Which distro would be best???
 

I am close to making the switch from Windows to Linux because of its great security and stability. I've also been having some problems with windows that really dont feel like messing with. I was wondering about what distro might be best for me. I mostly use the Internet, code Java, play games, listen to music, watch movies and recently got into game system emulators. Also I have a Belkin wireless internet adapter that is usb, so im not sure if that will pose a problem or not...

:) thx for the help

This questions gets asked a lot, so please use the search function to find previous discussions. As for which distro, try a few and choose the one you like best. You can start off by trying a few live discs such as Knoppix and PCLinuxOS.

So by what was said, I'm assuming that I am to get debian and not the stable version because it is outdated? Should I get the tested version then since I dont think I'd be ready for the unstable version? Sorry about all the questions but I'd like to know that it would be a distro I could stay with and use for a long time. About knoppix, ive used it before and really liked it, but i've heard that its not as good on the hd as it is on live cd.

I think Debian would be a very good start. Even the "unstable" version is pretty stable. When they use those terms, they are talking about it from the standpoint of commercial server administrators who run production systems that can't afford downtime. For a home or hobbyist user, unstable beats the $hit out of Windows with auto crashdate enabled. ;)

I started with an "unstable" base system and the 2.6+ kernel and then selected packages from testing and stable, and didn't have any problems at all. If you are concerned, then simply choose stable and start your system from there. Add pieces from whatever release level you want, check them out, and if they don't work, back off one level and try what's there. It's easy to do once you get past the package management learning curve.

Did you see this post by a guy with similar situation?

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...d.php?t=432169

If you liked knoppix but are worried that it might cause problems if installed to HDD, then why not go for kanotix instead ? It's apparently, a more "polished" version of knoppix, but directed toward HDD installation. Plus it uses more "proper" debian repositories, is quite up to date and if you're not sure, you can just run it up as a "live" CD version first.

regards

John

Slackware. A distro for a newbie and a experienced user. Stable and easy to install. Only downside is the packagemanagement and you need to do all by yourself. There are some tools but, trust me, those only break the system.

You **should** ignore ALL previous advice and simply get Ubuntu.
You also should **not** take as gospel the advice you get here....
Are you confused yet??

My point is simply this: If you go to distrowatch and pick anything in their "most popular" list, you cannot go wrong. Start with a free one so that you don't lose any money while getting up to speed.

After trying one or more of the bazillion options, you'll be in a much better position to see what works for you.

more than 600 tiltles with this question already asked and the answer is: any recent linux

pixellany said it best.
Most distros come with the same software anyway, and anything else you need can be downloaded.

But having said that, I still suggest SuSE! :D

And I still say Ubuntu----So there!!!

OP--don't listen to either one of us.....;)

To choose which distro is right for you, simply google "linux chooser". There are several sites for this. I'd reccommend using at least 3 or more of them and choosing by consensus (the majority of reccommendations).
I'm using Fedora but Ubuntu could have worked, too. The switch from windows can be accomplished with thought and determination.

Whats your level of linux experience?

I would recommend Slackware but thats me.

If you want advice, choose a linux distro that has a good package managment system and that is not bloated.

The way that I see it is that advanced users that would be able to handle Slackware wouldn't ask this question. Nobody should use Slackware unless they know that they're doing.

I've seen too many questions from newbies running into trouble because somebody told them <Slackware, Gentoo, ...> is the best distro for everyone.

Ubuntu is a nice allround distro, that would be my recommendation.

Maybe everyone should use Slackware until they know what they're doing.... :p