Best Linux Distro

[Code_Knight]

I've been using Linux for about three years now and I like to use either Kubuntu or Gentoo with a KDE desktop environment.

In a way this is also asking what is the best desktop environment. So what does everybody think?

[S.P.Q.R. Praetorian]

I wont use anything but KDE, that is the bomb.

I swear by Fedora but others Ubuntu. So...........

[Simetrical]

I've only tried Ubuntu for desktop, and RHEL for servers. I hate RHEL, if for no other reason than because its default package repositories are incredibly limited and the latest versions of packages are paleolithic (2.6.18 for the latest kernel version?!). Ubuntu I'm basically happy with. It's almost certainly the biggest desktop distro now, so it's easier to find support on Google, and I don't find anything about it very objectionable.

I've never tried window managers other than GNOME, but I plan to try KDE at least someday. Mostly I think GNOME is fine, but it can go overboard with trying to cut down on the number of buttons sometimes. Like there's no context menu to add or remove items in the Applications menu, you have to go to System → Preferences → Main Menu (at least in Ubuntu). And similar there's no context menu in Places to delete network locations, as I found out when I accidentally added a duplicate copy of SFTP to TWC and couldn't figure out how to remove it for weeks. I don't know if these were deliberate decisions, but they're annoying, anyway.

[fatsheep]

I love Ubuntu. I've tried some other Linux distros but nothing appeals as much to me as Ubuntu does. Every six months they come out with a new improved version and you can update to it fairly easily (updating has gotten easier as Ubuntu has progressed I think...).

When I first tried Ubuntu back in the winter of 2006, there were lots of problems. There were problems with codecs, drivers, fonts, flash, java, and 64-bit was especially troublesome. As Ubuntu has improved, these problems have been remedied. Totem will actually find the codecs that you need to play particular files, proprietary drivers are installed with the restricted drivers manager, flash is now easy to install, even on 64-bit...

Ubuntu just keeps on getting better and better. It's always been stabler, faster, and an all around better platform in my opinion. However, it hasn't always been as user friendly. They have really come a long way in how friendly Ubuntu is to non-computer whizzes.

[Code_Knight]

It does seem that most people use either kubuntu or ubuntu and KDE and gnome. I would recommend people using KDE or Gnome, because I personally think that they are the best desktop environments for Linux. Check out KDE 4, it's supposed to be the vista killer and a whole new gen of desktop!

[Freddie]

I've been experimenting with Knoppix and Danm Small Lunix (DSL) recently, the good thing about Knoppix is that you can run the OS from the disc so there's no need to go through the hassale of creating a new partition.

[Code_Knight]

ya you can do that with kubuntu also (the run from disc thing). But what is this DSL?

[Simetrical]

I've been experimenting with Knoppix and Danm Small Lunix (DSL) recently, the good thing about Knoppix is that you can run the OS from the disc so there's no need to go through the hassale of creating a new partition.

You can do that with Ubuntu too, and other distributions as well. The latest Ubuntu version even lets you "install" Ubuntu as a file, so that you can boot to it from the disk, but if you want to uninstall it you don't have to repartition, just delete the file.

But what is this DSL?

A distro designed to be really, really small. It's only 50 MB, and can run on a 486 with 16 MB of RAM (although don't try that with a GUI!).

http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/

[Code_Knight]

I'm going to check out DSL, It could be usefull , but that doesn't mean its the best