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Title: Gaming Tailored Everyday Desktop OS
14 27 Apr 2022
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So, maybe some of you have solved this by using Ubuntu PPA's or 3rd-party Debian sources... or other means. Let me know. I had an idea that I thought might be cool and maybe it already exists. What if there was a Linux distro that was for the most part made of very stable packages except for the kernel and libraries + packages that gaming usually requires. That would be really cool I think. Maybe you can handcraft an existing OS into that configuration, but are there any that offer that out-of-the-box? Like, most installed packages would only get bug fix (maintenance) releases, but the smaller set of "gaming" related packages would be updated at a bleeding edge pace. It wouldn't really be a rolling OS.

I got a magazine with a short article promoting giving a try at creating your own Linux distro from "[scratch](https://www.linuxfromscratch.org/)." The idea above is what I thought of.

What do you think?
CatKiller 27 Apr 2022
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Distro choice makes essentially no difference to gaming. And what you're after is readily available with something like Ubuntu: add the graphics driver PPA if you're on Nvidia, or Kisak's Mesa PPA if you're on AMD.

While there could be a benefit to having gaming-directed packages pre-installed (things like Steam, mangohud, Piper, and that kernel module that gives better force feedback for steering wheels), we could do with fewer tiny and difficult-to-maintain niche distros rather than more; it would be a better use of resources to campaign for the inclusion of those packages in a distro that already exists and is already well maintained.
14 27 Apr 2022
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Quoting: CatKillerDistro choice makes essentially no difference to gaming.
It absolutely does when you're considering going from zero to hero and you're not that familiar with Linux ecosystems.

Quoting: CatKiller...It would be a better use of resources to campaign for the inclusion of those packages in a distro that already exists and is already well maintained.
I bet no one's ever tried that before! /sarcasm Do you really think one of the big players are going to put their name on bleeding edge packages and maybe have to create and maintain a separate build & test pipeline? The reason there are so many different distros is because of small or large disagreements, and so splits happen, just like denominations within the same religion.
CatKiller 27 Apr 2022
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Quoting: 14It absolutely does when you're considering going from zero to hero and you're not that familiar with Linux ecosystems.


No, it doesn't. They all perform the same, and they all have the same software available.

Do you really think one of the big players are going to put their name on bleeding edge packages and maybe have to create and maintain a separate build & test pipeline?


Ah, yes, Steam and mangohud. So very, very bleeding edge.
mr-victory 27 Apr 2022
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Quoting: 14a Linux distro that was for the most part made of very stable packages except for the kernel and libraries + packages that gaming usually requires.
You literally defined Pop OS. It keeps linux kernel and nvidia drivers (and possibly other packages) up to date but the rest is usual Ubuntu.
GustyGhost 27 Apr 2022
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Sounds a little bit like Void. What features do you need from these 3rd part packages? The last time I had to install anything external from the repos was before AMD deprecated their fglrx display drivers.
14 28 Apr 2022
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Quoting: CatKiller
Quoting: 14It absolutely does when you're considering going from zero to hero and you're not that familiar with Linux ecosystems.


No, it doesn't. They all perform the same, and they all have the same software available.
You missed the point of the assignment. F
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