Can anyone give me a list over the best FREE linux versions...like "lindows","Red Hat" and "GNU".??

lindows and the word best shouldn't be in the same sentence... also, it's not lindows anymore, it's linspire, and it still sucks...

GNU isn't a distro, it's the project of the free software foundation that was the basis for gnu/linux systems... linux is only a kernel, when you join the linux kernel with the gnu tools, you get a complete unix-like operating system called gnu/linux... distros are different "flavors" of this gnu/linux system... and usually we refer to gnu/linux simply as "linux"...

the main linux distros are (in no particular order): red hat enterprise, slackware, debian, fedora, suse, gentoo, mandrake, turbolinux, and knoppix...

none of them is the best, there's no such thing... it's just a matter of which one you like the most...

personally, i like Slackware...

if you wanna see all the main distros (there's PLENTY) and get reviews and stuff, check-out this site:

http://www.distrowatch.com


good luck...

If you're new, why not try:

Mandrake
or
SuSE

Both free, and both easy to learn whilst not being crippled (like Lindows et al.)

If you're migrating, try Knoppix first. Amazing distro that won't touch the HDD so you can try out Linux w/the security of reverting to your old OS.

Regards,

zakaluka.

I would try Mandrake as it is easy to install and use, and it`s hardware detection is excellent. It is good if you are new because virtually everything can be done in the graphical environment.

Mandrake is pretty slow, though, so once you get the hang of Linux, get Slackware (I'm downloading it myself).

And the only major distro without a commercial background
is debian ... http://www.debian.org

My personal favourite is Slack, though :}


Cheers,
Tink

im a fan of RedHat (not Fedora Core though) and WhiteBox. WhiteBox is the RedHat Enterprise for FREE.

i have messed around a very little bit with SuSe 9.1 personal, but did not like the feel of it, nor the way it delt with dependancies and didnt install half of what i needed, wanted, expected a linux distro to have including lynx, gcc libs, gnome, and several other items.

ManDrake just runs dog snails slow compaired to the Redhat line of OSs. slack is very nice, and i have yet ot be successful getting Debian up and running.

I've seen a few distros, made actual comparisons of
RH, MDK and Slack on the same system (not at the
same time, obviously) and RH was by FAR the slowest
of the three ... I can't understand what may have given
you the impression DeadRat is fast. Never was since the
early 6 releases ...


Cheers,
Tink

After pulling my hair out over dependencies, I went from RedHat to Debian.

You just "apt-get install whatever". I love it.

another vote for debian,,but use the nice linux26 boot option for a crisp 2.6.7 kernel....

do a search on this site for it, or at distrowatch.com

Has apt-get. Easier to install than knoppix.

uuh... what is the best car?
it depends on what you want to do with.
if you just want to have an OS as a *base* for applications that you want to work with very day, then choose an distro where you can get quick help (maybe fom your friends/collegues or from the guru in the neighborhood).
If you want to figure out how linux "works" - in this case you can take any distro you can get.

There are several threads here: "what is the best XYZ?"
Without additional explanation what XYZ shoud do, there is no hope for a good answer...

For example. What is the best free linux to use as a firewall, router?

IMHO - smoothwall

What is the best free linux to use on the desktop if you want to run games and office and it has to be really easy and stuff....

Mandrake maybe. Unless you really like Ford.

etc.

another vote for knoppix or any other debian flavor.
apt-get rocks.