10 most used Linux Distributions

10 most used Linux Distributions

1. Ubuntu: This is probably the most user-friendly Linux distribution ever made. It’s very well done. Some power users don’t like it because they say its “too user friendly”, but most people seem to be very happy with it. I have used several different versions of Ubuntu, and I have nothing bad to say about it. This is a great distro.

Now stop reading, and go download one (if not all) of these Linux distributions. Are you still running Windows? Why? Linux is free and it’s better.

2. CentOS: Previous to Fedora, Red Hat made one Linux distro, it was simply called Red Hat Linux, and it was free. Later they split their efforts into two distros, Fedora, and RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux). Fedora is still free, but RHEL has to be licensed. CentOS is the unofficial free version of RHEL. It is not supported by Red Hat, but has the same code base.

3. Fedora: Red Hat’s open project, Fedora, has long been a favorite of Linux users worldwide. Started in 2003, it is their free alternative to RHEL. While RHEL is marketed at enterprises, Fedora is targeted at home users, with a slightly different look and feel.

4. OpenSUSE: This is one of my personal favorites. I’ve always love the SUSE interface. The first version of SUSE that I used was version 8, and it was this distro that made me realize how cool Linux really was. SUSE was acquired by Novell in 2003. Shortly after the acquisition, they followed the “Red Hat Model” and split their offerings in two. OpenSUSE is the free version of Novell’s SUSE Linux Enterprise platform.

5. Debian: This is a solid distro! Period.

6. Mandriva: Years ago, this distro was called Linux Mandrake. This was one of the first Linux distros marketed at everyday users. It is very easy to use. I installed it several years ago, but haven’t used it recently.

7. Linux Mint: I’ve never used this one, but I’ve heard nothing but good things about it. The interface looks very slick and intuitive. I’m anxious to try it out.

8. PCLinuxOS: Next to Ubuntu (scroll down a bit to read about Ubuntu), this is probably the most user-friendly Linux distribution. In some ways, its actually more friendly than Ubuntu. This is a great distro for newcomers!

9. Slackware: This one has been around longer than any other Linux distro, since 1992. It’s marketed mostly at power users because its interface is less friendly than some of the others, but it is still a rock solid distro! It has certainly stood the test of time.

10. Gentoo: I installed this several years ago. It was the most customizable version of Linux I’d ever seen. The installer actually complied the source code specifically for your computer. It was so meticulous it was almost annoying. I hear they’ve changed this in recent releases though. It remains a very popular distro.

What is Distro (plural Distros) ?
(Internet, software) A set of software components, typically (but not necessarily) open source components, that have been packaged into a larger product or component for distribution to end-users. A shortened version of the word “distribution.” Distro means a version of Gnu&Linux or other OpenSource Operating System although some people would argue that the term should include the various Windows and Apple OSes