Are you thinking of switching to Linux? Have you struggled to pick a suitable distro? Perhaps you’re a veteran, and you’ve got strong opinions about which distros a beginner should use. Whatever your situation is, I have three reasons why Ubuntu is still king for beginners.
The first hurdle newcomers will face is onboarding. There are a multitude of distros to choose from, and it’s undeniably overwhelming for beginners, especially when they don’t realize distros are more like flavors than entirely different dishes. However, there are some defining qualities about distros that serve users well—qualities that don’t concern fancy features but simplify usability instead. For many reasons, I recommend Ubuntu: it’s tried and tested, stable, and just works.
It’s easy for beginners
Things just work with little effort
Debian-derived distros are popular, and distros that share a package manager are often similar. When we say something is Arch-based, we first think of the software ecosystem: the package manager, release cycle, kernel, etc. This represents a significant portion of the system you use, and so it’s an important aspect of selection. When I recommend Ubuntu, I think of the user several years ahead: What is their next move, and what skills will they take with them? Users often stick with something familiar, and the Debian base is a huge part of the Linux world, with Linux Mint and even niche distros like Pop!_OS not too far from the beaten path. Debian is a sensible foundation to choose because users are building a bridge for future choices.
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The next defining feature of Ubuntu is how easy it is to install and get working. Most things just work out of the box, and unless the user has bleeding-edge hardware, it should be entirely trouble-free. For a first-time Linux user, a smooth experience does a lot for their confidence and long-term retention. While I think the more “difficult-to-install” distros are easier than they seem, nobody wants to take on a challenge too big for a new project. It’s better to warm up to the fundamentals first and then dive deeper if they so choose. Keep in mind that for many people, a computer serves only their basic digital needs, and it’s not a passion—a practical choice wins there.
On top of the easy installation, Ubuntu has some great beginner documentation—from its desktop manual to the community-maintained wiki—that doesn’t overload new users while gently introducing them to Linux. Couple that with a healthy helping of GUI-driven system tools, and Ubuntu has it all.
It has great support
While there are some great alternative distros out there—ones that assist new users—Ubuntu undeniably has the largest community, and with that comes some of its strongest benefits.
First is the wealth of resources. If you experience a problem using Ubuntu, chances are it has already been solved. For over 15 years, Ask Ubuntu has provided solutions for all skill levels alike. It has nearly half a million questions and likely just as many answers. That packs a lot of punch and is plenty for new users to pore over. For active, conversational-style groups, Ubuntu has a very popular subreddit. With over 220k visitors per week, beginner questions should never go unnoticed. Couple those resources with a long-standing news publisher in OMG! Ubuntu, and it’s easy for users to stay ahead of their problems. While communities for Linux Mint and Debian are no doubt great, they don’t compare with Ubuntu on sheer numbers.
The second benefit is widespread adoption. I can’t remember how many times I’ve seen a vendor supporting Linux but only providing Debian builds (often just Ubuntu.) Whether it’s software from a university, a job, or an app you want to install, if it’s available on Linux, it’s almost certainly available on Ubuntu. This is probably one of Ubuntu’s strongest qualities because it smooths the transition of new users by avoiding complicated installations.
It’s not just software either. If you find a guide on the internet, it’s likely for Ubuntu—I often think of Ubuntu as the Windows of Linux because of its popularity and wide adoption. Furthermore, users can usually adapt other Debian-based guides and instructions to work on Ubuntu, giving them even more options. These little things add up to make Ubuntu one of the easiest distros to get support for.
Lastly, Canonical: Love them or hate them, they’re a big company that has supported Ubuntu since 2004. They’ve built a steady ship that millions rely upon. Canonical isn’t going away, and so users can expect more of the same for years to come.
It’s stable
Predictability and consistency make it reliable
With Canonical being a large organization, you can bank on them taking their release cycle seriously. All the major distros do this (Fedora, RHEL, Arch, Gentoo, etc.), but not necessarily the smaller ones. It’s complicated to develop such an extensive software system, and the more extensive it is, the more unforeseen problems there are. For projects of this magnitude, they need rigorous testing and consistent release models—a systematic approach that leads to a dependable product. A small team may struggle with that, but with 1300 employees, Canonical doesn’t. What you get is a production-ready system for the same price it costs to breathe air.
Some users don’t like change; I can understand that. Although I do prefer new features and progression, some people just want a functional desktop because learning their OS is a chore, not a challenge. With that, Ubuntu offers LTS (long-term support) releases that receive security updates for five years for free (10+ years with Ubuntu Pro, which is free for personal use.) In addition, Canonical backports support for newer hardware to LTS releases via their Hardware Enablement (HWE) program. This gives long-term releases a newer kernel and graphics stack, breathing fresh life into their stable releases, keeping them relevant and useful for years.
Most times, the requirements for new users should be simple:
- Support: When they inevitably encounter a problem, how easy is it to resolve it? Will they encounter problems running specific applications? Community, documentation, and widespread adoption facilitate these issues.
- Reliability: How stable is it? Does it change much? Will there be any annoying, unaddressed bugs? Professional support and a consistent release model are good signs.
- Usability: When they use the distro, how quickly will they hit the ground running? Ubuntu is popular for a reason, but there are other options.
Choosing a distro doesn’t depend on some magic quality that will solve all your problems; it’s as simple as ease of use. I think most people intrinsically understand that, and as boring as the answer is, Ubuntu is the strongest candidate.
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Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
