Windows User: After trying popular OS, I've settled on Bluefin

General
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OS I tried before settling on Bluefin:

Aeon - Like others here and beyond this community, I could not get it installed. Plus, I like ublue community more.

Aurora - Not Aurora specific, but coming from Windows, I wanted to avoid KDE in order to prevent overwhelm. KDE just has rough edges for me as well. However, I appreciate no need of extensions on KDE and capable fractional scaling. I appreciate that KDE exists as it has different approach than GNOME. Aurora specific - so I tried Aurora, imported WireGuard configs, but giving issues on every system restart. What’s more, I could not connect webdav in Dolphin file manager.

EndlessOS - Based on Debian that does not have up to date packages. On the other hand, as I read in EndlessOS Redistribution Policy, EndlessOS is free to use for just personal and non-commercial usage.

LMDE / MX Linux - Debian does not have up to date packages, which resulted in WIFI not working. Feels bloated as well.

CachyOS - Choice overwhelm and KDE is their flagship DE.

Windows 11 - Greatly supported OS, but bloat and performance issues.

Windows 10 - Greatly supported OS, but overwhelming. Probably the last usable Windows OS though.

What I like in Bluefin so far:

  • Runs fast on the 13th gen intel i5.
  • Sane defaults, including pre-installed extensions.
  • I like Flatpak-first approach with auto updates.
  • i enjoy Bluefin stable, as it has up to date Fedora and GNOME.
  • As Windows user, I enjoy GNOME simplicity.

Bluefin Potential Improvements:

  • i think there is no need for GTS version, Stable seems to run great for daily driver, with up to date packages.
  • Even if I use GNOME’s Large Text option, Windows-like fractional scaling would help a lot. I hope improvements are coming in the next updates.
  • All analytics should be disabled by default. Ideally, I don’t need to run Terminal to turn them off.
  • Location service should be disabled by default, third party repository should be enabled by default. No need to ask during first launch, causes confusion.
  • Update size should be smaller.
  • I run system update, which was slow. I am yet trying to figure out what could be the issue.
  • Mouse sometimes lags and stutters. Settings such as System ----> About, opens up with delays.
  • Chromium browsers sometimes lag and stutters.
  • Laptop screen is kind of fuzzy and yellowish. If this is not Bluefin specific, then Vendors must wake up.

To.sum up, thank you @j0rge and all contributors for making Bluefin probably the number one choice for Windows users.

1 Like
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Updated.

I think it is interesting for the community to have information and updates as Windows user, who evaluates Bluefin.

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This would need to be come from gnome. But there are some fixes in the next gnome release for fractional scaling.

What analalytics do you mean? We don’t really have anything else than some usage statistics for the images

3rd party repos are activated during the image build time, there is no need to enable them in the setup wizard (we can’t really remove that as that is part of gnome). Also that option should not be clicked / enabled anyway.

This will be rectified once we can get zstd:chunked. Depengind on upstream development

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(As a F1 fan, loving the James Vowles quote in the Analytics page xD)

1 Like
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Yeah, if i wanted that, I would have upgraded to Windows 11 :smiley:

Anyways, I’ve decided to fully skip Windows 11. I don’t think situation getting any better for the upcoming Windows builds as well. OR, Microsoft might use 11 as learning experience, we will see.

Therefore, after Windows 10 LTSC reaches EOL, I guess I’ll switch to something like Bluefin or Aurora as a daily driver.

I will definitely go for the suitable vendors, such as framework.

Thanks for showing what the future might look like without Windows :raised_hands:

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Please don’ force FDE on us like Aeon does.

Bluefin should keep working fine without TPM and Secure Boot.