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In October, System76 plans to release (at the time of writing) their Pop!_OS distribution. I’ve recently installed and tested the beta in VirtualBox. What follows are my opinions as to their execution, and possible reasons why you would choose Pop!_OS over Ubuntu or some other distribution.
Quick Summary
Pop!_OS is a distribution built upon Ubuntu, with an emphasis on creative endeavors. It offers access to the Pop Store, which includes a variety of creative software for creating and editing photos, websites, designs, or CAD tasks.
What it does well
The installation was just as smooth as Ubuntu, and it seems to have less software pre-installed than Ubuntu (though I haven’t recently checked the current Ubuntu LiveCD environments). In my case, this is a positive thing, as I prefer to install only my own software, and avoid as much extra bloat as possible.
I also find the theme they use for Gnome Shell to be easily legible, and sufficiently different that you could recognize it at a glance.
The downsides
It’s still based on Ubuntu. So if you prefer a different distribution (Fedora, Arch Linux, etc) over Ubuntu, you’ll probably still not be sold on Pop!_OS I also noticed a few bugs that I would imagine will be fixed in the final release - such as the installer icon being partially covered by the menu bar at the top of the screen.
Besides the creative software in the Pop Store, I don’t see many additions to the repositories in general - such as the Firefox Developer Edition. This is particularly odd - considering they list web design as a creative pursuit. While not terribly surprising, it does seem like a missed opportunity.
Should I switch?
I don’t see it bringing anything terribly new to the table. You can replace the Pop Store with extra PPAs, or by using a distribution with more expansive repositories (such as Arch Linux with the Arch User Repository). And the theme could easily be replicated in any existing installation. Last I checked, compatibility on devices was pretty good for almost all distributions, so it’s also not bringing new drivers with it. That being said, if you like Ubuntu but want more creative software accessible in the official repositories, you may like Pop!_OS. I’d highly recommend seeing if you can find a thorough listing, or checking the store on a liveCD, before taking the plunge to install it.
My Verdict
If you’re a happy user of some other form of Linux, I don’t see any benefits from this distribution that would outweigh the customization and work that’s gone into building your existing system. Personally, I prefer the flexibility and current versions of software afforded to me by a rolling release distribution (specifically, Arch Linux or its derivatives). If you don’t mind giving up the ease of access to new software for more extensive testing and stability, then you may want to consider this distribution if you do creative work.
As with many things in the Linux ecosystem - it’s about personal preference. If you see something you like about Pop!_OS that will make your life easier (in the event of a re-install, for example), then definitely consider it. If you prefer something else, stick with what you like. The very nature of Linux allows you to typically replicate anything you may find in one distribution - so feel free to be inspired!