I'm just wondering which distros Linux gurus tend to use. I'm talking about Linux users who have been using Linux for twenty years or more, for example.

Often the same as everyone else. While I don't consider myself a guru, I've been using Linux for nearly 25 years, it is my primary OS. I use Debian, OpenSUSE Tumbleweed, EndeavourOS (Arch but with a good installer), and I keep 1 machine running KDE Neon.

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Professionally my company uses Suse/Opensuse, Red Hat, and a number of embedded and some real time versions. Even uLinux, the more I think the more I can find. Kinda shocked me that they deploy a system with Clonezilla.

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I've been using Linux full time since 1999, but I'm just an ordinary user, my choice, after trying out many distros originally, was Debian, but since systemd, (which I personally dislike, as it's not the 'unix way' of doing things), I now use Devuan as my main system.

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Slackware.

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The one that works the best for you, based on your criteria.

Rolling release/point release,
Binary packages/source packages distro,
Age of software in the repos, size of the repos, type of software available,
A little dated but stable software vs latest software,
The package manager and update system/mechanism that it uses,
The wiki, docs, and forum support available for it,
System tools and compilers available for it,
Systemd/not systemd,
etc.

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Often it's just a matter of what you started using first and became used to. I've been using Linux since 1995, and have mostly settled on Debian or Debian-derived distros, but have tried many others. I'm just comfortable with the Debian way of doing things, but others who might have worked with Red Hat back in the day might be more comfortable today with Fedora or Rocky, for example.

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I'm hardly a Linux guru, but I lean towards stable over bleeding edge. My go-to distros are Debian Sid, Slackware, and Mageia. I do use Ubuntu MATE on one box, but it's an LTS.

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It's interesting to hear Linus Torvalds (he is one Linux guru) thoughts about Linux distributions, the video is at a Debian conference in 2014.

https://youtu.be/5PmHRSeA2c8?t=83

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Basically, one which stays out of his way, allows him to run "make install" and allows for quick & easy maintenance for him and his family. Sounds like Slackware to me.

Always remember this though: Linus is a shareholder in RedHat. He was gifted a large parcel (IIRC it was $10m) of shares at their IPO. I'm not saying that would necessarily cloud his judgement, but it could be construed that there may exist commercial reasons for him to maybe make certain comments.

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Different people have different uses and this will influence their decisions. Are they programmers? Are they system admins, etc etc.
Just something to think about. Many advanced and experienced Linux users actually only use it when they only need to. Others really appreciate it and prefer to use it as desktop system too.

I definitely do not consider myself a guru. I am a heavy GUI user. I know a little beyond a novice and that's about it.I've been using GNU/Linux for 13 years. Because of that, I won't say my preference. I think the points i mentioned are the most relevant however.

While doing a degree back in 2000, we were introduced to Linux and it was Redhat.
Every geek were hooked to the linux way.

I found RedHat wasn't to my liking, tried a few and happily ended up with Debian.
That ended when Debian bowed to RedHat and introduced the train wreck that is systemd.

Tried Slackware and was hooked again.
It is very stable, and adheres to the Unix Philosophy.

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I was on some chat with a bunch of Linux gurus - or at least professed gurus - some years back, and when I said that I used KDE Neon, they scoffed. Then they rambled off a bunch of distros that they use that I'd never heard of at the time. Don't remember what they were.

I was just curious if people gravitated towards a certain distro with time. Doesn't really look like it...

I think most people who use Linux, find one distro that they like, & learn it as best they can.

This process may take some time, but eventually, you find the right one for yourself.

Some people use Kali, but haven't a clue why, other than they 'heard' it's used by gurus....

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I started my pcs with Linux in the 1990s after contracting the CIH virus in windows. One pc was for me to do work stuff and was dual boot; one for my kids, and the CIH virus dcc'ed itself over irc. I found CIH on April 23rd, 3 days before it overwrote the BIOS on my 2 pcs! That started me on linux for internet.

If you use a package distro (Most of them), and somebody hasn't built the package, you're dead in the water. If you compile, and run 'make install' you get about 2-3 years before library conflicts start.

Slackware is an exception, because making packages is easy. You can upgrade them, downgrade them, and nothing tells you that you can't. So you can remove essentials and break your system (like I have). People will tell you you're a twit, but you can fix it too. You can rip components out and put in others. There is hassle sometimes with big graphical packages (Invesalius, Freecad, openshot) and things where the the source is woefully incomplete.

I found promoting myself to slackware made me learn my system, & learn my config files.

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