Perhaps the Best Stable Distribution

[posixjs]

Hello guys! I want to write a little bit of my distro hopping story; So i've tried a lot of Ubuntu based distros but I had problems with every single one of them at one point ( they seem to be really unstable lately ); I installed Manjaro but I didn't like the idea of a rolling release distro on my computer ( I also know Debian and how to configure it but I'm too lazy to make it look nice ). So a few months back I installed MX 18 Continuum and since then I stopped distro hopping because it runs the best on my old pc ( Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 ). I also installed MX 19 but for some reason, MX 18 runs faster on my hardware.

I cannot thank enough the developers of this project and I hope this distribution will live long enough because I love it !

Thank you !

[Pierre]

the MX project is surely one of the Best Linux Systems, out there,
but like everything, each release, will have it's own issues, both in stability & with it's hardware support.

[MX_GRD]

I use Mx 18.3 on 32-bit and 64-bit laptops; I hope there is no end of life support. Finally dealt with all issues except one, which is on hold for a couple of months until I finally park the old WinXP.

[KBD]

I began with Debian Stable about 8 years ago and after many years of distro hopping I keep coming back to it. The others are fine to play with, but when I want a Linux distribution that just works and is reliable, nothing beats Debian. MX based upon Debian is the answer for those who claim Debian is 'too hard'. Plus MX has wonderful tools, features, and support. I would not send a newbie to the Debian Forum--ever. But I know anyone will get great support here from a friendly bunch of folks.

[glitchdot]

I started my linux journey almost a year ago with MX Linux. After too much distro hoping I learned a lot about Linux, but I can still say that MX Linux is one of the best distros out there.

[woodyb12]

I am a 65 y.o. disabled vet who used Windows ( various versions ) for the past 25 years. I only know of 3 versions of that OS that I ever liked: Win-98, Win-XP, and Win-7-Pro. And I was happy with those OS's ( ignorance IS bliss, I suppose ). But only for awhile. I have been experimenting with different versions ( or, distributions ) of GNU/Linux since around 1998 ( off and on ) and each time I tried a distro, I found it very hard to learn. Back when I first started you could load Slackware, or Debian, ( and Red Hat too ), from a set of between 6 and 12 3.5" floppy disks.
And the internet wasn't the "information-highway" that it is today. So learning on my own was very difficult. I wanted to learn, but, I just didn't get it! However, I never stopped trying.
In the last 7 years alone, GNU/Linux has come a long way thanks to developers like "the dolphin and crew!" I really am amazed at what they have created with MX! I LOVE this OS!! I like Antix as well, however, I haven't used it at all outside a VM. MX-18.3 Continuum ( IMHO ) is the best Distribution for new users coming from Windows that I have ever come across! Now, people may BOO me for this; but it is the most Windows-like distribution I have ever used. When I say that I mean that you can easily install software ( not included with the OS ), without having to use the CLI, and what's more, I downloaded Deb files for Keypass,Team Viewer, XAMPP, and Word Press...and more; and installed them by right-clicking the file and choosing "Open with gdebi package installer!" Poof! There it was! Sounds like a Windows installer to me. :>) I will learn to use the CLI....but I am still in the process of setting up my system the way I need it to be "right now." And that is the "problem" that MX solved for me. It allowed me to use the GUI to set up my system the way I needed it so that I could move on to the other things that I want to learn.
Thank You MX Team! From the bottom of my old heart. You have given me the opportunity to grow my way!

[Redacted]

it is the most Windows-like distribution I have ever used. When I say that I mean that you can easily install software ( not included with the OS ),

This to me is part of the genius of the minds behind MX.
Everything is so very easy to do, yet the absolute freedom to do what you want is still there.
Other distros have removed choice in order to be newbee friendly.
MX has not, in fact it's just made the choice easier to carry out.

[asqwerth]

...... what's more, I downloaded Deb files for Keypass,Team Viewer, XAMPP, and Word Press...and more; and installed them by right-clicking the file and choosing "Open with gdebi package installer!" Poof! There it was! Sounds like a Windows installer to me. :>) I will learn to use the CLI....but I am still in the process of setting up my system the way I need it to be "right now." And that is the "problem" that MX solved for me. It allowed me to use the GUI to set up my system the way I needed it so that I could move on to the other things that I want to learn....

It's great that you feel so comfortable with MX, but a cautionary note: not all deb files are compatible with Debian (they may be packaged for Ubuntu) and even if it is for Debian, you'll need to check which version of Debian it's for, as there may be dependency issues or the packages inside the deb file might not be for your version of Debian.

For instance, the current Debian Stable release is Debian 10, or Buster. MX19 is based on this.

MX18 is based on Debian 9, called Old Stable. It's still supported by Debian until around 2022, but if you're downloading and installing these 3rd party applications only now, from those websites, be aware that their developers might right now be providing deb files compatible with Debian 10 only. You'll need to check with those 3rd party devs if they don't make it clear on their site which distro/release their deb files are for.

Simple rule of thumb - if clicking on a deb file leads to messages that existing installed packages need to be removed before the deb can be installed, I would advise you to stop right there, and seek help on the forum before proceeding to install said deb.

[JayM]

To add to what asqwerth said, it's even better to ask for the application to be ported to whichever MX version you're using and added to the repositories. The experts in the packaging team can figure out if it can be done, possibly solve dependency issues, and test it to make sure it works in MX without breaking something else. To do that you'd post in the appropriate subforum here for your MX version, following the instructions in the sticky post at the top of each subforum.

Also it's best to use MX Package Installer and search the various tabs for what you want as it might already be packaged for MX. For example, keepassx and team viewer are available on the Popular Applications tab already, and wordpress is on the Stable repo tab, leaving only XAMPP to be requested.

[junoluna]

MX package installer already contains apps like team viewer and maybe some of the others mentioned....

@woodyb ... are you checking MXPI first?