[GRLUG] Top 100

[Greg Folkert]

On Mon, 2007-04-09 at 23:30 -0400, Bob Kline wrote:
> See http://distrowatch.com/
> 
> On the right side there is a list of
> the top 100 ( yes,  100 ) Linux
> distributions,  based on page 
> hits to their web sites I gather.

Ubuntu
        Debian based, I push most new users towards)

Fedora
        rather un-delightful distro it is

MEPIS 
        All three differently base versions, now Ubuntu

Debian 
        My default and forever goto

Mandrake 
        For about 5 hours, each new version

Connectiva
        For an RPM distro was VERY good, but not quite right. But had
        the policy of Debian, but not the follow through

Mandriva
        The red-headed step child of Mandrake and Connectiva. Still
        lacks the follow through on Policy. But at least I can stand it
        longer than 5 hours now.

Sabayon
        Gentoo based, with a buncha goodies included on the miniCD and
        DVD versions. Very very nice, but Debian it ain't.

Damn Small
        I run Damn small in three places typically, old machines for
        kiosk type settings, console based single purpose machines
        (think printing or ftp gateways) and finally for those machines
        that run a peripheral (like a non-networkable high-end old
        plotter)

Mint
        Ubuntu on desktop steroids. Goes to far IMO on trying to "fix
        everything". Does a great job of making hard things easy for end
        user, but assumes MUCH to MUCH in way of user habits.

KNOPPIX
        All I can say is I have used it for the UBER rescue CD for years
        and years and years. Very nice installable setup, either CD or
        DVD.

Slackware
        I still have a lifetime subscription to Slackware (costs me $11
        per release for CD install media). I love it, this is my second
        ever Linux distro I used.

Gentoo
        Tried it, loved the flexibility of it... hated the flexibility
        of it. Double edged sword on it. They now have "pre-compiled
        binaries" so an install doesn't take 35 hours anymore. Of
        course, it still doesn't take 35 hours now on a quick machine...
        but still. Again, it is Gentoo, Debian it is not.

Kubuntu
        See Ubuntu with KDE installed.

FreeBSD
        If it weren't for the early 1990's problems and the resulting
        BSD-Lite stuffs, the "BSDs" would be right where Linux is these
        days. I like FreeBSD better than the other BSDs, mainly because
        of package content and a Leader Developer not inclined to
        threaten a puppy to get you to do things his way (Theo of
        another BSD, recently we had yet another case of his
        over-reactionism)

Vector Linux
        Once when it first came together. Didn't like it then. But don't
        let that keep you from looking at it. I;ve heard much goodness
        about it... but I have enough to look at.

Puppy Linux
        I've used it before, mainly for quick things without much need
        for customization and for a temporary fix, mainly. But very
        good. Runs from RAM and only need 64MB period, last I looked.

CentOS
        Unbranded RedHat Linux. Not much else different. Except, I
        commend then guys for the work.

Xandros
        I bought early Xandros, based on Debian (testing and unstable),
        due to the inclusion of cross-over office. Very nicely done...
        but in a matter of time, I changed the /etc/apt/sources.list to
        all Debian repositories and changed t over to real Debian... I
        probably should have just re-installed.

Xubuntu
        See Ubuntu, only with the XFcE desktop installed. Personally I
        use XFcE now, by default. I like it, period. So if I chose a
        personal Ubuntu it would be this one.

RedHat Linux
        Well, by far the biggest commercial distro. I have little else
        to say about it, except that Vendor support from multiple
        companies is a double plus. That is when you can afford it.
        
        Though I did use (the Free version of) RedHat Linux from about
        v3.03 onward to v9.0.

PC-BSD
        This is the only *BSD variant I'd let a relative new-comer use.
        It is much better for installation, but I still have many issues
        with handling. It feels a bit rough for new users and even for
        myself, I find it lacking... except it is a BSD.

KANOTIX
        Developed on a whim by Kano, currently based on Debian Sid, with
        another layer of control and customization. Right now, I believe
        Kano will change to be an Ubuntu based distribution. I guess,
        well you can't blame him... but I hope he doesn't. There has
        been some serious disagreements in the past, causing developers
        to leave. I like the current set and methods and choices made...
        But it just isn't the way I work.

YellowDog
        PowerPC and Cell Processor is the big thing here. Last weekend,
        I help a friend install it on his PS3. All over Jabber, very
        easy. He likes it better than having Linux on his other
        machines. Though I have not used it in over 5 years.

Solaris
        Very solid commercial OS. This is not OpenSolaris. It has a
        tremendous scalability abstraction, many hugely useful features
        (ZFS, truss, to name a few) and has commercial support that
        really is not to be judged as anything less than stellar. There
        is the Sparc version and the x86 and AMD64 variants of it now.
        If you are familiar with UNIX, then more than likely you can
        learn Solaris in a very short period.

Sidux
        This distro is one of the groups that Kano pissed off. They form
        Sidux. They specialize in stabilizing Debian Sid... hence Sidux.
        There is large amount of work going into to stabilization of Sid
        and most of the work they are doing is straight Debian
        compatible. It just needs to be passed back to "upstream" being
        Debian.

FreeSBIE
        a FreeBSD LiveCD, starts at a command prompt, nothing else. It
        just plain works. Defaults to XFcE when a startx is used. Very
        flexible and has many tools available, should you look. Not
        quite KNOPPIX in my book, but then again, it has the BSD
        flexibility tht can literally scare some people.

OpenBSD
        Defacto secure, the default install, only 2 insecure issues in
        10 years. That means only the core OS btw. But in actuality,
        I've never seen anything but the core OS used in critical
        places. Uses like a bridging firewall, a transparent proxy, a
        3-6 network interface firewall, a 3-6 network interface router,
        or NAT... pretty much anything network "traffic" oriented. My
        choice as far as that arena is concerned.

NetBSD
        Another of the BSD, but designed and coded to run on nearly any
        kind of hard, up to and include a de-humidifier... or firewood
        stove. If you get my drift. Things include portage and other
        methods, so it has much stuff available.

TurboLinux
        My third Linux distro. I loved this one. Though one-day I just
        stopped using it. I guess, around 1999. I don't recall why.
        Maybe because I had to (was forced to) work with RedHat Linux
        (v5.2 or 6.0 or something) at work only.

FreeNAS
        Currently using it as my NAS machine with my kids DVDs and music
        on it for my wife to play during the day. For the kids of
        course.

SmoothWall
        Looked at it, decided it wasn't for me, but definitely has
        feature making it a decidedly "good thing"(tm) for the consumer
        that doesn't understand things about how firewalls works and
        other "router/firewall" functions work.

As far as the Top 100 is concerned, that is all. But I do have three
more.

Demolinux
        Pretty much what made the great LiveCDs of today possible. IMO.
        Last version I use was 3.0, first version was 1.2.

SLS Linux
        My First linux distribution. I used the crap out of those
        floppies it came on to install 7 or 8 systems and 30 or so times
        each, as I learned...

Yggdrasil Linux
        Another Linux of early days, gone by the way-side. It is a shame
        too. Many bright and wonderful things were spawned (around 1992)
        by this one... as many cases it was the epitome of how to *NOT*
        do many things. Eventually, it was a wonderful "PNP capable"
        distro. The only one that could at the time. But things just
        didn't work out.

Last but by far the least, or maybe the least:

Caldera Linux
        Yeap, I used it. Promoted it. Used it. Liked it. Wanted it to
        succeed. It worked well, performed well, interacted well. All
        except for its distribution owners. Yes, SCOg formerly known as
        Caldera International formerly known as Caldera Linux.


There you have it. Everything I've used and well, misused.



-- 
greg, greg at gregfolkert.net

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