Generally I use my computer to launch programs that do the stuff I want to do, or edit my files.
My files are in /home and programs for the tasks I need are available as flatpaks.
So I don't need to rummage around in the rest of the file system. You could call it "a laptop for grandma" except I'm not that old. I use my laptop for office stuff, gaming, photo editing, streaming music and video, browsing, mail, messaging, ssh'ing into my servers, etc. What I don't use it for anymore is tinkering with my OS. I'm fine with default Gnome and I don't need to adjust every little thing, I can just adjust myself a bit to how the GUI works.
I just don't want to read Arch news before I update weekly, set apt-pinning priorities to disable snap, deal with recommended dependencies, meta packages, mirrorlists, third-party repo urls, gpg keyfiles, file permissions, executable flags, systemd services, and all that jazz anymore.

[–] Opisek@lemmy.world 4 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Hey, that's why I wanted an explanation! The one I got an a search result made it seem like you can't install anything.

[–] towerful@programming.dev 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Yeh, immutable distros... You can install software, it's just you have to declaratively define what software you want, then apply that as a patch.
You don't just apt install cowsay, you have to create a file that defines the installation of cowsay.
This way, if you have to change how cowsay is installed, you tweak that patch file and reapply it.
If you have to wipe & reinstall (or get a new computer or whatever) you just apply all your patches, and the system is the same again.

[–] KISSmyOSFeddit@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

You're talking about declarative systems like Nix. Immutable just means that the root filesystem is read-only. You can install programs as Flatpaks or inside a container (toolbox on Silverblue).

[–] towerful@programming.dev 2 points 5 months ago

Oh, no kidding.
I always thought immutable required the declarative installs.
I guess, immutable is more "containerised userland"?

[–] 299792458ms@lemmy.zip 4 points 5 months ago

I think I am one the same state as you with the only difference is that I really like Window Managers. Been thinking of testing NixOS or Blend OS.