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Do we really need so many distros? In my opinion, and experience, I’d say: yes.
My journey in Linux began many years ago with Ubuntu (I don’t remember which version) and then I switched to Kubuntu. Kubuntu was still using KDE 3.5 back then. Kubuntu later moved to KDE 4, which I hated, so I switched to Linux Mint. After a short time I ended up using Ubuntu again as I had some issues with Mint.
Anyway, with Ubuntu adopting snap packages I ended up back on Mint as it (thus far anyway) refuses to use snaps. Well, with the recent release of a new version of Mint, I got the upgrade started and was about to make the obligatory upgrade cuppa, when it started asking me a bunch of questions. I answered them to make the upgrade progress, and it then asked me if I’d make a backup with Timeshift. I have most of my files on an external USB hard drive, but I went with it and made a snapshot.
Mint huffed and puffed about a couple of packages, but it continued on its merry way to complete the upgrade. Finally! The reboot.
Uh oh!
Mint booted into a desktop with no window manager running. I had no taskbar at the bottom, no response from the ‘Windows’ key. Nothing. I don’t know what I pressed, but I managed to get a window of some kind open and Timeshift running and did a swift rollback.
Needless to say, from that moment onwards, I was not going to try another Mint upgrade. I was definitely going distro hopping.
I fancied trying KDE again, but didn’t want snaps, so Kubuntu was off the list.
After putting out feelers on Mastodon, I got a few replies to try Tuxedo OS.
And that’s where I’m reporting to you from now. It has KDE without the snaps. Yes, I could have installed Kubuntu and tried to disable snaps, but I’m pretty sure an update/upgrade would turn snaps on again.
So, why do we need so many distros? Well, as I’ve just shown above, we need choice. OK, I’ve always stuck within the realms of Debian with Ubuntu, Kubuntu or Mint. But, if need be, I could have jumped ship and tried Fedora or similar. With so many desktops and foundations (Debian, Fedora, etc) you can have almost unlimited combinations. And live booting makes it even easier to shop around for that perfect distro.
Having said that, I can’t exactly go using Fedora (or the like) and edit a magazine about Ubuntu. That would definitely be just a touch hypocritical. So, I’ll stay with some Ubuntu variant for now.