Posted on 08/23/2013 6:10:14 AM PDT by ShadowAce
There are literally hundreds of Linux desktop distributions. Here's how to find one that's right for you. On a regular basis I use five different Linux different distributions. Over the decades, I've used pretty every much every major Linux distribution out there... and I haven't even touched more than 10% of all available Linux distributions.
If I, who've made something of a career of tracking Linux, can't keep up with all the distros how can you?
Honestly, you can't. No one can.
So how can you find the right Linux for you? This handy, dandy guide will help.
But before I dive into the distributions, let me kill a few myths. First, Linux is not hard to use. You don't need to know how to use cryptic shell commands or be a programmer to use desktop Linux. Anyone, and I mean anyone, can use it.
There are also lots of applications and games you can run on Linux. True, you can't run all of your Windows applications. Although, as it happens, thanks to Wine and Crossover you can run some popular Windows programs on Linux.
But you may find that you don't even need those Windows apps. Linux supports many free applications that can take the place of some of your favorite commercial applications. These include LibreOffice or OpenOffice for Microsoft Office; Evolution for Outlook; and GnuCash for QuickBooks.
And, yes, there are many games for Linux as well. Some are native games and some are based on Steam. Many popular Windows games, such as Guild Wars and World of Warcraft, can also be played on Linux with the aforementioned Wine and Crossover.
That said, here is my list of the best Linux distributions based on how you plan to use it.
Let's say you do pretty much everything you want on the Web. You write with Google Docs, you use Mint for your personal finances, and Gmail for your e-mail. If that's you, then what you want to use is Google's Chrome OS.
Although almost none of its users can tell it, Chrome OS, the operating system behind the popular Chromebook, is based on Gentoo Linux. But then again, that's the point of Chrome OS. It's the operating system that's meant to be invisible.
While you can pry open a Linux shell interface on Chrome OS if you really want to, you'll never need to get to it. Chrome OS uses Google's Chrome Web browser for its interface. And everyone knows how to use a Web browser. Right? Of course, right!
If that's you, then Ubuntu is for you. Many old Linux hands don't care for Ubuntu because they find its Unity interface to be shockingly different from the old GNOME 2.x interface.
In addition, they don't like the way Unity gets in the way of directly accessing the system. Fair enough, Unity is not for the experienced Linux expert. But for someone who wants a simple-to-use interface that can quickly master (about 90% of the population), Unity is great.
How easy is Ubuntu with Unity? I got my 79-year old mother-in-law on Ubuntu and we don't even speak the same language. So much for Linux being hard to use.
Canonical, Ubuntu's parent company, also plans on moving Unity to its forthcoming smartphones and tablets. That's because Unity was designed from the start to be a universal interface for PCs and touch devices. Unlike other such attempts, Unity actually works. That's in no small part because Ubuntu has been polishing Unity for several years now.
So, if you want a Linux that a full Linux distribution with the easiest possible learning curve I highly recommend the latest version of Ubuntu.
Even the most hardcore Windows fans are finally beginning to crack and admit that Windows 8 has been a flop and while Windows 8.1 looks better, it doesn't look that much better. What's a Windows XP or 7 user to do? He or she should turn to Linux Mint. In particular, the version using the Cinnamon interface.
Unlike Chrome OS and Ubuntu Unity, Mint with Cinnamon sticks with the Windows, Icons, Menus, and Pointer (WIMP) interface you've grown to know know and love from years of traditional desktops. It's not a one-to-one match with the XP or Windows 7 Aero interface, but Windows users will find Cinnamon much more familiar than Windows 8's Metro.
Linux users who loved the GNOME 2.x style interface will also love Cinnamon. Another worthwhile alternative for people who are found of GNOME 2.x, and which is also integrated into Mint, is MATE. While Cinnamon rests on the foundation of the GNOME 3.x desktop, MATE is an outright GNOME 2.x fork.
Mint, unlike many distributions, also comes with easy access to proprietary software. Some Linux users hate such programs and hardware drivers, but I've found that in practice they make Linux easier to use.
Personally, I really like Mint with Cinnamon. It's not perfect, but it's about as close as a Linux desktop gets in my experience. While I use lots of Linux distributions, Mint is my current favorite.
I hear you. Then the distribution you want, and the first choice of Linus Torvalds and most Linux kernel developers, is Red Hat's community distribution Fedora.
Fedora is cutting edge Linux so you need to be a little careful lest you nick yourself with it. More so than any of the other distributions this one is meant for expert users. That's not to say it's hard to use, although I do confess that I dislike its default desktop, GNOME 3.8. You can, however, also use the MATE or KDE 4.10 desktops.
Fedora includes many of the newest versions of Linux and open-source programs -- for example, the latest major GCC, Ruby, and PHP releases. It also now includes the MariaDB as its default database management system (DBMS) instead of MySQL. Eventually, Red Hat is expected to move its enterprise server standard DBMS to MariaDB as well. This is one reason why so many programmers like it. Fedora is ready for serious developers.
You don't need to dream in C++ to use Fedora. It also works well for experienced Linux users. But, if you're just coming to Linux, I'd start somewhere else.
Here I think you have several good choices. These are: PCLinuxOS, Kubuntu and openSUSE. Of this trio, I prefer openSUSE, but they're all worth taking for a test drive.
While I had no fondness for the KDE 4.x interface at first, over the years its developers have improved it and I rather like it now.
In my experience, PCLinuxOS is just a good, solid independent distribution. It's backed by a passionate user community who take the time to help their users.
Kubuntu, just like the name hints at, is the official KDE on Ubuntu desktop. That sounds great, and it is good, but Canonical dropped active support for Kubuntu in early 2012. The distribution has since picked up support from a company named Blue Systems, but it's still as tightly integrated into the Ubuntu world as it once was.
OpenSUSE, like Fedora, has the backing of a major Linux company, SUSE. This is a very solid, reliable Linux distribution. If you want a top Linux you can count on, and that's not quite so much on the bleeding, leading edge as Fedora, openSUSE is an excellent choice.
Still not sure? Just download them and try them. All of them are free, all of them, except Chrome OS, can be installed from a CD, DVD, or USB-stick. What works for me may not work for you, but with these choices I'm pretty darn sure you'll find one that works well for you.
Good luck and happy computing!
I’ve been thinking of Installing Windows 7 just for games and using Ubuntu from a live USB.
95%
It better not take any time to get it to work!
I am not patient
:p
I ran Win7 about 3 weeks ago (also duel boot), just because I haven’t set up my Virtual Drive on Mint15 yet :p
Nothing wrong with having both ;)
installing updates
argh
Might have been easier to just play in Windows and FReep in Linux
Nite, my FRiend :) going WoW.. then to bed.. 4am here :p
Mail me, or make new thread if you have problems :)
updates at 41%
Why can’t they update the original download once in a while?
good night
Not really looking to change distros. I've invested a fair amount of time in the fedora line over the years, and have come to understand many of its quirks. Don't particularly want to have to change to something else. Sound "works" for me, it's just that there is likely some program that's trying to be all fancy with surround processing that I haven't been able to locate the configs for.
I’ve heard that adding yourself to the alsa group can help as well.
Try the “audio” group, instead of alsa.
Linux has more running in the background now than it has before and a lot of us turn all of the extra crap off when we need all the resources...but yes your point is valid and that is why it is frustrating to still need Windows to game.
I'm not sure what you mean by "most replace that with open GL". You can't replace what the game was written to use and most of the high end games use DX10 or 11.
Anyway, I used to spend hours tweaking my config.sys and autoexec.bats even playing with jumpers to get a game to work, and I enjoyed it. I still have special boot disks I made just to play Privateer. These days I just want to start a game without any fuss and use my increasingly small amount of leisure time actually playing. On a similar note I don't want to play only old games. Will I be able to buy splinter cell blacklist for Linux? No. Can I play some game made 5 years ago on Linux? Probably, almost always if I'm willing to play around with it.
That isn't good enough.
You and I approached this same problem in different ways. Since my leisure time 8is* getting increasingly rare, I don't want to spend the money on big-time expensive games. I'll play something simple and entertaining while I kill a little time.
I do play Civilization V, but nothing more complicated than that, technologically speaking.
I'm sure that there are a lot of people that don't get it. Enthusiasts are just like that, but they drove this industry for years and from my perspective it seems to be floundering. Many things seem to be floundering these days.
See if it’s updated to ‘pulse’.. (I prefer Alsa).. and even pulse is a little outdated now :p
I have great sound out of Fedora - I choose as my output device “Analog output - Built in Audio”. It sounds low tech compared to the ones you are describing but it sounds great on my Bose companion system.
I guess it would also depend on what output you’re using for sound out - I use the light green analog plug that comes out of the built-in sound card on my ASUS mobo - it’s an analog pin labeled “front”. So it depends too on your sound card capabilties and what output plug you choose. All I know is that mine sounds awesome.
Interestingly, no mention of CentOS, the real RedHat for free.
I used Fedora for many years but for a rock solid no BS desktop, I have come to prefer CentOS. Granted, that’s also partly because I use it for most of my servers, which puts me out of the mainstream of desktop users...
Ubuntu is annoying. Guess I’m a RedHat fan.
Can Cut and Paste with abandonment....and remember what I was doing thru power down and boot cycles.
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