I have already written about my other two favorites, antiX (fast) and SimplyMEPIS (stable). Now let me tell you about sidux. It is also a fast system, but it is the cutting edge packages from the Debian Sid repositories that typify and characterize this system.

What sets sidux apart from Debian Sid, though, and from any other system that I know is the manner in which sidux uses technology to manage the instabilities found in the Sid packaging repositories. There is a task bar tool...

I use a couple of different distributions for various reasons, and I test out a lot of others as time permits. Three of the distributions stay on my systems all the time.

The one that I keep on my systems as a stable desktop system is SimplyMEPIS. Whether it is an old release, the current release, or the latest Beta test version, implementations of SimplyMEPIS just work. I like it so much that I buy something from the MEPIS store at least once a year, more often if I can, just...

If you want a system that can run either as a Live CD or installed to USB or hard drive, and you want it to be both fast and flexible, I cannot think of a better system to use than antiX. I recommend it highly.

Read about it at MEPIS Lovers or at the antiX-forum.

sidux 2008-03 has been an excellent release in the third quarter of this year. I wonder what Q4 will bring to sidux 2008-04? Last year, we got a 2007-04 and a 2007-04.5 Christmas Edition. Will we see that again? Great software, this is my daily default desktop system, cutting edge, fast, flexible, yet surprisingly solid.

Nevertheless, I have an extremely solid desktop system to back up sidux, the always stable (even in TEST form!) SimplyMEPIS. I have 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, and now the...

I have preferred Debian based distributions for several years now. During 2008, two of them have really stood out for me, not for newbie appeal, but for a combination of simplicity, speed, great administration tools, and configurability.

My favorites this year are sidux and antiX.

sidux is what I call Debian Sid on steroids and mood stabilizers. Sid always has some of the most current software available, but occasionally the package versions get out of sync or create...