Which Linux Distribution?

According to Distro Watch, there are over 300 distributions of Linux available. I am not going to cover all 300 distributions of Linux. I leave that task to those who have much more patience and time than I. The Linux distributions that are going to be covered in this blog are:

1. Ubuntu – Definitely the most popular version, and a derivative of Debian GNU/Linux.
2. Xubuntu – A derivative of Ubuntu, but with the Xfce desktop.
3. openSUSE – Currently ranks in the number 2 spot for popularity, and my favorite version.
4. Fedora – For those who like the bleeding edge, just be prepared for a lot of updates.
5. Debian – The base of so many distros, but not one of my favorite.
6. Mandriva – I actually like this distro, but don’t use it a whole lot.
7. MEPIS – An English only distribution that is simple to install and works well.
8. CentOS – Release for release compatible with RHEL, without the propietary software.
9. Mint – I actually like this distro, but am running out of machines on which to install yet another distro.
10. Puppy – Puppy is growing up, and looking better.
11. Damn Small – An excellent distro for diagnosing problems, and for those really old computers.

There are over 300 distributions left.  I would review more distributions, but I have flat run out of computers on which to evaluate them. If you really want me to add your favorite distribution, just send me a laptop, for free, that has at least 512 megabytes of memory and 30 gigabytes of disk, and I will build another test machine.

Install vs. Live

The Live CD/DVD is great for those who wish to evaluate a distro, before installing it. On day-to-day usage basis, Live CDs or DVDs are slow, painfully slow. Distros such Puppy Linux and Damn Small Linux are designed to be run from a CD. When I evaluate them, I will discuss their good points and bad points. If you are not sure if a particular distro is going to work with your hardware, try the live version first. If it works, install the distro.

Where to Obtain

You can always download an ISO file and burn your own CD or DVD. I find this process too painful. Personally, I buy the CDs or DVDs from OSDisc.com. I like their service, and I always get my order in a few days. There are other souces, but I cannot vouch for anthing that I have tried. Except for Debian 5.0, you can stock up on a lot of distros for $25.