What Linux distribution you're using?

[SensoVision]

just wonder what's most popular distribution out there...
Personally I've used RedHat and Knoppix http://www.knopper.net/ which seems to be interesting for people who don't have enough space on harddrive, or need to salvage some files from failed Windows installation, it's very handy edition for such purposes IMHO since it boot from single CD.
Now I'm also waiting for Debian who was promised to me one month ago but still not arrive

[Andy]

I started with SuSe but wasn't serious about it. Then, I used Red Hat since it came with some books to allow me to learn it. I installed a webserver, virtual hosting, ftp server, apache web server and other stuff. My friend also used Red Hat but now says Debian is easier to upgrade and install new software.

Unfortunately I'm too hooked into windows to change due to the excellent applications I am using but i wish Linux all the best.

[SensoVision]

Hey Andy, what kind of application you can't live without? you can run most of them under Linux using Wine or find free version of corresponding program.

[magnus]

I´m Running Slackware 9.1 most of the time.
Also tested Debian and Redhat but don´t think they can beat Slackware.

[Andy]

Applications I can't live without include:

Paint Shop pro
Outlook Express
HTML-kit
Pinnacle Studio
Visio
MS Excell - which is better than open office but I can live without it at home.
AceFTP
Norton Internet Security
Used to need Delphi
PowerDVD
ShareScope
Adobe Acrobat
Dark Basic Pro
Nero burning ROM

Also I have ATI Video capture with mpeg encoding running under windows.

[SensoVision]

if say truth I didn't try to run any of these programs, actually I don't use any of them.
But check this link http://appdb.winehq.com/appbrowse.php
it seems that PSP work strating from v8, as for HTML-Kit new release work but with bugs. There is version of wine which let you run Windows office from Linux.
I guess other programs are also listed there although if you interested you can check them yourself maybe you would be able to install some of them at work(if I understand correctly you're running Linux at workplace).
dealing with Linux I've found that almost always there are some alterantive aviable for most popular programs and usually it's free ones or cost much less than window's versions.
By the way I saw Nero on your list, once I've got Debian I'll try to install Nero there and see if it work for me.

[Andy]

I'm use windows at work like most people since it's a standard install on our work pc's. However, the crazy pricing of windows XP and the licencing issues where it locks onto hardware must push many more home users to Linux I guess.

I used Linux for my mini-itx web server home project http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.wilkes/mini_itx_project.html

It was an idea to get web access in my lounge and for virtual server hosting over my broadband internet. I also configured remote admin using http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/ from my windows PC.

All I am lacking now is a wireless connection to a laptop in the garden for the summer. 

[SensoVision]

aha now I get it

All I am lacking now is a wireless connection to a laptop in the garden for the summer. 

try bluetooth I've played with it other day and it's work well for me.

[greenman]

You're missing a few important ones from the list.  As IT manager I recently begun switching our desktops to Linux. The choices on the table were Gentoo (our system administrator's choice, which we use for some servers, but probably not a great desktop choice), Debian and Fedora (perhaps you meant Red Hat to include this). Fedora eventually won out, and things are going smoothly so far. Mandrake is one of the more popular choices out there (see www.distrowatch.com for one measurement of popularity), but none of our IT staff had used it so we stuck with what we knew.

[SensoVision]

welcome to our community Greenman! I've add distors you've adviced to poll. BTW thanks for link, I didn't know about http://www.distrowatch.com/ previously, it has some interesting data, I've never thought that Mandrake and Knoppix are so popular.

BTW Have just got three distors to try out Slackware, ASP Linux and Linux XP, but guess I'll not leave Debian.

[rosie]

Hi Denis, well I found the Linux section! Checking it out...

[lostingermany]

Hi everybody

When I started with Linux a few years ago the only one on the market was SuSe. My provider had SuSe, too, so I needed the same structur as they had for my programming. The version was 5.3 and that was hard! The only thing that worked halfway decent was Yast! Over the years, 6.1, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 8.0, 8.1 and I just recieved 9.0, I would saw for beginners it has developed into a halfway decent system. It still has it's bugs but it has improved alot! I have also used Red Hat 6.0 and 7.0. To tell you the truth from the structure here, they are almost the same. The best thing that I liked about it was back then the RPM files were only supported by Red Hat, in the mean time SuSe, too. The best thing that I heard about Debian is that the Internet support is alot better then by the top 2. That might be a good reason to try it out!

Have fun with Linux, but watch out for the gray hairs!!

Kevin

[SensoVision]

just spot this poll on SlashDot and according to it seems that Gentoo become really popular these days... my Debian is only on the second place 

Debian       19%  5663 / 19%
Gentoo      20% 5976 / 20%
SuSe      10% 2989 / 10%
Slackware      11% 3187 / 11%
Fedora/Red Hat      14% 4137 / 14%
Knoppix      6% 1951 / 6%
Mandrake      10% 3132 / 10%
Other      5% 1645 /

BTW if anyone who have tried Gentoo could post their impression and how does it compare to other distros?

[lostingermany]

That's not good, mine is on the 6th place. It seems that most new Linux systems go up to 1st place. I've never heard of Gentoo. Most of the ones that I have heard of are not even on there, (ex. FreeBSD).

lostingermany

[SensoVision]

hey Debian just come to ther first place
here is new data:

Debian       22%  8015 / 22%
Gentoo      21% 7698 / 21%
SuSe      10% 3648 / 10%
Slackware      10% 3807 / 10%
Fedora/Red Hat      13% 4954 / 13%
Knoppix      6% 2353 / 6%
Mandrake      10% 3733 / 10%
Other      5% 1957 /

and if comes to Debian it's not that new As for Gentoo it's pretty unique from all other distros because it let people to comile every signel program from source without big hassle, although from what I've heard it's still raw and not ready for use because some things still not work...
I've read some interesting posts and comments there, some are useless but some are good and give you impression about strong and weak sides of particular distro.