New User - Feasibility & Choice Between Ubuntu 24.04 & Cinnamon Options?

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Hi all. A recently joined retired new user fed up with MS/Win here - the questions are very basic. I’m a mechanical engineer and IT user but not a ‘techie’.

I need some help to decide on the most appropriate Ubuntu 24.04 Cinnamon set up to install on a new desktop PC for use on a CAT 6A 4G router powered network - for basic office and recreational use. Also some advice on whether or not/how the approach outlined might throw up significant difficulties for a new user.

The intention is to dispense completely with Windows and Microsoft on the PC.

Requirements are basic - office apps, browsing including secure web purchasing and forums, email (including transfer of archived mails from Titan Mail), video, basic photo handling and editing, basic drawing/graphics, music, email, printing, scanning (Canon all in one), ebook purchases etc. Also reliable local and cloud backup, wifi option if needed, security, privacy, stability and freedom from bugs, long term support and minimal immediate requirement to work via command lines.

The hope is that Ubuntu 24.04 with Cinnamon can as above fit the bill.

Mint Cinnamon is recommended for new ex windows Linux users by various forum/web pieces etc but it has turned out that while it would probably be compatible with a coming new Lenovo M75S Gen 5 desktop with AMD Ryzen 7 8700G and 4K monitor that in absence of an LTS agreement Lenovo don’t support it. (Mint) Also that scaling may be a problem with Mint on the 4K monitor.

Lenovo do fully support Ubuntu 24.04 on this model of PC which (fortunately for ease of access) has turned out to be available with Cinnamon. It seems also to sidestep the above problems.

The difficulty is that in addition to needing to make a call on the basic feasibility/practicality of this approach the usual catch 22 problem of deciding between the available variants of Ubuntu Cinnamon in absence of familiarity and experience arises - it’s proving difficult to extract much useful information in these regards from the available descriptions.

Can anybody advise a reasonably optimum approach in the above situation? Thoughts?

Thank you

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Ubuntu and flavors are all Ubuntu systems, all are on-topic here, with the major difference between them being out of the box experience as they include different packages; which cause different programs & configs to be provided by default.

That is talked about here which includes the wording

Ubuntu flavors offer a unique way to experience Ubuntu, each with their own choice of default applications and settings.

Cinnamon is a desktop, so using Ubuntu Cinnamon means you’ll have the Cinnamon desktop replacing GNOME used by Ubuntu Desktop. The Ubuntu Cinnamon team may also alter apps & more, but as to what best suits your personal tastes only you can decide.

There are differences in some packages that are system level between flavors and Ubuntu Desktop/Server; eg. the default kernel stack differs for the initial & .1 ISOs for flavors, as the flavors still follow the standard as used by Ubuntu Desktop 18.04 LTS and earlier; Ubuntu 20.04 LTS & later defaulted to the HWE kernel stack for all ISOs, and Ubuntu Server still uses GA for all. This can make a difference for some hardware, as older hardware can have advantages when using the older GA kernel stack; newer hardware though will like the newer HWE kernel stack, but this can be changed post-install anyway; so other than boot it live and out of the box default; you can control this.

Linux Mint is off-topic here, as its only based on Ubuntu if talking about that Linux Mint product, as they also have a Linux Mint based on Debian (LMDE), but that’s off-topic here too, as well as other Ubuntu support sites. Linux Mint have their own support options though.

Ubuntu and flavors do NOT use runtime adjustments and other ‘hacks’ because they’re not using binary packages created by an upstream project they cannot control; Ubuntu only imports source code from Debian sid and creates its own binaries; and Ubuntu Cinnamon devs can upload to the community repository of Ubuntu (or more if they’ve credentials for it). Many end-users tend to ignore this (though enterprises can consider security implications here and have policies in place that restrict usage of ‘based on’ systems).

If Ubuntu 24.04 LTS will work; I can’t see why Ubuntu Cinnamon 24.04 LTS will work; GA/HWE kernel stack and packages being the only difference; both of which you control.

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“Optimum” seems a matter of personal preference, since if one version of Ubuntu will operate on your hardware, then they all will.

Ubuntu installers offer a “Try Ubuntu” environment specifically for testing hardware. Use it to ensure your hardware, including display and network, work properly before committing to an install.

Every flavor of Ubuntu (including Ubuntu Cinnamon) includes App Center or equivalent for installing additional software easily. Use it before wandering the internet to download software. This is an important change from Windows habit.

Some Canon printers have trouble with Linux, others work well. This is a problem caused by Canon, not by Linux.

Advice: You have specific application or hardware needs (Titan Mail, Canon printer), so research those solutions specifically.

Advice: Ubuntu is not a drop-in replacement for old Windows habits. It works differently. You must be open to learning and embracing those differences. If you embrace the difference, you will be happy. If not, you will be frustrated.

Advice: Many users reinstall Ubuntu more than once. Try to make your first install successful instead of perfect. Stick to the defaults on the first try. After you have experience with a successful install, you can push the envelope a bit more next time…which can be as soon as you like.

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Thank you for that guys - much appreciated.

My intention was just to ask whether or not Ubuntu24.04 Cinnamon was likely to throw up significant problems for a new ex-Windows user given the outlined requirements - Mint is not a runner on the intended new PC because it’s not supported by Lenovo/brings some risk of hardware incompatibilities and because of the mentioned scaling problem likely with 4K monitors.

The question of whether or not Ubuntu24.04 is compatible with the spec of the PC (see my post above) seems to be off the table - Lenovo very clearly specify in their documentation that it is.

Regarding personal preferences. Basic inability to support the required functionality (apps etc) would be a show stopper, but provided this is feasible and reasonably user friendly the rest is probably a matter of familiarisation.

Your link guiverc may have sorted several potential questions in one shot - https://ubuntucinnamon.org/ seems to be the official (= safe) Ubuntu Cinnamon (UbC) download. This was a question I had planned to ask because there seem to lots of other download sites.

I asked about UbC versions because I thought there was more than one - but the above download page doesn’t offer choice so the download it delivers is presumably the latest/current one.

I’ll as suggested and presuming that it can be run on a new PC with no operating system installed test UbC using the Try Ubuntu option ian, ta for that.

The Canon printer is a Maxify 2050 all in one - they offer a number of Linux drivers for it: https://www.canon.co.uk/support/consumer/products/printers/maxify/gx-series/maxify-gx2050.html?type=drivers&os=all
One or other will presumably (???) work with UbC.

Titan Mail I’m told by the service providers transfers to Ubuntu without problems - time will tell on that.

I appreciate that UbC is not Windows, but the look and feel are in some respects reminiscent of mid 1990s Windows. I have to say that the prospect of a return to a stripped down/functionality oriented no bs*** desktop is very attractive…

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I realize that you specified Ubuntu (GNOME) or Ubuntu Cinnamon.

You didn’t mention what specifically about Cinnamon features themselves attrated you, only that it was recommended.

This being a huge commitment for eveyone who is migrating away from Windows, it is best to find the landing pad which most closely addresses you own individual needs.

People’s tastes and preferences vary a lot. So I would strongly advise that consider the full range of Ubuntu-based choices. To that end, I suggest:

  • you visit the Home site for each of the Ubuntu flavours to get an initial feel for the look/icons that each use, to see if any draw you in more than others,
  • you view an “intro” video off YouTube for the ones that seem to draw you in,
  • create a shortlist of the ones you really want to try,
  • burn a USB stick or CD for the Live ISO for each on your shortlist (2 or 3, or maybe 4) that piqued your interest, then
  • try the Live session yourself to see which behaviour/interraction is most comfortable or intuitive for you.

Once you identified your 2 finalist flavours, see if you can connect with a local Linux/Ubuntu community group where others might already have those installed and ask what each considers the “obvious” strengths of that flavour, in their eyes. Those community groups might help you connect with individuals who are using the non-default Apps (commercial or not) which are critical to meet your individual needs, and test/verify the behaviour performance for those.

Once all that pre-commitment testing for end-use compatibility is confirmed, you can then commit to your final choice, install that, then fully integrate your chosen suite of non-default Apps with your customizations.

Hope that helps!

:slight_smile:

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Clicking on the download option, you’ll be offered

  • Ubuntu Cinnamon 24.04.3 LTS; this is the 2024-April release of Ubuntu, so it won’t have the latest software since this was 3 releases ago, but this is a LTS release meaning it has long term support, and more 3rd party software is usually available for the LTS releases
  • Ubuntu Cinnamon 25.10 which is the 2025-October release, ie. the very latest software will be included in this one as it was only released in the last week. Key with this though is that it’s NOT a LTS release, so support is only for nine months though you’ll be able to upgrade to 26.04 LTS before then, and that upgrade will be much easier for you than users of the much older 24.04 LTS.

If you go further in what is available, Ubuntu Cinnamon 25.04 or the 2025-April release is still available for download; but that release only has 2+ months of its support left, where you’ll need to release-upgrade to 25.10 anyway; thus you should understand why it’s not as obvious an option as the other two offered.

Key difference between them is when released; with Ubuntu’s format of year.month that is pretty easy; 2024-April versus 2025-October options… The LTS does have more users and thus more 3rd party software is packaged for it; as many people like years between release-upgrades, and are willing to have older software to get that (though snap, flatpak and appimage options exist to get newer software on an older release anyway!).

The versions relate only to age of the product, if you exclude that one offered was a LTS or long term support release.

Do you want to release-upgrade every 6-9 months? If you want years (2-3 years for LTS for Ubuntu flavors like Ubuntu Cinnamon; 2-5 years for Ubuntu Desktop/Server/Cloud etc) then LTS is the way to go. The interim or non-LTS option will always keep you on the latest software, being its benefit.

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The attraction of Cinnamon for me eric is the window/graphic user interface in clean form. I know from experience that while I can handle command line stuff if I have to that I tend to forget it - but that a graphic interface somehow feels a lot more intuitive and gets remembered.

I’ll take a careful look at the Ubuntu flavours - thank you for the route map. I’ve already looked at numerous YouTube videos showing UbC and liked what I saw. The live session option sounds good. I’m not a big user of apps beyond the basics.

I didn’t click on the button guiverc, but the info you have given on the download versions/options puts shape on the sort of stuff I had been wondering about.

My instinct on these matters tends tends towards going for the longer term support/tried and tested/stability rather than leading edge - but as ever these choices come down to relevant specifics.

The good news at this point is that (1) there is no indication that Ubuntu Cinnamon or another flavour can’t get what I need done with reasonable user friendliness, and (b) the way seems clear to commit the new PC as above because it’s going to be compatible whatever flavour is chosen.

Thank you all for your very useful inputs. :hugs:

More questions may come to mind but the likelihood is that I’ll go missing for a few weeks. (until the PC is delivered) Contact with reality at that point will no doubt then trigger more…

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If you’re interested in the Cinnamon desktop then you might want to take a look at the Mate desktop as it meets your criteria also.

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Will do Norm - thank you for that.

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Full disclosure: my own desktop is UbuntuMATE.

I’m trying very hard not to give a biased opinion, but if you are looking at Cinnamon (a.k.a a Mint look-alike), you can browse the UbuntuMATE forum where you will find that many have tried that and chosen to adopt UbuntuMATE instead.

One posting of interest might be this one:

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Thanks Eric. I took a quick look this afternoon at MATE on YouTube but it’s going to take more time and probably a few live sessions to form even a preliminary view of it all.

It’s an interesting conundrum. Having lots of Ubuntu flavours opens the way to finding one more closely suited to specific needs. It on the other makes the research task a lot more complicated.

Then there’s the specific capability not available on any other versus global considerations like stability, reliability, likely long term support etc etc trade off…

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The most important thing to remember is that, because we are dealing with Linux, and because you have already committed to Ubuntu (vs Debian, Arch, RedHat, etc.), 95% of what you learn is portable across the full range of the flavours.

You are right about the initial investment in time, to minimize the risk of “bad time investment”, but

  • almost every Linux adoptee has gone thru at least one migration,
  • many of us have gone thru more than two, and
  • some have run thru a gamut of flavours/distros and run multiple images in parallel !!!

So, if you have any semblance of ease with the old Windows’ OS, or computers in general, this next step is really about an investment in time and mostly learning portable skills.

As for the technology underlying the different GUIs, except maybe for X-Windows based, and that is a BIG MAYBE, they all have relatively stable technology. The only question relates to the time horizon you are looking at as a minimum expectation for “currency” before the technology becomes incompatible with the “common denominator” OS libraries which are under constant evolution.

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This is true when you are researching a permanent change that you only want to occur only once, if possible.

Be open to trying several. You might find that your preference from experience doesn’t match your preference from research.

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Ian’s observation is only too true!

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That’s OK. It’s of of the nature of life, a matter of finding a reasonable balance…

Few plans survive contact with reality.
We never quite know where we want to be until we are there - and even then we’re often not too sure…
We’re on the other hand required to do our best to figure stuff out in advance if we’re to avoid walking into problems we can’t resolve.

My instinct is to be relatively relaxed about Ubuntu.

Mint was a bit different because of the risk according to the relevant forums that it might not be compatible with the recent hardware in the proposed new PC.

Ubuntu is as before definitely compatible with the PC (Lenovo say) and seems (thank you all for the insights) to offer plenty of flavours which can be moved between without too much trouble…

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Dear @vaj4 ,

Great observation.

Relatively new to Ubuntu too. Found myself in a bit of analysis paralysis on what to choose Linux wise. Even finding Ubuntu found the flavours things quite confusing at first.

Having done a bit too much research it seems a choice between.

  • Support duration - to LTS long duration, or bleeding edge short duration.
  • Flavour of desktop - functional requirement use case,
  • Flavour of desktop - non functionals usability ergonomics stability
  • Flavour of desktop - hardware support, a desktop flavour that requires least hw resource

In the first instance went for the sentiment described by @ian-weisser above

Ubuntu Desktop LTS with the default desktop Gnome. Just to get a successful install first time.

And this advice from @ericmarceau helps reinforce that decision for me.

Thanks for your post. It is good to have this information while starting out on Linux again after many years. And a reminder to stay chilled and not over think it all.

Hope to complete very first Ubuntu Desktop 24.04.3 LTS install this week.

Yours,
York

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Thanks York.

The other variables I’ve tripped over are the matter of snaps versus flatpacks (Ubuntu Cinnamon seems to be snaps only) and that this particular flavour is offered by a corporate entity. (Canonical)

There’s reputedly fewer apps available in snaps, but that’s probably not an issue for me. Corporate involvement could entail the sort of potential risks that we’re all familiar with but perhaps also a degree of coherence in the offering.

There’s perhaps for and against in both of the above. I’m thinking in terms of starting with Ubuntu Cinnamon and going for what hopefully are the longest terms/most stable/more proven choices.

The biggest problem I’m having at the moment is getting the order for a new PC over the line - my laptop is old and a bit wobbly.

I’d based on suggestions that they do reliable PCs settled on a Lenovo ThinkCentre M75S Gen with an AMD Ryzen 7 5700G processor to run with Linux Mint (in deference to its seeming preference for slightly older hardware) - only to find at the very last moment before clicking the button that it’s on a 5m lead time because of parts lead times. (to that point the site had been indicating a few weeks)

An agent after enormous hassles with waits to get through on phone and chat lines suggested a Gen 5. The Ryzen 7 8700G which came up seemed a bit recent for Mint. I made noises about the hassle to date and the likely increase in cost - the response seemed to indicate that discount would be available. This triggered the current round of research into Ubuntu Cinnamon and into the specs of the ancillaries offered with the Gen 5.

Today saw the discount refused and the cost (which jumped a lot more on the Gen 5 than on the Gen 2 with necessary extras - on top of the higher base cost) pushed into territory beyond my budget - wasting two weeks of pretty intensive work.

The possibility is probably there to go to a reduced spec Gen 5, but it’s to say the least a frustrating scene…

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Whole bunch of common myths wrapped up in that sentence.
Some of your research sources have misled you quite atrociously.

Advice: Just install Ubuntu Cinnamon. Open App Center. Install what you want. Done.

Advice: You can run Flatpaks on Cinnamon. Your research should have shown you that it’s merely two extra commands. You can run Snaps and Flatpaks at the same time; they don’t conflict. Try them all, make up your own mind.

Advice: Don’t get wrapped up in the dogma of “corporate” vs alternatives until you actually have some experience in this community and see what Canonical does (and doesn’t do), and how the paid staff and volunteers work together. Withhold judgement until then.

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I’m sorry ian, but I think you are overplaying your hand.

I’m happy to receive and appreciate your input on these topics - what you posted sounds like useful information.

I on the other hand used highly conditional, qualified and open language in what I wrote on the topic of snaps and flats - I didn’t offer an opinion. This was precisely because I was unsure about sources/realities and about whether I might have misunderstood what was said.

I made clear also (presuming I get the sourcing of the new PC sorted out) that my intention is as a starting point to install Ubuntu Cinnamon and to go from there - again because while I’ve concluded (agreeing with what was already stated here) that it looks like a decent option it’s difficult to bottom very much without trying it out…

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Ubuntu is absolutely NOT a SNAP-only Distro. It is a blend of Debian and others.

Many (if not most; can’t say all) of those SNAP-based packages have a fully-equivalent Debian-based package, upstream, especially those which are NOT Ubuntu-/Distro-originating, since those will make an effort at portability across Distros.

Always check the HOME page for Apps, to confirm the range of packaging available for those Apps that you are seeking to install.

:slight_smile: