#Looking for a linux distribution for a noob?
I guess that's a very wide angle approach but still... making a average between all the ups and downs witch is the best ?
the question should be answered as objectively as possible regarding: - performance (-graphic/ -processes/ -connectivity) - appearance (-smooth and clear display) - user friendly (-how easy was it to use for the first time, witch is the best for Linux noobs) I'm looking for a distribution that is easy to use without lacking performance and compatibility. Thank you in advance this could be good to guide new users from your own personal approach (like me :)) I've just started and seen some of the ups and downs and I see no reason why not to vote I enlisted the most active distributions in the forums I don't have the experience you all have... and it would be good for my judgment if you could all enlist the ones you like and explaining why and how dose it compare to others.. This I think will make this Thread more helpful for me and other new users (noobs) |
Sorry, that's a really daft question, it's just not possible to answer. since when did best mandate anything about ease of use of how clean the screen is? if you want a look over peoples favourites, then check distrowatch.org or read a few of the 100+ page long "megathread" at teh top of the distributions forum.
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OR--look at the recent "Member's choice" awards here at LQ.
I won't vote in this, but please note some glaring omissions: PCLinuxOS Arch |
It's a dead even tie between a hundred or so.
Maybe you could still change the poll to something useful like ... "What's the most idiotic poll question that could ever be asked?" |
yes,
it is hard to choose, but I made the pool work for multiple choice- so all can choose more if one isn't good at all, I was thinking even 3 answers if he thinks that there are different answers for the 3 main categories -performance -appeal -user friendliness |
Once you've experienced any Linux for the 1st time, it is hard to judge what other newbies are going to find intuitive. And just because it's easy for a newbie doesn't mean it's the best, it merely means it's the most dumbed down version that makes all the choices for you so you can be up and running quicker. That is good for some, while flexibility is good for others. But still we have to make a choice .... I choose Red Hat cause I like it. I doubt it is the best ever, but for what I need it works and that is what counts to me.
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In my opinion asking what is best linux distro ever is the same as asking same body with is the best car or if he or she married with wife or husband is the best. His or hers of course . I started using linux let say 20 year ago and at that I try slackware Red hat and after I while I go for suse Now I am retired and I go distro shopping again. And still I had to say good
old suse . It easy to use easy to keep it up to date. But of course I am also used to it Every distro has his own pro and contra But what the best for you with one meet you,re needs best all the best |
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And if there's one thing we don't need at LQ.org it's yet another unofficial popularity contest. |
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I'm not a native English speaker and I'm sorry for my grammar and low pace writing and odd expressions :) |
it isn't a popularity contest
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well please don't feel put off, but it's a very common thing for a new user to try to start a debate... and it's always the very same debate.
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Hi,
Simple enough question you asked, with a simple answer: The one _you_ like best. Personal preference plays a big part in this. I like as much control over my box as possible, which would make LFS (did not vote) 'the best ever' and ubuntu one of the lesser distro's? Not so if you look at the Members Choice Awards. Ubuntu is 'best', LFS isn't even in the list [Desktop Distro] or, looking at the Server Distro's: Debian best and LFS last. |
so Chris , what do you think is the most compatible ... and still have performance.. I want to be able to have 3d graphics for editors and mostly a system reliable , of course I've been using Windows (95, 98, 2000, XP) until now but I've seen it is unsafe, unreliable, but still it has the most developers. I'm looking for the things you find in XP but more safe reliable not hard to install and full of buggs, and has the most up to date drivers
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Well, I am not generally interested in compatibility, I am interested in reliability and performance and professional levels of support available. So my "best" would be very very different to yours I'm sure, as my needs are very very different. I would certainly never compare anything within my professional work with XP, I might as well compare with a potato or racing car for all the relevance that would have.
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I know that Linux is best for servers and programing... but I've seen development and in making it for personal use... and of course I'm interested in being able to do as much as possible with my computer and have it work at good efficiency ...
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ok.... I'll need to decide
I don't have the experience you all have... and it would be good for my judgment if you could all enlist the ones you like and explaining why and how dose it compair to others..
I think that would be best |
example
I voted for Ubuntu because:
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it has bugs and glitches especially on graphics but overall I decided on ubuntu (basically because I wanted to start the vote and it's the only one I know) |
I answered "Debian" even though I don't even use it right now (I use Ubuntu and gNewSense). The thing is that Debian spawned off all the very best distro out there, bar none (sorry RPM users, your distros suck: I know, I have used them for years before swithing from RPM-hell to APT-heaven). Debian is therefore *the* ultimate distro as it makes all the rest of them possible.
Of course, Debian is awesome in its own right, not just as a parent-distro. Cheers! Mamadu |
sidux, better yet Google or take a look at distrowatch.
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I vote for Microsoft Linux XP, but since that is not on the list, I'd go with my personal favorite of Red Hat because I am most familiar with it.
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Download some live CD's and try them, silly polls isn't going to help. IGF |
I voted for <insert distro name here>.
I used to be a distro hopper, but not any more. I've always had problems with <insert hardware here>, but after installing <insert distro name here>, it just worked! I've tried <insert another distro here> but had nothing but problems, I don't know why people keep using it. <insert distro here> is the distro hopper stopper! If this poll is to continue, expect a lot of replies to end up like the above. The problem is that even the best of linux distributions have certain problems with certain hardware. Ubuntu is very popular, for instance, and there is a very good reason for that. But what happens if you download Ubuntu, install it, and there are problems everwhere with your installation? Do you think that since the majority of people voted it to be the best, that every other linux distribution will do the same? Also, do you consider stability to be of the utmost importance, or is the latest and greatest in package selection more to your fancy? Do you mind venturing into the CLI to configure and fix things? How powerful is your hardware? Do you need 64-bit support? There are numerous questions that narrow down which distro would best suit you. Did you put any personal research into any of these distributions? The reason I ask this is because you have LFS on the poll, and then follow up by asking which would be best for a newbie. Did you actually look at the 2007 awards for best desktop distribution (the previous link I posted)? Not only is the poll almost exactly the same, but there are 15 pages of comments as to why people chose the distribution they did. And after all that, you'll still be at square one until you actually test them. If you're wondering why people are so reluctant to answer this poll, it's because this question is asked so many times, that all the new threads get merged into a 'Which Distro Megathread'. The answers are always opinions. Is Gnome better than KDE? DEB better than RPM? Or Source? All answers are opinions. You have to test them to find out what you like. |
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No Gentoo?
Ubuntu: Innovative, excellent community, huge repositories, constant updates
Debian: Ubuntu's dad, stable, wise, slow to adopt but always trustworthy Gentoo: Source distro that works! Stable, new, fun, great learning resource LFS: Similar to gentoo, but less useful on a day-to-day basis - Learning platform mostly |
Caldera rocks!!!
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Slackware, obviously.
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yay, let the pointless popularity contest begin! :rolleyes:
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I understood that the only way is to try them.... but I don't have that mutch time....
but with the advices made... I'll at least have a place to start... oh and one more question... what's the diferentce between Kubuntu and Ubuntu ? (regardeing ...Performance) |
One favorite tool is always the one they use and are most familiar with. There's a lot of subjectivity on this subject. I like Ubuntu because it works, 6 month cycle, great company/man behind it and great community supporting it. I also like that Ubuntu has the deal with Dell. I was a Suse user until 10.1 when they desided to release a version that wasn't fit for alpha. I don't mind a bit of tweaking but that was almost criminal. Being on Ubuntu since 6.04RC I've seen every release improve and even get faster.
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thanks... you all have been great for my guidence... I hope I didn't misspel that
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Why is this poll accidently posted to Ubuntu...it should be placed in Mandriva as soon as possible.
cheers |
In my opinion, the "best" distro is the next iteration of the one I currently use -- always.
Why? Because Linux is a dynamic and wonderful piece of work. The next one is always better. |
What kind of person keeps adding comments to a thread like this???
EEK--I just added a comment!!!! I'm now one of them ......;) Seriously, folks, this thread is really pointless. |
Aw come on now. Since when is a fairly flame-free conversation ever pointless :D !!
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I say read everybody's profile and see what distros their using...should give you an indication.
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where's gentoo?
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Tongue-in-cheek (where's the smiley for that?) answer w/ more than a grain of truth:
Quit your job, sell your house, & move to Houston (tx usa). Join HAL-PC & HLUG, attend my Wednesday Linux Workshop, suck up to me enough that I will mentor you, & use MEPIS - 6, 6.5, or 7, your choice. If I don't like you, move to The Woodlands, repeat the process w/ Evan, & use Ubuntu. If that doesn't work, then you're off to Pasadena/South Houston to Russell & Debian/Gentoo/LFS. My serious point here is that we tend to forget that direct, face-to-face human contact is still important even in the age of the 'Net. If you're lucky enough to have a local LUG, then join it. Then find a mentor -- someone you "click" w/ -- & use whatever s/he uses until you know enough to make an informed different choice. I've been on both sides of this & it works. (OT: FWIW, it works for skydiving too. :)) |
CentOS! You get the compatibility from Redhat and the ease of use (package management) from the other distros, while at the same time not being a totally daft OS like eg Ubuntu, OSX etc.
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Debian is the big winner !
Stable for production boxes, and Testing for leisure boxes... Even Sid for the adventurous ;) It runs on most architecture, it is truly the universal OS :) |
I think this has pretty much run it's course. For every distro there is at least one person running it. Add to which, you have a multiple choice poll - you want everyone to pick the one best distro but you make choosing all of them legitimate.
There is no best. The best is the one you are happiest using. For an "official" take on it, head over to the member awards forum and see the poll results there. |
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