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Index of linux distributions


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This section really lacks stickies so why not start with a topic to index some linux distributions?

Many people don't know which distribution to install just because there are too much choice, I think we can help there.

Don't make it as long as the story as your life; the goal is too give an *idea* on which distribution will fit someone better.

Slackware:

Latest stable version: 12 (see this topic)

Latest developpment version: 12; updates approximately twice a year

Philosophy: Keep It Simple, Stupid; packages without dependancy checking

Pros:

  • lightweight and fast
  • up-to-date
  • configuration does not rely on graphical tools; useful when your graphical server is dead...
  • ultra-stable
  • 110% customizable

Cons:

  • installer lacks good repartionning tools (but has good partionning ones)

OpenSuSe:

Latest stable version: 10.2

Latest developpment version: 10.3alpha5, 10.3 stable planned for 04/10/07

Pros:

  • up-to-date
  • yast2, the easiest and most featured linux installation and configuration tool
  • nearly perfect hardware support, including tv output, bluetooth, infrared, laptop power-management (better then XP's)
  • all imaginable softwares have suse packages

Cons:

  • a bit heavy
  • too many dependancies sometimes

Edited by Camarade_Tux
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  • 2 weeks later...

i shall add some more i dont have much to say about them though

Fedora Core

Latest Stable version: 7

Includes KDE and Gnome

(it used to anyway)

Based off Red Hat

it uses the RPM packaging system

easy to use installer

Debian

Latest Stable version: 4

Includes Gnome

KDE?

It uses the deb packaging system

Ubuntu

Latest Stable version: 7.04

Includes Gnome

K\X\Ubuntu linux is based of Debian

It uses the deb packaging system

LiveCD based installer

Kubuntu

Latest Stable version: 7.04

Includes KDE

Xubuntu

Latest Stable version: 7.04

Includes XFCE

Mandriva

Latest Stable version: 2007 Spring

Formally known as Mandrake.

Easy to use, nice installer.

Includes KDE and Gnome

(it used to anyway)

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  • 9 months later...

Puppy:

Latest stable version: 3.01

Latest development version: 4.00; updates about twice a year

Philosophy: Old hardware/speed and responsiveness with ease of use

Pros:

  • Fast
  • Easy to use
  • Good old hardware support
  • Good community

Cons:

  • Single user runs as root

PCLinuxOS:

Latest stable version: 2008

Latest development version: ?; updates about ? a year

Philosophy: Ease of use

Pros:

  • Modern up-to-date software
  • Easy to use
  • Good hardware support
  • Good community

Cons:

  • RPM not quite as widespread as DEB

Knoppix:

Latest stable version: 5.1.1

Latest development version: ?; updates about biannually

Philosophy: KDE focused Live CD

Pros:

  • Range of included applications
  • Fairly easy to use
  • Good hardware support

Cons:

  • Hard disk installation isn't recommended

Linux Mint:

Latest stable version: 4.0

Latest development version: 5.0?; updates about twice a year

Philosophy: from freedom came elegance

Pros:

  • Very easy to use
  • Great hardware support

Cons:

  • Proprietary software

MEPIS:

Latest stable version: 7?

Latest development version: 8?; updates about once a year

Philosophy: Ease of use

Pros:

  • Good software
  • Easy to use
  • Good hardware support

Cons:

  • Commercialism

Sidux:

Latest stable version: 2008

Latest development version: ?; updates about biannually

Philosophy: Making Debian easy

Pros:

  • Software Compatibility
  • Easy to use
  • Good hardware support

Cons:

  • Support

KanotiX:

Latest stable version: 2007

Latest development version: ?; updates about biannually

Philosophy: Installable Knoppix

Pros:

  • Easy to use
  • Good hardware support
  • Software range

Cons:

  • Support

DSL:

Latest stable version: 4.3

Latest development version: ?; updates about once a year

Philosophy: Old hardware/speed and responsiveness

Pros:

  • Fast
  • Small size
  • Good old hardware support

Cons:

  • Support

Debian Live:

Latest stable version: 4

Latest development version: 5?; updates about biannually

Philosophy: Stability

Pros:

  • Stable
  • Wide range of software

Cons:

  • Slow development

Edited by darrelljon
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  • 3 years later...
  • 8 months later...

Knoppix:

Latest stable version: 7.0.3 on CD (as of 2012-06-25)

"Knoppix version 7.0.2 (update), including Kernel 3.3.7, is now available as DVD image."

Pros:

  • Lots of software on CD.
  • CD burner integrated.
  • Browser (IceWeasel) is clone of FireFox® and will run same/similar plug-ins..
  • Word processor (Libre) is clone of OpenOffice® and will run same templates.
  • GNU image manipulation program is clone of Gimp® and will open/modify/save same files.
  • Will run from CD or RAM, but much faster if "TORAM" option is added during boot.
  • Can be booted to RAM w/minimum of 1Gb; faster with more RAM.
  • Excellent hardware detection and reporting.
  • Will detect and allow use of almost every USB stick w/no problem.
  • Hard disk install not necessary.
  • Any computer with RAM, keybd, mouse, display, net-card, & CD-ROM can access internet.
  • Even older hardware w/o hard drive works (minimum RAM requirements make ancient H/W difficult).
  • Solid, safe, and very stable O/S.

Cons:

  • CD burner slow.
  • On Ver6.7.1 some JAVA app's don't behave very well.
  • Not all web videos, "Flash," or videos will run.
  • No planned updates to make "Flash" run because of licensing issues.
  • Can be difficult for a novice to configure and use browser the first time.

Puredyne:

Latest stable version: 9.11 (carrot and coriander) on CD/DVD/USB (as of 2010-03-26)

"Puredyne is developed for artists, by artists. It's used for live music, installation art, hardware hacking, teaching, and more."

Based on Ubuntu and Debian Live.

Pros:

  • USB stick installation.
  • Fast, minimal package.
  • Targeted to electronic, audio, visual artists.
  • Optimized for use in realtime audio and video processing.
  • Low latency kernel.
  • Runs Pure Data, Supercollider, Icecast, Csound, Fluxus, Processing, Arduino, more.
  • List of available S/W is extensive.

Cons:

  • Not meant for typical internet browser user.

Musix:

Latest stable version:

  • 2.1 for USB (as of 2010-04-27)
  • 2.0 for CD and DVD (2009-11-28)

"One CD and you have it all: office applications, net, graphics, programing, midi, audio"

Pros:

  • Heavily geared to musicians and performers.
  • Lots of audio and music software included.
  • Multiple languages supported: Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Russian, English.

Cons:

  • Not Debian based: "A different approach: a didactic O/S"
  • Primarily Spanish language development; English secondary consideration.
  • Not all site URL's currently stable; may be gone soon.

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  • 3 years later...

Zorin 10 emulates Windows 2000, XP, 7, Mac OS X, Unity (Ubuntu), or Linux (Gnome 2) you choose your flavor!

Free version to try or use, paid version (about $15) comes with installation support if needed.
Lots of included software that works very well!

Works with Microsoft Office 97 to 2013, simply save documents in the flavor of your choice to be compatible.

Easy to install from DVD or USB.

Easy to manipulate screen background and behavior of hiding bars of icons, etc.

Easy to change security and firewall settings.

XP mode works more like XP was supposed to work without the blue screen of death!

Security updates come by notification. Software updates happen all at once when software is updated. You choose when to install. Updates come every few weeks or every few months.

Everything works including installing to Raid 1 and running for over a year! Simply because that is the way I wanted it with a multi-boot PC XP, Zorin 9 Lite, Zorin 9 Ultimate, Zorin 10 Ultimate.

Be aware of how you choose to download if you choose the Ultimate version, One requires a paid selection of privately written and supported drivers (about $35) which is completely legal instead of risking any possible patent infringement. Well worth the money in my opinion. Or use it without the paid drivers and most things work anyway (can be added later).

Edited by tismark
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  • 4 years later...

Recommend checking out https://distrowatch.com/. There are hundreds of distributions. Something more popular likely has better documentation and forum assistance. Personally Devuan, older Debian (Wheezy), Tiny Core Linux and occasionally Puppy Linux. All of these are able to run lean and support a variety of hardware, even 20 year old stuff. To keep things lean use a window manager instead of a full-blown desktop environment. Favourite Window Managers are Openbox and Fluxbox. Window Mananagers that look like more traditional Windows include IceWM and Joe's Window Manager. A decent more traditional desktop environment is Xfce.

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