Why I Tried Building My Own "Penguin OS" (And Why I’m Settling on Fedora)
If you have been following my Linux Journey, you know I’ve been distro hopping to find the perfect daily driver operating system. My goal seems simple on paper: a clean, responsive desktop that handles video editing, gaming, and Android app emulation smoothly.
Recently, after running into roadblocks on Zorin OS, I decided to take matters into my own hands and create my own Linux distribution—Penguin OS.
Here is what happened during that experiment, why custom OS development is harder than it looks, and why I ultimately chose Fedora over Ubuntu.
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| Waydroid blank screen on Ubuntu |
The Dream: Building "Penguin OS"
The idea behind Penguin OS 1.0 was straightforward:
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Base: Ubuntu (for broad software compatibility).
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Desktop: Vanilla, stock GNOME (no modified Ubuntu desktop branding).
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Bloatware: Zero Snap packages.
Using a tool called Penguin Eggs, I set out to repackage a customized Ubuntu environment into an ISO file.
The Reality Check
Building an OS sounds simple until you run into the details. After spending an entire day setting it up, the system was riddled with minor bugs:
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Broken appearance settings and accent colors.
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Dark/Light mode glitches.
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Inconsistent system menus.
Creating a polished operating system takes a massive amount of maintenance work. Realizing I was spending more time debugging the system than actually using it, I shelved "Penguin OS" and pivoted to solving my main technical bottleneck: Waydroid.
The Waydroid & Dual-GPU Dilemma
One of my non-negotiable requirements for a daily driver OS is Waydroid—a tool that allows you to run Android apps and games natively on Linux.
My desktop PC has a hybrid GPU setup:
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An Intel integrated GPU (iGPU) on the motherboard.
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A dedicated Nvidia graphics card.
Why Waydroid Struggled on Ubuntu
Waydroid does not work well directly on Nvidia GPUs unless you rely on slow software rendering. To get smooth performance, Waydroid must run through the iGPU.
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On Ubuntu / Zorin OS: Because of how Ubuntu configures AppArmor and LXC container hooks, the iGPU cannot pass its render output to the display connected to the Nvidia GPU. The only way Waydroid worked on Ubuntu was if I physically unplugged my monitor cable from the graphics card and plugged it into the motherboard's HDMI port.
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On Fedora: Fedora handles security via SELinux, which allows LXC container hooks to render content on the iGPU and output it seamlessly through the main display connected to the dedicated Nvidia GPU.
Having to constantly swap HDMI cables just to use an Android app on Ubuntu was a dealbreaker.
What About Arch Linux or Omarchy?
During this testing phase, I also considered Arch-based distributions like Garuda, CachyOS, and Omarchy Linux.
Omarchy looks sleek and futuristic, but it presents two major hurdles for my daily workflow:
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Tiling Window Managers: It relies heavily on keyboard shortcuts and tiled windows rather than floating windows with standard minimize/maximize buttons.
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Secure Boot & Anti-Cheat: I need to dual-boot with Windows to play games with kernel-level anti-cheat (like Valorant and Fortnite). Setting up Secure Boot manually on Arch-based systems is complex, whereas Fedora supports Secure Boot out of the box.
The Final Verdict: Why Fedora Won
After weeks of testing, Fedora proved to be the clearest winner for my setup:
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Flawless Waydroid Support: Handles iGPU rendering over the dedicated Nvidia display output without hitch.
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Rock-Solid Stability: In two weeks of editing videos and testing apps on Fedora, I experienced zero system crashes (compared to occasional app crashes on fresh Ubuntu installs).
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Superior Creative Performance: Software like DaVinci Resolve runs noticeably smoother and more responsively on Fedora Linux than it does on Windows.
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Out-of-the-Box Secure Boot: Makes dual-booting with Windows straightforward.
My Next Steps
I am officially moving to a Fedora + Windows dual-boot setup:
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Fedora: Primary OS for daily work, video editing, and productivity.
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Windows: Secondary OS strictly for games requiring strict anti-cheat and Windows related video recordings.
Linux has evolved tremendously, and for creative workflows, it is faster and more responsive than ever. While tweaking hardware configurations and GPU passthroughs can take time, finding the right distribution makes all the difference.
I’ve also made a video on this topic — you can watch it below.
Check out my other posts, I post useful tutorials and tech tips, maybe you will find something useful 😉.