And that's the beauty of Linux- if one doesn't work, try another. Plenty to choose from (that's for sure!)

However, my experience was the opposite- Ubuntu & Kubuntu 6.06 were the only ones I tried that would work on my PIII & P4 (respectively) in Sept. 2006. I wasn't surprised that they were faster than Win98 & XP, but I was amazed at how much faster. Even more surprisingly, the 8.04 versions are even faster yet. But one can't touch PuppyLinux- it's in a class by itself. (BTW- Puppy didn't work for me until v4.20.)

I did try PCLinuxOS, Mepis, Fedora, CentOS, Sidux, and a few others (too many to try to recall at 5:00 AM). Some froze while booting the CD or during installation, some installed but then wouldn't boot, and a couple more booted, but part of my hardware didn't work, even though it was detected properly and the same drivers were loaded that works with the 'buntu family.

So, I too have stuck with what works. I'm just happy to be free from Windows.

Cheers

[B]The best Linux distribution is Windows XP[B]

I have been a Windows XP user for many years. I will probably stick with it for a while longer.

Here is my take on Linux in general:
I believe that an open source OS is great. What I like is that it increases access of potential users to computers, even if they have widely differing hardware configurations. I, however, feel that there are certain things Windows XP or 7 does better.

1. The user interface is more powerful and can be configured as much as in any Linux distribution. For example, Windows 7 now has jump lists, transparent windows, thumbnails of open applications etc. It is safe to say that the main improvements over XP is in user interface.

2. Certain configuration functions can be accessed without needing a command line. Even downloading and installing new drivers can use the Control Panel GUI only.

3. Users explore computers in different ways. Not everyone wants to create new distributions. Some people like myself enjoy finding and installing new software, in a way not pre-defined from a list. From what I have gathered this is not always easy with Linux.

4. Better power applications like Windows Access.

I believe that the distributions that work on the user interface, developing power applications that are as or more effective than Windows, and that work on ways for users to download and install new software more easily will enjoy the most success. That is why Ubuntu is most popular. Development in these directions is also a great opportunity for budding programmers.

It seems a little stupid to me to come on a Linux forum, and speak about windoze to people who clearly RAN from windoze because of disliking it. This thread was, and is for voting for the best LINUX distribution, not for singing the praises of an operating system most of us hate with a passion. And I would not pay one more cent to Bill Gates if every other system on this planet disappeared tomorrow. I would simply toss my pc aside, and stop using one. THAT, is how much I hate windoze.

No biggy. Mostly I use debian, didn't like the way it boots so I changed it, try that in windows. Also I dont like the direction Debian is going, so started playing with Slackware, rock solid but I dont like Kde. So still looking. If you dont like Windows were else ya gonna go? OS X? ready to buy a new computer? Had to pay bigtime for windows for my wife computers(i.e. 95, 98, 98SE and XP). Not so with Gnu/Linux. Oh well, some people are born to explore and Linux let me do that.

Nah, doesn't meet the necessary criteria for FOSS.

One can find reason for using Windows if they try hard enough, and if that's what you want, that's fine. Nobody's trying to force you either way, if only because MS isn't allowed.

Cheers

Ahhh....I would certainly have agreed to it if you could say that better OS crash more to be on safer side. If only thats what your criterion is.

But not all of LQ users ran away from Windows. A lot of them are (based on the posts they write) actually using Windows, if not as their main OS (at that moment or some other), then along with their other operating systems such as GNU/Linux. I don't exactly love Windows, but I do use it at times, for various reasons.

Exactly. Desktop Distribution of the Year is "I hate windoze". Dope.

Hear Hear!!! Windows doesn't exactly inspire our confidence, but often we work in an environment that for whatever reason has adopted windows. In my situation, windows is used as an app server and as an authentication server. Though I'm not happy about it, it is the way it is, so long as the software vendors keep staying away for linux.

I guess I'm just stupid then, because I would have sworn this site was called "LINUX questions.org".
Why don't the windoze users start their own, and call it Windoze questions.org?
I don't give a rip if people want to throw their money in a never ending toilet and flush until they pass from this earth, this isn't the place to discuss it, if the name means anything at all.

linuxchallenger (et al.), the purpose of this thread is to discuss the desktop distribution of the year and related topics. Please stay on topic.

--jeremy

I can dispute most of the points you make, one by one. I used to love Windoze just like you, but after major crashes and a full letter lower grade in college when I lost my final paper, I now never use windows unless paid very well to do so, and even then, I mutter under my breath.

1. Jump lists, thumbnails, I've been using Beryl window manager for 2 years. It has many more features than that.

2. As I currently stay in the Debian/Ubuntu vein, all of my driver needs can be taken care of with one application-Synaptic. It is gui based with access to tens of thousands of applications with only that pointy clicky thing windows users can't live without, the mouse. All of my configuration is done in the "system" menu of Gnome which I love. I once went three weeks without opening a terminal. I opened it and remembered why, oh yeah, its really faster than pointy-clicky things.

3. If I feel like it, it takes me 10 minutes to compile a program from source usually, some take longer. There are tens of thousands of programs in a list, and out of it.

4. The fourth point is a subjective comment. I won't respond.

5. I haven't had a virus since 2004. End of story.

I use Mepis 8 on my laptop-prior to that I used Xandros OCE 4.5.

Here are the only exceptions to why I use WinXP on VBox:

1.) ApproveIt with Pureedge to digitally sign forms. Until Wine has better USB support, this is the only way to do this for Army forms. I can read xfdl files with Pureedge under Wine, but I need to run VBox with WinXP to sign them. Ironically, I can sign OpenOffice documents under Linux with my CAC card and the Coolkey package. I have been in discussions with IBM, bought out Pureedge, and they will not make a Linux version of Lotus Forms Viewer (read/sign xfdl files)


2.) Using my scanner, Umax Astra 4400, which is still not supported under SANE.

However, the scanners at work were a piece of cake to use as was the HP 4005! (Worked right away) Not so easy for the WinXP/Vista folks.

James

I have to say that ubuntu is easy to use and for that reason it quick. I mean it's so easy to install software and configure settings all the menus are well organised.

Since I retired, over a year ago, I only use Linux. I tried several distros and settled on Mepis. Since then, my wife actually let me set her up to dual boot (XP & Mepis) and I showed her she could get and see her email in either OS. She just told me last week, that she now rarely uses MS because Mepis comes up so much quicker.