I made switch back to Windows some time ago, but I notice I use open-source programs anyways and I do not enjoy modern video games which is why I think about switching back to Linux. Below is two issues holding me back from switching right away;

1# What desktop should I use… I used GNOME before but because NVIDIA card it did not perform well. I also tested KDE but it was too complex for me. Should I try Elementary OS, Budgie, XFCE or Mate ? I look for something simple, modern, customizable. I do not have time to test what fits me blindly.

#2 Is there alternative program to simple wall (pp) ? For by default blocking apps from connecting to the internet.

    • sgtnasty@lemmy.ml
      2·
      4 years ago

      PopOS also has some good power management extensions for GNOME along with CPU/battery stuff.

  • Nevar@lemmy.ml
    141·
    4 years ago

    Linux Mint has a firewall built in so you can stop apps from connecting to the internet.

    If you’re coming back from Windows I would recommend Linux Mint Cinnamon edition. Easiest transition.

    KDE doesn’t suck anymore with regards to being overly complex/customizeable, not for the past two years. It’s still powerful but a lot of those crazy options are hidden away. It’s also quite resource efficient.

  • AxG68K@lemmy.ml
    6·
    4 years ago

    I keep going to back to XFCE and Mate. Mate being the most simple. Modern is very subjective. I would say neither is modern, but Modern depending on how you define it can be a blessing or a curse. I run KDE on one computer just to keep me up to date. Its cool but complex. Gnome - I wont touch, it obfuscates the operating system with its modern simplicity.

    As for distros I am big fan of Arch and Manjaro. Arch for when you have time and Manjaro for when you don’t. The rolling release makes using computers fun again.

  • alchemistswater@lemmy.ml
    6·
    4 years ago

    gnome no longer defaults to wayland, which means performance on nvidia is normally just fine. I’m not a gnome fan, but it’s won me over the last few years. kde has come on a lot too, but it’s still a little hectic compared to gnome. you pay ease of use for customization. gnome has opinions, kde has options. if you want a gtk desktop that just works, budgie is nice. xfce and mate are awesome, but they’re very old school, fine if you want to put in the effort, but for out of the box use, I’d suggest cinnamon or budgie.

  • elbru_no@lemmy.ml
    5·
    4 years ago

    XFCE for performance Mate or Cinnamon for the windows-like experience Gnome is probably the most resource intensive. In any case, depending on how long ago you had issues, it may be the case they have been fixed (unless Wayland is your thing, I think)

  • linkert@lemmy.ml
    4·
    4 years ago

    #1 Budgie is rather lovely - has some polish. But…

    When you say you are looking for simple, modern and customizable it opens up a whole heap of questions.

    Simple to me is a tiling workflow. Overlapping windows as a rule don’t make much sense to me - very clunky way of going about things.

    Modern - what is modern to you?

    Customizable - which parts of the thing are you looking to customize?

  • Travis Skaalgard@lemmy.ml
    3·
    4 years ago
    1. I recommend Xfce. There are naysayers who disapprove of the lack of transparent glass windows, but you can make Xfce look perfectly fine, with the same Gtk themes GNOME uses. Xfce is very modular and highly customizable.
  • muriuki@baraza.africa
    41·
    4 years ago

    Try out manjaro cinnamon or xfce edition. Personally I’ve been using garuda linux dragonized edition kde. On firewalls, I’ve been using gufw, which is not complicated

  • manemjeff@lemmy.ml
    2·
    4 years ago
    1. If you want “it just werks” then you should use either gnome or kde. If you some snappy hacker-ish DE, then use i3wm or other window management program of your choosing.
    2. That’s just the default UFW lol
  • Domoshomo@lemmy.ml
    2·
    4 years ago

    I can’t comment on #2, but in so far as #1 goes I would say that if your looking for something ‘modern’, Xfce would be a waste of time. I love Xfce, I was a long time user, it does some things I like really well, for instance Thunar can be programmed with terminal commands for it’s right click menu from within it’s preferences, which is something I miss to this day. However ‘modern’ is not a word I would use to describe it… Xfce is effectively just the best of the desktop experience from a decade or two ago (which is not bad were that what you wanted).

    I wanted something modern too, which eventually landed me on KDE. In terms of modern features for me nothing else approaches KDE Connect (even though I can’t reliably transfer files with it without them becoming corrupt), though you can use that in other DEs I’m told. KDE’s complexity is from is customizability (which is a bit too much). I would argue that if you can get it set up the way you want it, most of that complexity can be safely ignored.