On or about Sun, 16 Sep 2001 09:18:02 -0500 Paul Overby reportedly said... > http://www.linuxlinks.com/Distributions/ lists 108 distributions of > Linux. Any of you care to identify which one is the best one for a new > user. Windows defined the desktop in the same way McDonalds taught us > how to eat hamburgers. > Most people complain about windows the same way they complain about > McDonalds but they are not willing to change > their behavior The plethora of distributions can be very confusing to the newbie - it took me a while before I understood what seperates them, and even longer to decide which one was really right for me. In the end, a particular distribution made that choice for me.. When shopping Linux for a desktop OS, it really only makes sense to consider the first-tier distributions. In no particular order, these include RedHat, Mandrake, Slackware, Debian, SuSe and Caldera. Now I'm going to really generalize and make a lot of people angry at me, but I love food comparisons... -RedHat is the most popular distribution, and seems to work well for a lot of average folks. Like the most popular _anything_, it's popularity is based on a number of factors, with function & security not necessarily being at the top of the list. RedHat is the McDonalds of Linux. -Mandrake is for people that like the Redhat way, but found it too challenging. Mandrake is still the McDonalds of Linux, but this one has a Playland (tm) and crude table service. It's already supersized; would you like fries with that? -Slackware has often been considered the 'most intense' Linux distribution, and really aimed at the more computer literate among us. Slackware is comparatively secure, simple to set up and demands more from the user, but gives more in return. Slackware is the Vietnamese Noodle Shop of distributions; You walk in, you feel alone, you can't understand what you see. You try something you can't pronounce, and it is as wonderful as it is cheap! What a discovery - you come back the next day. -Debian has this sense of smug professionalism about it, and it seems to be the most orderly of the distributions. You can find Debian for more platforms than the other popular distros. Debian supports what might be the easiest, most competent system for software installation and upgrades, but don't try and deviate from the Debian methods, or things can get screwy. Debian is the Best Steak House of Distributions. There is a line, and the options are limited. But in the end, you got exactly what you expected, and the price can't be beat. The comparison now breaks down as the sour cream was not .50 cents extra. -SuSe has this strange air of superiority surrounding it. It has been engineered down to the nth nano-detail, comes with great setup and administration tools, and touts itself as being the best of all possible Linux distribtions. This is the stereotypically overengineered German Linux distribution, and like many stereotypes, this one is based on fact and holds up fairly well. I think that the SuSe Linux retail packages that are sold north of the Mason-Dixon line come with handwarmers, defrosters and an emergency survival kit. SuSe is like the Old Contry Buffet of Linux, but with someone to walk along, hold your tray, and suggest food selections compatible with their plans for you. Way more sauerbraten than you recall. -Caldera is the Rax Roast Beef Restaurant of Linux. By saying this, I mean that I've never been there, I don't know where it is and I don't know what it's like. But something about it keeps me away. I hope you didn't waste your time reading this. -.bill.layer.- -.those who are talking don't know, and those who know aren't talking.- -.frogtown.- -.minnesota.- -.u.s.a.-