Personally I probably wouldn’t advise NixOS to someone new to Linux. I think it’s best to get familiar with how linux does things in a more conventional setup first. And then transition to a declarative setup. But it kinda depends on the person as well, and how willing they are to learn and how comfortable they are with writing such a config.

That said, I would be very curious how the switch straight from Windows to NixOS would be experienced by someone. So if you do so, feel free to post your experience on the NixOS community :)

I do agree with what @Decq@lemmy.world said. For most users is preferable to start of with a simpler distro. The biggest difference between other distros and NixOS is its declarative nature, and that its config files are written in the functional language Nix. This will most likely feel overwhelming, especially if your not accustomed to functional languages.

I think a better approach would be to go with the distro you mentioned, then when you gotten more used to the ins and out, perhaps have a look at installing Nix the package manager in Nobara (the same name as the language is confusion), or perhaps Home Manager. The later manage programs and config also declaratively, but only for users and not on a system level.

All in all, in most use cases NixOS and its declarative, immutable, reproducable and indestructive model is overkill. Its mostly only worth it if you have multiple computers that need to share config, systems that must work 100% of the time or if you’re a sucker for declarative approaches (like i am, i’ve also daily driven Linux for 18 years, and is a hobby programmer, so it was a lot easier to get into Nix/NixOS with that I think).

The way I understand it, it’s specifically not to gain more speed, but completely focused on aesthetics. Themes, background, and other touches to make it look pretty, and perhaps some UX aspects too.

I thought ricing was when asian street food vendors would make their small food carts all fancy looking?

Yes. My name is 4chan.

Same experience, thought desktop on linux was behind because I started on Ubuntu with GNOME.

Luckily tried XFCE on someone’s Debian install and realized GNOME just kinda sucked.

Even GNOME 2 was a pretty standard DE, 3 and 40+ just took a weird nosedive where they enforced their idea of the perfect DE, despite it breaking a ton of rules about good UX and removing a bunch of former features.

It’s a lowest common denominator kinda issue, methinks. Gnome is chasing it’s own tail trying to create a single UI that will please everyone, plus have it simple to use and both similar enough yet distinct enough to/from Windows/Mac experiences. It’s a noble enough goal - but honestly strikes me as well impossible.

KDE gives you a barely updated Win95 era desktop and then becomes a tinkerer’s paradise - whenever there was two or more options, they focused on making each available, but neither becomes the default.

They do don’t they.

It’s my biggest complaint about Linux, and on-boarding new users.

The last thing a new user should see is some janky ass looking wallpaper.

I think ElementaryOS and maybe Zorin were the only two that had clean looking OOTB theme and wallpaper.

Fun fact! It’s still racist.

It also means to break something up into tiny parts for cooking through a ricer. Which can also be applied to ricing your computer by tweaking all the little parts

Uhmmmm, pretty sure it’s worse than that. My understanding of the term is that it comes from cars, where cheaper Asian cars were entering the American market and were called “rice burners” (racistly), and I’m pretty sure from there the concept of decking out a cheap car with spoilers and ground kits and a wild paint job and stuff was called “ricing” because it was a thing in the Asian communities. As in “ricing a car” is “doing what an Asian would do to that car, and you know how they’re all about rice”

I’d be happy to be wrong here… but I think that’s the history on that word.

I believe ricing roots from the derogatory word for Asian mod cars, known as ricers. Customizing or modding them was the deal.

It is an extension/evolution of the idea of ricing cars. Originally it was something like Race Inspired Cosmetic Enhancements. Basically stuff that makes your car look “racier”/faster, but does nothing for performance.

Edit to add - That is probably backronym to cover up for the mostly racist origination of that term. I can’t be sure.

I believe it refers to a similar concept in the car modding scene.

Same, I’m not a native English speaker, so I only know it used for the food. Never heard it in an offensive or racial context.

My guess is that it’s associated with Asia and as such used with an implied offensive meaning (maybe something along „you rice eater“)?