I had moved to linux from Windows in mid-2008.(I had my first PC in 2005 and I didn't knew how to install a simple software on it). I've come a long way from then since. Now I know a handfull of shell commands, can find my way around linux, know a thing or two about programing in C, I can write fine(If not good) games in python. But ever since 2008 i'm using ubuntu, and It has taught me alot but now I was thinking that should I move on to another distribution that could teach me more,(As ubuntu is cited as the most user friendly), Or stick with ubuntu abit longer? I know that no one can answer this for me, But what i want is to somehow evaluate the level of my knowledge and then proceed acordingly.

To put it in a more simple manner; I wanna know weather I'm experianced enough or not, to move past the user-friendly distros?

Regards!

I'd suggest sticking with Ubuntu, but trying to do more and more on the command line and poking under the hood a bit more (e.g., can you figure out how to use the command line to change which services start at system boot?). It really depends on what you want to do, though. Are you looking to get into server administration. become a better programmer, or gain more confidence with using Linux as a desktop OS?

There's no harm in trying/installing a few distros. For the first year of my using Linux I think I had 2-3 distros installed on my computer as I wasn't sure which one I like best. If you're comfortable with Ubuntu, try Debian first. If you're more advantageous, go for Slackware or eg.Arch.

If you're a programmer (C/Python), I don't think it's going to be very challenging for you to try more command-line based distros.

Well I'm not into server administration. I definantly want to do the other two things, as I am a rookie programmer, I still have to keep a couple of books and a journal nearby when I am writing code.
I also want to gain a more know-how on using linux, because most of the time I don't tell people what OS i am running because I know if they ran into some problem trying it, I won't be able to sort it out.
One of the main reasons I'm thinking too much is because I know I will gonna run into some trouble when I'll make a switch, I started off with mandriva & I couldn't update my repositories because I was on a LAN that was running Windows Server, and It took me an eternity to discover. (I wasn't able to resolve it till I switched the ISP). Then I switched to Ubuntu and with every new release I run into a new issue (Drivers being the major hradache). This is one of the reasons I'm still on 10.10.

I say go for it.

I started with Slackware, quite by chance. I'm glad it did. It's nowhere nearly so difficult as its reputation among folks who haven't used it would indicate, gives you a full-featured install out of the box, and, when you get ready to tinker, is a darn good teacher with a supportive community.

Considering you use Ubuntu 10.10 and are used to it why don't you give yourself a challenge and install Debian with MATE. You may come across issues with firmware because Debian doesn't have contrib or non-free set by default but if you do some preperation before the install you can have the appropriate firmware ready and waiting to install.

MATE is a fork of the old Gnome 2.32 (same as was in Ubuntu 10.10) without all the bloatware of Gnome2. The advantage, long term, of doing this is you get to keep all your current settings and it should, note I said should I make no promises that it will, basically be an install and forget affair.

If this interests you may I suggest you check out the MATE forums.

Quote:

I started off with mandriva & I couldn't update my repositories because I was on a LAN that was running Windows Server, and It took me an eternity to discover. (I wasn't able to resolve it till I switched the ISP). Then I switched to Ubuntu and with every new release I run into a new issue (Drivers being the major hradache).

That's normal experience; and because that's normal I wish to invite you to more headaches! for by pain shall thy growth increase; and by much labor in knowledge thy wisdom groweth.

Since you have grown more than enough wings under Ubuntu right now I should say you are better off equipped to start Slackware 14 than I was when I started earlier versions. I started Gnu/Linux with Ubuntu and Mint, but since I did not believe so much in the way I needed much time to uncover the hidden things for the sake of COMPLETE control of the system I moved to Slackware... and then more headaches began, since I have to cut off some ubuntism habit in me, particularly "dependence on repositories" there was no Slackbuilds.org yet and no Salix sourcery: every package was done manually and dependencies settled by hand --it was cumbersome for one who came by road of ubuntu, but the mastery and education gained from the exercise was immense. My Gnu/Linux exposure came with Ubuntu; but knowledge about the system was gained through Slackware. If you find it difficult to give up dependence to repositories you can still use, experiment, or dissect Slackware system by installing Salix OS, the best and well tuned up Slackware sub-distro.

Hope that helps.

Goodluck.

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