which one



G'day ferree, Welcome to linux.org

Make the simple choice. Please don't get into panic mode over the very first step.

The distro with the most support?....is Linux Mint


We can show you how to put it on a usb stick, how to install it, etc etc....more importantly, how to try it out without commitment.

Tell us what your pc or laptop is, and what is on it right now.....and what you hope to achieve/use it for
 
how do iknow which linux is best for me ?
Welcome @ferree ,
The only one who can answer that is YOU! Relax, we all went through the same process when we started using Linux.
Believe it or not, you are the only one who knows what you want.
The only way to find out which is best for you is by reading as much as possible about the different distros and then trying them out.
When you find the best one for you, you will know.
Old Geezer, Tango Charlie - 89 and learning more each day.
 
how do iknow which linux is best for me ?

This is a little like asking what's the best vehicle for me.

A car, a truck, an SUV? A boat, a plane, or maybe a submarine.
What do you want it to do?
For the most part, a Ford, a Chevy or a Dodge will all get you there.

How much experience do you have with Linux?
With computers in general?
 
Hi! ferree and Welcome to Linux.org!

Out of curiosity, what kind of computer do you have (Sony laptop? HP laptop? Desktop?) and how much RAM does it have?
 
Pick any distro and just try it. Out of curiosity i started with Mint then tried several others as well. I always came back to Mint. It just works. Welcome btw. Good folks here will help you with any requests you may have.
 
Welcome to the Forum.
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The beauty of Linux is the many Distros we have to choose from...if you don't like one try another and don't believe people who say this Distro or that is like windoes or is a beginners Distro because Linux isn't windoze.
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I'll recommend mostly GNU/Linux; its the best tool for most jobs an OS is useful for.

Beyond that I'd consider

  • support; does it have support sites you'd like to use when/if you get yourself into trouble
  • if you have friends/family/workmates who use a GNU/Linux distribution, using whatever they use (or something close to it) maybe beneficial (variation of my first support point)
  • duration of support; ie. does it have long-term support releases? or only shorter life releases, as there is great variation in that, and for some end use cases of installing an OS you want the release to be installed & survive for years without needing to perform release-upgrades, and don't care about always having the latest software, just that it's stable and keeps functioning reliably.

In the end, the distribution used mostly varies when the code/programs/apps are grabbed from upstream, in what format they're packaged which alters the commands slightly, with some variation available with a distribution based on support length, security checks etc..

Each situation (ie. end-use you'll use the install for) will decide what is best, myself I'm partial to Debian & Ubuntu most, but I could live on almost any GNU/Linux system, or even a BSD system too (though I stopped using BSD as I just found GNU/Linux so much easier).

We all have favorite or different ideas on what flavor ice-cream is best, every GNU/Linux distribution likewise has different pros and cons, so use the best for that particular end-use case, and use another in another role; ie. use the best tool for the job, and GNU/Linux gives you a lot of great tools to choose from.
 
This page may also help you as you navigate the Linux World.
I almost always recommend trying several Linux Distros in Live mode and choosing the one that Is appealing to you and works well with your hardware. But mostly enjoy the journey!
 
how do iknow which linux is best for me ?
I can tell you, as a noob myself, the process is a lot like buying a car. You make up your mind, whether by bias from family and friends, or safety ratings, etc, on a manufacturer. Then you go to the dealership and park your hiney in every model that appeals to you until you find The One.

Same here. You've already chosen the manufacturer (LInux). Now head off to the dealer and browse away. Unlike over at the Microsoft lot where they have a very limited selection, your local Linux dealer has many models to choose from. Take one for a spin. Test drives are free and you can keep it as long as you like. Don't like it? Come on back and get another at no additional cost.

Seriously though, your hardware will have some say in what distro you can run. If your system is older, maybe list your specs and the folks here will make recommendations. I have a few newer machines that have ran the few distros I've thrown at them without issue. I, also, have an older Lenovo Thinkcenter that ran a little slow on the latest Ubuntu server. Switched it to a Debian server and it is quite a bit quicker.
 
Hi, welcome aboard. I see this question so often. The answer is basically you need to try different ones out and see what works best with your computer. Reason all laptops and Desktops are different and react differently to different distros. So short answer your Linux journey trying different distros will lead you to that answer rather than recommendations.

Enjoy discovering them for yourself and ask plenty of questions here if there is anything your not sure about.
 
how do iknow which linux is best for me ?
I understand why picking your first Linux distro can be intimidating for some people. There are literally hundreds of them. Just remember that most of the distributions out there today fork off of about three main ones: Debian, RHEL, and Arch. In my humble opinion RHEL is for enterprise professional users, Arch is for people who really want to roll their sleeves up and get dirty, and Debian (for the most part) is easy and works. It's best to pick a popular distribution, that way you can find more help online if you hit snags early on. Of the Debian forks the most popular are Ubuntu and Mint. You can't go wrong with either of them. The web is saturated with Ubuntu and Mint users, there are so many helpful web pages and forums you can join. And when you're new, it's good to have a lot of friends. Just pick one and go for it! As you learn your opinions, and taste, will change. And that's cool.
 

ferree, when you find one that works for your wants and needs. With hundreds on Linux distros it might be a difficult choice. What do you use your computer for and how are your computer skills so I can point you in the right direction making distro recommendations for you.​

 

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