Module 2 · Choosing Your Linux
Last module you learned what Linux is. Now there's one thing you need to know: there isn't just one Linux. There are lots of versions to choose from, like flavours of ice cream. We'll show you all the popular flavours, then tell you which one to pick. (Spoiler: it's Ubuntu. But you'll know why by the end.)
By the end of this module, you will:
- Understand why Linux comes in many "flavours" (called distributions, or "distros")
- Know the names of the six most popular flavours and what each is good for
- Pick the right one for yourself — without overthinking it
- Know which one to avoid as a beginner (and why people sometimes recommend it anyway)
Why are there so many "Linuxes"?
When you buy a Windows laptop, it comes with Windows. One version, made by Microsoft. Easy.
Linux is built differently. Because anyone can take Linux and re-package it however they like, lots of teams have done exactly that. Each team adds their own apps, their own look, their own personality. The end result is called a distribution — or "distro" for short. Think of it as a flavour of Linux.
Inside, every distro is the same Linux underneath. The differences are on the outside: which apps come pre-installed, what the desktop looks like, who fixes problems when they happen.
The ice-cream analogy
Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry — same basic stuff, different flavours. Ubuntu is the vanilla of Linux: most popular, friendly, never offends anyone. Linux Mint is the one that looks most like Windows, so it feels familiar. Fedora is the trendy one with the newest features. The rest are different colours of the same idea.
A few words you'll see — what they mean
Don't worry about memorising these. Just glance through and they'll make more sense as you see them later.
| Word you'll see | Plain English meaning | Windows equivalent (so you can ignore the new word) |
|---|---|---|
| distro (or distribution) | A specific flavour of Linux. Ubuntu is a distro. Linux Mint is a distro. | "Windows 11 Home" vs "Windows 11 Pro" — different flavours of the same OS |
| package | An app you install. On Linux, apps come pre-wrapped so the system installs them for you. | An .exe installer file |
| app store (called "the repository" by techies) | The official catalogue of free apps you can install. Each distro has one. | The Microsoft Store — but everything is free |
| terminal | A black window where you type commands. Don't worry about it for now — you don't need it for any of this module. | "Command Prompt" — but you'll actually use it |
Ubuntu
Fedora
Debian
Arch Linux
Linux Mint
Pop!_OS
Just tell me which one to pick
Pick Ubuntu. Specifically: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (the "LTS" bit just means "supported for 5 years"). It's the most popular, has the biggest community, and almost every tutorial on the internet assumes you're using it. You'll thank yourself later.
If you really want the most Windows-like look-and-feel, pick Linux Mint instead — it has a Start menu in the bottom-left exactly where Windows users expect it.
Why "LTS" matters when you pick
Some Linux distros have a "LTS" version. LTS stands for Long Term Support. In plain English: this version will keep getting security updates for 5 years.
That sounds boring. It's actually really important. Here's why:
- Without LTS: a new version comes out every 6 months. You have to upgrade twice a year, every year. Sometimes the upgrade breaks something.
- With LTS: you install it once, and it just works for 5 years. Security patches happen quietly in the background. No big upgrades to worry about.
If you're new to Linux: always pick the LTS version. "I just want it to work" is the sensible answer when you're learning. You can always experiment with newer versions later, once you're comfortable.
One distro to avoid as your first: Arch Linux
If a forum tells you "real Linux users start with Arch", politely ignore them. Arch is the kit-car of Linux: brilliant if you know what you're doing, miserable if you don't. There's no installer, no Start menu out of the box, and you have to choose every single piece of the system yourself. It's a fun project once you've used Linux for a year or two — not a starting point.
There are dozens of other "advanced" distros (Gentoo, NixOS, Slackware…) that have the same problem. Stick with the six in the chart above and you'll be fine.
Real-world story: GendBuntu and the French Gendarmerie
If you ever hear someone say "Linux is fine for hobbyists but it's not ready for real-world organisations", here's the story to tell them.
The French police run on Ubuntu
In the late 2000s, France's national police force — the Gendarmerie Nationale — decided that paying Microsoft for 75,000 Windows licences every single year was a bad use of taxpayer money. So they picked Ubuntu, customised it for their needs, and called their version GendBuntu.
By 2014 they had it running on more than 75,000 desktops across the country. Saved an estimated 50 million euros in the first decade. The gendarmes carried on doing their job. Most of them barely noticed the switch.
The takeaway: if a national police force can run on Ubuntu, your laptop at home can definitely cope with it.
And it's not just police forces. Most cars sold today have Linux inside the dashboard — Tesla, BMW, Mercedes, Toyota, every Android Auto-equipped vehicle. Most of the world is already running Linux without thinking about it — you're just catching up to where everyone else already is.