What distro are you using?

[ruel24]

I'm a completely dedicated PCLinuxOS user after going through a bunch of different distros since 1998 and Red Hat 5.2. I've probably used Mandrake the longest with Suse and PCLinuxOS tied for second. However, I'm completely convinced and satisfied with my choice of PCLinuxOS as my distro of choice and don't see a change in the forseeable future, despite having "looked at" other recent releases of other distros.

What's your distro of choice? Of course, to anyone replying - no distro bashing! I'm just curious where everyone is coming from. Linux is about choice.

[lunoob]

Well, I'm using Mepis 7. 

I think I first started with Linux using Mandrake. Then moved to Suse 9.1, 9.3, then 10.2.  Then after advice from others, I tried Mepis 6.0.  The live CD thing is cool.  Mepis 6.5 had some cool features (especially Beryl), but I wanted to move to Debian-based Mepis versus Ubuntu-based Mepis for stability and update/upgrade purposes.  Still, M7 is a mixed bag if you ask me.  I'm a big fan . . .  in general . .  . but there seem to be some things yet to be sorted out.

Coincidentally, I really think the thing that hooked me with Mepis was the ML Forums, similar to the impression I get on LGU:

WILDLY HELPFUL/FRIENDLY.

[Dadster]

   I started with Ark then Mandriva then Knoppix then PCLinux .92 .   Stayed with PCLos and now running MiniMe.   I have Klikit Linux on my spare hd since I've been with their artwork team.     So guess it's Klikit and MiniMe  for me.

[Paul LeBlanc]

Guys, please read the rules...
 I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything but... This is that one post I was really wishing not to see here. The only time what you're using should matter here, is if it pertains to a graphics app. not working, or something like that....

 I'll allow this "what distro are you using" since people seem to like it so much, it's the #1 post "everywhere"
 But, the very moment any bickering begins, This topic will be locked, removed, beaten beyond recognition, hanged, drawn n quartered... and then burned

 I do not want to see any distro bashing, what-so-ever, or "mine is better than yours", etc.

 And, if you guys want to have it here so badly, I would appreciate help in moderating it heavily for any violations...

 So, you're lucky I'm such a teddy bear And I'm that guy who likes to see the kids have fun...

 Have fun & play nice

[ruel24]

Gemini, since I started the thread and made a point of stating "no distro bashing", I'll lock the thread myself if it happens. I was simply curious as to where everyone was coming from, since this is the first forum like this I've participated in where we're not all using the same distro.

Like I said, Linux is about choice, so we should all respect that. What distro we use has no bearing on the apps we're using.

[Paul LeBlanc]

no worries Ruel, this is fine as long as I know I have someone I know and trust watching it

 I thought on it last night and realize, maybe it's a good idea to have this, it can show off our diverse range of members

[Jaws]

Well, I'm probably going to be the noob around here since I never used Linux before June of 2007. I tried Knoppix liveCD about two years ago, actually two different version and could never get the Internet to work.

About January of 2007 somebody on a Windows security forum recommended Suse. Everything worked but I get really lame sometimes and I didn't know what to do after that. I didn't know how to install program and could figure my way around so I gave up.

Determined to get off the Windows bandwagon and reading about PCLOS, I figured I'd give it a shot. I thought what the hell, it's only a single CD and if it was crap I'd toss it. Turned out it wasn't crap, everything worked on my now ancient (7 year old, home built, still going strong) computer and I've stuck with it ever since. I rarely boot into Windows nowadays.

I never did understand the distro bashing though. Who cares if someone has a different preference. I don't even bash windows, it has it's uses. That's why I like it here, it's all about graphics.

Cheers

[joost_op]

Hi all,

I'm using Sabayon linux

 

[Jaws]

Hey Joost_op,

Welcome aboard. Good to have folks from a variety of every distros share their experience with graphics programs.

Cheers

[Dragonbite]

(best I get in before anybody ruins it for everybody and the thread gets locked  )

I've used Linux off-and-on since about 2002. At the time the Mac looked pretty good but there was no way I could afford moving over to the Mac so I tried Linux (was using Win98 at the time.).  A friend suggested I install Red Hat (then 8 ).

Since then I've tried Red Hat 9, Gentoo, CentOS, openSUSE, TinyMe, Damn Small Linux and Fedora.

Currently (before my ADHD of distros starts up again) I am running Ubuntu (my Laptop), Ubuntu Server (file server), Edubuntu (kid's desktop) and Windows XP (wife's desktop).

Ubuntu and Edubuntu are where I do most of my work (the Edubuntu because it has the 19" monitor which is a lot easier on the eyes than the 12.1" screen  ).

[Digitante]

I use Debian. When I started exploring the free software paradigm, I wanted to explore the whole experience, so I went with a community-maintained distribution, initially as an experiment (I wanted to know if the community process really worked, and so I tested it by using community processes throughout).  Debian was also very large (just about all free software finds its way into the Debian archive eventually), and the packaging system is good. Also, there were a lot fewer choices in 2000.

It lacks some in the area of immediate usability and newbie-friendliness. Also, I've recently become aware that many people actually install Linux as a "single-user environment" (effectively), by using auto-login and default users, etc. -- the way Knoppix and Ubuntu live CDs install. Debian doesn't make that particularly easy, AFAICT.

I've always done a more traditional "workstation" installation, with a display manager, multiple users, networked partitions and hard-partitioning. Which Debian's installer makes pretty easy to do. It fits my lifestyle, and since I used to use Solaris workstations at work, it's familiar.

The only bad thing I can say about Debian as it relates to graphics is that, being a very conservative distribution, it sometimes lags behind quite a bit on what is available in the official archive. That makes it very useful to track the Debian Multimedia unofficial DEB archive.

All things considered, it's been a very good experience. Probably better than I've had with any proprietary O/S, and so far, I haven't found another Linux distribution tempting enough to make me switch (though I've become curious about Ubuntu).

By and large, though, choice of distribution shouldn't matter much for graphics.

[MeeMaw]

My brother introduced me to Linux and even sent me an old Thinkpad T23 with Ubuntu on it. I have tried loads of live CD's and installed several to my desktop. I have PCLinuxOS on my desktop and the laptop my brother sent me (I borked the Ubuntu myself - oops! I really like KDE better than Gnome, so I installed PCLOS instead of reinstalling Ubuntu.)
But it's all Linux...... which is great.
 

[artsysuzie]

I use debian. Debian is whatever I make of it.....and if I don't want to make something of it then they have great default installs of kde, gnome, and xfce ready to go. The default installs are great setups that compare favorably with other distros default installs.With debian I can run the most latest/greatest software available or stick to well tested older releases. yes, I am a debian fan(atic) 

[lunoob]

In light of the very reasonable concern about distro-bashing, here's something pleasantly ironic.   

After reviewing this thread, (and some of the cool art work I've seen here bringing PCLOS frequently to mind) I'm thinking of trying out PCLOS, as it may be every bit as graphics-friendly as anything else.  As far as Linux, I now have one 'test' box running Debian Etch and three regular use machines with Mepis7. 

I guess open-mindedness can be contagious.   

(Of course I've traditionally been a bit of a Linux distro-junkie.)   

[Dragonbite]

In light of the very reasonable concern about distro-bashing, here's something pleasantly ironic.   

After reviewing this thread, (and some of the cool art work I've seen here bringing PCLOS frequently to mind) I'm thinking of trying out PCLOS, as it may be every bit as graphics-friendly as anything else.  As far as Linux, I now have one 'test' box running Debian Etch and three regular use machines with Mepis7. 

I guess open-mindedness can be contagious.   

(Of course I've traditionally been a bit of a Linux distro-junkie.)   

+1 (You sound a lot like me (who's your daddy?! ))

I noticed a large portion of PCLinuxOS people here and am even considering trying it out. I've got it downloaded but haven't done much with it yet.