Question Ubuntu/Linux - Looking for Advice on Making the Switch from Windows for my Server.

[BlockModder]

**To preface this, I work IT for a living already so feel free to not hold my hand, you can get technical if needed. I'm sure there are other discussions like this already, but they never seem tailored to what I am looking for. I'll have several questions technically that I think can stir up a conversation on how to make Ubuntu and Linux more bearable for someone like me.


My first piece to discuss is how are you able to stand using Ubuntu or any of the Linux distributions long term? I'm coming from being a long standing Windows power user, I have a degree in IT and many certifications and Linux distro's drive me up a wall. I feel like I have to remake any distro just to get it to the basics that I have instantly with Windows and I just want an OS I don't have to pay for that still gets updates on my outdated server I run for free... So enough complaining, those of you who use Linux long term, what are some tools you recommend to make this more bearable? I'm talking graphical software get hubs(I want to avoid having to terminal all the time, I spend most of my working day making bash scripts and using PowerShell), or in general what other installables do you recommend that might make it easier to get things moving on newer installations or make life easier/more like Windows.

What are some good server tools you download and use on a regular basis(think preferred Virtual Machine software, website hosting, databases) with the mindset that I'm coming from Windows and am hoping for a better GUI experience. I'm even curious if there are some software hubs or game server hubs that I can create steam cmd servers with a click of a button and watch like they have in Windows. Again, I don't want to have to write all these scripts that I have to chmod a+x and set in the desktop to restart a gaming server EVERY time it updates and if I can help it.

My only other experience with Linux distribution's outside of Ubuntu are Kali-Linux(I specialized cyber-security in my degree so I had to use it a lot) and lightweight OS's like Raspbian or etc for the micro-controllers I use. Should I consider something like this Pop!OS I keep hearing about? I'm looking for stable and long-term updates to security and features so I don't want a flavor of the month, I want something that's getting paid by companies to remain viable(for the right price I would buy a Linux OS as well, I just want to make sure it sticks around and doesn't cost me an arm and a leg). Previously written guides are more than welcome answers to that one, there's so many that its hard for me to decipher which are propaganda and which are serious so, why do you believe what your posting is useful here, some real world experience and not paid answers is what I'm hoping to ascertain.

 

[BlockModder]

Incase it helps anyone, I recently acquired an HP z440 to replace my aged Dell R415 1U rack server. I was hoping that since the Z440 was a little more desktop than flat-out server that I could pop Windows 11 Pro on it and get away with it(not using windows server since software gets pricey to license that way). Obviously my E5-2690 V3 processor and 128+Gb of DDR4 is no match for Windows 11 though(sarcasm) so I can't put that onto the server. Its high time I get it together and and actually use a Linux Distro anyways, so here we are.

Worst case scenario I can always host Windows in a VM and go from there, but any advice is welcome to this thread.

 

[USAFRet]

1. Kali is not meant for all the time, public facing use. Not your daily driver.

2. Experimenting at this level warrants setting up a whole new box to play with. A whole new server.
Doesn't have to be big and powerful, just to get your feet wet, while your current system toils on.
No problem starting with Ubuntu.

 

[BlockModder]

1. Kali is not meant for all the time, public facing use. Not your daily driver.

2. Experimenting at this level warrants setting up a whole new box to play with. A whole new server.
Doesn't have to be big and powerful, just to get your feet wet, while your current system toils on.
No problem starting with Ubuntu.

I have the space, time, and hardware to VM some other Linux OS's, have any in particular that are GUI friendly you recommend I take for a test drive?

 

[USAFRet]

I have the space, time, and hardware to VM some other Linux OS's, have any in particular that are GUI friendly you recommend I take for a test drive?

As said, Ubuntu.

 

[lantis3]

Linux Mint Cinnamon edition https://www.linuxmint.com/download.php
and it's Debian edition LMDE6 https://www.linuxmint.com/download_lmde.php

or Q4OS with XP like desktop (Trinity) https://q4os.org/

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiBUwyiZehs


My experience is that Ubuntu is too bulky and buggy

Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu but much smoother and less buggy.

Start with VM environment.

 

[BlockModder]

Linux Mint Cinnamon edition https://www.linuxmint.com/download.php
and it's Debian edition LMDE6 https://www.linuxmint.com/download_lmde.php

or Q4OS with XP like desktop (Trinity) https://q4os.org/

My experience is that Ubuntu is too bulky and buggy

Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu but much smoother and less buggy.

Start with VM environment.

Thanks for the response there, I am definitely going to try that Q4OS with XP like desktop in a VM to see what its all about. Much appreciated!

 

[lantis3]

If you are using VMware Workstation be sure to run sudo apt install open-vm-tools in a terminal

If using Virtual Box, also remember to run Virtual box guest add-on

So screen resolution will not be always 800x600, or have to be set manually

---

You can install Plasma desktop along side with Trinity desktop, which gives you Discover Software Center that has a lot more software you can choose from. You can always login into different DE (Desktop Environment) while at login screen (from lower left corner )

 

[rustigsmed]

For a headless server consider truenas scale or proxmox. I run truenas scale (based off debian) and use it for NAS / pihole / PopOS vm w/gpu passthrough / win10 vm w/gpu passthru / phone photo backup / jellyfin media streaming / valheim game server. i use Sunshine (host) to stream Pop/Win to Moonlight (client - Arch desktop pc/LG tv /android phone) @anything up to 4k120hz w/low latency (LAN).

I use PopOS on my laptop it is backed by a company, based off ubuntu although they run a newer kernel than ubuntu. ubuntu uses the gnome desktop environment - PopOS runs a modified version of gnome and they are currently working on their own DE based written in Rust (cosmic desktop). it is only in alpha atm and fairly buggy but good for an alpha. Despite running newish kernels Pop is based off 22.04 ubuntu (not 24.04) and IMO it needs that upgrade - not sure when it is due probably soon (it was meant to come out when they released the cosmic destop environment alpha). PopOS has a good 'store' which is a manages software - download/remove programs - driver management etc (esp Nvidia)- similar to the KDE store as mentioned above. Speaking of KDE - It is a very customizable desktop environment - I like it, despite all its features it is actually suprisingly lightweight. you could use kubuntu (ubuntu preinstalled with KDE instead of gnome) or install it onto another distro. the only thing with the current kubuntu it is running an older version of kde plasma (5.xx not 6.xx) which might not mean much to you when it is in a vm. if you wanted a ubuntu based distro which runs kde plasma 6 you could look at Tuxedo OS (german company backed). anyway enough ramblings hopefully there is some useful info there for you to ponder.

 

[BrickStation]

I have used Ubuntu for several years on my old laptops and desktops but never installed Linux for servers. Recently, I've started to dual-boot Pop OS and Winders 11. Pop is the system I boot into most of the time since I've successfully installed my games through Steam and some mods for them. I don't need to use Windows anymore, except for something I have established on my Windows drive that wasn't moved to my Pop drive.

What I like about Pop OS is that the app shop actually functions like it should and that it automatically installs NVidia, AMD, or Intel drivers for you. It's pretty much like any other Ubuntu-based distro, even though it has its unique flavor and UI it's rather familiar to use. I've also used a few other distros such as Arch, Mint, and Zorin. I've also built a couple of CPU miners using Kubuntu just to see what all the hubbub was about back then. Never fully replaced my Windows machine with any Linux distro, however, in case I need it for something.

The best way to get to know Linux is to find a distro you like best and see if it works for you. You can change as many times as you want since it's free.