{"slug": "kubuntu", "name": "Kubuntu", "category": "os", "category_name": "Operating systems and desktop", "description": "Official Ubuntu flavor that ships with the KDE Plasma desktop environment.", "recommenders": 12, "commenters": 16, "warners": 1, "score": 10.561, "rising": -0.27, "first": "2025-12-22", "latest": "2026-10-10", "why": "Liked for stable, uneventful updates on an Ubuntu base and the KDE Plasma desktop, with several commenters using it to replace Windows, including for gaming.", "why_is_quote": false, "has_verdict": true, "sentiment": {"recommend": 15, "neutral": 3, "compare": 0, "warn": 1}, "spark": [0, 1, 3, 0, 3, 1, 1, 2, 0, 0, 2, 2], "listed": true, "loved": ["Stable updates", "KDE Plasma"], "caveat": "Install issues", "short_quote": "Kubuntu (Ubuntu with the KDE plasma desktop) is quite windows-like without the advertising and crappification.", "icon": true, "domain": "kubuntu.com", "github_repo": null, "official_url": "https://kubuntu.org/", "pricing": "open source", "aliases": ["Kubuntu"], "verdict": [{"text": "Liked for stable, uneventful updates on an Ubuntu base", "cites": [{"id": 800542321, "item_id": 50033895, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50033895", "by": "newsoftheday", "date": "2026-10-10", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "it has not happened on Ubuntu or Kubuntu since I started using them in 2006", "excerpt": "> Too many times even in the past I do an update the distro and then something stops working and then I have to spend a day fixing. On Ubuntu starting in 2006 and Kubuntu the last several years, what you're describing doesn't and hasn't happened to me. When I've tried other distros over the years, the issue you described has happened to me on: Red Hat Enterprise Linux Fedora SuSE Debian (yes, even Debian but it was w", "context": "uses desktop Linux on several machines", "use_case": "desktop Linux", "switched_from": "", "story": "WSL3 Performance is about 5-60% faster than WSL2 depending on the workload"}, {"id": 742565312, "item_id": 46410332, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46410332", "by": "dotancohen", "date": "2025-12-28", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "That's what I love about the Ubuntu family", "excerpt": "There's nothing in there that interests me. I love it. I want my OS updates to be boring. Granted I'm using Kubuntu (Ubuntu with KDE) so the Gnome stuff has nothing to do with my use, but the fact that there is nothing there that I have to fix or anticipate or work around or develop a new workflow for is terrific. That's what I love about the Ubuntu family - the last time I had a major upheaval with my desktop system", "context": "Kubuntu desktop user for over a decade", "use_case": "desktop OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ubuntu 26.04 LTS \u2013 The Roadmap"}, {"id": 798556112, "item_id": 49909757, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49909757", "by": "simion314", "date": "2026-09-30", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Kubuntu was my first love and eventually I ended up with Kubuntu LTS", "excerpt": "I used lots of distros including Debian Sid, Arch, SUSE but Kubuntu was my first love and eventually I ended up with Kubuntu LTS , i no longer enjoy optimzing my kernel, bootspeed or other stuff, I hate GNOME philosophy so KDE was always my love. I run LTS since I do not want to run the latest bugs.", "context": "has tried many distros", "use_case": "daily desktop OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Upgrade your desktop: Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS is now available"}, {"id": 779541376, "item_id": 48721336, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48721336", "by": "keeganj", "date": "2026-06-29", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I switched to Kubuntu to keep KDE", "excerpt": "Yeah I really enjoyed Cachy but the model of using the AUR to install third party applications just seems broken. I don't want to have to trust some random install script maintainer in addition to the 3p app developer. And sadly I don't have the time and attention to spare to review the AUR scripts of apps every time I update. I switched to Kubuntu to keep KDE (which I really found I enjoyed from Cachy) while using a", "context": "", "use_case": "stable desktop with KDE", "switched_from": "CachyOS", "story": "CachyOS June 2026 Release"}]}, {"text": " and the KDE Plasma desktop", "cites": [{"id": 779541376, "item_id": 48721336, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48721336", "by": "keeganj", "date": "2026-06-29", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I switched to Kubuntu to keep KDE", "excerpt": "Yeah I really enjoyed Cachy but the model of using the AUR to install third party applications just seems broken. I don't want to have to trust some random install script maintainer in addition to the 3p app developer. And sadly I don't have the time and attention to spare to review the AUR scripts of apps every time I update. I switched to Kubuntu to keep KDE (which I really found I enjoyed from Cachy) while using a", "context": "", "use_case": "stable desktop with KDE", "switched_from": "CachyOS", "story": "CachyOS June 2026 Release"}, {"id": 798556112, "item_id": 49909757, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49909757", "by": "simion314", "date": "2026-09-30", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Kubuntu was my first love and eventually I ended up with Kubuntu LTS", "excerpt": "I used lots of distros including Debian Sid, Arch, SUSE but Kubuntu was my first love and eventually I ended up with Kubuntu LTS , i no longer enjoy optimzing my kernel, bootspeed or other stuff, I hate GNOME philosophy so KDE was always my love. I run LTS since I do not want to run the latest bugs.", "context": "has tried many distros", "use_case": "daily desktop OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Upgrade your desktop: Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS is now available"}, {"id": 770413088, "item_id": 48150818, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48150818", "by": "everyday7732", "date": "2026-05-15", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Kubuntu (Ubuntu with the KDE plasma desktop) is quite windows-like without the advertising and crappification.", "excerpt": "This was my experience with linux the first times I used it years ago when I lived in a different state, but I tried it last year and it's night and day. Kubuntu (Ubuntu with the KDE plasma desktop) is quite windows-like without the advertising and crappification. KDE is doing a great job honestly.", "context": "", "use_case": "daily OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "I love Linux, but I can't quit Windows"}, {"id": 765734289, "item_id": 47858393, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47858393", "by": "rezaprima", "date": "2026-04-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "any time I use linux distro, I tend to gravitate to Kubuntu", "excerpt": "happy to know that KDE has thrived for this long. It was my first DE I used from around 1998. And any time I use linux distro, I tend to gravitate to Kubuntu, although I find Gnome based Ubuntu quite nice. My only grief for KDE Plasma (at least until 2 years ago, I only use mac at home and Windows at work) is a lot of space wasted in its widgets. I still smile every time I remember fictional interview with Konqi, and", "context": "", "use_case": "Linux distro", "switched_from": "", "story": "KDE at 30"}]}, {"text": ", with several commenters using it to replace Windows, including for gaming.", "cites": [{"id": 770413088, "item_id": 48150818, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48150818", "by": "everyday7732", "date": "2026-05-15", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Kubuntu (Ubuntu with the KDE plasma desktop) is quite windows-like without the advertising and crappification.", "excerpt": "This was my experience with linux the first times I used it years ago when I lived in a different state, but I tried it last year and it's night and day. Kubuntu (Ubuntu with the KDE plasma desktop) is quite windows-like without the advertising and crappification. KDE is doing a great job honestly.", "context": "", "use_case": "daily OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "I love Linux, but I can't quit Windows"}, {"id": 759379760, "item_id": 47461235, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47461235", "by": "sunaookami", "date": "2026-03-20", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Kubuntu runs like a dream!", "excerpt": "Recently got an HP ProBook for a relative to replace his old 2011 ThinkPad with Kubuntu 24.04 and I was shocked how laggy and unusable Windows 11 was. Every menu has tons of latency, programs take forever to start, even something simple like Rufus. File Explorer is a laggy mess, the whole OS feels like you are walking through mud. After a reboot there was a fullscreen message about \"finish setting up the device\" (???", "context": "macOS user", "use_case": "relative's laptop OS", "switched_from": "Windows 11", "story": "Our Commitment to Windows Quality"}, {"id": 748790272, "item_id": 46799392, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46799392", "by": "kaiokendev", "date": "2026-01-28", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I've moved to Kubuntu and haven't looked back.", "excerpt": "I never advocated for Windows, but I always used it because it \"just worked\". At a certain point, I realized - as OP had - that I was spending just as much time configuring Windows as I would be spending configuring Linux. I've moved to Kubuntu and haven't looked back. Proton support is amazing, and Claude Code fixes the doc-diving problem that used to plague Linux. In fact, with Claude, I was able to get such a butt", "context": "", "use_case": "desktop OS", "switched_from": "Windows", "story": "Microsoft forced me to switch to Linux"}, {"id": 800543824, "item_id": 50033989, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50033989", "by": "newsoftheday", "date": "2026-10-10", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use Dell laptops and have run Desktop Linux on them (Ubuntu past years and more recent switched to Kubuntu) and all of the hardware has worked well", "excerpt": "> I'm a hardcore Linux user, but it's a fact of life that laptops are not very well supported. No, that isn't a fact at all. I use Dell laptops and have run Desktop Linux on them (Ubuntu past years and more recent switched to Kubuntu) and all of the hardware has worked well, even for gaming, even for my laptop with nVidia built in.", "context": "Dell laptop user", "use_case": "Linux on laptops", "switched_from": "Ubuntu", "story": "WSL3 Performance is about 5-60% faster than WSL2 depending on the workload"}]}, {"text": " Complaints are few and scattered: one commenter's install failed to reach the desktop on a ThinkPad", "cites": [{"id": 798554497, "item_id": 49909656, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49909656", "by": "noisy_boy", "date": "2026-09-30", "stance": "warn", "quote": "the distro had problems getting to the desktop after post-install reboot", "excerpt": "When I was trying to go upstream having used Pop!_OS for a while, I installed Kubuntu first and even though the install went through, the distro had problems getting to the desktop after post-install reboot. Even though my laptop is a Thinkpad which is supposed to be very well supported. I took this as a sign of things to come and shrugged off my hangover of rpm hell(!) and tried with Fedora+KDE instead. Best decisio", "context": "Thinkpad user", "use_case": "laptop OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Upgrade your desktop: Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS is now available"}]}, {"text": ", and another found re-configuring Plasma settings on a new machine annoying.", "cites": [{"id": 798565328, "item_id": 49910333, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49910333", "by": "embeng4096", "date": "2026-09-30", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I installed Kubuntu on a laptop for work, since I use KDE at home.", "excerpt": "I installed Kubuntu on a laptop for work, since I use KDE at home. It was slightly annoying to have to re-configure stuff like the DE settings, Dolphin etc though. Anyone have suggestions for syncing/version controlling KDE Plasma 6 configurations? (I made an Ask HN for it as well: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49910250)", "context": "", "use_case": "work laptop OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Upgrade your desktop: Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS is now available"}]}], "praise": [{"label": "Stable updates", "summary": "Commenters say updates rarely break things and the Ubuntu base stays predictable.", "quotes": [{"id": 800542321, "item_id": 50033895, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50033895", "by": "newsoftheday", "date": "2026-10-10", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "it has not happened on Ubuntu or Kubuntu since I started using them in 2006", "excerpt": "> Too many times even in the past I do an update the distro and then something stops working and then I have to spend a day fixing. On Ubuntu starting in 2006 and Kubuntu the last several years, what you're describing doesn't and hasn't happened to me. When I've tried other distros over the years, the issue you described has happened to me on: Red Hat Enterprise Linux Fedora SuSE Debian (yes, even Debian but it was w", "context": "uses desktop Linux on several machines", "use_case": "desktop Linux", "switched_from": "", "story": "WSL3 Performance is about 5-60% faster than WSL2 depending on the workload"}, {"id": 742565312, "item_id": 46410332, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46410332", "by": "dotancohen", "date": "2025-12-28", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "That's what I love about the Ubuntu family", "excerpt": "There's nothing in there that interests me. I love it. I want my OS updates to be boring. Granted I'm using Kubuntu (Ubuntu with KDE) so the Gnome stuff has nothing to do with my use, but the fact that there is nothing there that I have to fix or anticipate or work around or develop a new workflow for is terrific. That's what I love about the Ubuntu family - the last time I had a major upheaval with my desktop system", "context": "Kubuntu desktop user for over a decade", "use_case": "desktop OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ubuntu 26.04 LTS \u2013 The Roadmap"}, {"id": 798556112, "item_id": 49909757, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49909757", "by": "simion314", "date": "2026-09-30", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Kubuntu was my first love and eventually I ended up with Kubuntu LTS", "excerpt": "I used lots of distros including Debian Sid, Arch, SUSE but Kubuntu was my first love and eventually I ended up with Kubuntu LTS , i no longer enjoy optimzing my kernel, bootspeed or other stuff, I hate GNOME philosophy so KDE was always my love. I run LTS since I do not want to run the latest bugs.", "context": "has tried many distros", "use_case": "daily desktop OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Upgrade your desktop: Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS is now available"}]}, {"label": "KDE Plasma", "summary": "Commenters choose it to get KDE Plasma on a stable, familiar Ubuntu base.", "quotes": [{"id": 779541376, "item_id": 48721336, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48721336", "by": "keeganj", "date": "2026-06-29", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I switched to Kubuntu to keep KDE", "excerpt": "Yeah I really enjoyed Cachy but the model of using the AUR to install third party applications just seems broken. I don't want to have to trust some random install script maintainer in addition to the 3p app developer. And sadly I don't have the time and attention to spare to review the AUR scripts of apps every time I update. I switched to Kubuntu to keep KDE (which I really found I enjoyed from Cachy) while using a", "context": "", "use_case": "stable desktop with KDE", "switched_from": "CachyOS", "story": "CachyOS June 2026 Release"}, {"id": 798556112, "item_id": 49909757, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49909757", "by": "simion314", "date": "2026-09-30", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Kubuntu was my first love and eventually I ended up with Kubuntu LTS", "excerpt": "I used lots of distros including Debian Sid, Arch, SUSE but Kubuntu was my first love and eventually I ended up with Kubuntu LTS , i no longer enjoy optimzing my kernel, bootspeed or other stuff, I hate GNOME philosophy so KDE was always my love. I run LTS since I do not want to run the latest bugs.", "context": "has tried many distros", "use_case": "daily desktop OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Upgrade your desktop: Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS is now available"}, {"id": 770413088, "item_id": 48150818, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48150818", "by": "everyday7732", "date": "2026-05-15", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Kubuntu (Ubuntu with the KDE plasma desktop) is quite windows-like without the advertising and crappification.", "excerpt": "This was my experience with linux the first times I used it years ago when I lived in a different state, but I tried it last year and it's night and day. Kubuntu (Ubuntu with the KDE plasma desktop) is quite windows-like without the advertising and crappification. KDE is doing a great job honestly.", "context": "", "use_case": "daily OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "I love Linux, but I can't quit Windows"}]}, {"label": "Gaming", "summary": "Commenters report games run well, with Proton support, and on Nvidia laptops.", "quotes": [{"id": 800543824, "item_id": 50033989, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50033989", "by": "newsoftheday", "date": "2026-10-10", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use Dell laptops and have run Desktop Linux on them (Ubuntu past years and more recent switched to Kubuntu) and all of the hardware has worked well", "excerpt": "> I'm a hardcore Linux user, but it's a fact of life that laptops are not very well supported. No, that isn't a fact at all. I use Dell laptops and have run Desktop Linux on them (Ubuntu past years and more recent switched to Kubuntu) and all of the hardware has worked well, even for gaming, even for my laptop with nVidia built in.", "context": "Dell laptop user", "use_case": "Linux on laptops", "switched_from": "Ubuntu", "story": "WSL3 Performance is about 5-60% faster than WSL2 depending on the workload"}, {"id": 748790272, "item_id": 46799392, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46799392", "by": "kaiokendev", "date": "2026-01-28", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I've moved to Kubuntu and haven't looked back.", "excerpt": "I never advocated for Windows, but I always used it because it \"just worked\". At a certain point, I realized - as OP had - that I was spending just as much time configuring Windows as I would be spending configuring Linux. I've moved to Kubuntu and haven't looked back. Proton support is amazing, and Claude Code fixes the doc-diving problem that used to plague Linux. In fact, with Claude, I was able to get such a butt", "context": "", "use_case": "desktop OS", "switched_from": "Windows", "story": "Microsoft forced me to switch to Linux"}, {"id": 759289873, "item_id": 47455617, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47455617", "by": "Buxato", "date": "2026-03-20", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "now suspend its perfect, desktop grid with videogames is perfect, multi monitor is great", "excerpt": "It seems more that the cat with tinfoil is him. I have been using Linux partially since 1994 and exclusively since 2010 (aprox), never more things were so \"just work\" and smooth for me like right now. I began using Wayland since this last Kubuntu 25.10, because before even if some things were better I have few problems with my work software, now suspend its perfect, desktop grid with videogames is perfect, multi moni", "context": "Linux user since 1994", "use_case": "desktop OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Wayland set the Linux Desktop back by 10 years"}]}, {"label": "Hardware support", "summary": "Laptop hardware, suspend and multi-monitor setups reportedly work well.", "quotes": [{"id": 800543824, "item_id": 50033989, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50033989", "by": "newsoftheday", "date": "2026-10-10", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use Dell laptops and have run Desktop Linux on them (Ubuntu past years and more recent switched to Kubuntu) and all of the hardware has worked well", "excerpt": "> I'm a hardcore Linux user, but it's a fact of life that laptops are not very well supported. No, that isn't a fact at all. I use Dell laptops and have run Desktop Linux on them (Ubuntu past years and more recent switched to Kubuntu) and all of the hardware has worked well, even for gaming, even for my laptop with nVidia built in.", "context": "Dell laptop user", "use_case": "Linux on laptops", "switched_from": "Ubuntu", "story": "WSL3 Performance is about 5-60% faster than WSL2 depending on the workload"}, {"id": 759289873, "item_id": 47455617, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47455617", "by": "Buxato", "date": "2026-03-20", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "now suspend its perfect, desktop grid with videogames is perfect, multi monitor is great", "excerpt": "It seems more that the cat with tinfoil is him. I have been using Linux partially since 1994 and exclusively since 2010 (aprox), never more things were so \"just work\" and smooth for me like right now. I began using Wayland since this last Kubuntu 25.10, because before even if some things were better I have few problems with my work software, now suspend its perfect, desktop grid with videogames is perfect, multi moni", "context": "Linux user since 1994", "use_case": "desktop OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Wayland set the Linux Desktop back by 10 years"}, {"id": 759379760, "item_id": 47461235, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47461235", "by": "sunaookami", "date": "2026-03-20", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Kubuntu runs like a dream!", "excerpt": "Recently got an HP ProBook for a relative to replace his old 2011 ThinkPad with Kubuntu 24.04 and I was shocked how laggy and unusable Windows 11 was. Every menu has tons of latency, programs take forever to start, even something simple like Rufus. File Explorer is a laggy mess, the whole OS feels like you are walking through mud. After a reboot there was a fullscreen message about \"finish setting up the device\" (???", "context": "macOS user", "use_case": "relative's laptop OS", "switched_from": "Windows 11", "story": "Our Commitment to Windows Quality"}]}, {"label": "Windows alternative", "summary": "Described as Windows-like without the ads, and faster than Windows 11 on the same laptop.", "quotes": [{"id": 770413088, "item_id": 48150818, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48150818", "by": "everyday7732", "date": "2026-05-15", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Kubuntu (Ubuntu with the KDE plasma desktop) is quite windows-like without the advertising and crappification.", "excerpt": "This was my experience with linux the first times I used it years ago when I lived in a different state, but I tried it last year and it's night and day. Kubuntu (Ubuntu with the KDE plasma desktop) is quite windows-like without the advertising and crappification. KDE is doing a great job honestly.", "context": "", "use_case": "daily OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "I love Linux, but I can't quit Windows"}, {"id": 759379760, "item_id": 47461235, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47461235", "by": "sunaookami", "date": "2026-03-20", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Kubuntu runs like a dream!", "excerpt": "Recently got an HP ProBook for a relative to replace his old 2011 ThinkPad with Kubuntu 24.04 and I was shocked how laggy and unusable Windows 11 was. Every menu has tons of latency, programs take forever to start, even something simple like Rufus. File Explorer is a laggy mess, the whole OS feels like you are walking through mud. After a reboot there was a fullscreen message about \"finish setting up the device\" (???", "context": "macOS user", "use_case": "relative's laptop OS", "switched_from": "Windows 11", "story": "Our Commitment to Windows Quality"}, {"id": 748790272, "item_id": 46799392, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46799392", "by": "kaiokendev", "date": "2026-01-28", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I've moved to Kubuntu and haven't looked back.", "excerpt": "I never advocated for Windows, but I always used it because it \"just worked\". At a certain point, I realized - as OP had - that I was spending just as much time configuring Windows as I would be spending configuring Linux. I've moved to Kubuntu and haven't looked back. Proton support is amazing, and Claude Code fixes the doc-diving problem that used to plague Linux. In fact, with Claude, I was able to get such a butt", "context": "", "use_case": "desktop OS", "switched_from": "Windows", "story": "Microsoft forced me to switch to Linux"}]}, {"label": "Development", "summary": "Some commenters find it good for development, one calling it better than a Mac.", "quotes": [{"id": 759365088, "item_id": 47460318, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47460318", "by": "mattbillenstein", "date": "2026-03-20", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I've used Kubuntu as a daily driver at work several times - imo it's superior to a mac for development", "excerpt": "If I could play GTA6 on Ubuntu at release, I'd probably switch, but as-is, I'll probably stay on Windows 10 indefinitely for gaming. I've used Kubuntu as a daily driver at work several times - imo it's superior to a mac for development; Apple is so actively hostile to actually running open-source or custom software.", "context": "", "use_case": "development daily driver", "switched_from": "", "story": "Time to Dump Windows?"}, {"id": 743550402, "item_id": 46471900, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46471900", "by": "cryptica", "date": "2026-01-02", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Kubuntu is the same but more customizable slightly more developer-focused.", "excerpt": "I love the fact that there are different Linux distros optimized for every person. I started using Linux almost a decade ago; starting with Ubuntu, then I moved to Kubuntu and now I'm on Omarchy which is even more optimized for developers. I feel very comfortable recommending Linux to people now though I would recommend a different distro depending on who is asking. IMO Ubuntu is the simplest general-purpose one. Kub", "context": "Linux user for almost a decade", "use_case": "customizable desktop", "switched_from": "Ubuntu", "story": "2026 will be my year of the Linux desktop"}]}], "caveats": [{"label": "Install issues", "summary": "One commenter's fresh install could not reach the desktop after reboot on a ThinkPad.", "quotes": [{"id": 798554497, "item_id": 49909656, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49909656", "by": "noisy_boy", "date": "2026-09-30", "stance": "warn", "quote": "the distro had problems getting to the desktop after post-install reboot", "excerpt": "When I was trying to go upstream having used Pop!_OS for a while, I installed Kubuntu first and even though the install went through, the distro had problems getting to the desktop after post-install reboot. Even though my laptop is a Thinkpad which is supposed to be very well supported. I took this as a sign of things to come and shrugged off my hangover of rpm hell(!) and tried with Fedora+KDE instead. Best decisio", "context": "Thinkpad user", "use_case": "laptop OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Upgrade your desktop: Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS is now available"}]}, {"label": "Config portability", "summary": "Re-configuring Plasma and Dolphin settings on a new machine was tedious for one commenter.", "quotes": [{"id": 798565328, "item_id": 49910333, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49910333", "by": "embeng4096", "date": "2026-09-30", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I installed Kubuntu on a laptop for work, since I use KDE at home.", "excerpt": "I installed Kubuntu on a laptop for work, since I use KDE at home. It was slightly annoying to have to re-configure stuff like the DE settings, Dolphin etc though. Anyone have suggestions for syncing/version controlling KDE Plasma 6 configurations? (I made an Ask HN for it as well: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49910250)", "context": "", "use_case": "work laptop OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Upgrade your desktop: Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS is now available"}]}, {"label": "Widget spacing", "summary": "One commenter complained that KDE Plasma widgets waste a lot of space.", "quotes": [{"id": 765734289, "item_id": 47858393, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47858393", "by": "rezaprima", "date": "2026-04-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "any time I use linux distro, I tend to gravitate to Kubuntu", "excerpt": "happy to know that KDE has thrived for this long. It was my first DE I used from around 1998. And any time I use linux distro, I tend to gravitate to Kubuntu, although I find Gnome based Ubuntu quite nice. My only grief for KDE Plasma (at least until 2 years ago, I only use mac at home and Windows at work) is a lot of space wasted in its widgets. I still smile every time I remember fictional interview with Konqi, and", "context": "", "use_case": "Linux distro", "switched_from": "", "story": "KDE at 30"}]}], "who": [{"by": "newsoftheday", "context": "Dell laptop user", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50033989", "date": "2026-10-10"}, {"by": "pelagicAustral", "context": "uses MacBook Pro at work, Linux at home", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49966088", "date": "2026-10-05"}, {"by": "simion314", "context": "has tried many distros", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49909757", "date": "2026-09-30"}, {"by": "sunaookami", "context": "macOS user", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47461235", "date": "2026-03-20"}, {"by": "Buxato", "context": "Linux user since 1994", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47455617", "date": "2026-03-20"}, {"by": "cryptica", "context": "Linux user for almost a decade", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46471900", "date": "2026-01-02"}, {"by": "dotancohen", "context": "Kubuntu desktop user for over a decade", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46410332", "date": "2025-12-28"}, {"by": "notorandit", "context": "Linux user for 22 years", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46352216", "date": "2025-12-22"}], "tags": ["for KDE fans", "for Windows switchers", "for gaming", "for developers", "for laptops"], "use_cases": ["desktop os", "linux on laptops", "desktop linux", "work laptop os", "daily desktop os", "laptop os"], "compared": [{"slug": "ubuntu", "name": "Ubuntu", "co": 4, "switched_from": 2, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "windows", "name": "Windows", "co": 2, "switched_from": 2, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "fedora", "name": "Fedora", "co": 2, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 1}, {"slug": "cachyos", "name": "CachyOS", "co": 1, "switched_from": 1, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "windows-11", "name": "Windows 11", "co": 1, "switched_from": 1, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "omarchy", "name": "Omarchy", "co": 1, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 1}, {"slug": "kde-plasma", "name": "KDE Plasma", "co": 3, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "arch-linux", "name": "Arch Linux", "co": 2, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}], "makers": [], "threads": [{"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49908757", "title": "Upgrade your desktop: Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS is now available", "mentions": 3}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49998801", "title": "WSL3 Performance is about 5-60% faster than WSL2 depending on the workload", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46471199", "title": "2026 will be my year of the Linux desktop", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49965287", "title": "Ask HN: Which Distro with Nividia GPU?", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49645480", "title": "LG denies TV spying claims, says tracking and snooping concerns 'not true'", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48719361", "title": "CachyOS June 2026 Release", "mentions": 1}], "sentiment_by_month": {"2025-11": {}, "2025-12": {"neutral": 1, "recommend": 1}, "2026-01": {"recommend": 3, "neutral": 1}, "2026-02": {}, "2026-03": {"recommend": 3}, "2026-04": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-05": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-06": {"recommend": 2}, "2026-07": {}, "2026-08": {}, "2026-09": {"recommend": 2, "warn": 1, "neutral": 1}, "2026-10": {"recommend": 2}}, "quotes": [{"id": 800543824, "item_id": 50033989, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50033989", "by": "newsoftheday", "date": "2026-10-10", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use Dell laptops and have run Desktop Linux on them (Ubuntu past years and more recent switched to Kubuntu) and all of the hardware has worked well", "excerpt": "> I'm a hardcore Linux user, but it's a fact of life that laptops are not very well supported. No, that isn't a fact at all. I use Dell laptops and have run Desktop Linux on them (Ubuntu past years and more recent switched to Kubuntu) and all of the hardware has worked well, even for gaming, even for my laptop with nVidia built in.", "context": "Dell laptop user", "use_case": "Linux on laptops", "switched_from": "Ubuntu", "story": "WSL3 Performance is about 5-60% faster than WSL2 depending on the workload"}, {"id": 800542321, "item_id": 50033895, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50033895", "by": "newsoftheday", "date": "2026-10-10", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "it has not happened on Ubuntu or Kubuntu since I started using them in 2006", "excerpt": "> Too many times even in the past I do an update the distro and then something stops working and then I have to spend a day fixing. On Ubuntu starting in 2006 and Kubuntu the last several years, what you're describing doesn't and hasn't happened to me. When I've tried other distros over the years, the issue you described has happened to me on: Red Hat Enterprise Linux Fedora SuSE Debian (yes, even Debian but it was w", "context": "uses desktop Linux on several machines", "use_case": "desktop Linux", "switched_from": "", "story": "WSL3 Performance is about 5-60% faster than WSL2 depending on the workload"}, {"id": 799457409, "item_id": 49966088, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49966088", "by": "pelagicAustral", "date": "2026-10-05", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I love working with Linux, wether it's on Bazzite or Kubuntu", "excerpt": "Yes, it can be confusing. Just to be clear, my confusion was mainly on the development side of things, I had no real experience using atomic distros before, and it was a bit fiddly at the beginning, just to get things running and establish a proper separation of development enviornments. Like I said, this was never meant to be my dev machine, but sometimes I don't feel like jumping on another laptop, so it was import", "context": "uses MacBook Pro at work, Linux at home", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: Which Distro with Nividia GPU?"}, {"id": 798565328, "item_id": 49910333, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49910333", "by": "embeng4096", "date": "2026-09-30", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I installed Kubuntu on a laptop for work, since I use KDE at home.", "excerpt": "I installed Kubuntu on a laptop for work, since I use KDE at home. It was slightly annoying to have to re-configure stuff like the DE settings, Dolphin etc though. Anyone have suggestions for syncing/version controlling KDE Plasma 6 configurations? (I made an Ask HN for it as well: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49910250)", "context": "", "use_case": "work laptop OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Upgrade your desktop: Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS is now available"}, {"id": 798556112, "item_id": 49909757, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49909757", "by": "simion314", "date": "2026-09-30", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Kubuntu was my first love and eventually I ended up with Kubuntu LTS", "excerpt": "I used lots of distros including Debian Sid, Arch, SUSE but Kubuntu was my first love and eventually I ended up with Kubuntu LTS , i no longer enjoy optimzing my kernel, bootspeed or other stuff, I hate GNOME philosophy so KDE was always my love. I run LTS since I do not want to run the latest bugs.", "context": "has tried many distros", "use_case": "daily desktop OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Upgrade your desktop: Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS is now available"}, {"id": 798554497, "item_id": 49909656, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49909656", "by": "noisy_boy", "date": "2026-09-30", "stance": "warn", "quote": "the distro had problems getting to the desktop after post-install reboot", "excerpt": "When I was trying to go upstream having used Pop!_OS for a while, I installed Kubuntu first and even though the install went through, the distro had problems getting to the desktop after post-install reboot. Even though my laptop is a Thinkpad which is supposed to be very well supported. I took this as a sign of things to come and shrugged off my hangover of rpm hell(!) and tried with Fedora+KDE instead. Best decisio", "context": "Thinkpad user", "use_case": "laptop OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Upgrade your desktop: Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS is now available"}, {"id": 794791856, "item_id": 49674491, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49674491", "by": "newsoftheday", "date": "2026-09-12", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "We use a Kubuntu Linux laptop behind the TV with a wireless mouse and keyboard (for searching and stuff), stream in Chrome, works great.", "excerpt": "> A TV not on the Internet is basically worthless these days, unless you have a third-party streaming device like a Fire or Shield--and then you're just moving the trust point from the TV itself to the streaming device, and the same concerns exist. We use a Kubuntu Linux laptop behind the TV with a wireless mouse and keyboard (for searching and stuff), stream in Chrome, works great. And yes, we trust this combination", "context": "", "use_case": "streaming from laptop to TV", "switched_from": "", "story": "LG denies TV spying claims, says tracking and snooping concerns 'not true'"}, {"id": 779541376, "item_id": 48721336, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48721336", "by": "keeganj", "date": "2026-06-29", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I switched to Kubuntu to keep KDE", "excerpt": "Yeah I really enjoyed Cachy but the model of using the AUR to install third party applications just seems broken. I don't want to have to trust some random install script maintainer in addition to the 3p app developer. And sadly I don't have the time and attention to spare to review the AUR scripts of apps every time I update. I switched to Kubuntu to keep KDE (which I really found I enjoyed from Cachy) while using a", "context": "", "use_case": "stable desktop with KDE", "switched_from": "CachyOS", "story": "CachyOS June 2026 Release"}, {"id": 774806192, "item_id": 48425387, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48425387", "by": "newsoftheday", "date": "2026-06-06", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "She loves Linux compared to Windows", "excerpt": "The average Joe? My wife has used Linux since the mid-2000's. Her career was in Sales, far removed from anything technical. She loves Linux compared to Windows, her new laptop came with Windows and she bugged my for months to upgrade it to Linux, which I did recently. She doesn't use the terminal at all. Kubuntu, btw.", "context": "wife is non-technical, in sales", "use_case": "wife's laptop OS", "switched_from": "Windows", "story": "Azure Linux Desktop"}, {"id": 770413088, "item_id": 48150818, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48150818", "by": "everyday7732", "date": "2026-05-15", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Kubuntu (Ubuntu with the KDE plasma desktop) is quite windows-like without the advertising and crappification.", "excerpt": "This was my experience with linux the first times I used it years ago when I lived in a different state, but I tried it last year and it's night and day. Kubuntu (Ubuntu with the KDE plasma desktop) is quite windows-like without the advertising and crappification. KDE is doing a great job honestly.", "context": "", "use_case": "daily OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "I love Linux, but I can't quit Windows"}, {"id": 765734289, "item_id": 47858393, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47858393", "by": "rezaprima", "date": "2026-04-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "any time I use linux distro, I tend to gravitate to Kubuntu", "excerpt": "happy to know that KDE has thrived for this long. It was my first DE I used from around 1998. And any time I use linux distro, I tend to gravitate to Kubuntu, although I find Gnome based Ubuntu quite nice. My only grief for KDE Plasma (at least until 2 years ago, I only use mac at home and Windows at work) is a lot of space wasted in its widgets. I still smile every time I remember fictional interview with Konqi, and", "context": "", "use_case": "Linux distro", "switched_from": "", "story": "KDE at 30"}, {"id": 759379760, "item_id": 47461235, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47461235", "by": "sunaookami", "date": "2026-03-20", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Kubuntu runs like a dream!", "excerpt": "Recently got an HP ProBook for a relative to replace his old 2011 ThinkPad with Kubuntu 24.04 and I was shocked how laggy and unusable Windows 11 was. Every menu has tons of latency, programs take forever to start, even something simple like Rufus. File Explorer is a laggy mess, the whole OS feels like you are walking through mud. After a reboot there was a fullscreen message about \"finish setting up the device\" (???", "context": "macOS user", "use_case": "relative's laptop OS", "switched_from": "Windows 11", "story": "Our Commitment to Windows Quality"}, {"id": 759365088, "item_id": 47460318, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47460318", "by": "mattbillenstein", "date": "2026-03-20", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I've used Kubuntu as a daily driver at work several times - imo it's superior to a mac for development", "excerpt": "If I could play GTA6 on Ubuntu at release, I'd probably switch, but as-is, I'll probably stay on Windows 10 indefinitely for gaming. I've used Kubuntu as a daily driver at work several times - imo it's superior to a mac for development; Apple is so actively hostile to actually running open-source or custom software.", "context": "", "use_case": "development daily driver", "switched_from": "", "story": "Time to Dump Windows?"}, {"id": 759289873, "item_id": 47455617, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47455617", "by": "Buxato", "date": "2026-03-20", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "now suspend its perfect, desktop grid with videogames is perfect, multi monitor is great", "excerpt": "It seems more that the cat with tinfoil is him. I have been using Linux partially since 1994 and exclusively since 2010 (aprox), never more things were so \"just work\" and smooth for me like right now. I began using Wayland since this last Kubuntu 25.10, because before even if some things were better I have few problems with my work software, now suspend its perfect, desktop grid with videogames is perfect, multi moni", "context": "Linux user since 1994", "use_case": "desktop OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Wayland set the Linux Desktop back by 10 years"}, {"id": 748790272, "item_id": 46799392, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46799392", "by": "kaiokendev", "date": "2026-01-28", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I've moved to Kubuntu and haven't looked back.", "excerpt": "I never advocated for Windows, but I always used it because it \"just worked\". At a certain point, I realized - as OP had - that I was spending just as much time configuring Windows as I would be spending configuring Linux. I've moved to Kubuntu and haven't looked back. Proton support is amazing, and Claude Code fixes the doc-diving problem that used to plague Linux. In fact, with Claude, I was able to get such a butt", "context": "", "use_case": "desktop OS", "switched_from": "Windows", "story": "Microsoft forced me to switch to Linux"}, {"id": 746655360, "item_id": 46665960, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46665960", "by": "rene-veerman", "date": "2026-01-18", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I use kubuntu.com 24.04.3LTS with updates.", "excerpt": "All you need is a linux box :) I use kubuntu.com 24.04.3LTS with updates. it runs locally, and expected run time for 4 AI models and 2 questions (description, keywords) is about 9.5 days for 22K 1080p+ photos. But that's on a box that cost me 4 grand back in 2023. Yeah, just the box. Already had the monitors. I got 64GB RAM and 2TB nvme storage, on this board : https://www.amazon.nl/ASUS-CROSSHAIR-X670E-moederbord-ge", "context": "", "use_case": "running local image-to-text", "switched_from": "", "story": "Image-to-text working out of the box"}, {"id": 743550736, "item_id": 46471921, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46471921", "by": "newsoftheday", "date": "2026-01-02", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Runs great and with RAM prices high", "excerpt": "I run Kubuntu on this gaming machine (AlienWare) and I run it on my 16 year old Dell laptop I used for work back then. Runs great and with RAM prices high and people looking to make their older machines useful instead of trashing them, there's a really good chance they can run Linux.", "context": "", "use_case": "gaming machine and old laptop", "switched_from": "", "story": "2026 will be my year of the Linux desktop"}, {"id": 743550402, "item_id": 46471900, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46471900", "by": "cryptica", "date": "2026-01-02", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Kubuntu is the same but more customizable slightly more developer-focused.", "excerpt": "I love the fact that there are different Linux distros optimized for every person. I started using Linux almost a decade ago; starting with Ubuntu, then I moved to Kubuntu and now I'm on Omarchy which is even more optimized for developers. I feel very comfortable recommending Linux to people now though I would recommend a different distro depending on who is asking. IMO Ubuntu is the simplest general-purpose one. Kub", "context": "Linux user for almost a decade", "use_case": "customizable desktop", "switched_from": "Ubuntu", "story": "2026 will be my year of the Linux desktop"}, {"id": 742565312, "item_id": 46410332, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46410332", "by": "dotancohen", "date": "2025-12-28", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "That's what I love about the Ubuntu family", "excerpt": "There's nothing in there that interests me. I love it. I want my OS updates to be boring. Granted I'm using Kubuntu (Ubuntu with KDE) so the Gnome stuff has nothing to do with my use, but the fact that there is nothing there that I have to fix or anticipate or work around or develop a new workflow for is terrific. That's what I love about the Ubuntu family - the last time I had a major upheaval with my desktop system", "context": "Kubuntu desktop user for over a decade", "use_case": "desktop OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ubuntu 26.04 LTS \u2013 The Roadmap"}, {"id": 741635458, "item_id": 46352216, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46352216", "by": "notorandit", "date": "2025-12-22", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I switched to Linux (Slackware, Gentoo, Kubuntu, Arch Linux) some 22 years ago.", "excerpt": "I switched to Linux (Slackware, Gentoo, Kubuntu, Arch Linux) some 22 years ago. It has been a pain and sometimes I still get issues. But I am grateful my PC basically does whatever I ask it to. A desktop PC lasted 10 years before dying. A laptop another 6 years. No NAGs, no service subscription. And no ads from software (browser sometimes excluded), no nothing. I could still install it on a very old machine, with som", "context": "Linux user for 22 years", "use_case": "desktop OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "I can't upgrade to Windows 11, now leave me alone"}]}