Favorite Desktop Distro for New Users

[MikeTbob]

I prefer LFS/Gentoo/Arch Linux.. ^^

Right on man, but you wouldn't ask a newbie to Learn Linux with one of those OS's, would you?

[Mixcoatl]

First thing: I'm new, heya, insert some kinda hello post here.

As for the topic.. My first Linux Distro was SimplyMepis. :U Although I'm still new to Linux in general, it's what gotten me into trying out other sorts and such. I found it really easy to install from a basic CD-R with a Live CD and all to test it, along with partitioning a hard drive. Ontop of that, the general feel of it was easy for me to get used too.

Meanwhile me and Ubuntu tend to... hate eachother. Then again, that's just me. But I'm keeping my vote on SimplyMepis for people starting out.

[billy_bass26]

i voted for openSuse with the KDE desktop! Did it for me!!!

[qube]

OpenSUSE for me, been using it for 8 years it was the first friendly Linux I encountered back when I was a n00b, over that time I've built thousands of servers based on a variety of distros (Suse/SLES, deb, Ubu, RH/FC/CentOS/RHES, slack ,Gent etc) never found a distro that IMO was as solid or as easy to use, never ever had a problem that would have been solved by using a different distro.

If you're used to a Windows machine and a little scared of the command line you can do everything in SUSE from the GUI, with other distros this isn't quite possible and you're often forced to edit configs to get your graphics or screen working right.

I also think it's best to find one you like and stick to it.

just my $0.02

[RobinVossen]

Right on man, but you wouldn't ask a newbie to Learn Linux with one of those OS's, would you?

Well, to be honest I learned Linux with Gentoo..
I tryed OpenSuse Before. And I hated it.. After that I tryed to install Debian. I failed Horrenbly. And then I tryed Gentoo. Everything worked almost instantly and the GUI was how I wanted (Since I did emerge Fluxbox + iDesk).
well if you are a newb in Linux and want to learn I say. DONT use Ubuntu since then you never get familiair with the CommandLine.
Start off with Gentoo, then try LFS and if you like Gentoo but think it takes to long to compile everything (what I can Understand) use Arch Linux.
Command Line is Root. ^^

Thats my opinion.

[ihsan]

Linux newby, you should try openSUSE! It's easy to install and has a wide range of application, from programming apps to nice multimedia apps...

And it has its own specific helpful forum SuSE Linux Forums (Powered by Invision Power Board) too!

[RobinVossen]

heh another SuSe Lover..
Why do you prefer SuSe over eg Debian?

[ihsan]

heh another SuSe Lover..
Why do you prefer SuSe over eg Debian?

I've had tried another distro including Mandrake, Redhat, and Debian.

Once, I've had problem in recognizing my lovely flash disk. None of them can solve this even though I've typed many command line for weeks, untill someone suggest me to use OpenSUSE 10.1! And it works just fine!

And don't forget RobinVossen, this is only an opinion. There will be difference from one to another...

[RobinVossen]

Yea I know that it is a opinion.
Im just curious, like do you have a reason or was it just the first you used?
or, is the package manerger very stable or powerfull?
Is it lightweight or is it big and does it have everything already aboard?
I ask this so people can better pick.
I remember I had a HardTime picking my first linux Distro..
Suse.. Nah.. Debian.. Nah.. Ubuntu .. Nah... Isnt there a Linux for me?
Gentoo.. yey ^^
Though I am thinking about porting to Debian.
Anywho, Is there a reason why you like Suse that much? ^^

[jenny_89]

I think Sabayon must be in this list. No better Out of the Box experience.