People have tried countless Linux distributions over the years. And along the way, they have inevitably made a few mistakes, sticking with distributions that they shouldn't have in the first place.
There are distributions that look beginner-friendly but are difficult to recommend to anyone, especially if they are new to Linux!
Winux
Winux, Wubunutu, Linuxfx, all the same
Winux is essentially a distribution built to mimic Windows 11 as closely as possible. Their marketing strategy revolves around the idea that it is the 'easiest' Linux distribution for Windows users because it looks exactly like what you are used to.
This tactic has clearly worked, as many mainstream sites recommend it in their "best Linux distributions" lists without even mentioning the issues.
What you should know is that Winux has gone through a number of name changes over the years. It was formerly known as Linuxfx, then Wubuntu, and a few other names. Chances are, by the time you read this, it will have changed its name again. Despite these name changes, the developers behind it have largely remained the same, and so has its history.
If you're moving from Windows, there are much better, more reputable Linux distributions you can start with .
- Why Winux is the "Windows-friendly" distribution you should stay away from?
Deepin
Too beautiful to be believed
Deepin has one of the best Linux desktop interfaces you can use. It's like a strangely perfect marriage of macOS and Windows, taking the best user interface ideas from both operating systems and merging them.
But despite its great UI, Deepin has been controversial enough to land squarely on a list of distros to avoid. Yet, like Winux, Deepin is still recommended all over the place by a lot of sites that clearly haven't researched its history.
One of the biggest problems actually came up recently. The Deepin desktop environment was available as an option on openSUSE, another Linux distribution.
But the openSUSE team published a blog post this year explaining why they removed the desktop environment from the option. After discovering that Deepin maintainers were trying to bypass security reviews. Subsequently, several serious security vulnerabilities were found in the components/packages that Deepin was using.
- Deepin Linux - Extremely interesting operating system, beautiful interface, far surpassing both Windows 10 and macOS
Ubuntu
Become the very thing it swore to destroy
Honestly, not recommending Ubuntu makes a lot of people a little sad, because it was the first Linux distribution they tried years ago. They used Ubuntu for years, learned most of the basics of Linux on it, and for a long time, they really believed it was the perfect 'first distribution' for most people.
To be fair, Ubuntu isn't inherently insecure or unreliable. It's actually quite stable and has great support. But many people don't like the direction Ubuntu has taken recently.
First of all, Ubuntu has become surprisingly bloated, and its custom GNOME implementation isn't exactly clean. Over time, other distributions like Linux Mint have emerged and essentially replaced Ubuntu as a beginner-friendly option.
Winboat runs on Ubuntu with other applications.
But the bigger problem is that Ubuntu is starting to feel a lot like Windows in ways that users really don't like. There's a subtle push towards proprietary tools and services, and nothing shows this more than Snaps.
RedstarOS
This is really a bit of a joke, as no one would seriously consider using it. But there are still people who run it on a virtual machine (VM) out of curiosity, thinking it's completely harmless. It's not.
If you're not familiar with RedstarOS, it's a North Korean Linux distribution based on Fedora. And it probably goes without saying why you shouldn't even think about running a North Korean operating system on a real computer.
If you're just testing it in a virtual machine, you're not completely safe. If you accidentally attach a network adapter or allow any kind of connection, you're putting yourself at unnecessary risk. And especially if you're new to Linux, you should stay away from it completely.
Hands giving thumbs up and down around the Linux logo, showing mixed opinions about the operating system.
Even in a controlled VM setup. While it's unlikely anything will happen since RedstarOS is designed for North Korea's internal network, it's not something worth testing just for fun.
All the leaked builds you found are over a decade old, so we don't know what RedstarOS looks like now. Many people are curious about what the modern version looks like, but certainly not enough to go to shady websites trying to find a newer leak. Some things are better left secret.