hi,
i am a desktop user. i want to know which would be the best
linux for me. i just do browsing and multimedia and programming
mainly on matlab.

in those terms probably doesn't make much difference which you use. you can install multimedia support on any distro, re matlab I don't know if they provide rpm or deb binaries or source but if that's important then check out what they provide, i.e. if they offer suse rpms use suse, if they offer debs use debian or derivative , if they offer source use anything you like. Maybe your choice should be informed more by the hardware you have, not the brands but the spec, if you have a dual core + multiple GB RAM then you can run anything fast, if you have PIII or duron or celeron you might want to look at distros other than fedora, suse, ubuntu and at something lighter, or maybe even try something like Arch or Slackware which demand more of you to make the install and initial set up but let you trim out all the fat and get it just how you want. This can be time consuming and may seem difficult if you're new to using Linux or don't like reading docs. If you have some experience and/or like learning stuff then it might prove very interesting and rewarding. Probably best thing is to download a few distros and try them out. Good live+installable distros might include Mepis, antiX, Zenwalk, Ubuntu, PCLinuxOS, openSuse + lots of others but those would give you a taste of the various flavours and are all pretty easy to use.

The best version of Linux (for you) is often simply the last one you try. Pick anything in the top five on the "members choice" awards here at LQ----or on the "hit list" at http://distrowatch.com

If you want the best, you must keep trying until you find it. distrowatch is a good place to see all distributions, do note that just because something is popular doesn't mean it's good, it just means it has greater appeal with the plebeians.

I agree...what might be good for me might suck to you. Just try a few out and see what you like...

-C

In my own opinion ... my Linux is the best one.

Hmm, how did that sound ?

I think there is too much emphasis with the different "versions" of Linux ... or is it different "distro's" of Linux ... or is it different "kernels" of Linux ...

Should the first page on the LQ be "What is Linux" ?

Imagine a world where everybody looks the same. Now, then, as a logical assumption,

your significant other too,
would look like me,
who looks like you.

Is that something you'd want? Everything to be the same ?

There is just one Linux, and that is, well, the Linux kernel. You could, in fact, use just the Linux kernel with a shell, or if you're really smart, just the Linux kernel ( all you have to do is to edit the init/main.c file and tell it what it is that you want to run, and put that in the initrd image )

Or, you could use a distro, whichever suits you best.

This is one of the oldest and IMO, most misguided, reasonings which state that having freedom of choice and having multiple choices is a good thing to have. The primary fallacy is that users new to Linux come along, not too unlike the fellow who started this thread, and they find too many choices to choose from so they really don't know what to choose. The best advice that Linux veterans typically give is to pick any popular distribution and start from there.

Think of the little kid going to a candy store for the first time, and the kid's parents says that on this trip, the kid can only choose one piece/kind of candy. It would be a tough choice, right?

In some ways, it makes me wish we only had one de facto standard Linux distribution for users new to Linux. It's in the spirit of what Henry Ford said (paraphrased): You can have a Model T in any color, so long as it's black.

bad car analogy number 20098765498324561 and counting

and anyway what if that single all conquering distro was Linspire? Xandros? Gentoo? ha ha

You were obviously totally oblivious to the fact that I didn't use the car example to actually compare it to anything. Rather, I used it as a way to express wishful thinking/hoping of something which doesn't currently exist.

In my mind, I doubt Linux will ever have a de facto standard distribution for users new to Linux because there is no agreement in the community what this means, how to provide it, and who will provide it.

Well then, I think there are far too many music bands and I think to not confuse newbies to the music industry I think we should only have one defacto band

I also think that there are far too many different types of cars, and I think not to confuse newbies to cars, we should have only have on defacto car