So I saw political compass memes a while ago and started making one, but then I started taking it too seriously and eventually turned it into a tier list. Idk if it makes sense to share it here, but idk where else to share such a thing. I also made a browser tier list, but idk where to share that either.
This whole thing is a png export of a pure svg image. For some of the logos, I had to make them either from scratch or by using gimp and inkscape to convert a png into an svg (imperfect but good enough).
Hopefully this is all formatted properly.
OS Tier List
S-Tier (reasonably secure operating system):
- Qubes OS
Advanced (complicated setup and configuration):
- Gentoo Linux
- Guix System
- Slackware Linux
- Linux From Scratch (LFS)
- Mobile NixOS
- NixOS
- Whonix
- Predator-OS
- Linux Kodachi
- Gentoo FreeBSD
Enhanced (optimized security and minimalism):
- Alpine Linux
- Hyperbola GNU/Linux-libre
- Chimera Linux
- EasyOS
- postmarketOS
- Tails
- Kicksecure
- NetHydra
- ParrotOS
- OpenBSD
- GrapheneOS
- Secureblue
Minimal (maximally mini resource use):
- Tiny Core Linux
- LibreCMC
- Void Linux
- Puppy Linux
- AsteroidOS
- Slitaz
- 4MLinux
- OpenWrt
- DragonFly BSD
- FreeBSD
- NetBSD
Indie & BSD (independent distros and BSD systems):
- PCLinuxOS
- Dynebolic
- KaOS
- Mageia
- LuneOS
- Solus
- AerynOS
- GNOME OS
- KDE Linux
- GhostBSD
Arch (reasonably fresh and arch-based):
- SystemRescue
- Parabola GNU/Linux-libre
- pearOS
- EndeavourOS
- Nemo Mobile
- Arch Linux Arm
- BlackArch Linux
- Archhurd
- Archcraft
- Nyarch
- Ageless Arch
- Arch Linux
- CachyOS
- Garuda Linux
Debian (reasonably stable and debian-based):
- Flora Linux-libre
- Genuen
- Devuan GNU+Linux
- Loc-OS
- antiX
- MX Linux
- Maemo Leste
- Mobian
- Emmabuntüs
- Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE)
- Ageless Linux
- Debian
- KNOPPIX
- PikaOS Linux
- RetroPie
- LibreElec
- Vanilla OS
Corpo-ish (corporation-created and/or dependent):
- Replicant
- Uruk GNU/Linux-libre
- Trisquel GNU/Linux
- AnduinOS
- Linux Lite
- UBports
- Xubuntu
- Lubuntu
- Kubuntu
- Linux Mint
- KDE neon
- Fedora
- Asahi Linux
- Bazzite
- Nobara Linux
- Rocky Linux
- AlmaLinux
- openSUSE
Corporate (corporation-owned and/or controlled):
- /e/OS
- Sailfish OS
- PureOS
- Manjaro Linux
- Raspberry Pi OS
- OSMC
- Kali Linux
- Zorin OS
- Tuxedo OS
- Pop!_OS
- elementary OS
- Ubuntu
- Proxmox
- SteamOS
- CentOS Stream
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
- CloudLinux OS
- SUSE Linux Enterprise
- Unraid
Dubious (questionable and/or suspicious):
- Waydroid
- Artix Linux
- Omarchy
- OpenMandriva
Borderline (possibly dangerous and best to avoid):
- LineageOS
MALWARE (actively dangerous and harmful to use):
- android
- chromeOS
- Apple Operating Systems (macOS, iOS, etc.)
- Windows
- Red Star OS
what is wrong with LineageOS and eOS for it to be put in “borderline”? + why does LFS, Secure Fedora, Secure Android all have their own sections? you can just merge them (DIY Distros, Hardened, for one).
LineageOS is not degoogled and will connect to google unless properly firewalled, which afaik cannot be done properly on-device. LineageOS is googled android, and google is a nefarious surveillance advertising corporation. So LineageOS is borderline malware in my eyes.
/e/OS is not in any of the gray rows that denote a failing grade. It is in the red “Corporate” row, because it is owned/controlled by a corporate entity, and it has a passing grade from me. I trust it for my parents and other “normal” people who need a phone that works without issues. MicroG is installed and enabled by default, but if it is disabled, then /e/OS becomes fully degoogled.
However, as I said in another comment:
Why does LFS have its own group? Honestly, it’s mainly just so that the logo stands out better in the dark-mode version of this tier list. I also felt it made sense to single it out as special.
Why are there groups for Secure Fedora and Secure Android? Since there are already groups for Red Hat distros (which includes Fedora) and Android, I thought it made sense to make it obvious that the secure fedora/android distros were part of those other groups, similar to my reasoning for making a Secure Debian group. Those distros being optimally secured grants them higher rank than all the rest of the distros from those groups. All the other distros stay where they are because I don’t see them as different enough to rise in the list. The secured ones, I do see as having reason to rise, and so they are placed higher, but I want it to be obvious that they are in fact Debian/Fedora/Android at their core.
So I’ve done a bit of research on this and I don’t think what you say here is the most accurate.
LineageOS doesn’t include any Google apps or services by default, nor does it include MicroG. (It does give an optional step to flash a GApps package in the official install guides, but this can be skipped no problem)
LineageOS does use proprietary Google BLOBs for AGPS services and wifi captive portal detection, both of which are anonymised by the nature of the protocols used. But more importantly, /e/ OS also uses these too, so /e/ shouldn’t be ranked any higher than LineageOS is
They are not as secure as grapheneos, and they don’t really care
Nor are most of the desktop Linux distros, compared to GrapheneOS, yet they are not downgraded for it.