Favorite Desktop Distro for New Users - 2008

[danbuter]

Well, I previously voted Ubuntu, which I really like. But for absolute beginners, I think Mint would work better.

[wowbag1]

I reckon Fedora as it does most things well, and although I have been using it from the start so you get used to it I still think it is straight forward to get a functioning OS up and running quickly.

[bucky]

Asking what distro is best or what should I install is kind of like a stranger stopping you in the street, pointing to a used car lot and asking what car should I buy. My suggestion is take a few for a spin and decide what works for YOU.

The live linux cd is the best way for anyone to get there feet wet. They come in all sizes for easy download and the gui's are easy to understand if you want a browser, notepad, office package or mp3player, etc. If you can not get that far you need to decide if you really want to do it or not and formulate some questions

There is very little risk in useing the live cd, so once a person finds something that seems to interest them they can go about learning the details of the install process, or just keep useing the cd.

Since hardware can be an issue sometimes, if one does not work maby the next one does,you have not disrupted your current system or dirtied your test box and it will likely be used later so just hang on to it.

what to try as live cd is relative to the machine, personal needs and availability.

I say.. just do it

DistroWatch.com: Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD.

want a quick fix that's not windows..Damnsmall / feather

want a quickfix but kinda like windows....puppy

want last years buzz...ubuntu

want this years buzz..pclinuxos / mint

want hardcore NOW..install me...vector 5.9 std gold

want hardcore for that zippy new box..DEBIAN

How can I choose just one

My long winded humble opinion

[kenethare]

good point
i learned bash cli on fedora in a class i like it (then agian the class did not have to touch wireless)
then i tried ubuntu for awhile and it all worked as long as i did not try anything
i took the quiz for best distro and it recommended mandriva i got it yesterday and love it
so i recomend that new users take this "best linux distrobution for me quiz" and go with the top 5 try them all and see what works
note: text in quote goggleable

[argetm]

The install took a while, but the auto log on of first user helps me as I am hard pressed to remember what password/user combo I used on this install. I also like the easy printer setup. It took about two minutes to detect and test my Epson RX580.

[vigol]

openSUSE 11, why?!
RPM, YaST, Nearly all RPM that I need, Less Bug,
Wide range : Server ~~ CLI ~~ GUI ~~ Desktop

[daffyduc]

I personally started on redhat back in school but we were not allowed to boot to a gui. our instructor was an old school unix admin. we were forced to use commands only and limited to Vi. I tried ubuntu on my laptop at home and found it to be pretty good for new users but I personally like fedora much better.

its already been said but go download some live cd's and take them for a spin. decide which one you like and install it.

ubuntu is much easier to setup along side windows than most.

note: avoid FreeBSD at all cost if you are a newb....
I was playing with it the other day and it was the most unuser friendly OS I have ever seen as far as the install goes.,.... pretty spiffy one you get it up but damn tricky to install.

[Geeth]

I think that it would have to be Ubuntu. Shipping with non-open source drivers - in my case nvidia and atheros - makes life very easy.

With dvd play back you have to install the codecs but with totems you just click the gstreamer codec and click install and it's done.

Most of the software that you will ever need is avaliable through synaptic.

I know that most of the is generic for most distros. Though I have used alot of distros and so far Ubuntu has been the easiest to setup and personalise (which is a big thing to me). This is probably due to my tastes and setup.


In general I feel that when a person can setup their hardware easily, has a decent package manager and an interface that allows you to make it feel like theirs, then thats what they will try to stick to.

[Jonathan183]

I voted openSUSE but Mint is a close second ... I must confess I prefer the default look of Mint

[rokytnji]

I voted for Mepis even though I run Ubuntu on Desktop.

1. Didn't know what I was doing when installing Mepis and everything worked despite my ignorance.

2.You tube,dvd,and music worked from the get go with minimum effort.

3.!st iso I ever downloaded.

4.Distro Antix workes on my P3,128 MB,Amrel laptop and runs zippy.