[SOLVED] Which distro is right for Me??

[Sgw]

Hi, I'm fairly new to Linux. Started dabbling about a month ago. Recently looked into games for Linux and was blown away! The only reason it wasn't my main OS 5 years ago was because I thought only M$ had good, up-to-date games, I was wrong.

I plan not only to use Linux, but become a "lower-expert" level buff . So after using Kubuntu for a few days, which is too easy, I tried Gentoo. Gentoo is extremely slow, after KDE took 11 hours to install... and didn't work off the bat...
Dell Inspiron 6000, 1.6GHz, 2Gb RAM, 64Mb Vid.
I tried Arch, another source compiler, but stated as faster, however I couldn't get internet connection to work and quickly formatted and installed Debian. Debian, although not all GUI like Kubuntu, is still a little too easy and main-lined for me.

I'm considering giving Archlinux another shot, although I don't have very high hopes.

I am looking for a Linux distro that will teach me a lot, not only while installing but while using over the years. I want something faster than Gentoo, yet somewhat personally configurable (Kubuntu being 0% personalized imo). I think something like LFS would be too deep for me atm (I'd consider myself a "lower-intermediate" user). I've looked at Crystal-ROCK linux, looks just like Gentoo/Arch, so I dono, might just try Arch again.

I want a distro that has been updated in at least the last year, has usable support (forums would likely be answered within a few days, ppl in the distro's IRC channel). And that is moderately to hard to use, but possible for someone who knows only simple programming.

Basically, I'd like a few more options to consider based on advise for my criteria. Thx for any ideas.

Sgw

[reed9]

I use Arch myself. Absolutely love it. Slackware might be another option for you. I prefer the more up to date nature of Arch, though. What was the wireless issue? Might be able to help. Do you know the chipset of your card?

[MikeTbob]

Hi, I'm fairly new to Linux. Started dabbling about a month ago. Recently looked into games for Linux and was blown away! The only reason it wasn't my main OS 5 years ago was because I thought only M$ had good, up-to-date games, I was wrong.

I plan not only to use Linux, but become a "lower-expert" level buff . So after using Kubuntu for a few days, which is too easy, I tried Gentoo. Gentoo is extremely slow, after KDE took 11 hours to install... and didn't work off the bat...
Dell Inspiron 6000, 1.6GHz, 2Gb RAM, 64Mb Vid.
I tried Arch, another source compiler, but stated as faster, however I couldn't get internet connection to work and quickly formatted and installed Debian. Debian, although not all GUI like Kubuntu, is still a little too easy and main-lined for me.

I'm considering giving Archlinux another shot, although I don't have very high hopes.

I am looking for a Linux distro that will teach me a lot, not only while installing but while using over the years. I want something faster than Gentoo, yet somewhat personally configurable (Kubuntu being 0% personalized imo). I think something like LFS would be too deep for me atm (I'd consider myself a "lower-intermediate" user). I've looked at Crystal-ROCK linux, looks just like Gentoo/Arch, so I dono, might just try Arch again.

I want a distro that has been updated in at least the last year, has usable support (forums would likely be answered within a few days, ppl in the distro's IRC channel). And that is moderately to hard to use, but possible for someone who knows only simple programming.

Basically, I'd like a few more options to consider based on advise for my criteria. Thx for any ideas.

Sgw

Hello and Welcome to the forums,
I would just like to point out that there is a few flaws in your post.
First of all, Arch, Gentoo, Debian and LFS are pretty similar in many ways and different in many ways too. Any one of them will make a fine choice. If these distro's are too easy for you, then I can't imagine which distro to suggest for you. Maybe build your own Distro??
Secondly, you said Gentoo was extremely slow. That is just not true and it makes me think that your install was not setup just right. Maybe you were referring to the installation process. I use Gentoo myself and I think it's one of the fastest distro's out there.

Any one of these distro's can help you learn almost everything there is to know about Linux, it just depends on how you go about it. If you really want to learn a lot about Linux, try installing without a GUI, set up a Samba/LAMP server without a desktop on a remote machine, you'll learn more than you though possible.
I think the best thing you could do, is to find a distro that you really like and stick with it, learn it from the inside out and hump it into submission!

[Bemk]

Let's get this straight. Gentoo is not slow. Gentoo's installation process might be slow, but that's because Gentoo downloads the source codes and compiles it at your system. This takes a while. Ubuntu or a lot of other distros use pre-compiled packages. This installs a bit quicker, but the Gentoo way makes sure you have the source at your system.

[x2015-0706]

If these distro's are too easy for you, then I can't imagine which distro to suggest for you. Maybe build your own Distro??

this is cool.




Distro is something like a big land to me,
No, I should say that distros are classes, and after installation,
the classes materialized into objects. Object (linux) is the land.

What I can build on this land, there are something easy something hard.
Hosting several services stably is hard, writing some good and free softwares to this world is hard, copy a file into another folder is easy, ls -al is easy;
but saying a distro is easy, it's a little bit weird to me somehow
.

[Bemk]

This happens all the time.

Newbies ask what's the best distro and we all throw options to their heads.

Then someone comes along and says the truth.

There is no best distro, but there is a best distro for you and the only way to find it is to try as many as possible.

[techieMoe]

I plan not only to use Linux, but become a "lower-expert" level buff . So after using Kubuntu for a few days, which is too easy, I tried Gentoo. Gentoo is extremely slow, after KDE took 11 hours to install... and didn't work off the bat...

I want a distro that has been updated in at least the last year, has usable support (forums would likely be answered within a few days, ppl in the distro's IRC channel). And that is moderately to hard to use, but possible for someone who knows only simple programming.

Basically, I'd like a few more options to consider based on advise for my criteria. Thx for any ideas.

Sgw

So, basically what you're saying is you want configurability but you don't want to have to wait for things to compile on your machine? Fair enough. Kubuntu/Ubuntu/Xubuntu are offshoots of Debian, and Debian is highly configurable. You can download the net-install disc and it will install just the bare-bones system for you and let you fill in the rest.

Another option is Slackware. It still requires some compiling but there are pre-done packages available for it as well. Slackware assumes you want to do everything by hand, so you'll learn a lot in the process. Just know that there are some quirky things that only Slackware does (like the way it handles runlevels), so that knowledge won't transfer, but most everything else you learn about Linux will.

What it all boils down to is we just tell you what's best. You have to try several versions of Linux and find out on your own. DistroWatch is a good place to start.

[dijetlo]

I think ZenWalk might interest you. It's a slack derivative so you get all the dials and switches if you roll up the shiny desktop and go down to the command line, and it's fast on the desktop because it tries to use a "1 task at a time" approach. The problem is it's about as stable as uncle Fester on a two week crack bender, resolving some of that would be an interesting project, if your looking for a trial by fire.
I tend to agree, Distros are like flavors of ice cream and in the end it comes down to personal taste.

[Sgw]

I was just talking about compiling time for Gentoo, especially compiling KDE, which - while trying 'testing' and many random/thought were good Flags, I encountered errors. Gentoo is a great distro but not my taste.
For my laptop I now have Debian stable with KDE installed and it works great and fast enough.
For my desktop(up-to-date/fast PC), I plan to use ArchLinux with XFCE(and SLiM), for near maximum simpleness/fastness(and ability to use cool themes) with gaming, etc. Will be trying Slackware then LFS on my external drive to try them out for experience.

Thx for the opinions, was just what I was lookin for.

Sgw (recently changed name to Deonild, btw.)[Deonild is my old 4-year-long DAoC char name and decided was more appropriate for my all-over username ]
thx cya on the forums!