The Most OVERRATED Linux Distros
Summary
TLDRIn this video, the creator bravely tackles the controversial topic of the five most overrated Linux distributions, risking the ire of the community. With a blend of humor and sincerity, the script acknowledges the potential backlash while asserting that the selections are not personal attacks but rather an attempt at lighthearted critique. The list includes Solus OS for its shifting goals, Elementary OS for unfulfilled promises, Manjaro for its confusing stability claims, Linux Mint for its purpose as a 'protest distro', and Arch Linux for its overhyped reputation. An honorable mention goes to NixOS, noted for its pushy community. The video aims to spark discussion and is a testament to the passion and diversity within the Linux ecosystem.
Takeaways
- 😀 The video discusses the five most overrated Linux distributions, with the intent to provoke thought and debate among the audience.
- 🔥 The creator acknowledges the potential for backlash and unsubscribes due to the controversial nature of the content.
- 👍 The video emphasizes that being called 'overrated' does not equate to being 'bad', and some distributions are considered good or even fantastic.
- 💭 The speaker clarifies that the opinions are not personal attacks and encourages viewers not to take the commentary personally.
- 🛑 The video provides a 'trigger warning' to prepare viewers for potentially upsetting content.
- 🤔 Solus OS is criticized for its instability and constant changes in direction, making it hard to trust.
- 📉 Elementary OS is considered overrated due to unfulfilled promises and a history of developer conflicts leading to a lack of progress.
- 🏆 Manjaro is seen as overrated because its purpose is questioned, especially considering the availability of easier to install Arch Linux.
- 🍃 Linux Mint is critiqued for being overrated, with the argument that it is essentially a protest distribution against certain Ubuntu decisions.
- 🏆 Arch Linux is labeled as the most overrated, with its user base becoming a meme for their perceived arrogance despite the distribution's actual merits.
- 🎓 An honorable mention is given to NixOS, noted for its pushy community, but not included in the list to avoid giving it undue attention.
Q & A
What is the main purpose of the video?
-The main purpose of the video is to discuss the five most overrated Linux distributions according to the speaker, while emphasizing that the list is subjective and meant for fun and discussion.
What does the speaker mean by 'overrated' in the context of Linux distributions?
-In the context of the video, 'overrated' does not necessarily mean 'bad.' It refers to distributions that have been given more praise or attention than the speaker believes they deserve, even if they have some good qualities.
What is the speaker's stance on Solus OS?
-The speaker considers Solus OS overrated due to its constantly changing development plans and instability in its execution, which makes it hard to trust as a distribution.
Why does the speaker have a history of not liking Elementary OS?
-The speaker has a history of not liking Elementary OS because they believe it has not delivered on its promises and has had internal conflicts among developers, leading to a sense of abandonment.
What is the speaker's view on Manjaro's purpose?
-The speaker believes Manjaro's purpose was to make Arch Linux more stable and easier to install, but questions its current relevance given that Arch Linux itself has become easier to install.
What is the speaker's opinion on Linux Mint?
-The speaker considers Linux Mint overrated and questions its current purpose, suggesting that it has become more of a 'protest distro' rather than offering unique benefits to new users.
What does the speaker find problematic about Arch Linux's user base?
-The speaker finds the arrogance of Arch Linux's user base problematic, as they have turned the distribution into a meme and continue to promote it excessively despite its issues and lack of clear vision.
Why does the speaker give NixOS an honorable mention?
-The speaker gives NixOS an honorable mention because its users have been pushy about promoting it, to the point where the speaker has decided not to try it out of pettiness.
What does the speaker suggest about the nature of the Linux community?
-The speaker suggests that the Linux community can be passionate and sometimes overly defensive about their preferred distributions, which can lead to a lack of open-mindedness to other options.
How does the speaker address potential backlash from the video's content?
-The speaker acknowledges the potential backlash and asks viewers not to take it personally, emphasizing that the video is meant for fun and discussion rather than personal attacks.
Outlines
😀 Controversial Linux Distributions Overview
The speaker introduces a potentially divisive topic: discussing the five most overrated Linux distributions. They clarify that being 'overrated' doesn't equate to 'bad' and emphasizes the fun and informative intent of the video. The speaker also warns the audience that this might lead to some unsubscribes due to the controversial nature of the content and asks for understanding, as it's not a personal attack on any particular distribution or its users.
🤔 The Unpredictability of Solus OS
The video script discusses Solus OS as the fifth most overrated Linux distribution. It highlights the distribution's reputation for having ambitious but constantly changing plans, leading to a lack of stability in its development direction. The speaker mentions the shift from Solus's base development tools to Serpent OS based tools, creating confusion among users. The narrative also touches on the split and eventual reunion with the Budgie desktop environment, likening the situation to a soap opera and questioning the trustworthiness of Solus OS due to its inconsistency.
😕 The Unfulfilled Promise of Elementary OS
Elementary OS is presented as the fourth most overrated distribution, with a history of unfulfilled promises and internal developer conflicts over financial issues. Despite its initial promise and mainstream press coverage for its Mac OS-like user interface and structured update approach, the distribution has seemingly been abandoned, with updates and development falling off. The speaker suggests that the high hopes of its users have not been matched with solid action, leading to its overrated status.
🏆 The Misplaced Stability of Manjaro
Manjaro is identified as the third most overrated Linux distribution, with a stated goal of making Arch Linux more stable and easier to install. The script points out that while Manjaro may achieve a level of stability, its user base's passion is misplaced because the need for stability typically wouldn't lead one to choose Arch Linux or its derivatives. The speaker argues that enabling the AUR in Manjaro negates its stability benefits, making it an odd choice for those seeking the benefits of Arch without its risks.
🌟 The Overhyped Linux Mint
Linux Mint is labeled as the second most overrated distribution, with the speaker expressing personal bias and questioning its current purpose. They argue that Mint's identity as a user-friendly Ubuntu variant with a different desktop environment has been overshadowed by its role as a 'protest distro' against certain Ubuntu decisions. The speaker suggests that Mint's reputation as the premier new user distro is overblown, given that it's essentially a modified Ubuntu without the elements that define it.
🏆 The Meme-Worthy Arch Linux
Arch Linux is crowned as the most overrated Linux distribution, with its users becoming a meme for their perceived arrogance. The speaker, a former fan, notes that the difficulty of installation and the AUR are the main reasons for Arch's appeal, but criticizes the fan base for self-aggrandizement. They also mention issues with Arch's development methodology, lack of clear vision, and recent problematic releases, suggesting that the distribution's reputation exceeds its practical merits.
😐 The Pushy Advocates of NixOS
An honorable mention is given to NixOS for its overrated status, largely due to the pushiness of its user community. The speaker relates personal experiences of being pressured to try NixOS, despite having no strong desire to do so. They acknowledge that NixOS might be a fantastic distribution but express a reluctance to use it based on the community's behavior, which they find off-putting.
🙏 Closing Remarks and Call for Feedback
The speaker concludes the video with a call for audience feedback in the comments section and expresses gratitude for the support received from patrons and viewers. They hint at the possibility of creating more controversial content in the future and thank the audience once more for watching, ending the video on a light-hearted note with background music.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Overrated
💡Linux Distributions
💡Solus OS
💡Elementary OS
💡Manjaro
💡Linux Mint
💡Arch Linux
💡AUR (Arch User Repository)
💡NixOS
💡Rolling Release
💡User Base
Highlights
The video discusses the five most overrated Linux distributions, with a disclaimer that the creator is not necessarily against them, just highlighting their overrated status.
The creator emphasizes that being called overrated does not equate to being bad, and some distributions are considered good or even fantastic.
The video is meant for fun and engagement, not personal attacks, encouraging viewers to not take the content too personally.
Solus OS is criticized for its constantly changing development plans and instability, making it difficult to trust.
Elementary OS is considered overrated due to unfulfilled promises and internal developer conflicts, leading to a lack of progress.
Manjaro is critiqued for its purpose, questioning whether it's truly needed given the availability of Arch Linux and other distributions.
Linux Mint is described as overrated, with its user base being overly passionate despite the distribution being seen as a 'protest distro' rather than a necessity.
Arch Linux is labeled as the most overrated, with its user base becoming a meme for their perceived arrogance and the distribution's lack of clear vision.
The creator was once an Arch Linux fan, acknowledging the package manager AUR as fantastic but also overrated.
An honorable mention is given to NixOS, with its community being noted for being pushy about the distribution, which the creator finds off-putting.
The video ends with a call for viewer comments and a reminder of the creator's support links, emphasizing the importance of community engagement.
The creator expresses concern about potentially alienating the audience with the video's content but maintains the stance for the sake of discussion.
The video's tone is set as light-hearted and fun, with the creator apologizing in advance for potential upset but encouraging open dialogue.
The video suggests that the perception of a distribution's quality can be influenced by its community's behavior and the myths surrounding it.
The creator reflects on personal biases, particularly against Linux Mint, and how these biases may influence the video's perspective.
The video touches on the importance of a distribution's stability and clear development direction, using Solus OS as an example of a lack thereof.
Transcripts
[Music]
so this video is going to make a lot of
my audience very very angry with me
they're going to be very cross they're
going to be very upset perhaps many of
them will unsubscribe for my channel
which would I'd be very upset about and
I apologize but I want everybody to keep
in mind that I'm doing this mostly for
fun and ingest
but today we're going to be talking
about the five most overrated Linux
distributions ever created so I think it
should be a little fun but I want to put
up put some provides those out there's
some warning some trigger warnings out
there before I actually jump in first
when I say overrated I don't mean bad I
might mean bad but I don't always mean
bad a lot of the distributions on this
list I actually considered to be quite
good in fact a couple of them I would
consider fantastic
but they are overrated so just because I
say your distribution is overrated
doesn't mean that I think that it's bad
a couple of them I do think are bad but
that those aren't necessarily things
that are connected in my brain so that's
the first one the second thing that I
want to say out there is that just
because I say your distribution is
overrated doesn't mean that I'm coming
after you these are not personal attacks
in any way
so don't take it personally don't get
too defensive about it it's just all in
fun so let's go ahead and talk about the
five most overrated Linux distributions
but before we do if you drop a thumbs up
on this video I'd really appreciate it
really does help the channel and uh it
would probably move past some of the
negative thumbs down that I'm no doubt
going to be getting because of the
amount of vitriol that I'll hear in the
comments section below so let's talk
about this so number five on the list is
Solus OS now Solus OS is a distribution
that is a it's a dreamer's distribution
and when I say it's a dreamer's
distribution what I mean is their
developers are dreamers they have had
many different plans over the course of
their existence and many of those plans
are still in development and there's no
end in sight to those plans right they
continuously change now they're changing
to a different distro basically they're
they're moving from solus's base
development tools to serpent OS based
development tools they'll still be
called solo psos but it's very very
confusing there their desktop
environment was attached to their distro
for a long time it's called budgie OS
and or not budge us but budgie right and
that was connected to solos for a long
time and then the development team kind
of split and they had their a little you
know kerfuffle amongst the developers
and budgie was split off and Solas went
its own Direction and now they're back
together again it's like a soap opera it
is the way that I'd explain it and the
reason why I say that it's overrated
isn't necessarily because it's bad but
because it's hard to trust a
distribution that has plans like that
and constantly moves the goal posts
towards what they're looking to do
and you don't really know where it's
going like do we think that the serpent
OS plans are going to be something that
they stick with or are they going to
change the plans again in a couple years
so you really can't say that it's a
distribution that is stable in its
execution of what their plans are
because they move and they change all
the time so Solace OS is number five on
the list I put it number five because
I'm convinced that very few people
actually use it to be honest with you I
have honestly to tell you I only know
one person who really likes solos OS
well two one of them is a developer of
solos OS the other one is Josh so those
are the only two that I really know that
have ever used or spent a lot of time
with Solas I'm sure there are other
Solace OS users out there but I don't
meet them very often so that's number
five on the list number four on the list
is Elementary OS Elementary OS is a
distribution that I have a history of
not liking so I will very be very
upfront with the fact that I am biased
against it but you can't deny that that
distribution has promise and has
promised many things over the course of
the last many years and many of those
things have not been delivered and
it feels at this point that it's kind of
abandoned where because they have had a
kerfuffle amongst their developers they
the developers have gone separate ways
they fought over money because everybody
fights over money which is you know dumb
but whatever and you know you have I I
guess if I was talking about millions of
dollars or hundreds or thousands of
dollars I'd probably want to fight about
it too but I ain't got that opportunity
so whatever that's beside the point the
the point is is that Elementary OS has
kind of Fallen by the wayside despite
its immense promise over the course of
the last few years it was one of those
distributions that even got covered in
the mainstream press because it was a
quote unquote New Linux distro that
offered a lot of the cohesiveness that
people were looking for in Linux it was
very Mac OS like it was very structured
in its UI in its approach to updates and
stuff like that and since then it has
fallen by the wayside and even though
that's true I wouldn't say that that's
the reason why it's overrated I would
say that it's overrated simply because
the people who really enjoy or at least
enjoyed Elementary OS had such high
hopes for it and prodded it along to
other people but none of the promise was
ever backed up with solid action so this
isn't even the first time where we
thought it was kind of abandoned where
like several years ago they also kind of
fell off in terms of the updates we had
no clue what was happening eventually an
update did appear and then you know they
went back on what feels like a Hiatus so
nobody that really knows what's going on
yet there's still a group of people out
there who have high high hopes for
Elementary OS and the you know the
promises that have been made whether or
not those promises will ever be
delivered on you know is another thing
altogether so Elementary OS is number
four on the list number three on the
list is Manjaro now Manjaro when it
first came out had a purpose now whether
there our stated purpose was this or not
you can't deny that one of the things
that it did was it made Arch Linux easy
to install it also had the stated goal
of making Arch Linux more stable and
that's still a stated goal to this day
it's basically Arch Linux but with a
delayed release cycle so instead of all
the updates being pushed right out into
the open for everybody to test basically
as a guinea pig like with Arch Manjaro
holds it back also Manjaro has less
Reliance on the Aur it doesn't push the
Aur nearly as much as Arch itself does
so the idea behind Manjaro is a more
stable large Linux distribution and
you could probably claim that it does
deliver on that I don't really know how
stable it actually is I haven't used it
in many years
but the user base which is quite large
is probably the largest archbase
distribution out there is very
passionate about it yet it's use case
isn't as important as they seem to think
that it is if you really want a stable
distribution you're not going to go the
arch Direction at all you're going to go
to Debian or you're going to go to
Ubuntu or whatever you're not going to
look towards Arch now my biggest problem
with Manjaro has always been that if you
want to have the benefits of arch the
big X so if you want to have the benefit
of arch which is the Aur for me that
that the shining star of using Arch has
always been there you are and if you
enable that on Manjaro you remove the
benefits of using Manjaro it's no longer
once you've enabled the aor and you
started to use the Aur it's no longer a
stable distribution therefore Manjaro is
weird in that situation where it's kind
of touting the benefits of arch by now
giving you the main benefit of arch it's
very weird in that in that regard and
I've never really gotten it to be honest
with you and I know a lot of people have
now if you want to argue that the reason
why it exists is because it made Arch
easy to install during a period of time
when Arch was not easy to install You
could argue that that was the case
if that's still the case that's kind of
weird because Arch is no longer hard to
install so I don't know Manjaro is
definitely in my opinion overrated and
that's number three on the list number
two on the list oh boy oh it's gonna
pissed a lot of people off but Linux
Mint is number two on the list now I
have made claims over the course of the
last
three years or so since I started this
channel that Linux Mint is useless I
have talked about how Linux Mint is
pointless I've talked about how Linux
Mint is weird I've talked about how
Linux Mint and their fan base are very
touchy which I still believe is is true
now I have of course more experience
with Linux Mint now than I did when I
made my Linux useless video back in 2021
or whatever it was so I have more
experience with Linux Mint at this point
but all that being said the idea behind
Linux Mint is what
so that's my question and has has been
my question for quite a while what is
the purpose of Linux Mint right now
previously I would argue that Linux Mint
had the purpose of being Ubuntu but with
a different desktop environment and with
a better and easier more new user
focused software package right that they
offered a lot of tools and they offered
a better post installation method and
and setup and documentation and all this
stuff right they were very much a new
user focused distribution and you could
argue that there's still that right that
they're very much still a very new
user-focused distribution I would argue
instead that they're a protesters drill
now I know that that's going to make a
lot of people mad because when I say
protest issue what you think of you're
gonna think of Dev One You're Gonna
think of artists you're going to think
of distributions that are protesting
system D you know and I would argue that
linksman is an Ubuntu protest distro
they're still based on Ubuntu of course
for their major releases they're still
very much tied to the Ubuntu release
cycle all of their distribution releases
are tied to an Ubuntu release cycle but
they don't like the way that Ubuntu
works you can tell that because of the
their disinterest and snaps you can tell
that by some of the things that their
developers have said over the course of
the last few years they're very much not
happy with the direction that canonical
has taken Ubuntu and therefore have they
have chosen to take their distribution
another Direction despite still being
reliant on Ubuntu as their base right
it's one of the reasons why I've argued
and one of the reasons why I argued in
the Linux Mint is useless video that
instead of focus on Ubuntu they should
focus on Debian but that is another
argument altogether the reason why I
think that they're overrated is because
they have become there's this Mythos or
surround learning Linux meant that they
are the premier new user distro and that
may or may not be true I won't argue
either way but that Mythos has given a
legend quality that doesn't it doesn't
really deserve because really at the end
of the day it's just a protest distro
it's just a distribution that is Ubuntu
but without all the things that make
Ubuntu Ubuntu if that makes any sense
they've taken Ubuntu they've carved out
all the parts that make kubuntu Ubuntu
except for like the installer and some
of the software packaging and they've
made it their own which is fine it's
there's nothing wrong with that it's
just it's not it doesn't automatically
make it into this fantastic distribution
that every new Linux user should use now
it doesn't mean that every new Linux
user shouldn't use it also I I'm not
going to argue either way with those
people I'm just saying that Linux Mint
is overrated that's the that's my
argument I guess I will admit and I
should have put this up front that Linux
that I'm a little biased a little biased
against Linux Mint I just never have
really cared for it all that much I've
never really seen the purpose of it if
you're if you want to use Ubuntu just go
use Ubuntu right if Linux Mint just
touted itself as Ubuntu but with a
different desktop environment that'd be
fine with me and it's fine the way it is
of course I don't have to approve of
everything
I'm not like the the Grand Master of the
Linux world I don't have to approve of
everything linuxma is just not for me I
also don't think that it is as fantastic
as everybody else thinks it is but again
that might be my bias showing so number
two on the list is links meant uh people
are very passionate about Linux Mint
despite the fact that the people who are
very passionate about it probably aren't
using it now I'm sure some of them are I
don't need to hear in the comment
section about how passionate you are are
about actually using Linux I'm sure
there are many people out there who I
mean it's a very popular Linux
distribution what I'm saying is that the
people it seems that they're the most
passionate are also people who aren't
actually using it uh they maybe they
started off on it and it was their first
Linux distro so they have very fond
memories of it and that has led them to
be very defensive of it which is again
it's it's fine but I would just like to
remind you that it's a Linux distro it's
not Jesus okay I'm just putting it out
there okay so if you thought number two
pissed people off whoo wait until you
hear number one number one is Arch Linux
no I know what you're thinking Matt
weren't you an arch Fanboy like half a
second ago yes yes I was an arch Fanboy
and I still maintain that the Aur is
fantastic maybe a little overrated
towards what I actually think it is and
definitely not for everybody but Arch
Linux is overrated and I would argue
that of the ones that are on this list
it's the most overrated which is number
the reason why it's number one that's
usually how lists work Matt good job
number one on the list is Arch Linux 4
reason it's number one for a reason and
that reason is is that it's so overrated
that their users have become a meme and
this meme isn't even new it's been
around for a very long time I use Arch
Linux by the way right you have heard
this over and over and over again and to
the point where it is a meme it's not
even a good meme it's a meme that has
been around for so long it's over the
meme has become a meme if that makes any
sense so Arch Linux was always a thing
right it was always something that
people were proud of because it was hard
to install now every time I say that
people were proud of being able to
install Arch Linux there's somebody in
the comments sections like imagine being
proud of being able to install Linux
like I understand that it's a weird
thing to be proud of but there's a
reason why people pouted the fact that
they use Arch and that reason is because
it was considered difficult to install
that difficulty of installation was the
primary reason why people who use it
considered themselves special if you
think about it past the installation of
Arch Linux what actually makes art
special it's not the only rolling
release in the world I would argue that
the Aur probably is the only other thing
besides the installation that makes art
special and it's the only one that
remains the Aur is fantastic it's
spectacular even it definitely puts the
shame many other repositories out there
but the installation aspect of their
argument is gone yet their arrogance
remains it does it hasn't you know it
has fallen by the wayside a little bit
of course to be replaced by the next one
on the list because there is a next one
on the list
It's actually an honorable mention
because we'll talk about that in a
minute
the the point is is that Arch Linux has
a fan base that has mimified themselves
not mummified but mimified I don't know
if mimified is actually word but it's
going to be very very soon and they have
made it so that people look at Arch
as a meme distro even though it's a
fantastic distribution it's a really
good distribution and if you want a
rolling release it's one of the best out
there that you can use I would argue
that their development method is not so
great to be honest with you that they
Meander through without any real
leadership and that they have no cooler
vision for their distribution and that
that lack of distribution Vision has
caused many problems over the course of
the last few months even where things
have been released out into the wild
that really shouldn't have been if you
ask my bud Steve you'd he'd hear many
many words with many many expletives
about the you know grub and the grub
situation right so Arch has had many
problems and yet their user base Bill
considers themselves a very very happy
that they are arched users when they
probably should just tone it down just a
bit so I mentioned an honorable mention
now honestly what I I should have just
done was made this a six distro list but
to be honest with you I don't think that
this last one deserves a place on the
list not necessarily because it's not
overrated it is overrated but I don't
want to give them and their users the
satisfaction of actually being a number
on the list it's Petty of me I know but
the honorable mention is Nick's OS okay
now I'm sure NYX OS is a fantastic
distribution I've only used it for
probably about an hour or so and that's
been ages and ages ago before it was
popular
and I'm sure it's a fantastic OS I I
know many many people who use it and
tell me that it's fantastic in fact
there are approximately 30 different
users in my Discord right now who are
using nixos if not many many more and
all of them constantly tell me that NYX
OS is something that I have to try I
have to try Matt you have to try next OS
you have to try and express I swear to
God that the Nyx OS users are much more
pushy about their distribution than the
arch link users ever were now that is
saying something because the Arch Linux
guys
are a meme for pushing their
distribution onto other people they are
we all know that and yet
I don't think I ever experienced the
level of pushiness from Arts that I have
heard and seen and experienced from the
Nyx OS Community now again I'm sure next
OS is a fantastic distribution but it's
definitely not a distribution that
requires me to use it just because it
has a configuration file
and I happen to like configuration files
so therefore I should use it I'm not
exactly sure that
I I get in so much trouble when I talk
about NYX OS because I I have come to
the point where
the users have gotten so pushy about me
trying it that I've decided not to try
it I'm being very Petty about it is what
I'm saying but anyways that's an
honorable mention I did not want to give
them the satisfaction of being number
one even though it probably is number
one in my mind so that's it for this
video if I haven't pissed everybody off
let me know in the comments section I'll
I'll try harder next time uh maybe I'll
I should maybe I should put Ubuntu on
this list or I don't know I'll I'll come
up maybe Debian
I I could come up with some more to piss
everybody else off I'm sure I could come
up with a few more so in the comment
section below let me know your thoughts
on all this I'd really appreciate it if
you haven't already and uh you actually
did like this video I'd appreciate if
you give this the video a thumbs up it
really really help the channel you can
follow me on Master Diner honestly those
links will be in the video description
you can support me on patreon
patreon.com linuxcast I'm also on Kofi
which is another place like patreon but
apparently a little bit better you can
head on over there if you want to
support me thanks to everybody who does
support me on patreon YouTube you guys
are all absolutely amazing without you
the challenges went up anywhere near
where it is right now so thank you so
very much for your support I truly do
appreciate it you guys are all
absolutely amazing Without You Again The
Challenge coming up anywhere near where
it is right now so thank you so much
thanks everybody for watching I'll see
you next time
[Music]
thank you
[Music]
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)