Elementary OS 6

Elementary OS is a user-friendly and visually appealing operating system that can be used without much prior knowledge. However, because of issues among its developers and errors in the current version Elementary OS 6, the future of the Linux distribution is uncertain.

As of 2011, the development team of Elementary OS made it their mission to create a user-friendly, powerful and, according to them, ethical operating system based on Ubuntu that orientated on macOS in terms of its visual and handling appeal. Its developers consider Elementary OS an alternative to Windows and Apple. The focus is on smooth processing and ease of use, more so than individual configuration options. With Pantheon, Elementary OS also has its own desktop environment. The Linux distribution is open source and exclusively financed through donations. Personal data is not collected.

With Elementary OS 6.0 Odin and 6.1 Jólnir, developers are relying on a new installation program with its own front end. These versions are based on Ubuntu 20.04 and focus on easy handling. The desktop environment Pantheon has been adapted and can now switch between regular and night mode if required. Much like the previous versions of Elementary OS, the sixth edition relies primarily on its own software, which is listed in the AppCenter. With Elementary OS 6, however, this is provided as a flatpak. The latest version provides improved touchpad support and three-finder swiping.

If you are considering using Elementary OS 6, it’s worth looking at the advantages and disadvantages of the operating system to make a more informed decision.

• Optics: Elementary OS has always been considered a visually high-quality Linux distribution. Elementary OS 6 tops its predecessors in this respect. However, the appealing environment is not an end in itself, but provides a better overview.
• User-friendliness: This leads to an overall better handling. Although Elementary OS needs a bit of time to get used to, operation is intuitive and well thought-out.
• Ubuntu: The Ubuntu base ensures that the operating system is not just fast and secure, but that numerous programs are available. These are usually not pre-installed, but can be easily imported.
• Costs: Elementary OS 6 is available free of charge, much like its predecessors. The developers ask for donations, but the download is done according to the pay-what-you-want principle. It is also possible to pay nothing and try out the operating system first. This applies to the software from the Elementary environment.

• Hardware problems: After the release of the new version, many users complained about hardware problems and even went so far as to talk about an unfinished release. Most bugs have been fixed in the meantime, but there are still said to be frequent problems with certain graphics cards.
• Latest software: Since the base Ubuntu 20.04 is a bit older, there is a large offer of programs, but they are not always available in the latest version.
• AppCenter: The AppCenter of Elementary OS is clear and user-friendly, but it only focuses on the software from the Elementary universe.
• Community: The Elementary OS community is available to discuss questions and errors.
• Insecure future: The developers behind Elementary OS, Daniel Foré and Cassidy James Blaede, are at odds, which is why the future of the company has been uncertain for several months. This does not affect the current version (yet), but it is currently (March 2022) not foreseeable whether and how Elementary OS will continue.

Elementary OS is not a slim system like Linux Mint or the minimal Arch Linux. Linux offers better options for dealing with older and weaker computers. To use Elementary OS 6 a 64-bit dual-core processor with at least 4 GB of RAM and 15 GB of storage space is required. For smooth usage, a larger memory is recommended. A monitor with a resolution of at least 1,024 x 768 and a disk with 4 GB are recommended for installation.

Elementary OS 6 is a good option for users seeking a coherent operating system that is easy to use without much prior knowledge. Users switching from Windows or Mac to Linux may feel comfortable with Elementary OS 6, but should allow a bit of time to get used to it. Those looking for a more individual approach would be better off using other solutions.

Various Linux distributions for laptop and PC are available. Besides Ubuntu and Debian, Manjaro Linux also enjoys great popularity. Kali Linux is a good choice for extended network and system analysis. Among the most popular Linux server distributions are the successors of CentOS – AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux.