Linux Distribution Recommendations

For Beginners

Selection

One size does not fil all. Some key differentiators to evaluate include:

1. the functionality/style of "Control Panel" and that is best asssesed by trying various live CD from the suggestions below
2. look-and-feel of the various Desktop enviroments
   • Unity
   • KDE
   • Gnome
   • LXDE
3. Applications
   • this should not be a "show-stopper"
   • whilst > 700 MB won't fit on a CD, most Distributions have large, on-line repositories from which many applications can be installed quite simply

Suggestions from PCUG's Linux SIG depend on perspective:

for best support from the SIG

1. Linux Mint
2. openSUSE
3. Ubuntu

for Windows/MacOS like experience

1. KDE variants of the above

uncomplicated/mobile computing

1. Peppermint

for netbooks and low spec hardware

1. Peppermint
2. PC Linux OS LXDE
3. Puppy
   • limited network security

for PCUG members having a dearth of download quota, the following are unmetered download from TIP

1. Ubuntu
   • an Ubuntu download should be redirected automatically to TIP server - but check your usage stats before & after

Distribution Specific Notes

All distributions have some "quirks" which might not be covered in installation & usage guides

openSUSE

Locale

For Intermediate Users

for continual upgrade to latest software releases

1. openSUSE with Tumbleweed repository enabled
2. Ubuntu with Universe repository enabled

for fewest upgrades

1. Ubuntu (& derivatives) based on Long Term Support (LTS) core

for PCUG members having a dearth of download quota, the following are unmetered download from TIP

1. Ubuntu
2. Debian
   • an Ubuntu/Debian download should be redirected automatically to TIP server - but check your usage stats before & after

for netbooks and low spec hardware

1. Peppermint
2. PC Linux OS LXDE
3. the new razorqt desktop
   • www.qtdesktop.org
   • available for most major distributions

Specialised Distributions

utility CD

1. PartedMagic
2. SystemRescueCD

firewall/gateway/router

1. Smoothwall Express
2. IPFire
3. IPCop no longer recommended
   • release 1.4.x is stable, but no longer maintained
   • release 2.x less reliable

For Geeks

the following are generally regarded as not suited to beginners.

1. Arch
2. Gentoo
3. Slackware

--Rpeters 13:59, 19 August 2012 (EST)