Favorite Desktop Distro for New Users - 2009

[andyt31]

I would have to say Debian for servers, and a mixtire of Ubuntu and Fedora for client machines.

[cousinlucky]

I started out with suse 10 because I bought the set of disks at the store where I bought my computer. I do not know anything about computers so it perplexed me a whole lot. I just started using Ubuntu and already I like it a lot more than suse. Due to the comments on this thread I just might try the mint distro.

[graphicks]

I started with Ubuntu and Puppy. Ubuntu worked really well for me (I'm still using it.). As far as the restricted flash, etc, I had no problems. Everything installed just by agreeing to the installation of the codecs after trying to play them for the first time. I'm using 8.10 that I got from the free ShipIt service on the Ubuntu website.

[cousinlucky]

Graphicks, can you tell me more about the restricted flash and the codecs please.

[graphicks]

I was referring to the inability of Ubuntu to play media files with non-free formats (Supposedly, Ubuntu can't, or won't ship with the ability to play flash or java out of the box, due to legal constraints.). I just used the programs as I would have in Windoze. When it came to that point, Rhythmbox, or Totem, or Firefox, or whatever it was (I can't remember now) prompted me to accept download of 'the proper codecs' to play the flash animation, or display the file (It's been a while since this happened, so it's a little blurry.). Everything worked without much more interaction than that. After that point, everything just worked.

[elija]

Most distros don't include the "restricted" items by default. This is purely due to legal reasons. They are made available in separate repositories becasue they are legal in some places - and even in the places they're not it becomes the individuals choice to break the law - or not.

[cousinlucky]

Being all thumbs I thought I was doing something wrong again because mark fiore's cartoons will not play on Ubuntu. I do not play cd's or video on my computer so I figure I will not need the codecs.
If I ever get a digital camera I guess I'll need them then. Thanks!!

[Mulenmar]

I chose Linux Mint, because everything worked when I (briefly -- like 3 days briefly) tried it, but it has the highest hardware requirements of any distro I've ever used.

Anything from 500-600mHz/256-512mb I'd tell people to use Xubuntu and give them written instructions on how to set up codecs and such.

Anything less than that, I tell them "Uh...you better let me set it up." And then I put Debian, LXDE, Synaptic, and the codecs in.

[computerophil]

I think openmamba is excellent for beginners. Even browser-plugins are already included.
But also Knoppix and Mandriva are very good.

[Jollie_kitten]

Deffinitely Ubuntu, so far, I've had it on my desktop for uite some time and really like it. I've also tried Xandros- it was on my EEE PC and...well, it's said to be user-friendly; but just not for me! (Plus: hop you won't consider me posh if I say one reason I don't really like it is that it's not open source enough for me ) so now I'm considering switching to Mandriva