Which Linux distribution do you want to use on your Framework Laptop?

  • Ubuntu
  • Fedora
  • Mint
  • Manjaro
  • KDE Neon
  • Elementary
  • Arch
  • Ubuntu MATE
  • Kubuntu
  • Zorin
  • OpenSUSE
  • Kali
  • Gentoo
  • Debian
  • Tails

0 voters

There are an enormous number of Linux distributions out there. Internally, we’ve been testing with Ubuntu and Fedora, but we want to check what everyone is interested in using.

19 Likes

I might be an outlier here but I run NixOS 20.09 on my current laptop and I hope to run it on a Framework machine too!

12 Likes

It’s not on your list but the one time I tried Pop!_OS I really liked it!

28 Likes

If I ever get one I would run NixOS as well.

7 Likes

I’ve tried most Linux distros, I always end up back on Mint… it just works.

7 Likes

Likely Pop!_OS but I am still trying out different distributions.

10 Likes

Another outlier here: I will be running OpenBSD, a Unix descendant rather than a Linux distro.

8 Likes

+1 for Elementary! Although most of what I do involves the Terminal, I just love how Elementary looks and feels compared to other distros.

2 Likes

I voted Ubuntu, but I’d actually use Pop!_OS

10 Likes

Gentoo; I have installed it some times already…

+1 for Pop_OS! and maybe Arch on the side

3 Likes

Arch community is one of the most enthusiastic community I’ve ever seen. If you guys need any help, just ask!

6 Likes

I will do fedora or arch. Depending how many issue I will have with arch

1 Like

Linux Mint host with the occasional Windows 10 in a VM when needs must.

1 Like

As far as the rabbit hole is defined, I would say that by testing Ubuntu and Fedora you are doing your part. Pretty much everything is based on those two distros and so if those two work fine, pretty much everything else will.

The inverse is that there are so many differences across the board that being able to say all Linux distros work is just a waste of time and resources.

2 Likes

I’ve used Mint and still like it a lot. Currently using an Arch-based distro called Garuda Linux, that comes with a stylized KDE Plasma desktop. Looks fantastic and runs great.

@2disbetter I guess the real trick is to just make sure that all the necessary drivers and any necessary blobs (like for the mobo firmware or CPU microcode) are available, and to make sure that the various distro maintainers are at least aware of them. In theory framework shouldn’t really need to do anything themselves beyond that as each distros maintainers should handle making sure anything they need gets packaged appropriately.

Considering that I don’t think framework is using anything too unusual in their BOM, most of the drivers should already be handled barring anything that’s specific to their motherboard. As you say though, if there are deb and rpm bundles of all that stuff already, then the process of each distro adding support should be pretty trivial if not automatic simply by dent of being part of the upstream.

I’m going Fedora 34, because having Gnome 40 out of box is the best. Those touchpad gestures are basically essential imo for any ultra portable laptop.

2 Likes

Doesn’t Ubuntu 21.04 have GNOME 40? I Could be misremembering, but thought it did.

I’ll be going with Rocky Linux (the community successor to CentOS, rip), with XFCE desktop. I’m hoping for the same multiple months of uptime I have on most of my other systems.

1 Like