Questions : switching back to Linux for my desktop

[techlists at phpcoderusa.com]

Hi,

I need some advice.  I have used Linux for my desktop during several 
periods in the past.  About 6 years ago I needed to run Windows for my 
desktop for business reasons.  I am now free of those requirements.

I have a Dell i5 that I think has 4 cores and 4 threads.  I upgraded it 
to 16Gb of RAM years ago... maybe 7 or 8.  I think the box might be 8 
years old.

This box has been setting under my desk since I switched over to Win 10.

I bought an SSD drive for it sometime ago and have yet to install it.  I 
think it has a 1Tb spinner in it.  My plan is to make the SSD the 
primary drive and the spinner a backup drive for holding files.

For the last few months the monitors on my Win 10 box would occasionally 
turn black and I would have to reset the computer to get it operational.

It should be noted that these two Dells have after market video cards 
since Dell only allows one monitor even thought the CPU provides for 3 
monitors... Yikes.

So this morning both my monitors turned black and when I cycled the 
computer only one monitor would work.   I am running two monitors.

After setting the correct resolution for that one monitor and restarting 
it several times I now have two monitors functioning.

Where am I going with this?  I need your help.  I am a PHP developer.  I 
started using Linux in 1998...  While I know a few things about Linux I 
have gaping holes in my knowledge. I've been able to accomplish a lot 
with Linux to include using it as my desktop for long periods of time 
and ultimately creating a Ubuntu home web server. That included the 
entire LAMP stack, BIND, PostFix, Devcot, and Let's Encrypt.  For the 
PostFix, Devcot, and Let's Encrypt I just got it to work without really 
understanding how they work.

So here we are Sunday morning October 23rd, 2022 and I need to move back 
to Linux on my desktop.

AND I need your help because I do not know what I do not know.

I figure it is a good time to "start fresh".  I want to get a Linux box 
up and running and only pull in from my backups what I
will actually use.  My Win box has 6 or 7 years of clutter.

I apologize in advance for all my future questions.

My first question has to do with what desktop KDE or GNOME?  We have had 
this discussion in the past and I'm thinking KDE was the winner.  Please 
no flame wars.  This is for my education and maybe for those who are 
lurking.

I want to use Ubuntu.  Ubuntu desktop used GNOME.  Kubuntu uses KDE and 
has the Plasma desktop.  Not sure what the Plasma desktop is. I will 
look into that once I have sent this email.

I eventually would like to edit videos on Linux.  According to what I 
hear and read, Kdenlive is said to be the best free Linux editor.

I need to do a handful of things with this Linux box.  Mail, Internet 
surfing, virtualization using oracle VirtualBox, programming using 
Visual Studio Code, and video editing using Kdenlive.  I hope I did not 
leave anything out.

List of initial questions:

1) Is it GNOME or KDE?
2) What mail client should I use?  I have been using Thunderbird for 
years and am not married to it.
3) For FTP I have been using FileZilla.
4) For watching DVD videos I have been using VCL media player - any 
thoughts?
5) For SSH I have been using the Win 10, I think it called the Linux 
subsystem. This new box will have command line access so that should not 
be an issue.
6) I will be using a wired non-routable static IP.
7) Eventually I will need to configure my printer/scanner.  From a quick 
search it looks like KDE makes it simple compared to the old days...

I apologize in advance for all my future questions.  I'm sure I will 
drive you crazy over the next few months while I try to understand and 
learn.

Please give me your feedback.  I appreciate it!!

Keith