Making the right Linux choice

Whilst the guide gives a very short description about each distro, it isn't very informative and doesn't really help one decide as to which distro is more beneficial for different purposes.
 
As a novice user, Ubuntu's promotion seems to me to be giving non-linux users the impression that Ubuntu is the only polished OS in the group. I know that is not the case, and I love Ubuntu, and it is not their fault. But I hope the other distros can keep up with the Ubuntu promotion machine and give us links and keep feeding us info on the other distros. This thread would be a great place to do that!
 
zamrg said:
Whilst the guide gives a very short description about each distro, it isn't very informative and doesn't really help one decide as to which distro is more beneficial for different purposes.
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When in doubt just get Ubuntu. It's really a very good general purpose distribution with a huge community which helps when you are stuck. It's better to just pick a distro and then change later than not be able to make up your mind and sit there paralyzed by the multitude of choices.
 
PCLinuxOS gets a LiveCD mentions, but Ubuntu also include a LiveCD version...
 
they should have added links to places like freedomtoaster.org where people can actually find the distros. No use having the info and no means of gaining access to it. I liked PCLinuxOS most altough its the only one ive ever succesfully installed :P the screensavers on it was awesome.. didnt have to do any root commands to get around.
 
I use Ubuntu, and I've been using it for a few releases. The only problem with Linux is the hardware support. It's not the developer's fault, but it still remains an issue, no matter who you want to blame.

For instance, I can't use my scanner AT ALL while I am in Linux. Still, if more people support Linux, it might inspire the large corporations to develop for the platform.
 
Ubuntu is the best for new users.

5 mins ago I had an issue with a stubborn SD card reader - three or four minutes (literally) on the internet, and it is working again.
 
Ubuntu best for new users?

While I often end up recommending Ubuntu to new users because of the sheer volume of information and packages available for the distribution, I always hesitate. I find myself having to expain how to setup multimedia playback, proprietary graphics drivers, java, the works.

Whether or not they should be there is not really the issue at this juncture, but users who are recommended ubuntu as the "easiest" find it anything but for these reasons. There really ought to be a caveat in this article about the drawbacks of the distributions.

Just as an example: Fedora has much fewer third party applications available, and requires even more to get the above things working.

Another example: Ubuntu while able to run on fairly old machines hasn't supported PPC machines for years, whereas openSuse (correct me if I'm wrong) and Fedora still do.

Just my two cents. Not aiming to criticize distros I love bits and pieces in almost every one of them :)
 
Geek_wannabe said:
I use Ubuntu, and I've been using it for a few releases. The only problem with Linux is the hardware support. It's not the developer's fault, but it still remains an issue, no matter who you want to blame.

For instance, I can't use my scanner AT ALL while I am in Linux. Still, if more people support Linux, it might inspire the large corporations to develop for the platform.
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I cannot believe this, what scanner you have? It has been over 4 years since I found something that did not work on Linux.
 
MyWorld said:
I cannot believe this, what scanner you have? It has been over 4 years since I found something that did not work on Linux.
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The only thing I could ever find to not work on Linux, was Windows. I think it might be due to the fact that viruses (or hardly any at all) do not work in Linux. :D
 
citizenofnowhere said:
Just as an example: Fedora has much fewer third party applications available, and requires even more to get the above things working.
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I find comments like these a little puzzling.. :confused:

Linux is Linux.. any application that works on one distribution of Linux will work on another. There's no such thing as an application that only runs on Ubuntu but not on Fedora.. The only exception would be if an application requires a very particular kernel or library version or something like that in order to run - and that would only really be a problem with a closed source propriety application..


Unless of course if by "applications available" one actually means "pre-compiled distro specific packages" ;)


For what's it's worth one of the chief reasons why I stuck with Fedora is because the release disks come loaded with so much extra software, and having never had any better internet connection than a 2GB bundle on MTN HSDPA that has helped me a lot. ;) (especially back in the R2.00 / MB days)

- I don't ever download my distro. I used to just get it through friends/family.. These days I use http://www.fosscds.co.za/ :)
EDIT: I see Saule beat me to this one..
 
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OpenSolaris is also starting to look like a good alternative to Windows. It's the open source version of Sun's Solaris. It's not a Linux distribution, but it is a UNIX based OS.

Expect to start seeing a lot more of it in the future.
 
I've been using linux for ages, more for backend purposes then for desktop purposes, but the linux desktop has growen on me over the years. My three favorite dist are Ubuntu, OpenSuse and Fedora.

One on the problems mentioned in the article, "bandwidth starved South Africans," is really something to take into considiration when looking into linux. One thing I've noticed is after installing linux, irrespective of the dist, the updater always has a line up of 200mb + worth of updates.

If you are a first time user, I would recomend you go for Ubuntu, apart from ubuntu offering to ship you a CD free of charge, try google'ing something regarding linux, chances are the first few finds will direct you to the ubuntu forums. In other words, great support.

Otherwise, if you're looking for the compleat package, woth everything you need, look at OpenSuse, yes, downloading it is a problem, but there are places in the country such as Pretoria linux dist, and Foss CD's who will ship you a DVD at very good prices.

As far as Fedora is concerned, I wouldent reccoment it, especially for a first time user. The thing to keep in mind when considering fedora is Red Hats alteria motives. Red hat is a far superior enterprise OS and it's success is mostly because of the fedora community. Essentially, a fedora user is a red hat guinea pig. As a fedora user, you'll notice how often updates are released, and how often new fedora versions are released. Over the last year and a half fedora went from fedora core 7 to fedora core 9.
 
Using Xubuntu after trying a few different distros. Also use DSL(Damn Small Linux) on old PCs I supply to `previously disadvantaged` communities.

Best place for Linux info: http://distrowatch.com

A lot more fun than commercial OS ;-)
 
Ubuntu...

I am myself starting to slowly use Ubuntu to get the hang of Linux. My boss is installing Ubuntu on a computer he is giving to a "previously disadvantaged security guy", and I do think it's a good move. Setting it up is so easy, and if it breaks, you can just about sum it's install up in few lines of dialogue, if not less. So why not. The idea is minimum support, but yet a powerful operating system with as much as possible installed. I don't think we can do much better.

I am also thinking of getting Fedora just to see how another distro looks like, since the last few years I have only used ubuntu, but 2+ years ago it was Red Hat and Suse. Think it's cool to try them all a bit, but bottom line is to get Linux literate, and then it should not really matter which distro you use. It's not the car as much as the user. The car can be modded for your needs, but if you can't drive, you have a problem.
 
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