Meh, I don't know.

There's been an awful lot of convergence in the past 10-15 years of desktop Linux. Redhat no longer gets special brownie points for its "kudzu" hardware autodetection utility and GUI installer, for example; mainline upstream kernels are less heavily patched than they used to be; udev, systemd and Freedesktop.org standards have streamlined desktop Linux in many ways, etc... the list goes on. And any attempts to create a desktop experience unique to a specific distro by "innovating" (read: reinventing the wheel) and not relying on an existing DE have failed miserably (Ubuntu/Unity: I'm looking in your direction).

I'm pretty sure if a neighbour or friend was interested in trying out Linux on the desktop, users are not going to want some Spiel about a grandiose holier-than-thou Stallmanesque philosophy on Free Software. What they will want is: an OS that is easy to install with a GUI and not a lot of technical jargon (buh-bye Slackware & Arch---you know I love you), GUI configuration tools, flashy features, 3rd party drivers and software to be included or to be easily installable, multimedia support end users on the desktop come to expect in this day and age, and so on and so forth. Again, the list goes on. For that reason, I'd probably land up recommending Mint, and so that's where my vote went.

This particular poll is titled "Desktop Distribution of the Year", so that can include the BSDs, etc, by what criteria (methodology) did you use to create this poll's choices list? Distrowatch's search reveals 178 (when I wrote this post) "desktop" distributions when only the 'Desktop' search criteria is selected. *head scratch*

Here's another good question, why is there no 'other' choice in the list?

No offence, but when creating a poll, you have to consider most or all possibilities. Especially for the fanboiz/gurlz that need an extra layer on their tinfoil hats, lol. ;D

I chose PCLinuxOS because Bill Reynolds is resisting systemd creep, that and it's so n00b friendly (for my customers), plenty of settings tools and 'wizards', great for Windhose refugees (that other OS that vacuums money from your wallet/purse). AAMOF, I just sold one of my old computers loaded with PCLinuxOS MATE, the new owner loves it.

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well man ... I adore u !!!

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I've used Debian Squeeze for 2006 if I remember right . And in eight years it's only now I'm getting some problems .BUT that's my fault .

I like trisquel too . but don't use it that often.

Slackware

Slackware: my one and only true love...

with all due respect...WHY isn not listed BSD variants or at least freeBSD ???

I'm pretty sure that the distributions selected are based off what others voted for the year prior. If you wish to vote for a different distro, just mention it, and Jeremy usually adds it.
The same goes for all the other Members choice polls.

As we've said previously, while the various BSD's are high quality projects we don't plan to include them in this poll, which is for choosing the Linux Distribution of the Year at LinuxQuestions.org.

--jeremy

We do use nominees that received at least one vote the previous year as a base, but then do additional research for each category. We also post all nominees before the polls open, so that members have time to post additions and corrections. We're also open to suggestions during the voting as well.

--jeremy

That is a coincidence... Slack, Mint and Ubuntu all exactly 202 votes. I wonder what the probability is of this happening.

jlinkels

While we've had a couple ties in the past, I'll admit I was a bit surprised to see the results here. It was in the handful of polls I was watching very closely around the time the polls were due to close and there were a few ways it could have ended right up to the finish time.

--jeremy

slackware! slackware! slackware!

Gentoo