Which Linux Distro is right for me?

[authorblues]

I will be building my own computer (that is the plan) this summer, and I want it to be a GNU/Linux machine (no dual booting. windows can, for the time being, suck it. i have a laptop with windows that will suffice where windows is required).

i dont really know how to rate linux distros, as my experience is almost entirely limited to ubuntu. i dont want to choose ubuntu only for the reason that it is what im used to. the labs at my school have ubuntu. i tried dual booting with ubuntu. but i just dont know if its right for me.

i consider myself somewhat of a power user. i like to have control. im decidely lacking any skill at the hardware level (which is why i plan to learn by building my own computer), but im very capable of learning anything as necessary. i want to have access to software for gratis, such as open office and other tools, easily and stabily-built.

if there are any other questions that would help those more knowledgable than i answer my question, please ask, and i will do my best to answer. please do not recommend to me a distro just because you use it and its right for you. what is right for one may not be right for me. im looking for someone who knows a bit about linux to tell me what distro would best suit my needs.

sorry for the long post. thanks in advance.

[djconnect]

http://www.linux.org/dist/

Try that page

[DearonElensar]

Arch Linux
Can't say for sure it is exactly what you want, but you do get to do everything yourself so it's much more fun for a power user, since you can install exactly what you want, and no more (and tune it as much as you want to)

[Inquizitor]

I suggest Arch or Debian Linux.

[Sir-Davey]

Puppy Linux Supremacy

[iMate900]

Get this little bugger called Ubuntu, better than Arch and Debian.
Do YOU want to control everything? Linux from Scratch is for 'ya.

[iMate900]

At 2/23/09 05:40 PM, iMate900 wrote: Do YOU want to control everything? Linux from Scratch is for 'ya. <- LINK WRONG

Corrected link

[RageOfOrder]

One word: Gentoo

Make sure you have 24 hours or more to install it, and be sure to read the handbook thoroughly before starting (Or leave it open on your laptop and follow it step by step)

Or, choose a Gentoo derivitive, like Arch or Sabayon.

Good luck :)

[iMate900]

At 2/23/09 05:45 PM, RageOfOrder wrote: One word: Gentoo

Make sure you have 24 hours or more to install it, and be sure to read the handbook thoroughly before starting (Or leave it open on your laptop and follow it step by step)

Or, choose a Gentoo derivitive, like Arch or Sabayon.

Good luck :)

Arch is not a derivative of Gentoo.

[authorblues]

i kinda like sabayon. would it be good for my wants and needs? i want simple access to plenty of gratis software, and i want pretty good control of my system, but i dont want to have to be a genius to figure everything out. i want a fairly painless learning curve.

[thoughtpolice]

Arch Linux has been the distro I've used since I started using linux and I'm very much happy with it.

The package repositories may be smaller than e.g. apt-get (debian/ubuntu) or portage (gentoo,) but it's simple binary package installation so it's fast, and after the installer you're simply dropped into a shell where you can install a great deal of things and fit the system how you like it.

Like most distributions, there's great support for development tools and whatnot.

I recommend Arch Linux + xmonad as that's what I've been using for the past year or so. A very good minimalist setup that's simple and to the point. You can customize xmonad to whatever your liking (if you decide to go this route, you can steal my configuration file and I'll help you - the WM is written and extended in haskell.)

[yhar]

Building your own computer is like lego ;)

[DearonElensar]

At 2/23/09 07:00 PM, authorblues wrote: i want a fairly painless learning curve.

A good starting point for Arch, and there is *a lot* more on that wiki.