What is a good Linux distro???

[Sorc.Polgara]

I'm looking to use a Linux OS and I'd like some recommendations on what are good FREE Linux distros.

[iago]

This can be argued till you're blue in the face.  But the big question is: what are you looking for? Ease? Education? Speed? Security? Fun?

My first recommendation is Slackware, because that's the one I use 100% of the time.  Alternatively, Gentoo also seems quite good. 

If you just want to play with things, grab Knoppix.  Then you don't have to install it to your harddrive. 

If you want to do security/hacking stuff, grab Auditor.  Again, it's bootable. 

[MyndFyre]

I've started using Fedora Core 4.

[Newby]

I've started using Fedora Core 4.

Yeah, but you are the suck.

[Yegg]

Sorc.Polgara, make sure your hard drive is compatible with the Linux distribution that you decide to use. My computer can't seem to run any version, versions that did log in to the desktop had display errors constantly. Anyways, I would suggest using Mandrake Linux or Ubuntu if you are looking for ease. Also, according to nslay, FreeBSD is a very good OS to use. FreeBSD isn't Linux, but I figured I'd suggest it anyways.

[iago]

Sorc.Polgara, make sure your hard drive is compatible with the Linux distribution that you decide to use. My computer can't seem to run any version, versions that did log in to the desktop had display errors constantly. Anyways, I would suggest using Mandrake Linux or Ubuntu if you are looking for ease. Also, according to nslay, FreeBSD is a very good OS to use. FreeBSD isn't Linux, but I figured I'd suggest it anyways.

You don't have to worry about hard drive compatibilty.  All harddrives are the same. 

You do, however, have to worry about hardware compatibility.  There's typically a way to get any hardware working, since there are tons of people out there writing drivers/code, but it might be troublesome. 

[Yegg]

Sorc.Polgara, make sure your hard drive is compatible with the Linux distribution that you decide to use. My computer can't seem to run any version, versions that did log in to the desktop had display errors constantly. Anyways, I would suggest using Mandrake Linux or Ubuntu if you are looking for ease. Also, according to nslay, FreeBSD is a very good OS to use. FreeBSD isn't Linux, but I figured I'd suggest it anyways.

You don't have to worry about hard drive compatibilty.  All harddrives are the same. 

You do, however, have to worry about hardware compatibility.  There's typically a way to get any hardware working, since there are tons of people out there writing drivers/code, but it might be troublesome. 

Hmm, I thought that the harddrive could cause some interference. I guess I was wrong.

[Newby]

Depends on whether or not your kernel supports the interface your harddrive is. (i.e. I had to build my kernel specially so I could get my SATA drive working)

[iago]

Depends on whether or not your kernel supports the interface your harddrive is. (i.e. I had to build my kernel specially so I could get my SATA drive working)

Well, true.  I was thinking of SATA and SCSI, but those are rarely an issue

[Yegg]

My hard drive is just ATA.

[CrAzY]

Ubuntu...  Every thing just seems to "work" with it .  BTW, linux is open source...  There is only a handful of distros that actually cost money...  Things that cost money for linux don't get the idea of it.

[Yegg]

Ubuntu...  Every thing just seems to "work" with it .  BTW, linux is open source...  There is only a handful of distros that actually cost money...  Things that cost money for linux don't get the idea of it.

LinSpire is said (and looks) to be pretty good of a Linux OS. It too costs money. $50.

[Kp]

Linspire is a distribution that tries to cater to people who aren't really ready to leave Windows yet.  I much prefer distributions that don't try to offer CNR constantly.

[Banana fanna fo fanna]

If you're just switching, I heartily suggest Xandros.

[NicoQwertyu]

Slackware!  I only recommend it because it's the first and only distribution I've used, however.