okay, I am fairly new to Linux, but I would say that I am an advanced MS user. My question is this. Linux is WAY more stable, user friendly, secure, I could go on and on, than any version of windows. However, all the different distributions of Linux seem to be actually hurting the operating system rather than helping it. The way I see things, if all the talented individuals who use and upgrade the various Linux distributions would get together, find the best base for the OS, take all of the various distros and combine what each one is good at into one functional, easy to use os, Linux could kick the crap out of windows and Mac OSx combined. So why not instead of Ubuntu, Redhat, Debian ect, just everybody focus on 1 Linux? Instead of different operating systems that are better for one task than the other, why not have different applications that apply to the individual users needs?

It can be confusing with debian zealots doing one thing about redhat users doing another and no one caring either way what slackware users think about anything, but competition drives innovation, and whilst you can see that competition in other places like Windows or OSX or whatever, the finer points can really be explored and compared and contrasted really well by having different implementations of pretty much everythign in the operating system stack. There's undeniably an element of pointless fragmentation at many many levels but to have at least 3 highly influential distros is great for pushing things forwards.

You've heard the old saying: variety is the spice of life?
Aaaaw! Nobody loves us!

Reda01, this is not your thread, why did you ask a question here? Please pay more attention to where you are posting someone should move your post to it's own thread soon.

First problem: You will not find the best base for the OS. What will you take? The Red Hat people will say it is Red Hat, the Debianites would think different, and I would say it is Slackware. And all of them are right.

Wouldn't that be boring ? That sounds like: Put all your favorite meals together, and it will fit for everyone. But it will not.

The real problem (is it really a problem?) is that it is hard to find more than two Linux users that prefer the same applications on the same OS. And that is a good thing. Linux is all about choice. If there would be only one distro, the way my Linux works would be forced on me. Why should I use Linux then (besides the FOSS thinking), it would be not better than MacOS X or Windows. I want my OS to work exactly the way I think is best for me.
The way it works best for me is a decision I have to make, not a bunch of developers. It can be confusing at first, but you will get the point if you use Linux for a while. For example, I, as most people nowadays, started my Linux experience with Ubuntu. After using it for a while I recognized that the way it works and the plans that were made for it's future were not what I wanted. So I changed to Debian, and it was fun. After using that some time, I abandoned Windows totally and used Arch alongside Debian as my gaming OS. Than I got curious about Slackware, gave it a try (in fact two tries), and now all my systems are running Slackware, because I feel that Slackware is the OS that I want.

As said before, it is all a matter of choice. Try it, and you will enjoy that fact.

Ah, Slackware. My first distro. I installed it July 1995 from a CD in the back of Patrick Volkerding's book "Linux Configuration and installation" (ISBN 1-55828-426-5). (Actually, Patrick, Kevin Reichard and Eric F. Johnson.) I still have a soft spot in my heart for Slackware, but I don't have the slightest idea how to do anything, I mean anything, in it.

Since I am most familiar with Fedora/RH/CentOS, I DEMAND that all Debian and other afficionados convert. Furthermore, for this to work Red Hat must buy back all of its stock and convert to a not-for-profit corporation. I await your reply.

No. Seriously, I don't await your reply. I like Ubuntu on my little HP netbook, the Acer laptop that the grandkids use, and on the Sheeva Plug I use as a print server; my son's company likes Debian on their hundreds (maybe a thousand?) of systems; and I think Red Hat works extremely well on the 600+ RHEL systems that I help support. And I'm writing this from my MacBook Pro, which I wouldn't trade for anything.

And what about the imbedded crowd? There is a surprising large number of them that we rarely hear from.

It's all the same kernel (Linux); it's the GNU/Linux part that has the wide variety. And like brianL said... "Variety is...".

I'd hate to see any of the distros go away (or Mac OS X either).

Hi,

Done! Moved post to Programming: Script Problem

Hi,

Variety hurts no one! At least the Kernel amongst all is common. If a newbie needs to align with something that is so closed and suggest we(Gnu/Linux) do the same then why even shift from Microsoft?

Gnu/Linux is used in places that Microsoft couldn't/wouldn't/shouldn't even try because failure is certain. Gnu/Linux is used in varied places by knowledgeable people that do not need steering or directives by big brother therefore variety suits the masses that are drawn to utilize. Even the hold your hand distributions surpass.

If it ain't broke,Don't fix it! Variety is the spice of life.

Think about the places you can find Linux:
- all computers in French police stations
- computer labs in South African schools
- all computers at CERN
- servers at ISPs
- most supercomputers
- communications satelites
- smart-phones
- arcade games machines

How can one distro be suitable for all these? Even if you confine the discussion to PCs, you have home PCs and office PCs, 21" monitors and 9" netbooks, people who like eye-candy and people who like simplicity (like http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/7168/desktopoq.png). Personal Computers should be personal.

This type of post is pretty common from new Linux users. It's like saying the worlds car manufacturers should stop producing all the variety of cars and join together to create the one "Super Car" that will serve all functions and everyone will love. It's an unrealistic goal. I personally have no interest in kitchen sink desktop environments, dependency checking, GUI file managers and automounting daemons, so my "Super Linux" would be basically unusable for a large portion of the current Linux user base. Different people use Linux in completely different ways (even as their primary computer), so it's just not possible to make everyone happy with a one size fits all distribution.

Actually, you have to look under the hood to understand the subtleties:

- The "base" system, what you get when you run in single user mode, is the same on all linux systems (across all architectures?). This means kernel + util-linux + shell.

- The GUI (X11 + DE) is also the same.

So what's different?

- Package selection
- Package management system
- Artwork
- Custom configuration tools
- Dedicated user base who insist theirs is better in some way than yours.

On a purely technical level, Linux is Linux, be it Redhat or Debian or some other. You can turn and twist one to make it into another.

I like KDE. Lots of other people like Gnome. Some other people like XFCE. Still others prefer to have no DE whatsoever, making do with only a simple window manager. Can they all be combined into one "super DE"?

I like APT. Lots of other people like RPM. Some other people like Pacman. Still others prefer to have no package management whatsoever, making do by compiling from source. Can they all be combined into one "super package manager"?

Ice cream is good. Bacon is good. Chips and salsa is good. Mix them all together and you get the best meal ever!
Not!

This type of thread is like them crop circles - one pops up every now and then, but there is no clear answer. To each his own is what I say.

Apart from crop circles having totally clear answers...

One Windows is one reason I use Linux. There is a whole bunch of Linux flavors to choose from. Me I prefer one flavor, even that one flavor has sub-flavors. I doubt you will get a consensus on 1 Linux anyway, unless it happens to be in my favorite flavor. Then it might get my vote.