Pick the Right Linux Flavor for You

By:  Whitson Gordon  & Kevin Purdy

Pick the Right Linux Flavor for You

If you've decided to give Linux a go, maybe for the second time, it's time to pick out a system and at least load it onto a "live" USB stick. If you're new to the Linux world, here are the distributions we recommend trying out.

Note: We could publish our own Wikipedia about all the different distributions, or "flavors" in our headline speak, of Linux out there. Instead, we're going to simply make a pitch for four different systems Lifehacker editors have been known to use. You can try out all of them (except Arch, perhaps) from a live CD or USB image you can download from each of their sites—and we'll show you how to do that tomorrow.

Ubuntu: The Go-To Option For Most

 
Ubuntu is a lot younger, and different, than a lot of Linux distributions. It was founded by a man with a good chunk of money and a dream of making a kind of mainstream Linux: a distribution of, as the tag goes, "Linux for Humans." There are Linux flavors that are lighter on resources, or easier for beginners, or more robust in certain aspects. But Ubuntu is where you can find a distribution designed for usability, supported by a huge community of enthusiasts, and moving forward at a pretty rapid clip.

Because of all that community support and attention, it's where we recommend newcomers start off with Linux. It's the best shot you've got at 100% hardware support, and it's honestly the most Google-able distribution when you want to learn or tweak something.

There are also a host of Ubuntu "variations" you can turn to. They're basically the same core
system with a different or customized desktop environment (and Here's what that actually
means). So try a KDE desktop (Kubuntu), the lower-spec-friendly XFCE (Xubuntu), a flavor
specific to your tiny little computer (Netbook Edition), or the many other options. 

Linux Mint: Even More Beginner-Friendly

Linux Mint owes more than a little of its core software, and inspiration, to Ubuntu, but it's a successful branch into a more cohesive, and even more beginner-friendly realm. All the stuff you'd expect to find on an OS, like MP3, DVD, and Flash, are included by default, the menu is more Start-like, and the system has a cohesive feel and a lot of smart choices made for newcomers. Blogger Jeff Hoogland makes a richer case for Mint over Ubuntu, and his points are good ones. Mint is a good pick for those tired of playing around with text files (though you're still able to do that, of course).

  

Fedora: The Solid Alternative

 

   

Fedora is the personal desktop offshoot of enterprise Linux firm Red Hat. The team puts out a robust operating system that updates regularly, they incorporate cutting-edge Linux developments at a rapid pace, and they support a variety of hardware, even extending an olive branch to PowerPC users. Using Fedora doesn't feel entirely different from Ubuntu, but one main difference comes in the package installer—the app you use to quickly install apps from the distribution's own servers. Overall, it's a good pick, and really a matter of preference.

Arch Linux: The Starting-from-Scratch Project

Don't try to set up Arch Linux during a lunch break. Do dig into Arch Linux if you want to learn way more about Linux, get a system at just the right size and configuration for your needs, and want a crash course in how to tweak a Linux system for better performance.

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