Distribution of Choice (2009)

[Black Viper]

Which Distribution do you use?

Discuss:
1) Ease of installation
2) Ease of updating
3) Package installation support
4)

No flaming others for their opinion, but constructive complements and criticism is welcome.

[Black Viper]

I am currently in the Ubuntu camp. Solid install and easy updating all make me very happy.

[Spawn]

I am currently in the Ubuntu camp. Solid install and easy updating all make me very happy.

Same here.  I liked Kubuntu, but Ubuntu is so much simpler.

Spawn

[trashy]

I've been using linux for several years, and have tried just about every distro out there.  In my opinion, Ubuntu is probably the best for someone new to linux.  Installation/configuration is a breeze.

Right now, I use my own "custom" release of linux that I built from scratch from source code.

[Black Viper]

Right now, I use my own "custom" release of linux that I built from scratch from source code.

Rockin'

[trashy]

Right now, I use my own "custom" release of linux that I built from scratch from source code.

Rockin'

LOL

If you are really interested in tweaking and customizing linux, there is an excellent book available online at http://www.linuxfromscratch.org.  The base install is pretty simple, but time consuming.  Then getting to where you have a GUI is a bit of a task.  The real challenge for me was cross-compiling source code to a 64 bit operating system.

Anyone can do it, and best of all, it's free as well as documented all over the web.  Google is your friend.

[IH8U]

I just dumped Debian off my laptop. There was software that I wanted to use but Debian didn't support it without installing unstable packages. So I downloaded Linux Mint 6 which is based off of Ubuntu 8.10. I thought of downloading Ubuntu but I just don't like it. I hate the sh*t brown theme, the name "Ubuntu" and just the fact that everyone is using it, among many many other things. Seems kind of ironic that I would download a distro based off of it, but I wanted something fairly up to date and that uses deb packages. Anyway, back to Mint. I must say so far I am very impressed with it. The look of it is pretty sweet, the menu system rocks and it's not overloaded with stuff I'll never use. The install was easy, grub listed my Windows XP partition without having to edit menu.list, and the boot time is pretty fast. If anyone is considering trying out Ubuntu take a look at Linux MInt instead. http://www.linuxmint.com

[trashy]

I just dumped Debian off my laptop. There was software that I wanted to use but Debian didn't support it without installing unstable packages.

Depending on how advanced you are with Linux, you could download the source and compile it yourself.  It really isn't that hard to do.

I thought of downloading Ubuntu but I just don't like it. I hate the sh*t brown theme, the name "Ubuntu" and just the fact that everyone is using it, among many many other things.

You could always customize it however you want it, there are many themes available.

I've never heard of Mint, so maybe I'll take a look at it.

[semifixtion]

I use Ubuntu and Mandriva. I really like both, but Ubuntu is a lot easier and user friendly.

I've never heard of Mint, so maybe I'll take a look at it.

Mint is really nice, like a streamlined Ubuntu. I would use it but the 64-bit version isn't stable yet, and i need a 64-bit OS to use my 4 GB of RAM.

[k0n5t4nt]

Just installed Ubuntu 8.10 64 bit. Bit of a learning curve to use terminal but not impossible. Will learn liek I learned windows.

[subgeniusd]

Well I use Zenwalk and VectorLinux, in ZW 5.2 at the moment.

Started out with Xandros 3.0 a few years ago and stayed with various Debian based distros for awhile including Ubuntu for a bit (probably Dapper Drake).

Installed VectorLinux on a whim with one of those dvds from Linux Format. Then Zenwalk  as the communities overlap a lot and I heard it mentioned there. 

At this point I'm just so comfortable with Xfce/Slackclones that I'll probably stay with them indefinitely.

Vector 6.0 is close to final release and if it is as good as reported ZW might go back to #2. 

ZW 5.4 was supposed to be released by now but they decided to wait for Xfce 4.6 which has been delayed again until June 09 so who knows.

In the mean time I'm getting my first in depth taste of Vista (Home Premium) on a brand new Acer 8903G. VL 6.0's future home, hopefully.

All I can say about Vista is now I see why MSFT is rushing Win 7 to market.  Unbelievable 

[MARX91]

I've been using linux for a year and a half or so, i like it even though there is a learning curve with it. I have ubuntu intrepid ibex installed now, the compiz effects are badass i must say
 

[IH8U]

Depending on how advanced you are with Linux, you could download the source and compile it yourself.  It really isn't that hard to do.

It's not hard, but in can really be a pain in the rear. I've compiled plenty of stuff before but now I'm just looking to use apt-get and be done with it.

You could always customize it however you want it, there are many themes available.

I would probably dump gnomes menu and replace it with the Mint menu. I just don't want to take the time to find and install new themes and modify menus and config files. I'm lazy these days.

I've never heard of Mint, so maybe I'll take a look at it.

Have you had a chance to check out Mint? What do you think of it?

[trashy]

I haven't had the chance to really take a look at Mint yet.  I'm out of town on business for another couple of weeks and away from my "toys" at home.

[Hal4511]

Try mepis 8.0 comes with everything you need ...