Which Linux distribution would you use now?

[Wind_FURY]

You could also "virtualize" the different tasks that you do by merely using a distro like Linux Mint as your base OS + VirtualBox. The base OS should NOT be used for anything else except to run your VMs to avoid it getting infected with malware and being exploited.

Isn't Qubes OS more suited if you want to virtualize everything?

I was merely suggesting an option if a user doesn't have the hardware requirements to run Qubes, or if someone is new to Linux. Linux Mint + VirtualBox + Lubuntu VMs are probably simpler, and perhaps it's easier to find resources if the user needs to troubleshoot or has unexpected problems with the set up.

Linux Mint is probably good as a base OS + use Lubuntu for your VMs.

That works very well too

Well enough for a not very technical pleb like me. Haha.

[1715146277]

1715146277

[1715146277]

1715146277

[serveria.com]

I have been running the same distro for years and now im basically forced to wipe the install and start from scratch because they stopped rolling updates. I was using Elementary OS version 5 and as you can see the Ubuntu release it's based on doesn't do updates anymore.

elementary OS Version    Released    Ubuntu Release    Ubuntu Maintenance Updates
0.4 Loki                            Sep 9, 2016    16.04 LTS    April 2021
5 Juno                            Oct 16, 2018    18.04 LTS    April 2023
5.1 Hera                            Dec 3, 2019    18.04 LTS    April 2023
6 Odin                            Aug 10, 2021    20.04 LTS    April 2025
6.1 Jólnir                            Dec 20, 2021    20.04 LTS    April 2025
7.0 Horus                            Jan 31, 2023    22.04 LTS    April 2027

I want to ask what people here are using. I want something that is easy to install that has full disk encryption features during the install on the GUI. And basically something without privacy unfriendly bloatware (like Ubuntu).

I would also like something that doesn't force you to wipe your stuff and start from scratch every 2 or 3 years.

I was looking at n0nce's guide on OpenSUSE. I have never tried that one. Not sure if meets the criteria but having a guide is really nice and would save a lot of time. But there's not much documentation in regards to Bitcoin, most of it is Ubuntu or Debian based. Someone commented this:

SUSE is rather painful to get in to in some aspects. I did many custom deployments of OS and post install automatic configuration. Suse frustrated me because they put things in different places compared to  most of the other distros, and have an extremely capable and complicated installation control file. Unfortunately, it is not easily created and the documentation is partially missing. To allow users/admins to make use of control files; ALL the possible valid options must be listed in the documentation and this documentation needs to be in a well known or easily found location. It is only AFTER investing considerable time that I came to appreciate the odd and different over-engineered aspects of SUSE. It is very powerful.

So I would rather use something more common. I want to be able to search for stuff and find answers.

mocacinno has a guide for CentOS, but it hasn't been update in 3 years so probably there's some stuff that changed.

Does anyone maintain any other guides for different distros? Im interested in mostly a Bitcoin Core node to form transaction in a desktop install, and a watch-only wallet to broadcast them and check funds, and do this through Tor with a laptop.

There has to be a simple OS that just works. But I guess im going to need to go with Ubuntu based ones so that will require full updates every 2 or 3 years when LTS versions run out of updates. And since I use full disk encryption im going to need to reinstall the whole think backing up the wallets and resync. I guess I can do that every few years. In that case I would try the new ElementaryOS but I would like to know what people hereare using, please let me know so I decide what to install.

I'm not sure why everyone is so obsessed with updates. Many would say it's not safe to keep using OS without getting regular updates, but I've seen lots of machines running something ancient like Centos 5 for example and yet they're rock solid. Don't fix it if ain't broken they say. Reinstalling from scratch every 5 or even 3 years doesn't seem reasonable to me. Just my 2c.

[takuma sato]

I have been running the same distro for years and now im basically forced to wipe the install and start from scratch because they stopped rolling updates. I was using Elementary OS version 5 and as you can see the Ubuntu release it's based on doesn't do updates anymore.

elementary OS Version    Released    Ubuntu Release    Ubuntu Maintenance Updates
0.4 Loki                            Sep 9, 2016    16.04 LTS    April 2021
5 Juno                            Oct 16, 2018    18.04 LTS    April 2023
5.1 Hera                            Dec 3, 2019    18.04 LTS    April 2023
6 Odin                            Aug 10, 2021    20.04 LTS    April 2025
6.1 Jólnir                            Dec 20, 2021    20.04 LTS    April 2025
7.0 Horus                            Jan 31, 2023    22.04 LTS    April 2027

I want to ask what people here are using. I want something that is easy to install that has full disk encryption features during the install on the GUI. And basically something without privacy unfriendly bloatware (like Ubuntu).

I would also like something that doesn't force you to wipe your stuff and start from scratch every 2 or 3 years.

I was looking at n0nce's guide on OpenSUSE. I have never tried that one. Not sure if meets the criteria but having a guide is really nice and would save a lot of time. But there's not much documentation in regards to Bitcoin, most of it is Ubuntu or Debian based. Someone commented this:

SUSE is rather painful to get in to in some aspects. I did many custom deployments of OS and post install automatic configuration. Suse frustrated me because they put things in different places compared to  most of the other distros, and have an extremely capable and complicated installation control file. Unfortunately, it is not easily created and the documentation is partially missing. To allow users/admins to make use of control files; ALL the possible valid options must be listed in the documentation and this documentation needs to be in a well known or easily found location. It is only AFTER investing considerable time that I came to appreciate the odd and different over-engineered aspects of SUSE. It is very powerful.

So I would rather use something more common. I want to be able to search for stuff and find answers.

mocacinno has a guide for CentOS, but it hasn't been update in 3 years so probably there's some stuff that changed.

Does anyone maintain any other guides for different distros? Im interested in mostly a Bitcoin Core node to form transaction in a desktop install, and a watch-only wallet to broadcast them and check funds, and do this through Tor with a laptop.

There has to be a simple OS that just works. But I guess im going to need to go with Ubuntu based ones so that will require full updates every 2 or 3 years when LTS versions run out of updates. And since I use full disk encryption im going to need to reinstall the whole think backing up the wallets and resync. I guess I can do that every few years. In that case I would try the new ElementaryOS but I would like to know what people hereare using, please let me know so I decide what to install.

I'm not sure why everyone is so obsessed with updates. Many would say it's not safe to keep using OS without getting regular updates, but I've seen lots of machines running something ancient like Centos 5 for example and yet they're rock solid. Don't fix it if ain't broken they say. Reinstalling from scratch every 5 or even 3 years doesn't seem reasonable to me. Just my 2c.

Well one would expect that as time progresses bugs are found which can be exploited, and these exploits would receive updates, so it seems reasonable to update when possible. Of course reinstalling sucks but what can you do? Beside going for LTS releases, at some point you need to reinstall which sucks, that is why try to extend as much as possible each install. For my Windows computer I was using Windows 7 until the very last day and I hope to do the same with Windows 10.

[ABCbits]

--snip--

I'm not sure why everyone is so obsessed with updates. Many would say it's not safe to keep using OS without getting regular updates,

Aside from security, you might face unexpected behavior after long time it receive last update. For example,

• Repository or website which host software for your OS no longer exist.
• Some application cannot use internet connection properly due to certificate problem.

but I've seen lots of machines running something ancient like Centos 5 for example and yet they're rock solid. Don't fix it if ain't broken they say.

What exactly do you mean by rock solid? Rarely crash?

For my Windows computer I was using Windows 7 until the very last day and I hope to do the same with Windows 10.

Talking about Windows, are you aware of LTSC version which has less bloat and longer support?

[serveria.com]

Aside from security, you might face unexpected behavior after long time it receive last update. For example,

• Repository or website which host software for your OS no longer exist.
• Some application cannot use internet connection properly due to certificate problem.

Yes, official repos may go down after some time. But like in case of Centos 6 there are some archive or even 3rd party repos you can continue using.

I'm mostly using systems with no GUI but I'm yet to see an OS which can't connect to the internet because it's too old. Until recently I was running a Windows 2008R2 machine which was complaining all the time and the browser stopped updating but you could connect anyway.

What exactly do you mean by rock solid? Rarely crash?

Yeah, that, and also security-wise. Firewall keeps working, kernel has no critical vulnerabilities. Ar least they weren't exploited. Of course, I wouldn't run something connected with finance, payment processing, health, military or some other sensitive data on such a machine.

[ABCbits]

Aside from security, you might face unexpected behavior after long time it receive last update. For example,

• Repository or website which host software for your OS no longer exist.
• Some application cannot use internet connection properly due to certificate problem.

Yes, official repos may go down after some time. But like in case of Centos 6 there are some archive or even 3rd party repos you can continue using.

Fair point. Although using archive is less convenient (which isn't problem for Linux geek/administrator) while you need to trust that 3rd party repos.

I'm mostly using systems with no GUI but I'm yet to see an OS which can't connect to the internet because it's too old. Until recently I was running a Windows 2008R2 machine which was complaining all the time and the browser stopped updating but you could connect anyway.

Perhaps,
1. OS you used isn't that old.
2. There's background application which regularly obtain new trusted certificate.
3. The browser remain up to date even though it's on old OS.

What exactly do you mean by rock solid? Rarely crash?

Yeah, that, and also security-wise. Firewall keeps working, kernel has no critical vulnerabilities. Ar least they weren't exploited. Of course, I wouldn't run something connected with finance, payment processing, health, military or some other sensitive data on such a machine.

No critical vulnerabilities is impossible, although no hacker target that server sounds plausible.

[takuma sato]

Talking about Windows, are you aware of LTSC version which has less bloat and longer support?

Yeah, that is what I have been using since day 1. Windows 10 LTSC Enterprise version 1809. It works pretty well, gets updated, and has never added anything in terms of bloatware, so im good. Im not sure for how long does this get you covered before they force you to update to Windows 11. I think it was 10 years, so arround 2028 I'll have to update to whatever is the next best thing that's lightweight and long term supported.

[serveria.com]

Perhaps,
1. OS you used isn't that old.
2. There's background application which regularly obtain new trusted certificate.
3. The browser remain up to date even though it's on old OS.

Windows Server 2008R2 is pretty old, it went EOL back in 2020. Browsers are not always up to date on older OSs. I've seen Chrome and Firefox failing to update because new version is not supported by old OS.

No critical vulnerabilities is impossible, although no hacker target that server sounds plausible.

Again, from my experience Linux kernels are pretty solid and it's quite hard to get access to it remotely, unless an admin makes a mistake and leaves something open or remote access software like openssh has a vulnerability. So perhaps even if it's a "critical vulnerability" it's almost impossible to compromise such system remotely.

[ABCbits]

Talking about Windows, are you aware of LTSC version which has less bloat and longer support?

Yeah, that is what I have been using since day 1. Windows 10 LTSC Enterprise version 1809. It works pretty well, gets updated, and has never added anything in terms of bloatware, so im good. Im not sure for how long does this get you covered before they force you to update to Windows 11. I think it was 10 years, so arround 2028 I'll have to update to whatever is the next best thing that's lightweight and long term supported.

I see, that's great. Although Microsoft had history of reducing support duration for LTSC or similar product.

Perhaps,
1. OS you used isn't that old.
2. There's background application which regularly obtain new trusted certificate.
3. The browser remain up to date even though it's on old OS.

Windows Server 2008R2 is pretty old, it went EOL back in 2020. Browsers are not always up to date on older OSs. I've seen Chrome and Firefox failing to update because new version is not supported by old OS.

I mean something even older such as Windows XP (EOL on 2014) where i see some people claim they can't use internet properly due to SSL/TLS problem.

[serveria.com]

I mean something even older such as Windows XP (EOL on 2014) where i see some people claim they can't use internet properly due to SSL/TLS problem.

Yeah, Win XP is really old, however this thread suggests that these issues can be solved by installing a custom browser or a new root CA:

https://www.reddit.com/r/windowsxp/comments/qv8u9k/cant_connect_to_https_with_win_xp/

Another solution I was able to find is to install an update (KB3055973-v3), which adds support for TLS 128-bit & 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) cipher suites. After that, you should be good to go and no OS update is necessary.