I am an avid Linux fan. And whenever I speak with someone about Linux, one word always seems to pop up during the first part of the conversation. That word is: Ubuntu. Ubuntu is a wonderful Linux distribution; especially for those looking to get their first taste of Linux. Why? Simple, Ubuntu pretty much works out of the box with most common hardware. If there is a need for a restricted driver, it will usually prompt you about it and make it fairly easy to fix.
Software is easy to come by and install via the Ubuntu Software Center. And it has managed to keep a lot of the on-screen clutter away by default. Nothing looks quite as snazzy as a fresh Ubuntu install. However, with the introduction of Unity within the latest official release of Ubuntu 11.04 'Naty Narwhal' seemed to rub a lot of long time fans the wrong way.
I have been using Ubuntu for several years. I usually give the newest releases a test spin and see how they work. I must admit, I'm not much of a fan of Unity. I know there are those out there that absolutely love Unity. Personally, it doesn't quite do it for me. That's just my taste. I feel that Unity would be better aptly suited for a tablet or touch optimized implementation. On the desktop, it gives me a cluttered feel.
So with Unity making it's debut (I know 11.04 came out several months ago, so I'm a little behind); I wanted to call attention to several other Linux Distributions that are more than competent distributions, just without Unity.
Linux Mint 11 'Katya' is the most current release of Mint (as of this writing). Linux Mint is based on the Ubuntu distribution so you get a familiar backbone for the system, but without Unity.
What does Linux Mint do that makes it so special? Easy, it's goal is to provide media codecs, DVD playback, and browser plugins out of the box. Whereas with other Distributions you have to manually install these yourself.
The only drawback for me when it comes to Linux Mint, is the amount of the color green they tend to color everything with. However, functionality wise; Mint is an outstanding distribution of choice. And currently ranks 2nd in the list on Distrowatch's chart of Linux Distributions (second only to Ubuntu which is presently in first place).
If you're looking for another Ubuntu-based distribution, than Zorin OS may be the way to go. Where Zorin OS excels is being a smooth transition maker from Windows to the Linux world. Plus they feature some nice add-ons from their 'Look Changer' to the Splash Screen Manager to make your OS look unique to you. I personally I haven't had much hands on with Zorin OS, but it comes highly recommended from the gentleman who got me into Linux several years ago.
OpenSUSE 11.4 is an RPM based Linux distribution in the vein of the old RedHat operating system. You'll notice it seems to be aimed more at business use; however, it is a tight operating system even for the home user. It is currently a community effort sponsored by Novell. It also comes in GNOME and KDE versions.
If you're looking for a rock solid Linux OS, than please at least consider this one.
When in doubt, why not go all the way back to where great distributions got started and jump into Debian (not to mention Ubuntu). Debian has been the basis of so many different Linux distributions throughout the years, it is a great operating system. With a lot of customization able to be accomplished, you get the familiarity of systems like Ubuntu, but grants a little more tinkering if you like to play with configuration files.
And with modest system requirements, Debian will run on even older hardware that you need to resurrect for other purposes.
I know there are plenty of other Linux Distributions floating around out there. And some may even be more popular than the few I've listed here. But if this article doesn't do anything other than remind you that there are other versions of Linux out there other than Ubuntu, than I have succeeded. So if you're looking to jump into Linux for the first time, or even just looking for something fresh to play around with. Swing by Distrowatch.com for a rather large list, and a great reference for Linux Distros.
Happy Surfing!
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