This is a list of the Top 4 Linux Distributions of my choice beginning with my most favorite distribution (distro). Following my top pick, there is really no special order other than the differences in usability and ease of switching from a Windows machine. This post is not intended to be a source of argue, but to simply educate the Windows user on their Linux options.
Top Pick
#1 - Ubuntu
This Linux distro was first introduced late 2004. Since then, there have been several different versions spawned from the original including a student release called Edubuntu.
What I enjoy about this distro is its' desktop usability and easy install. I don't mention any specific releases just to cover the entire spectrum. With their most recent versions, in my experience the download was quick, burning the iso (image file) to a disk using imgburn was simple, and the entire install was under 30 minutes or so. I really like the overall speed and performance of this distro and that is why I've chosen Ubuntu as my top pick. It is a practical choice for a Windows user exploring Linux. Please visit the Ubuntu Website for more information.
#2 - Fedora
After spending some time with Ubuntu, I decided to try out Fedora. Originally released in 2003, Fedora cycles every 6 months or so. In my opinion, this distro would really be my top pick if it was as easy to use as Ubuntu out-of-the-box. The desktop environment is clean, great performance and very stable. Overall, the install was quick, easy and took around 30 minutes to complete. Finding an application loader was difficult, and there was no decent office software pre-loaded. Other than that, still a very powerful, clean and easy-to-use distro. Please visit the Fedora Website for more information.
#3 - Open Suse
Until now, I have only mentioned distros with a Gnome environment. KDE is a desktop environment very similar to what we've seen in Windows. With Open Suse this comes pre-loaded and ready-to-use. At first glance, KDE looks similar to what we've seen in Windows. There's a bottom panel, task bar, expand up application/task launcher and clock on the bottom right. It was easy to install, very clean and seemed stable. In my opinion, Open Suse seemed not quite as fast as the other two distros mentioned before. Also, I did have a quick freeze but this could also be to my poor graphics card so who knows. Checkout the Open Suse Website for more information.
#4 - Pardus
Another KDE desktop out-of-the-box. This distro is very polished! The desktop environment is clean, has several desktop effects, and the install includes many useful applications. Overall, I was impressed with the look and functionality of Pardus and I needed to include it on this list. I'm not sure if maybe my system was holding the distro back, I did notice it was a bit slower than the others in boot/load time, also I did experience a freeze but this could be because of my hardware. Visit the Pardus Website for more information.
Again, this is a list comprised of my top pick Linux distributions. All of the above make an easy transition for a Windows first-time Linux user. For more information regarding IT Conflict, please visit Computer Repair in Austin.
