>Used to mess around with Linux back in BSc days (2010s), then got tired of Arch being a hobby and when back to Windows for grad school and industry work.
>Come home to see Windows 11 desktop restarted and tried to back up my personal documents, desktop and pictures folders to the cloud.
This is the 2nd time its done this and now I'm looking to make the switch.

My gut instinct is Mint - I like the Cinnamon desktop and want something that looks like Windows functionality, but Mint follows Ubuntu which is going woke and also incorporating Rust into core features needlessly which I disagree with - I do watch Brian Lunduke sometimes.

Then there's LMDE but I'm not sure it'll support what I need and Debian is also fucking woke, so I'm not sure what's a good alternative.
Here's my core functionality:
>NVIDIA Support. Have a 5080, use it for professional research (FP4) and personal use (ComfyUI and LLMs)
>Native RAID 1 for two HDDs
>Primocache for using an SSD to cache the RAID 1 HDDs
>Stable and not a fucking random hobby to maintain
>Not fucking woke!
>Not fucking with stable shit by replacing it with Rust!

Some other wishlist functionality:
>Apple Music (probably insane for asking)
>Corsair iCUE alternative (probably insane for asking)

Windows 11. But next time, don't be a faggot and use an account.

>>105761006 (OP)
Debloated Windows 11 https://github.com/memstechtips/UnattendedWinstall

>>105761006 (OP)
Just use Mint. The Mint devs remove a lot of Canonical's bullshit from Ubuntu, probably doesn't mean that it's completely Rust-free but I've never had issues with Mint. It actually just works for me.

Or you could just use a local account on Win11 and not sign into OneDrive.
>Not fucking woke!
Why have you been using Windows for the past several years then? Microsoft is woke too and unlike FOSS projects they actually have the capital and societal influence to push their woke shit. Is it no longer woke when it just werks? And they've been actively collecting your data all this time too.

>Corsair iCUE alternative (probably insane for asking)
https://alternativeto.net/software/icue/

>>105761006 (OP)
>I like the Cinnamon desktop
unironically why?

>>105761006 (OP)
None of this would have happened if you were on LTSC and made a local account instead

After re-reading the OP post I'm certain this is some very high-level bait

>>105761006 (OP)
Mint is the default option for Linux noobs and is what you should go with. Don't listen to anyone who suggests Arch, Gentoo, NixOS or any other distro aimed at power users. Use Mint to get comfortable with Linux before even trying any others and it will make learning much easier.

>>105761270
>https://alternativeto.net/software/icue/
Thanks.
>Why have you been using Windows for the past several years then?
They're big tech; its expected. I'd have hoped the Linux community would put up more of a fight against attempts to kick them out of their own domain, i.e., adding Rust as a trojan horse to re-write ToS and kick out non-progressive.
>>105761278
Looks like Windows. Have a Macbook for work. Hate the desktop layout with the dock and menu bar.
>>105761386
Not a Linux noob. Used Mint, Ubuntu, Debian and Arch before. Managed several $70k GPU servers running Ubuntu servers needing niche software updates behind a shitty corporate proxy (not fun).
I want a machine that does not require me to dump large amounts of time into its setup and upkeep from time-to-time like a hobby (Arch!) and for all its faults, Windows doesn't make anyone do that.

>>105761006 (OP)
Stop being a faggot about distros being "woke" and use whatever works best for you.

>>105761006 (OP)
Define woke