Reccomend me a Good distro

[celliott]

Im considering dual booting my main box with linux as it looks like some games can run on there with WineX.

I have previous experience in managing linux servers by command line with mostly CentOS Linux. I have installed this on a spare PC and it does look quite good. I gathered Gentoo is quite a popular release here.

I want:

- Easy regular updates
- Easy installation
- Good software & hardware support

What would you guys reccomend for a first time desktop linux user?

 

[Tattooed]

I reccomend Mandriva (previously Mandrake)

 

[celliott]

Mandriva is a paid only distro?

 

[zetec452]

Ubuntu was a great start for me.

The forums are great, the wiki is great as well for any tips and installation guides.

 

[dabotsonline]

Ubuntu 6.04 (Dapper Drake) is in the latter stages of development with a full release due in June.

SimpleMEPIS 6 (currently in beta stage) is based on Dapper Drake but has many proprietary codecs already included, whereas in Ubuntu they have to be manually enabled (although scripts can automate this for you).

Linspire is also regarded as user friendly, and Xandros (new release due soon I think) supposedly has the best compatibility with XP.

Puppy Linux (version 2 coming soon) is my preferred lightweight distro.

 

[deano]

I want:

- Easy regular updates

pretty much all main distros will meet this require ment

- Easy installation

The top distrows will also meet this requirement:-

Fedora
SuSe
Ubuntu
Mepis

- Good software & hardware support

Again all the main distrows seem to be pretty good at this, however the only distro i've found to support hardware when non of the others have is SuSe linux.

i would recomend dowmloading vmware trial software get the iso and install 2 or3 distros in vmware see how you get on then go and install the one you like the most.

Cheers
Deano

 

[dabotsonline]

Hmm, I'd say the best hardware support comes from Knoppix.

Here's a torrent for the 5.0 CeBIT DVD release: http://linuxtracker.org/torrents-details.php?id=1645 .

The 5.01 CD and DVD releases will hopefully be released within the next month or so.

 

[Jimi]

Gentoo, can be a bit daunting at first, but if you follow the handbook most of the time you'll be alright.

http://www.gentoo.org/

 

[yoda]

Depending on how much u wanna get to know linux (better than ** partner if u wanted)....

SUSE 10 for standard install and play....

LFS (www.linuxfromscratch.org) if u want to know how linux works....

 

[ballistic]

Suse 10.1 is nice or wait for Ubuntu/Kubuntu dapper final release coming out soon (flight 7 has some nasty bugs still like in printing). Mandriva is not bad either, but pretty bloated.

 

[BillytheImpaler]

I used to reccomend Mandriva. Now I've fallen in love with Ubuntu 6.06 Beta. It was a breeze to set up, its forums are fantastic, and it has an active and expanding fanbase. You can install the beta now and upgrade it to the final release when it comes out through a simple one line command. Heck, it'll probably upgrade itself when it comes time seeing as so many other updates are done automagically.