mcangeli
(2 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)
Loading ...I’ve been using Linux in some way, shape or form since 2000, and its come along way since I first downloaded a version of Mandrake Linux to try. My primary OS is still Windows (Vista no less) due to the need of it at work (we use a management system here that is Windows only) however I still have two (yes, two!) different linux distributions installed on the laptop in addition to the windows install. I’ve compiled a list of the popular (read, heavily downloaded from LinuxTracker.org) distributions and why they’re worth a look…
- Ubuntu - Love it or hate it, Ubuntu is the current golden boy of the Linux world (past ones have been red hat, debian, slackware, mandrake…). Ubuntu works. Its solid and it has good support. Dell is even preinstalling it on several of the home offerings these days. Ubuntu has come to represent the distribution that everyone else is striving to be (and the one many think could take over the world….). Not to mention, there’s a version out there for everything (don’t believe me, try UbuntuCE (Christian Edition)).
- Debian - I can’t mention Ubuntu with out mentioning Debian. If Ubuntu is the golden boy of Linux, think of Debian as the lesser known, but equally attractive brother of Ubuntu. Its not as edgy, they don’t release as often, but if you need a rock solid linux distribution for a server application, you should stop looking once you arrive at Debian. Extremely stable, Debian is the OS of choice for sys admins every where who need a distribution that works out of the box and is easy to maintain. Yes, you can have the latest and greatest on Debian, but for those who just need a system to work, this is the one to go for.
- Sabayon - Sabayon is a relative newcomer to the distro scene, and despite the fact that its based on Gentoo, it provides a seemingly well polished product. The developers have packaged the best that Gentoo has to offer (emerge) along with a plethora of games and other bells and whistles in to this growing distribution. The first couple of releases were a little lacking, but with the 3.4a release, Sabayon is quickly approaching the apex of Linux distributions (plus it comes with the nvidia and ati drivers and the necessary stuff for compiz fusion!). This is one of the two I have installed on my laptop.
- Slackware - For the hard core Linux user there’s the oldest living Linux distribution (the suprising thing is that the original developer is still active on the project!). Slackware is not for those who are afraid of wading in neck deep and editing config files by hand. While a lot has improved, Slackware is still a distribution for the adventurous (and the second distribution I tried, though i gave it up when they dumped gnome for KDE).
- openSUSE - The openSUSE project is a community program sponsored by Novell. openSUSE is based on the popular SUSE distribution that was bought by Novell several years ago and strives to provide a free open source alternative. Extremely popular, the SUSE distribution refuses to die out.
- DSL - DSL (Damn Small Linux) is small enough to fit on a business card cd or a small (128mb) usb drive and yet still pack the same punch as the bigger distributions. DSL has been around the block several times and still provides an excellent Linux experience for those who want a small footprint. If you have an application you need Linux for, but you’re limited on space, DSL should definitely be on your list.
- DesktopBSD - DesktopBSD is not technically a Linux Distribution, however, it is a rock solid alternative to Windows based on the popular FreeBSD system. Its main goal is to provide a desktop operating system that is easy to use, but still has all the functionality and power of BSD and they do that. While the development cycle is a little slower than some Linux distributions (three months between RC releases…) they provide a stable desktop that isn’t entirely ugly. A plus is that most Linux applications can be compiled and run on the system as well.
I want to let you know that this list is in no way scientific and is almost entirely based on my experiences in the Linux realm. If you have some opinions you’d like to share, please do, I’d love to hear if you think I’m right or wrong. Also, the numbering is not how I think they rank, just the order I happened to write about them…
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August 2nd, 2007 at 3:22 pm
The mention of DSL brings up a whole arena of distributions that are LiveCD’s. I’d definitely have brought up SLAX (a slackware-based project that is very excellent), as well as one or two of the recovery and forensics liveCD’s…
Live CD’s are the best way to get your toes wet with Linux, without making any permanent changes to your computers. On LinuxTracker, go to the top or bottom of the distro list and in the drop-down, select “LiveCD”.
I keep hearing wonderful things about Sabayon. I think I will try that one next.
August 2nd, 2007 at 3:30 pm
Yea, I think that live cd’s should be another list in itself, I was going on installable distros (yea, I know slax can be installed, but if you’re going to do that, just install slackware). You’re right though, livecds are good for those who don’t have a spare system or for those who want to play. Knoppix is still the best, and Sabayon is actually a live cd with an installer on it as well (Though I’ve had issues with the livecd of Sabayon…)
August 2nd, 2007 at 8:36 pm
and you are still the best.
Nice article (well really it is just a blog entry). The choices boggle the mind, best to keep
it simple. Ubuntu for install (but I want to do Debian) and Knoppix for the Live CD.