The Definitive "WHICH LINUX DISTRO?" Thread


What distro do you use?  

609 members have voted

  1. 1. What distro do you use?

    • Mandrake
      111
    • Fedora/Red Hat
      145
    • Knoppix
      26
    • Debian
      44
    • Gentoo
      117
    • SUSE
      69
    • Slackware
      54
    • LindowsOS/Lycoris
      8
    • PCLinuxOS
      3
    • Other
      32


Recommended Posts

I use SUSE. Ive tried redhat since 7.2, Mandrake since 7.something and SUSE since 6.0 i believe it was. ATM SUSE 9.1 is my fave distro of all. Has all the features for the more hardcore of you, and for the normal day to day desktop use, great for noobs its excellent. :D

SLACKWARE!!!

The name might be scary for some due to the fact that they were in the linux community since the beginning. Their first versions like oh.. lets say not that stable. You had to work a lot to make it work and thats why I guess my friend is traumatized from the experience. However, since I'd say 8.1 (since thats the first version I tried), slackware is rock solid and only screws you when you screw it.

I have not touched anothet distribution as stable & fun to configure as SLACKWARE although I'm very tempted to try Gentoo one day when I'l have the time ;)

the easier to install distros i've tried (mandrake,fedora,mepis) almost force you into installing alot of IMO unwanted junk. Unless in FC2 and Mandrake you want to sit there on an install screen and uncheck 1,000 things until you have a minimal installation with Gnome. Only reason i say Gnome is because I just want a distro that will do a minimal install with a wm thats not over bloated with the afore mentioned 'unwanted junk'. I also have run gentoo twice, a yr ago and then needed that drive for storage and just the past week I had it on again. A couple quirky things had happened and i got fed up and whiped it. Which distro(s) out of this list or any other that anyone knows will let you do a 'minimal' install quickly, and let me choose gnome to start with so that i can drop a different wm in instead. Preferrably one that still for the time being uses XFree instead of Xorg because I have a 9800xt and you have to jump through hoops to get ATI drivers installed in Xorg.

...Unless in FC2 and Mandrake you want to sit there on an install screen and uncheck 1,000 things until you have a minimal installation with Gnome. ...

Or you could click "Minimal", then add Gnome. :shifty:

the easier to install distros i've tried (mandrake,fedora,mepis) almost force you into installing alot of IMO unwanted junk. Unless in FC2 and Mandrake you want to sit there on an install screen and uncheck 1,000 things until you have a minimal installation with Gnome. Only reason i say Gnome is because I just want a distro that will do a minimal install with a wm thats not over bloated with the afore mentioned 'unwanted junk'. I also have run gentoo twice, a yr ago and then needed that drive for storage and just the past week I had it on again. A couple quirky things had happened and i got fed up and whiped it. Which distro(s) out of this list or any other that anyone knows will let you do a 'minimal' install quickly, and let me choose gnome to start with so that i can drop a different wm in instead. Preferrably one that still for the time being uses XFree instead of Xorg because I have a 9800xt and you have to jump through hoops to get ATI drivers installed in Xorg.

You have a good point there. Still, I do like Mandrake the best of all Linux Distros currently out there, even with some of the bloat. It's too bad that Windows XP is forcing you to install all that stuff like Movie Maker, Messenger, etc. I am glad there are products like XP Lite that help strip that down. One thing I have noticed is that the GUI's on distros like Mandrake really require a lot of system resources and powerful processors and video. That is too bad, really. One of the reasons I first goofed with Linux because it was lean, but it is not so much any more with default installations, it seems. Or maybe that is just what it looks like to me and I'm not looking hard enough.

the easier to install distros i've tried (mandrake,fedora,mepis) almost force you into installing alot of IMO unwanted junk. Unless in FC2 and Mandrake you want to sit there on an install screen and uncheck 1,000 things until you have a minimal installation with Gnome. Only reason i say Gnome is because I just want a distro that will do a minimal install with a wm thats not over bloated with the afore mentioned 'unwanted junk'.

With any Debian-based distro (i.e. Mepis/Knoppix) you can use apt-get (or Synpatic Package Manager) to remove any unwanted packaged cleanly and easily.

With any Debian-based distro (i.e. Mepis/Knoppix) you can use apt-get (or Synpatic Package Manager) to remove any unwanted packaged cleanly and easily.

i relaize this...but this isnt the point. I dont want to have to sit and go through packages, reading the descriptions to find out wtf they are....and delete them after install. can u say counterproductive?

edit: Synpatic worked so good it didn't even load in my MEPIS install....asked me to put root pass in and then the window just disappears....quality

you could use kpackage or, heaven forbid, the command line.

as for mandrake. you can check "major" packages. so you can deselect everything and just select gnome. there are only like 10 "major" packages(although you have the option of choosing single packages by themselves after choosing hte major ones.)

...One of the reasons I first goofed with Linux because it was lean, but it is not so much any more with default installations, it seems.  Or maybe that is just what it looks like to me and I'm not looking hard enough.

Linux is still lean. Or is as lean as any particular user wants.

However, as the "average" PC is now more powerful, the "average" distro will be set up with defaults that generally match the PC trend.

People like you or I may have lower-end PCs (especially by the "gamers" standards), plus there are people who prefer the simpler interfaces. This is becoming the minority on an almost daily basis (remember the Windows Way of buying a new PC every 3 years).

I think that there were people complaining about about bloat when most distros started making X run by default. There are still distros out there that offer what you need (or close enough to make a few adjustements).

The times, they are a-changin'...

edit: Synpatic worked so good it didn't even load in my MEPIS install....asked me to put root pass in and then the window just disappears....quality

It works for me under Knoppix.

There must be something wrong with the GKSU command.

Try opening a command line terminal window and typing su root. Then launch synaptic from the command line ('synaptic'). That will bypass GKSU.

Also, Knoppix has a minimal installation option. I never use it, mind you.

Is there any other bootable from CD version of linux that is comparable to Knoppix? I've only tried Knoppix and I must say, I'm impressed, but it doesn't have support for the wireless network card that I have in my new Averatec laptop (I'm not sure what the brand of wireless card it is)?

And anyway, I'm just interested in cd-bootable linux distro's

ok let make a few things clear debian is not knoppix.

knoppix IS debian

gnoppix is knoppix which is debian

....

the list can go with 60+ distro which are debian just with another installer or diffrent program on the cd.

u know i am starting my own distro based on debian. i'l just use foo's foo and foo's foo.

ps FOO IS A PLACE HOLDER

Gentoo is my first pick.. perfect server distro.. slick , clean, optimized .. and emerge rocks!

Suse is a nice desktop distro..

Mandrake was nice but ever since 9.* they gotten bulky..

Knoppix is cool, emergency backup ... etc.. easy to use.. etc

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • Doom: The Dark Ages Revelations expansion gives the Slayer a brutal Chain Spear by Pulasthi Ariyasinghe Last year, id Software released Doom: The Dark Ages as a prequel to its reboot series, offering a look at the legendary Slayer character during an ancient war between Hell and Heaven. Today, at the Xbox Games Showcase, id Software returned with a new announcement that unveiled Doom: The Dark Ages Revelations as its first story expansion. The expansion will see the Slayer being betrayed and cast into a "merciless purgatory only escapable by confronting haunting truths." Somehow, there is one ally in all this chaos seemingly attempting to help our protagonist escape his fate. Players will be ascending this prison and fighting plenty of new demons and abominations as they work to free the Slayer's followers. One new aspect of the expansion will be the Chain Spear. This new weapon is described by the studio as a "uniquely satisfying combat system that rewards mastery with a potent combination of power and mobility." Check out the trailer below to see the new weapon in action, where the Slayer is seen using it to even pin enemies to walls. id Software is also preparing a free update to all owners of Doom: The Dark Ages that will land alongside the new paid expansion. Dubbed the Ripatorium 3.0 update, this will add more customization options, an improved pass code generation system, and preset options for players diving into the game's arena challenge mode. Expansion buyers will also receive additional maps, demons, and new weapons to use in this mode in addition to the story levels. Doom: The Dark Ages Revelations expansion is out on July 7 across PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 with a $19.99 price tag. Those who own the Premium Edition or the Collector's Bundle will receive the expansion for no extra cost as well.
    • Hyped for this. Replayed the remasters recently and they're so well done, and Crash 4 was great too. I trust this team to deliver.
    • Ninja Theory's new Hellblade game is action-focused and set in Purgatory by Pulasthi Ariyasinghe Ninja Thery has been building its award-winning Hellblade series since 2017, delivering Senua's Sacrifice and Senua's Saga since then. Today at the 2026 Xbox Games Showcase, the studio had a brand-new installment announcement featuring Senua again, but this time, she is in a version of purgatory, and the focus is on the action. Simply named Senua, this new entry is described as a "full-on action-adventure" experience, delivering an expanded focus on combat, puzzle-solving, and freedom of exploration. The developer says that it is keeping the same high production values and storytelling features of the previous games while giving what players have been asking for in the gameplay department. The entirety of Ninja Theory is now working on Senua, giving the project much more manpower than ever before, while also letting the team draw on its action roots from Devil May Cry and prior titles. However, the studio also confirmed that its previously announced Project Mara horror experience is no longer in development. Alongside snappier traversal moves, Senua will be able to take stealth and direct combat routes. She has access to her own sword, plus any enemy weapons as well, with dual wielding also being an option for most dropped melee swords, axes, and other weapons. Outside of melee combat, Senua will be able to use special abilities that let her alter the reality around her. The world is said to be about twice the size of Hellblade 2. While this won't be an open-world experience, the linear story will let players explore their surroundings further than before. The story of Senua will be set after the events of previous Hellblade titles, with our protagonist being stuck in her own version of Purgatory. The series' well-explored psychosis themes will return as well. "She’s trapped between life and death on a quest to reach the afterlife and be reunited with the ones that she’s loved and lost," adds the studio. "Her belief is that by healing the wounds of her life, she can find the peace that is the key that unlocks the gate to the afterlife." Senua is releasing on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PlayStation 5 sometime in 2027.
    • Windows has had it, it's called camera frame server. I recall when it was first introduced in an early Windows 10 release it caused issues and there was a registry entry to disable it. Seems like they disabled it by default at some point. Windows 11 brought that toggle to the settings app (not just registry) a while ago.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Proficient
      Eric Biran went up a rank
      Proficient
    • Dedicated
      Conjor earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • Week One Done
      Windows Guy earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Dedicated
      Mark Spruce earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • Collaborator
      conkir earned a badge
      Collaborator
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      479
    2. 2
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      243
    3. 3
      Steven P.
      72
    4. 4
      +Edouard
      66
    5. 5
      neufuse
      66
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!