| Distro
| Comments
| Default Window Manager
| Packager
| number of packages available
| Update handling
| Enterprise version
|
| Ubuntu
| Ubuntu is usually the distro of choice for new users, as it tends to focus on usability and simplicity for the user who wants the system to "just work". Releases come every 6 months and are available on a live CD. Hardware support is generally quite good, except for wireless.
| Gnome (a variant, Kubuntu, uses KDE)
| APT (Synaptic)
|
|
|
|
| SUSE
| SUSE is a distribution for beginners who also want to use Linux in a professional environment.
| KDE
| RPM-based Yast
|
| via YOU (yast2 online update)
| SLES (SUSE Linux Enterprise Server)
|
| Fedora
| Fedora acts as Red Hat's "testing ground" for Red Hat Enterprise Linux. As such, new technologies are deployed quickly, though the environment will therefore be less stable. It allows full-disk encryption through a simple checkbox during the install process.
| User's choice
| RPM-based Yum
|
|
| RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux)
|
| Debian
| Debian is a totally free, non commercial distribution of Linux. It remains true to the original concept of 'Open Source' software. Debian focuses on stable releases that work without problems on all platforms and therefore will not be the first to incorporate the latest bells and whistles.
| User's choice
| APT
| 15 000
|
|
|
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