Hi

I know this is a question which has been answered time and time again, but I would like to hear your opinions on this.

Basically I have been doing Linux server administration for a little over 3 years, with commercial control panels and Virtualization such as Xen and Virtuozzo. All of this has been via CLI, so although I know linux, I know very little when it comes down to the Graphical side of things. Other than the basics.

I'm looking to run Linux on my desktop and want your opinions on the best distro for this. Having always used Windows on the desktop, I initially gave Ubuntu a try, but found that performance really wasn't upto scratch. The main thing here was the fact Firefox would take about 2 seconds to open. Whereas with windows I don't even see any loading.

What other alternatives are there for Linux on the Desktop. I don't mind getting my hands dirty if needed, but would prefer something which more or less "just works".

I have been considering Fedora but am unsure due to the fact it's more of a testing platform or BETA in my view than an actual stable OS.

Chris.

Well, if Ubuntu didn't float your boat, maybe Debian is worth a shot since Ubuntu is based on it. However, given your Linux background I would give Slackware a look. It probably doesn't "just work" to the extent that other distros do, but once you've got it configured and software installed, it is bullet proof. And since Slackware is probably the most CLI-friendly distro out there, you'll probably find it easier than most. I've been using it for my desktop for about three years now, and I couldn't ask for more.

Any program takes time to load - loading the Browser will take a few moments in any distribution.
It needs to gather its libraries from around the disk...
This also takes time in Windows - you just don't notice, because most of it is preloaded already when you boot/login.
You get to see the same effect in linux: close the browser - and re-open it ...almost instantly now