost the same everywhere under the hood 😊 And that's where I love spending time ;) PS: Happy Pop Os and Debian - Ubuntu Server user here 🎉

[@MightyThorus]

My distro hopping ended with Endeavor OS.

[@TheLonelyMoon]

similar here, mine with vanilla Arch, everything i can ask for

[@omer-x2j2z]

How about hopping between Tiling Window Managers (TWM).

[@glkok6927]

after tried many distros n finally settle with linux mint and Opensuse....I am using MT4 and Blender...find not all distros work properly with them..I am not a software expert ,use linux because it is free ,less worry of virus and it is faster than window,,,Also using less memory....

[@WindowsAurora]

Nixos cured it for me

[@ArtemSayapov]

Same. I just love the reproduceability and the opt-in saving (with the impermenance module)

[@ArtemSayapov]

Also, is your username and pfp ironic?

[@oooooooooooolive]

I stuck with NixOS!

[@Rick_Gregor]

Just install CachyOS KDE and stick with it....

[@fraidoonhu9284]

Yes you are right. I tried many distros but settled with CachyOS

[@CowboyTrucking61]

Cachy sucks, wouldn't install for me.

[@Rick_Gregor]

@@CowboyTrucking61 well that sucks, I would try again, may not be CachyOS. Latest version is 11.10, five days ago...Arch is way harder to install, but I have don't that

[@Amos_Huclkeberry]

I have to admit, CachyOS Handheld Edition is better than SteamOS on my Steam Deck, IMO.

[@AlexanderMikhailov629]

It's the only distro where I actually felt comfortable, second to Pop and NixOS. Really want to try Fedora Immutables but keep getting errors.

[@bacalhau_seco]

gentoo is the best distro, just stick with that and ur gona be fine

[@jeandutoit1413]

@@bacalhau_seco Hardcore level 50 wizard has entered the comments.

[@nosotrosloslobosestamosreg4115]

Every tech savvy has a distro-H0E phase.

[@KoopstaKlicca]

and if you're even more tech savvy you'll realize that there's no reason to distrohop

[@nosotrosloslobosestamosreg4115]

@@KoopstaKlicca Each H03 has to eventually settle-down.

[@somegeezer4058]

Your content is good but if you're going to grow the channel you will need to work on making your delivery a little less formal. Write your script but only use it only as a guide. Chat to your audience about it naturally. This way people will develop a bond with you.