Dear Folks,

I am an Unix user, now i m going switch from unix to linux, so for my stand alone pc which Distribution will be good. can anybody help me out?

Thanks and Regards,
V.Anand,
Bangalore.

Since you've used Unix, you won't find it difficult to use any Linux distro. I'd recommend Ubuntu -- it's good for people new to Linux. Installation is very easy, and help is readily available through its vibrant community.

Agreed Ubuntu, it is the easiest to use IMO, I tried SUSE yesterday and couldn't believe the hoops I had to jump through just to play MP3 files compared to Ubuntu. Like I said just my opinion.

cart

Anything in the top 5-10 on the Distrowatch "hit list".

I advise OpenSUSE....
I don't know what kind of problems you have had with mp3, but for me works fine.
I don't have anything agaist Ubuntu, but since I started with Suse and it's ok, I don't wanna change it. I like working with YaST.
I used Fedora before I moved to OpenSUSE.

regards
Rafal
My weblog (only Polish version) - Linux SUSE, Systemy SAP i trochę innych rzeczy

If you want micro-managerial control over your computer, and ease of keeping-up-to-date, I recommend Gentoo. If you're looking for stability and ease of use, I recommend Kubuntu.

Hi Anand,

As you come from Unix world you won't have any problem with any distribution. So, the choice depends on which taste you prefer.
I'd recomend you to try the distribution mentioned here for you to find the one which fits your needs.
I my opinion Ubuntu and Open Suse are great distros. I personally use Debian. And I'm running some experiments moving people (average desktop users) from win to Kubuntu.
If you prefer to remain close to the *nix world may be you can take a glance at slackware.

Regards,
Matías

I recommend Ubuntu, either the standard Gnome or Kubuntu with KDE.
Note that whichever one you start with you can install the other easily and choose which one at startup.

Pros: It's very smooth, well documented, well supported on wikis and the forums. Support for non free codecs etc is high, as well as NVIDIA graphics cards etc. It is also as powerful as any Linux distro if you want to put the foot down on the pedal.

Cons: you may need to install a wider development environment than is setup as standard. If you want to compile from source then you'll find stuff uninstalled and have to select and install it using Synaptic or apt-get.
As default it doesn't have a separate /home partition. I'd choose custom partitioning and create a partition and set it as mounting to /home.. it makes upgrading or switching distros easier.

I installed OpenSUSE 10.3 last week and was saddened by how slow and how much hard work it was to get it working on my laptop.

Debian, Ubuntu, Suse, and right on down the Distrowatch list. Try em till you find one that works the way YOU like.. the rest of us will just keep recommending the Distro that is our own personal Favorite. Which is exactly why you should be using Debian Etch

No, no, you're mistaken...it's Cross Linux from Scratch that the OP should be using

This is the best way to go around getting a distro.

Since everyone else failed to mention Fedora I will.

I'm very happy with it's support community (most important part of a distro for users new to Linux) and I have had better luck with it than other distros. But like everone else has said, it's personal choice.

No one mentioned Slackware? It is the closest Linux distro to UNIX. Might feel more comfortable there...

You wont get a straight answer for this question. The answer will always come back to "Well, what do you want to use?" Take a look at the distributions that are out there are pick one of the major ones. Those will be more polished, easier to use, have fewer bugs, and be better supported in the community.

Ubuntu is currently popular (and it's siblings Kubuntu and Xubuntu). My current favorite is Debian. Suse and Red Hat's Fedora are also good choices. Slackware is generally considered for more advanced users, if you feel like getting some grease on your elbows.

Frankly, I'd spend a while and install several, perhaps one a week. Then decide which one you prefer. Be willing to change. I used to use Suse, I now use Debian.

This thread is so funny, everyone recommends their distro. Why not just make a poll: What distro do you use (recommend) ?

I say try a few distro choosing quizzes, at least they're more impartial. Try the one in my sig for example, it is one of the better ones.