I have an itch to test out some deb-based distributions. I use OpenSUSE. Although I don’t want to switch distributions, I do want to experiment with some new feature-rich distros. I discovered this distribution MakuluLinux which appears to have numerous personalized desktops and a strong AI integration. Rhino Linux, which has rhino-pkg and a unique XFCE desktop, is another on my list. Any further recommendations?
Slackware! It checks zero of your boxes, but you should still try it because it’s the best.
What’s slackware
Slackware is the oldest distro still being actively maintained. It’s a fully featured and modern distro. KDE Plasma is the default DE but you can also choose XFCE, fluxbox and a few others out of the box or install whatever you like. It’s a different way of doing things and it’s not for everyone. But I’ve been using it more or less continuously since 1998 or 1999.
It has two versions. LTS is currently version 15. Slackware current is a bleeding edge rolling release. Eventually, they will take current and build a release candidate and then that will be the upgraded LTS version. There are also live boot ISOs available for anyone to try.
Link to Slackware 15 ISO: https://mirrors.slackware.com/slackware/slackware-iso/slackware64-15.0-iso/ Link to Slackware current ISO (updated more or less daily): https://slackware.nl/slackware/slackware64-current-iso/ Link to LiveSlak ISOs: https://docs.slackware.com/slackware:liveslak Link to the documentation: https://docs.slackware.com/start
Yes, good 'ol Slackware I had a Vector Linux period!!