By Ded Ryzing: In Part 2 of “Order From Chaos: Choosing A Linux Distribution” We went through a brief comparison of the 4 main Linux branches against the following criteria; Ease of use, Primary use, Support and Future maintenance. In Part 3 we will look at criteria #5, Personal preference.

“What gives?”, you ask? You’re probably thinking that personal preference could be the only criteria one needs. While it may be true, it is important that personal preference be tempered by wisdom and guidance. When buying a car you will inevitably buy the one that is the most comfortable to drive, is the right color and comes with the right options…but this all, or should, comes after comparing different brands, models and packages. This is the same thing. Fact is I, nor anyone else, can tell you what to use just as I can’t tell you what car you’ll like, what TV shows will interest you or what entre you’ll like at the local “greasy spoon”. What can tell you is personal initiative.

The best thing you can do is to just do. Take what you have learned, download a few distros that piqued your interest and try them. Many of the major distros offer non-destructive means of trying them before you make the final decision.

My personal Top Picks; Arch Linux for server and workstation use and DreamLinux for desktops / notebooks.  I have recently discovered these distros and they have impressed me immensely.  Arch is somewhat of a minimalist distro in the same vein as a Slackware, but the Arch Way results in a super stable system that rocks along at top speed.

DreamLinux, based on the Debian Testing branch offers cutting edge features and great performance, which is enhanced by the default XFCE desktop environment (which looks fantastic).

Other top picks (in no particular order):

1. Ubuntu (desktop) – Arguably the best distro for new Linux users. There’s good reason why it is the most popular distribution out there right now. The fact it supports so many platforms, like 64-bit Intel, is a bonus.
2. Debian (server) – Debian GNU/Linux is the grand daddy and an excellent choice for a home server. Though not as “cutting edge” as Ubuntu, it is rock solid and easy to maintain.
3. Linux Mint (laptop) – Another Debian derivative (you know I love the Debian branch). Linux Mint has great hardware detection and isn’t hampered with the “only open source software” philosophy that Ubuntu has out of the box. This makes it a great choice for laptops, especially for new users.
4. OpenSuSE (desktop) – Great choice for general use. Hardware detection is great and it gives you a complete suite of apps…perhaps too many right from the get go. With the backing of Novell, support is also great.
5. Fedora Core (desktop) – As good as OpenSuSE or Ubuntu. Like OpenSuSE it uses RPM packages and is why I personally give the nod to Ubuntu.
6. Slackware (server or desktop) – Because almost everything is compiled from source code, it is more optimized for your particular hardware. Result is normally a blazing fast, stable system. Great all around solution for experienced users who really want to get into the “guts” of their system.
7. CentOS (server) – Red Hat Enterprise based and designed for the data center. Easy to use, well maintained and supported…a great choice for small business or corporate servers.

The world of Linux can be a fun and fascinating place. It is filled with fantastic creatures, odd beasts and unique characters. There’s something for everyone and the deeper you go down the “rabbit hole” the more interesting things can be.

For more information:
Wikipedia Links: “List of Linux Distributions”, “Debian Linux”, “Red Hat Linux”, “Gentoo Linux”, “Slackware Linux”
Related Links: “Distribution Watch”, “Linux.com”
Distro Sites: “Debian”, “Ubuntu”, “Fedora Core”, “Red Hat”, “Open SuSE”, “Gentoo”, “Sabayon”, “Slackware”, “Linux Mint”

Tags: Linux, Choosing a Linux distribution, Debian, Ubuntu, Red Hat, Fedora, Gentoo, Sabayon, Slackware, FreeBSD, UNIX