You should be fine doing what you want on Linux. Just make sure everything works before installing completely. There is a liveUSB mode that let's you try it before you install.
Mint and PoP os are good ones to try.
Can also check out Zorin os which is pretty good too but doesn't update as often.
Overall works well. Sizing is a bit large but can be worth it for the universal distribution.
Allows for more software to get out there.
Isn't matrix more like slack that you are looking for?
Go to the Settings -> System -> Multiple Users. Allow multiple users.
Without much context all I can suggest is PowerAmp for music player. It is a paid app.
Eternity for Lemmy.
Heliboard for a more private keyboard.
Newpipe for YouTube.
From my experience, you have to use google services for the 2fa to work on Yubikey. You can work around this by using a TOTP and storing it on the key. There is a Yubikey app that can read the tokens that doesn't require google services. Another approach is make a separate profile that has a google account active on it and just keep those apps there to use the Yubikey on.
Some banking apps require extra work in their settings permissions to get them to work. Try turning off some of the extra security measures for app in the app permissions settings. See if that can get them to work.
Messaging is going to be broken unless both parties use an internet based messenger, like signal or iMessage. SMS is very restrictive. RCS may help fix this when it launched to iOS but it seems to break on graphene. Probably the same reason banking apps break.
Fallout - Tale of two wastelands.....hopefully that counts as one game, if not then Skyrim. For the endless mods.
Hades or Binding of Issac - for the infinite replayability.
Minecraft - for the creative aspect of building and lots of content.
Its due to compression of the video in order to fit on a MMS message, which is very small. Android uses RCS as a new message standard that can send bigger files but Apple has yet to add it to their OS. Its similar to how Apple uses iMessage to do the same, however this is not a standard and is locked to only apple devices.
Apple is supposedly adding support for RCS during the new iOS update but until then you can use a different messaging app to send better/larger files.
I recommend Signal as it is easy to sign up and start using while also being private.