Here another helpful solution for people who want to evaluate and compare different Linux distributions: GNOME Boxes, a software to easily create virtual machines
.... virtual machines where you only have to select which accompanying image of Arch / Tumbleweed / Ubuntu / Fedora you want to try.
In addition, the combination of a very stable base system (say, Debian or SuSE Leap) with a fast-moving, bleeading edge virtualized system (say, SuSE Tumbleweed, Arch or Guix) on top can be surprisingly useful. And because small virtual machines, when not running, are nothing else than files on your computer, you can have many versions of them, alter things, try stuff out, then delete it and go back to the tidy original state.
Boxes – Apps for GNOME
Virtualization made simple – Select an operating system and let Boxes download and install it for you in a virtual machine. Features: Download freely available operating systemsAutomatically install CentOS Str...apps.gnome.org
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HaraldvonBlauzahn
in reply to HaraldvonBlauzahn • • •Installing Guix in a VM (GNU Guix Reference Manual)
guix.gnu.orgHaraldvonBlauzahn
in reply to HaraldvonBlauzahn • • •For example in Debian Bookworm:
packages.debian.org/bookworm/g…
If you want a more complex way of creating and managing VMs, there is also virt-manager. But I feel that one is more suited for, say, professional use.
Debian -- Details of package gnome-boxes in bookworm
packages.debian.orgeldavi
in reply to HaraldvonBlauzahn • • •HaraldvonBlauzahn
in reply to eldavi • • •That's right, virt-manager is a GUI with many, many options. It is more tailored to run several VMs at once, give limited network access into or out of them, and so on.
Also very handy to run tiny, outdated Windows systems with an app you can't get rid off isolated from the net because it runs your grandpa's heart-lung machine or so.
eldavi
in reply to HaraldvonBlauzahn • • •HaraldvonBlauzahn
in reply to eldavi • • •eldavi
in reply to HaraldvonBlauzahn • • •Karna
in reply to HaraldvonBlauzahn • • •Test Linux distros online
DistroSeaHaraldvonBlauzahn
in reply to Karna • • •data1701d (He/Him)
in reply to HaraldvonBlauzahn • • •Someone else brought up Virt Manager here, which is my preferred; if you’ve ever used VirtualBox, you’ll probably be fine on Virt Manager. I like Virt Manager for using GTK3, as I’m in XFCE. I wouldn’t be surprised if both applications have similar settings, as they’re both LibVirt front ends, it seems.
Also, DistroBox, while a different sort of thing, is great for the sort of thing OP mentioned in that last paragraph. I usually just use command line, but there seems to be an unofficial GUI out there.
eneff
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