Comments on: How to choose a Linux distribution flow chart

By: Gabriel

Gabriel — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 23:36:07 +0000

Please don’t take this as an attack, but I see far too many people suggesting that Debian is a derivative of Ubuntu when it is quite the opposite. Ubuntu finds it’s roots in Debian. Not the other way around. I wish more people would get this fact straight. It’s bad enough that every time one does a search for some information on Debian, you get a page full of Ubuntu references. Granted, Ubuntu is the Linux flavor-of-the-day for most people, but I can assure that there are quite a few Debian users that remain unimpressed.

So, for the record, “Debian is NOT Ubuntu.”

By: PeterB

PeterB — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:43:23 +0000

Hello Ghacks and Jack

Nice chart.

I have found another chart i would like to share.
I have come across this site:
http://futurist.se/gldt/
They have made a tree like structure where the different Linux’es come from. their latest chart is here: http://futurist.se/gldt/gldt1003.png

It makes it easier to choose what distro’s to try if you like , let’s say Debian based.

Also use the search page from distrowatch here:
http://distrowatch.com/search.php
It makes it easy to choose one for beginners, which GUI you like and so on.

By: Giovdi.it • Come scegliere la distribuzione Linux che fa per noi

Giovdi.it • Come scegliere la distribuzione Linux che fa per noi — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:04:22 +0000

[...] gHacks, immagine alta: Flickr, John Vetterli) [...]

By: Choosing a Linux Distribution | Lambert on Development

Choosing a Linux Distribution | Lambert on Development — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:37:46 +0000

[...] How to choose a Linux distribution flow chart (ghacks.net) [...]

By: Which distribution of Linux is for you?

Which distribution of Linux is for you? — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:45:48 +0000

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By: LinuxLover

LinuxLover — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:12:41 +0000

A realistic algorithm would be massive and complex. Like I said, I’m an experienced Linux user and I use Mandriva Free x86-64 as my main desktop. Experience level has nothing to do with it. Do you want to mess with the details? Do you like compiling? Do you like the command line? Do you like hacking files? Do you mind reinstalling every 6 months or would you like to “set it and forget it”? Do you need a lot of support? How important are obscure software titles? How important are things like legal codecs? Do you have a fast internet connection? Are you able to burn an ISO file? Are you willing to learn? The list of questions goes on and on…

What exactly was the point of this flow chart, anyway?

By: LinuxLover

LinuxLover — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:38:46 +0000

Funny, when I was at PCLinuxOS, we had lots os people that came over from Ubuntu claiming they could get their wireless to work easily on PCLinuxOS, but it was nearly impossible with a lot of work in Ubuntu. Your experience my vary with someone else’s. There are still plenty of people out there that don’t even use wireless at all and it isn’t even a concern. I just got my first router ever a few weeks ago to support my iPod Touch and I’ve been a Linux user since Red Hat 5.2.

Wireless experiences not withstanding, Mandriva and PCLinuxOS, again, are my first choice to get started. KDE + the Draketools/MCC are much easier and more familiar to those coming from Windows than Gnome and the lack of GUI setup tools. Ubuntu uses some heavy handed scripts and mostly gets hardware setup pretty well. But the hardware it doesn’t get setup? Have fun with the terminal and ‘sudo’… This is not for the beginner in any way. I’m not knocking the terminal or CLI, because it’s a powerful tool, but when a complete newbie can’t get his hardware working and is presented with working in the terminal to fix his problem in the forum, what do you think his initial reaction is?

Again, nothing against Ubuntu, as it’s a fine distro for many, and one that I once used full time. I even loaded Linux Mint a few months ago and enjoyed it. However, the very new beginner should hold off until they, at least, get a minimal grasp of Linux and how different it can be.

By: Diagrama para elegir una distro Linux « MicroTeknologias

Diagrama para elegir una distro Linux « MicroTeknologias — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:54:19 +0000

[...] Enlaces: How to choose a Linux distribution flow chart [...]

By: Sontaya

Sontaya — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 07:17:31 +0000

Thanks for the flowchart. I used Linux Enterprise.

Thank you,
http://www.susethailand.com/

By: 1/4/2010 Update « Go Code

1/4/2010 Update « Go Code — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 06:02:37 +0000

[...] How to choose a Linux distribution flow chart [...]

By: gewg_

gewg_ — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 05:59:47 +0000

it’s totally pointless to work at home with Linux when the office has Windows

…unless you’re tired of infections
or you’re tired of the M$ “upgrade” treadmill
or you’re tired of paying for software that has remote kill switches
or you’re tired of the hunt-it-down routine when you need a utility/app
or you’re tired of babysitting software installs
or you’re tired of having to stop using your box while something installs
or you’re tired of having to constantly reboot for no reason
or you’re tired of using a scummy corporation’s products

By: tab17a10

tab17a10 — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 01:00:30 +0000

Folks this is just the authors opinion not biblical truth as the author stated. Instead of pissing and moaning about what the author has done lets see something better from the critics and lets see how well they make out.

By: NutMotion

NutMotion — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:55:48 +0000

re David Gerardm: quote:

“So anyone who says “we need one distro” or “we need one desktop” ”

I believe you were replying to my comment (first time here, so not sure which comment belongs to which “sub-comment section”. All I see is the alternance of white and blue, plus very small indentations.. Should adopt more practical symbolism, plenty of them out there:) ).

In which case, I think you did misread me. I wasn’t saying that having plenty of Linux distros to choose from was a bad thing.

What I was talking about was that this “Linux distrib flow chart” may turn off would-be Linux users because of its seemingly technical look.

By: David Gerardm

David Gerardm — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:18:38 +0000

This is actually a serious, qualitative difference between open source and Windows: you have choice, whether you like it or not. Because it’s possible, people take it.

So anyone who says “we need one distro” or “we need one desktop” is (a) not playing to our strengths (b) ordering the tide to go out. i.e, we have to make the diversity a feature, because it’s inherent to having the freedom of choice that free software grants you.

What I see a lot of is your Windows user being lured in by open source applications, e.g. Firefox, OOo, GIMP, and thinking “huh, this open source isn’t so bad” and, with these apps known to them, they can try Linux and have what they’re used to. Because users care about applications, not the thing the app is running on.

By: David Gerardm

David Gerardm — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:14:46 +0000

Yep, Ubuntu is great! But so is Fedora, and so is every other distro on this chart, and so are the BSDs :-)

(Personally, I’d add FreeBSD as an option next to Gentoo. “You are paranoid”->OpenBSD.)

By: NutMotion

NutMotion — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:11:16 +0000

“Ubuntu is safe IME for n00bs” : Im still quite a linux newb myself (1 year). And I totally agree with this ubuntu stuff. That’s where I began. Have migrated to Fedora very recently, but it’s just because I had to reinstall my comp(messed it up with libc..) , so wanted to take that chance to try another distro.

But Ubuntu is great:).

By: NutMotion

NutMotion — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:04:39 +0000

“Huh!”

Were I a Windows user trying to make the big jump to Linux, I believe that’s about what I would think:a big “WTF?”.

Seriously, I haven’t studied you chart, just gave it a “big picture” eye. Thanks for the effort. May be useful to fellow linux users, but NOT to someone already anxious about migrating from his former OS??

That’s much too “geeky” stuff I believe:)

By: David Gerardm

David Gerardm — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:01:50 +0000

Heh :-)

The key point is: it really doesn’t matter that much, and it’s really a matter of taste ;-)

Ubuntu is safe IME for n00bs precisely because it’s popular. OTOH, I run Ubuntu because it doesn’t get in my way but I can do evil sysadmin tricks when I want to.

By: jasray

jasray — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 20:07:35 +0000

Recommendation: 1) Why am I considering moving to Linux? What is the goal for doing so; 2) Can Linux provide me all of the tools necessary to be productive in a Windows dominated tech world?; 3) Is there a practical reason to run Linux as the main OS and Windows on VirtualBox?

In all honestly, I can’t recommend Linux to anyone unless he/she desires to “learn” a bit more about computers. The problem with Linux is compatibility–some distros run fine on one machine and printer; others fail. Working with Linux is fun and entertaining; however, it’s totally pointless to work at home with Linux when the office has Windows.

The only real advantage I find with Linux is creating a USB drive and boot disc (just in case) and using various techniques to connect to the Internet bypassing Windows Active Directory.

By: William Antônio Siqueira

William Antônio Siqueira — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 19:50:03 +0000

Cool!!!

You would add some portable distribuitions and light dists…