DEFINITIVE: Which Linux Distro? (poll for 2009)

By markwolfe
in Linux

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The Definitive Linux Poll for 2009!  

809 members have voted

  1. 1. Which Linux Distro? (multiples allowed, if you use a couple)

    • Ubuntu/Kubuntu/Xubuntu/*buntu
      361
    • Debian/Mepis/Knoppix/Kanotix/Xandros/Elive/Other Debian
      50
    • Fedora Core/Redhat/RHEL/CentOS/WBEL
      78
    • OpenSUSE/SUSE/Novell
      53
    • Gentoo/Sabayon
      32
    • Mandriva/PCLinuxOS
      22
    • Slackware/Slax/Zenwalk
      18
    • Arch/Shift
      66
    • Linspire/Freespire
      3
    • Damn Small/Puppy
      12

  2. 2. Which destop environment / window manager? (multiples allowed)

    • GNOME
      366
    • KDE
      135
    • XFCE
      57
    • fluxbox/blackbox/openbox/LXDE
      48
    • Enlightenment/E17
      13
    • IceWM
      4
    • TWM or something equally basic
      5
    • GUI? pft. CLI or die!
      23
    • other
      18
    • whatever my distro came with. Is there a choice?
      15

  3. 3. I use Linux for... (multiples allowed)

    • Desktop (for school, work, home, games)
      359
    • Media Centre (primarily for videos & music)
      113
    • Server (web,ftp,file/print)
      123
    • I don't really use it for anything but learning Linux
      140
    • I've only ever used it as a LiveCD, or to recover files from a non-bootable OS
      33
    • Other
      41

Recommended Posts

Grand Master

ViperAFK

Posted
Posted

I've changed to fedora 10 for now. It seems MUCH faster and more responsive than both ubuntu and suse for me. Also they keep they're packaged way more up to date.

Also the boot time is incredible, faster than vista dn other distros I have tried.

Also for some reason suse's grub install ALWAYS nukes my windows vista boot loader whenever I want to remove it, never happens with other distros. It completely corrupts my bcd registry and I can't use any apps like easybcd to rewrite my windows bootloader like I usually do. So be careful installing grub over your windows bootloader with suse 11.1, i've reproduced this happening a couple times.

Proficient

rson451

Posted
Posted
@rson451- is that the new shift logo you're using for an avatar? That looks pretty sweet. :D

It was my own foolish musings in inkscape. It's gone now for I feel bad representing Shift with the negative posts I tend to make on this forum.

Grand Master

Growled Member

Posted
  • Member
Posted

I'm playing around with Ubuntu 9.04 Alpha and I'm very impressed. Ext 4 is really noticeably faster. It just doesn't feel like an alpha. It runs very smooth. I know there will be some rough patches ahead (like currently, as they are upgrading python....a lot of stuff breaks) until we reach final, but the final should be the best ever.

Grand Master

ViperAFK

Posted
Posted
I'm playing around with Ubuntu 9.04 Alpha and I'm very impressed. Ext 4 is really noticeably faster. It just doesn't feel like an alpha. It runs very smooth. I know there will be some rough patches ahead (like currently, as they are upgrading python....a lot of stuff breaks) until we reach final, but the final should be the best ever.

I was going to try that but ati still has no drivers for the new version of xorg the alpha has. and the radeonhd drivers are teh suck on my card.

Proficient

Zickar

Posted
Posted

I was trying to make the switch but then I broke my leg and I was stranded away from any computer with Linux on it , now I'm back and I'm getting ready to get back in the game again ... I use Linux mainly for some of its software and tweaks , there are lots of stuff you can do with Linux and my main system is Xubuntu with XFCE

Grand Master

ViperAFK

Posted
Posted
^ I was a bit surprised but the radeon drivers worked perfectly for my old x1300. That's the first time that ever happened. I knew they were working on the radeon drivers but I didn't know they were that far along.

Yes I have one machine with an old x300 and out of the box compiz works and everything. Hopefully some day that will be the case in my laptop card too.

  • 2 weeks later...
Grand Master

DrunkenMaster

Posted
Posted

I'm using Arch. I'd been so used to Slackware and I always found it a headache when there weren't packages available had to compile my self (I know things have improved). Arch is all i686 compiled, pacman is a breeze to use.

I know people complain that E17 isn't all that featureful. I just want a GUI that works, is stable and has enough functionality. I think this is the snappiest WM I've ever used. I have the ATI 9.1 Catalyst installed on my system and X.org + E17 it blows away Windows and OS X - speed wise anyways ;)

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
Rising Star

Mrs_Angel_D

Posted
Posted

My home has been using Ubuntu only for about 6 months now, and we love it. My rig originally came with Windows vista so I can install it if I want to, but I have just fallen head over heals with Ubuntu and Linux in General. I did download the Windows 7 RC & install it in virtualbox, it's ok but I really can't see any reasons for me to purchase it.

  • 2 weeks later...
Collaborator

Aahz

Posted
Posted

I'm dual booting Linux Mint 7 (Gnome) and Windows 7 on all of my machines.

If either Linux or Mac would get their act together when it comes to securing native installs/support for games then I'd be far more inclined to use one of those as my main operating system. Emulation and virtualization simply do not cut it.

As it stands now, I'm in Windows 7 90% of the time because I know that as soon as I get a break in the workload I'm going to fire-up a game and I want it to work full speed without any layers of abstraction between me and my framerate.

It's picky and petty but I build my machines to play games...the fact that you can do work on them is just an unfortunate side-effect ;)

Grand Master

Fred Derf Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

It seems that I had not voted in this year's poll. Strange...

I'm starting to like LXDE. It is the new default desktop for Knoppix (at least the 6.0.1 CD edition). I'm not 100% on this but it seems to be based on openbox (although, it doesn't look anything like other derivatives such as fluxbox). I guess that is why it shares a line on this year's poll.

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