For new Linux users choosing a distro IS choosing a desktop environment. Installing a new DE that’s different from the default is not a day one Linux task, so the default for the distro is what matters. Yes. the DE is the most important factor in choosing a distro, but saying that means the distro doesn’t matter is just fundamentally incorrect and unhelpful.
I don’t thibk op intended to imply that new users instal a new DE on whatever distro they choose, but rather it’s clunky to explain that they should prioritize DE when choosing distro. like, imagine a new users asks what distro they should start with, I believe op is advocating we say “anything that uses KDE by default” (or gnome or xfce etc). plenty of distros have derivatives that are basically the same but use a different DE, so it’s pointless to suggest one over the other when a new user is just going to use the DE to do everything graphically anyway.
For new Linux users choosing a distro IS choosing a desktop environment. Installing a new DE that’s different from the default is not a day one Linux task, so the default for the distro is what matters. Yes. the DE is the most important factor in choosing a distro, but saying that means the distro doesn’t matter is just fundamentally incorrect and unhelpful.
I don’t thibk op intended to imply that new users instal a new DE on whatever distro they choose, but rather it’s clunky to explain that they should prioritize DE when choosing distro. like, imagine a new users asks what distro they should start with, I believe op is advocating we say “anything that uses KDE by default” (or gnome or xfce etc). plenty of distros have derivatives that are basically the same but use a different DE, so it’s pointless to suggest one over the other when a new user is just going to use the DE to do everything graphically anyway.