[sukelis]

I'm using a laptop as my main XBMC box. But it's time to upgrade to Kodi and I've just about reached my limit for Windows. I want to dual boot with a Linux distro and just leave the Windows for when I need iTunes to sync my iPhone/iPod (I'm thinking if I unplug the network cable before I boot windows then the beast can never force its next upgrade on me)(at least until iTunes stops working).

Anyway, what is a good Linux flavor for laptops? Please note: I have tried booting OpenElec on a thumbdrive and cannot get this laptop to boot a USB stick (UEFI issue, I think). I have managed to boot a Mint live CD, but it took some fiddling, none of which seems to be persistent. So using "Live" media isn't an option. I need something I can install to HDD. And, of course, I need to be able to install Kodi on it (media is on a server, both are on Gigabit ethernet).

The laptop is a Dell Inspiron 3521 currently running Windows 8.1 so it should have enough oomph. But I'm relatively new to Linux and don't know which flavor is a good alternative for regular laptop use. If that makes sense... I know there's always Ubuntu, but is there anything else/better?

BTW, are there any distros that can be installed without having to boot the live cd first?

EDIT:

Well, I feel dumb. I decided to try making another USB stick, using a different creator. This time I used Rufus, and it had a warning about not being able to create a UEFI/GPT stick from XP. Hah! So I tried creating a new USB stick (mint) using the actual UEFI laptop, and now it will boot the USB stick! And the boot option is persistent, which makes it much easier.

I tried putting OE on the SD card, but can't get it to boot that. So, I need to retry OE on a stick, and maybe try Linux on the SD card?

Still interested in any opinions about favorite distros for use on laptops...

[speedwell68]

Xubuntu is the best IMHO. It's fast, looks good and user friendly. What I do for iTunes is not bother with dual booting as it wastes loads of space. I just install Windows 7 in Oracle Virtual box, making it as minimal as possible and just share the Music folder within Virtualbox.

[dokpm0]

I'm using a laptop as my main XBMC box. But it's time to upgrade to Kodi and I've just about reached my limit for Windows.

I reached my limit with Windows back in the Windows 3.11 days. I've been running Linux since the mid '90s.

I want to dual boot with a Linux distro and just leave the Windows for when I need iTunes to sync my iPhone/iPod (I'm thinking if I unplug the network cable before I boot windows then the beast can never force its next upgrade on me)(at least until iTunes stops working).

Since I only run Linux at home I've never synced my iPhone, or done much with iTunes. My poor iPhone is way underutilized. I wish the iPhone was Linux friendly. Well, I don't only run Linux. I also occasionally run FreeBSD and OpenVMS, and did run OpenSolaris back when it was around. But, like some domestic help I don't do Windows. :-)

Anyway, what is a good Linux flavor for laptops?

I'm probably the wrong person to answer that question, since I've never owned a laptop. If you ask ten Linux users what the best Linux distribution is you're liable to get fifteen different answers. I'm currently running Gentoo on my main desktop box at home, and have Kodi running on my previous desktop box under Arch Linux. I'm comfortable at the command line, and don't mind compiling stuff from source. Gentoo and Arch work well for me. I started with Slackware back in the 1.xx kernel days, before there were loadable kernel modules.

But I'm relatively new to Linux and don't know which flavor is a good alternative for regular laptop use.

If you're new to Linux the distros I mentioned above are probably not a good place to start. Have you browsed around on Distro Watch? They have a search page where one can search available Linux distributions by various criteria. That might help you find some distributions that fit your needs.

[teeedubb]

It depends.... If you want a minimal kodi box use openelec, if you want additional apps such as firefox, emulators, steam etc then use kodibuntu, if you want a full-ish desktop use xubuntu, if you want a full-blown desktop use mint, if you want an unreliable system use arch...

[black_eagle]

Ubuntu for ease of installing kodi and to be sure of support here if anything untoward happens.

[sukelis]

At present I have 3 Linux distros on the laptop besides Windows: Mint Xfce, lubuntu and xubuntu. I've got Kodi installed on all 3 distros so whichever one I decide to stick with, I'll be all set. It's funny, I could get 3 distros installed but could not get either kodibuntu or openelec installed no matter what I tried. Weird, huh? As yet, I don't have a fave, but I have certainly found that installing and setting them up gives one a much better feel for the flavor than simply running it live. Not to mention numerous things to have to look up and learn! Actually, I even installed lubuntu on my ancient netbook. Tomorrow I install the last piece of hardware in my new server, and then install there too. That'll leave only one full-time windows system, for now... maybe I'll be effectively windows-free by the end of the year?

OpenVMS? Is VMS still around? Gawd, that takes me back to last century... I wonder if I would remember any of it?

Anyway, thanks for all of the opinions!

[black_eagle]

OpenVMS.....WOW!!!! Yeah, it's still developed by Helwlett-Packard.

I've been windows-free for a number of years now, although I do have it installed in VMM so my kids can use it as it's what they use at school. They prefer the linux desktop though and are getting reasonably proficient at command-line stuff!

[dokpm0]

OpenVMS.....WOW!!!! Yeah, it's still developed by Helwlett-Packard.

Actually, the current development work, porting OpenVMS to x86, is being done by VMS Software, Inc.