Generally I agree with everyone else, Linux Mint is great.
However, if you really want to not worry at all, you could just buy a laptop from e.g. Tuxedo or System76. They come with Linux preinstalled (I think in the case of Tuxedo at least, you even have a choice of which Linux Distro?), and are guaranteed to have no hardware "difficulties" with Linux, i.e. even if you put another distro on it, you won't encounter driver issues.
(Those have become very rare anyways, but do put a damper on the "Firsttime Linux Experience" if you do encounter them...)
Generally I agree with everyone else, Linux Mint is great.
However, if you really want to not worry at all, you could just buy a laptop from e.g. Tuxedo or System76. They come with Linux preinstalled (I think in the case of Tuxedo at least, you even have a choice of which Linux Distro?), and are guaranteed to have no hardware "difficulties" with Linux, i.e. even if you put another distro on it, you won't encounter driver issues.
(Those have become very rare anyways, but do put a damper on the "Firsttime Linux Experience" if you do encounter them...)
As others have said, you can completely disable the stock launcher through ADB commands. At that point, if you hit home, you'll be asked which app to perform that action with. Select your launcher, click "Always", and done.
We get birthdays off, not counting towards the 30 days paid holidays, which is completely separate from unlimited paid sick days. Oh, and also since last Wednesday, the entire company is on holidays, we're back 2nd week of January. Doesn't count towards the 30 days, of course 👍
I am a bit confused, why do you think it's a bad idea? My assumption, of course, what that "the app exists" == "the app works". At least for me, xdrip is the only diabetes related app/tool I use at all. (It's also not that I am unable to manage my diabetes WITHOUT xdrip, it's just sooooo much more convenient than managing it through the sensor manufacturers' apps.)
Same is true for Windows.
Frankly you cannot get around the command line when developing.