If you're a Windows or macOS user, your options don't extend beyond a newer version to an older one. Sometimes not even that, since, for example, Windows 10 stopped receiving official support about three months ago. Linux is very different: you can use dozens or even hundreds of options, and a single system can officially be available in 11 flavors, as is the case with Ubuntu. This is one of the reasons why the [unclear - possibly "software" or "software"] exists. distro hopping.
We're not going to explain here what distrp-hopping is (you can also read it as distro hopping or distrohopping), because We have an article that explains it. with history included. What we are going to do is explain the It's difficult to stay loyal to one distribution with all the options available..
Distro-hopping: thinking about my next jump
My Linux mentor had a kind of obsession: everything had to work perfectly for him, and when he started noticing something strange, he'd do a clean install. I don't go that far, not even close, but my distro-hopping instincts do kick in when I see something odd. Since switching to Manjaro, that instinct is mostly off, but Not everything always goes well..
I like Manjaro because it gives me everything I want and doesn't force me to use things I don't, unlike Ubuntu. It's a distribution that simplifies the use of Arch Linux (although they insist that "it's not Arch"), but it's not recommended for users who know nothing about Linux. I know a little about Linux; I can solve my problems, but I'm not as much of an expert as some people I know. Sometimes I wonder if a simpler layout would be better for me.
And this brings us to something that happened to me this week: I had started using more Flatpak packages because the one from AceStreamand had three installed (AceStream, Vacuum Tube y upscaylEverything was going well until this week when it became impossible to open the graphical interface of the Pamac software store. I launched it from the terminal (pamac-managerand it showed me an error related to Flatpak. I updated the repositories and Pamac opened.
In the end, I went back to the AppImage versions of the three programs, cleared the cache, and things went back to normal… although the distro-hopping bug lingered in my mind.
Which distros would I switch to?
I'll tell you in advance that Right now I'm not thinking about jumpingI'm more inclined to think about where I'd switch if I needed to, and what would force me to change distros. The reason might be to forget all my worries. In that case, where would I go?
I like Linux Mint. For me, it's what Ubuntu should be, without forcing us to use snap packages, with its snapd and apparmour. I also find its desktop environment appealing, and if not, I can always opt for its MATE version. That's what that little devil on my shoulder is telling me ("Switch to Linux Mint!"), and without a doubt, it would be the leap I'd make right now if something happened to me in Manjaro.
Other options would be SteamOS and KDE Linux, but the problems are obvious: SteamOS, at least as of January 2026, isn't available for every computer; it only works well on the Steam Deck, some Legion Go systems, and this spring on the Steam Machine. Furthermore, KDE Linux is still in alpha.
Using an immutable distribution is fine, since it's difficult to break anything, but it also has its limitations. On my laptop, SteamOS's game mode isn't that important, so KDE Linux would be a better option. But it's still a long way from release.
So My hypothetical jump would be towards mintUbuntu base, lots of documentation (for Debian and Ubuntu), LTS stability and few or no impositions.
And this is the problem with Linux, for some a "blessed problem". We have so many options that any small obstacle could cause a divorce from our favorite distroI partly don't have social media for a similar reason, but not having social media doesn't solve anything about being unfaithful to Linux-based operating systems…