You won't see how good a distro is going by those polls. As much as I'd like Slackware to win, these are just popularity contests, which may (or may not) have little to do with a distro's real qualities.

I really want to try Slackware, but the fact that the default package management system does not track and install dependencies is kind of a letdown. Or maybe I'm just not l33t enough to keep a Slackware based system from crashing :D Anyway, when I get enough free time, I'm going to do my best to learn how to use it. For now, I'm sticking with Arch (netbook) and Linux Mint (family computer).

The thing is that you won't need to track dependencies much. If you do a full Slackware install, you'll already have a lot of them installed. Furthermore, there is sbopkg and its queues

I've tried Arch a few times and to be honest I had to spend more time configuring it than Slackware.

Bummer that emergency had me out of town and away from Internet access. Got back 1 day too late to vote.... Oh well, there's always next year.

Kool-Aid - Hale Bop!
 

Yeah, we missed the destop distro by two votes, and that's pretty phenomenal when one considers that Slackware is 100% grassroots - unlike the big money staffed canonical.

All I can really say for all the misguided ubuntu fans is....

"Kool-Aid", "Hale Bop".

I don't really have a problem with deb coming out on top - it's a fine distro and well deserving of being called such.

Slackware really did sweep the MCA's this year with such a strong showing as both a server AND a desktop platform preferred by a huge cross-section of LQ'ers!

But the most noteworthy and comical thing to me is that the RH based distros aren't the shiney little darlings they once were ;)

:hattip:

Kindest regards,

.

Thank you, I am sorry because I did not tell you til now, but I succide to install UBUNTU & Linux Mint.

Charts
 

Hey Jeremy,

Thanks for the poll. What did you use to generate the png charts at:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/2011mca.php

===Rich

Arch
 

@Thor. Daft question maybe, but why is it to be expected that Arch isn't there? I don't use Arch, but
its web site is a mine of info, now surpassing Gentoo's for insights into tech problems.

===Rich

Slackware use Linuxquestions as their forum, doesn't that give Slackware an advantage? Nothing against Slackware, it is a worthy distro, but I thought it worth mentioning.

Yes, Slackware uses. Yes, it gives some advantage. Yes, it worth to mention. And be sure EVERY year there is somebody who mention this. And so what? Who blocks Debian, Gentoo, RH users to register here and vote? And I know that neither Volkerding nor co. not agitates their followers to vote here. Second place/or first without huge handicap of Slackware in this polls is good measure of stability and respectability of Slackware and its users.

Gtalk
 

Shouldn't Google Talk (even if it's just a browser plug-in) be in the VOIP apps?

Also, I'm thinking now that maybe there could be a best open source apps poll too.

Sorry to double-post but I just realised that suggestions go here.
While I didn't accompany the process from the beginning (but I visited the site to look at the poll and vote), I see that there were apps missing.
So two suggestions:
- have a pre-poll period where we would come and suggest the competitors, even if it's a huge number of them I think all should be there (if this happened already and I miss it, sorry).
- open-source apps should receive some spotlight, like even if all would enter the poll and be able to win, their open/closed source status would be made known and also in the results.

I didn't know about sbopkg. And by full install, do you mean installing all of the package groups from the repo?

Arch does require a great deal of configuration, which is actually explained as a feature of sorts. The general idea is that you get a base to build off of, but in practice, that usually means getting Arch ready can be an all day thing. However, once you get it all setup, you get this somewhat addictive feeling of accomplishment :D

It was interesting how close Slackware came to winning this year, and I will start doing some testing in VirtualBox soon.

You could download the slackware dvd .iso (over 4GB) and choose "Full" install when asked.
This tutorial shows it to you step by step
http://elevenislouder.blogspot.com/2...re-primer.html

Although if you held the same poll on the Debian or Arch forum for example, I wonder how the placings would look. Would Slackware score so favourably? I think not. No one blocks Debian or others from voting here, the point is that they are less likely to do so. Again this is no disrespect to Slackware as it is a fine distro. I am glad I am the one to bring it to light this year, I missed out last year ;)