I Swapped My Favorite Linux Desktop For System76's Cosmic Alpha - And I Have Zero Regrets

6 hours ago

I took a chance connected adopting COSMIC Desktop alpha arsenic my go-to desktop, and I don't regret it

Follow ZDNET: Add america arsenic a preferred source connected Google.

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

System76's COSMIC desktop will soon beryllium successful beta.
Even arsenic an alpha release, COSMIC is impressive.
COSMIC is arsenic accelerated arsenic immoderate Linux desktop I've experienced.

Alpha releases aren't to beryllium utilized for immoderate logic different than testing. Right?

That's nan communal opinion, and yet present I am, moving connected System76's COSMIC desktop arsenic if it's successful unchangeable status.

It's not... and it shows.

Yes, I've knowledgeable problems. For example, COSMIC does not for illustration nan Opera browser astatine all. In fact, erstwhile I first started penning this, I was utilizing Opera, and it suffered from a representation leak, causing maine to person to do a difficult reboot. As soon arsenic I logged in, I opened Zen Browser, and things are overmuch better.

Also: This Linux distro puts much than 20 desktops a click away

But why did I return this astir uncertain route? It starts pinch GNOME.

Pop!_OS default desktop

Because System76 is difficult astatine activity connected COSMIC, nan default Pop!_OS desktop environment isn't getting nan updates it should, and lately it's been noticeable. For instance, erstwhile I would fastener nan screen, it would fastener but would move backmost and distant betwixt a achromatic surface and nan greeter. That's each good and good, isolated from erstwhile you're trying to slumber and nan ray from your agency keeps you awake.

There were besides nan random crashes, which weren't excessively unspeakable to return attraction of, but I started increasing tired of having to SSH into my desktop from different instrumentality and tally a restart_gnome book I wrote.

Also: 4 ways nan latest KDE Plasma merchandise is amended than ever - and really to effort it yourself

Even erstwhile I'd tally an update, I was starting to get notices of deprecated package connected nan GNOME broadside of things. I judge Pop!_OS is still utilizing GNOME 42, and fixed that GNOME is presently astatine merchandise number 49, that's beautiful acold behind. I'm not slamming System76 for this because I cognize really difficult they person been moving connected COSMIC, and nan extremity results are going to beryllium spectacular.

If only I could hold for nan "end result" release. But, no, I had to jump vessel now.

My acquisition pinch COSMIC

First off, extracurricular of nan aging GNOME, COSMIC is light-years up of what Pop!_OS was and presently is. COSMIC is highly configurable, lightning fast, and beautiful. Those are 3 combinations I tin get behind.

And COSMIC is beautiful. Thanks to nan various configuration options, you tin make this desktop situation look nevertheless you want. I understand that aesthetics isn't astatine nan apical of nan information nutrient concatenation for astir users, but COSMIC does bask thing that will: Speed.

I've been accustomed to nan Pop!_OS Pop Shop (the app store) taking everlastingly to open, and it's prone to crashing. The caller COSMIC Shop is nan polar other of that. It's incredibly fast, and I've yet to acquisition it crashing. And erstwhile I opportunity "fast," I mean don't blink aliases you'll miss it opening fast. I'm not exaggerating.

Also: Want to study Linux? These 5 games make it nosy - and they're free

Dealing pinch nan random alpha-release issues is wholly worthy it erstwhile you get a desktop situation that's this fast. COSMIC feels arsenic if it's arsenic "big" arsenic KDE Plasma and arsenic accelerated arsenic Xfce. I tin only ideate really accelerated it will beryllium erstwhile it reaches unchangeable status.

As I mentioned earlier, Opera and COSMIC do not play good together, and I'm 100% okay adopting Zen arsenic my browser until they tin get along. By then, I mightiness person made nan imperishable move from Opera to Zen (at slightest until thing changes my mind again).

The bully news is that since I dropped Opera arsenic my default Linux browser, COSMIC has had less problems. I nary longer perceive my Thelio strategy instrumentality perpetually whirring to support up pinch Opera's demands (which is apt a representation leak), and my cursor is nary longer stuttering arsenic I move it astir nan desktop.

Also: My 10 favourite Linux distributions of each time, ranked

The postulation of COSMIC apps (Shop, Text Editor, Music Player, Files, Settings, Terminal, etc.) each activity awesome and (as is everything else) incredibly fast. Of course, COSMIC's velocity tin beryllium attributed to System76 going pinch Rust arsenic its programming connection for nan desktop environment. Rust is fast. What makes Rust truthful fast? Rust is very bully astatine knowing erstwhile to free representation during compilation, which eliminates costly runtime checks associated pinch garbage postulation and/or move representation management. Rust besides prevents information races and allows for safe parallel execution acknowledgment to ownership and borrowing mechanisms.

In different words, Rust is fast, and COSMIC benefits from that speed. I've ne'er knowledgeable a full-blown desktop situation to tally this quickly.

When is nan unchangeable release?

As of now, location is nary timeline for nan unchangeable release; however, System76 did denote that nan first beta would beryllium coming successful nan adjacent mates of weeks. That's awesome news, because beta is overmuch amended than alpha.

One point I do not cognize is if System76 will make a afloat upgrade possible. Pop!_OS is presently based connected Ubuntu 22.04, and Pop!_OS pinch COSMIC will beryllium based connected Ubuntu 24.04. That intends a newer kernel and each of nan different goodies that travel pinch nan much caller Ubuntu release.

I cognize it's crazy to usage alpha merchandise package (especially a desktop environment) for regular tasks, but I simply couldn't thief it. I've been anxiously awaiting COSMIC for months and decided I could nary longer guidelines nan wait. Was it worthy it? Absolutely. I'm enjoying COSMIC much than I've enjoyed a Linux desktop successful a very agelong time.

Also: 5 reasons to move to an immutable Linux distro coming -and which to effort first

However, I would not urge anyone utilizing COSMIC unless you're acquainted capable pinch Linux to usage nan terminal and publication log files (for troubleshooting). When nan beta type is released, that's different story. I've utilized beta package for galore things and mostly find it beautiful stable. Given really unchangeable nan existent alpha merchandise of COSMIC is, I tin only ideate that nan beta merchandise will beryllium moreover better.

Kudos to System76 for creating what I judge will beryllium nan champion Linux desktop situation connected nan market.