This is easily number one. I enjoy my computing experience when using Ubuntu. Whether it’s just using the computer for usual human things, noodling with new software from source, or getting new hardware working. It’s fun. I don’t find Windows or MacOS fun, at all. They work, but they’re not fun.
My Ubuntu systems are reliable. They don’t ever randomly break (much).
I’ve been using Ubuntu now for eighteen years. I know (roughly) how it works. I am familiar with the release cadence and set my expectations accordingly.
As you can see from my heterogenous list of devices, the majority run Ubuntu. So being able to try something on my laptop, and then be able to run the exact same command on my server, is pretty handy. Even though they all run different releases of Ubuntu, most of my systems are able to run the same software.
Referenced podcast on Linux Downtime
Ubuntu is pretty solid. If you don’t like the looks, there are plenty of Debian-based distros that look different.
Also there are plenty of Ubuntu-based distros that look different!
Also there are plenty Ubuntu flavours that look different.
I’v been using Ubuntu for nearing 20 years now. Maybe like 18ish… It took debian’s rock solidness and made it ez pz. It’s super easy to install and configure and runs like a dream. Has long term stable releases especially important for server architecture. Has the “server” install that is minimal on disk space.
Etc… Just really rock solid distro that I’ve run for decades and has cost me $0 to do so.
I ran red hat till all the cool kids told me it’s got to be Debian and then Ubuntu hit the scene and that was that. I’m sure Arch is fine and I’d bet had I chosen to stick with Red Hat and move to Fedora it’d also be fine. End of the day it’s still Linux.