What Linux Distro were you using before Ubuntu?

[goom]

gentoo

[jon_gunnar]

I think we all are wondering where the new Ubuntu users are coming from!
If I forgot your "previous" Distro, vote for it by posting a message!

Came from the Fedora world. Started out with the 32 bits version and apart from some smaller problems with the sound, everything worked well. When I got my new AMD64 system I installed the AMD64 version, and it's not been any fun from there. To many things is missing, and the system feels unstable.
I still recomend the 32 bit version to friends, mostly because of the excelent Unofficial Ubuntu Starter Guide.
Personally I'm thinking about going back. But I do like Ubuntu. But almost everything is missing from the 64 bit version, I know it is not like that really, but that's the way it feels.

[ifishfortorque]

I still use a variety of distros.

I started with Slackware and still use it to run a webserver. Stable and simple.

Gentoo is just what I want on my desktop. Efficiency and control.

The laptop switches between OS X (it's a powerbook) and Ubuntu . . . mainly because it sets itself up with so few problems.

[DarthBagel]

I used to use Fedora Core, but I like Ubuntu ALOT better... mainly because the Centrino wireless drivers work without configuration on a fresh install... well that and Core 4 broke nearly all the configurations for my hardware... Ubuntu is definately a better distro.

[darkmatter]

I started my adventures in the GNU world with Slackware->SuSE->FC->Ubuntu-> Ubuntu and Sid.

[guitard00d]

I started with RedHat, then Mandrake, then Gentoo, then Mepis, and now I'm seeing if I can get Kubuntu to do what I need it to do. I would have stayed with Mepis, but it always seems to be too far behind on the latest "reliable" technology and I swear it just gets uglier to look at in every new release.

[marcopse]

Debian Testing

[Niber]

Suse 6.2 --> RH 7.0 --> Debian Sarge --> Gentoo --> Ubuntu hoary

[amrust]

My Linux experience started with a live Knoppix CD a couple years ago. Then I had RedHat 9 on a old HP workstation I had lying around. When it finally konked out, I didn't mess with Linux for a good while. Then I installed FC4 on a laptop, and had troubles with hardware detection and dual booting it with Windows. So then I tried Ubuntu's Live CD, and fell in love with it. Installed it a few weeks ago, and haven't looked back. I'm dual booting Windows sometimes, but I plan on making Ubuntu Linux my main OS for personal use.

[FaBi3ttO]

I started my linux experience with Gentoo.
It has been hard, but I've learnt a lot of things about the system.
Now I run Ubuntu because there are some pesky problems with some libraries.
I was also a little bit tired of passing nights in configuring or installing programs,
so I tried Ubuntu and I am quite happy :D

[lol]

Debian sid

Used Mandrake, Redhat and even tried Suze, a long time ago... Then I discovered Debian, and stuck with it for the last 6 years.

My current system has been updated (and downgraded) from Slink -> Potato -> Testing -> Unstable -> Ubuntu without a single reinstallation! Apt IS the better :)

I moved to Hoary + backports essentially to gain in stability while keeping a reasonably up-to-date sytem, and I am quite happy with it right now.

[npaladin2000]

Did someone forget to list SUSE?

Besides that I had used Fedora...Gentoo, BLAG, Vidalinux, Mandrake back before they came up with urpmi. before that...well, I had a C-64 :)

[bagatonovic]

I was using WinXP and then I would use the Knoppix Live CD for my Linux fun. I tried running Suse, but I just dont like Yast! Now my machine is 100% Ubuntu, and I'm loving it. Ubuntu RULES.

[Ampersand]

I started out on Redhat 10 (I think) until support stopped. I then moved to SuSE (or SUSE or whatever) 9.0 and 9.1. I found yast and sax2 useful, but didn't like having to compile things from source or try and find rpms. I used debian testing for a while, but the installer didn't seem to work when I moved over to i86_64, so I ended up on Ubuntu.

[Maxplayer14]

Mandrake for a long time. First time using a Debian. I am in love.

[anthonysales]

tried redhat 5.1, didn't really like it..then redhat 8.0, didn't like it...tried mandrake 8.0, didn't like it either..and i still didn't like redhat 9.0..but then i tried Gentoo, and i loved it..tried Debian, loved it too..but i went back to Gentoo..then i tried ubuntu through Vmware and liked it a lot..i'm still running Gentoo on the same machine as well as OpenBSD..but i'm considering swithing my Gentoo to ubuntu..the best distro by far..alongside gentoo...

[Kappa]

My first distro was Knoppix then Mepis (first release), then about two years later
I found Ubuntu. After that I've been dual booting my two favorite distros Mepis and
Ubuntu.
And leaving a spare partition to try other distros some of which are:
Xandros
Debian
Symphony OS
DSL
Gobo
Knoppix

[Matriz]

Mandrake9>WindowsXP(for a long and ****** time)>Mandrake 10>SuSe9.3>Ubuntu<3

edit:sry..windowsXP is not distro but anyway ;)

[Caboose]

Before Ubuntu, I used Gentoo for about 7 months, I liked it, I liked the size of the portage repo, but I got sick of the compilation times. I looked around, heard great things about debian, which led me to ubuntu, just because I've tryed debian in the past (I have the 7 cd set that was the latest stable version at the time with a 2.2 kernel, I'm pretty sure 2.6 was out by then...)

But before gentoo, I used Fedora, Mandrake, Slackware, SUSE, Yopper, and Peanut (Installed onto my Win98 machines Fat32 paritiion, no repartitioning needed)

[bearbigears]

debian and mepis. i could not get my wifi card configured on bith and ubuntu recognized it right off the bat. happy with ubuntu!

[garner_nc]

Vector Linux. Slackware based. Ran very well on my 233MMx machine with 256 meg ram.

All the best,
Doug White

[Substance]

Vector Linux. Slackware based. Ran very well on my 233MMx machine with 256 meg ram.

All the best,
Doug White
fedora core 4 wouldnt boot jus gave up on it, install ubuntu it worked first time =/

[c-m]

Yoper! I found it much faster and just as stable but slightly easier to use than ubuntu. Ubuntu has much better support and community though.

[Erich Pawlik]

SuSe (not on your voting list)

[bjweeks]

sUsE for me :???:

[jgallagher]

Fedora Core 4.

[wizzer]

I was only able to check Linspire but was also (past tence) using Suse and Mandrake. I have completly given up the others :p Ubuntu is on my Desktop with Xp Pro and Vista beta. as well as my Laptop with Xp home. I also plan on dual booting with osx on my ibook g4 and eMac ;-) I guess you'd say I'm hooked\\:D/
Saved by Ubuntu\\:D/ Wizzer

[Pablo_Escobar]

My Linux OS roadmap :

- early on - Madrake, Lycoris, Aurox
A couple of years break
- recently (6 months) I know that Linux is the right thing for me :)
I've tried : Fedora Core (I like it veeeery much), Yoper (fast but buggy), Slackware (I don't have the time to setup up all the things by hand), Gentoo - (the same as Slackware) and Ubuntu.

I first heard about Ubuntu on distrowatch. Dowladed Hoary, and got suck into it :) Since then I've switched several times between FC and Ubuntu. But the thing that made me choose definately is apt-get -> I love it, 200% better then yum and strange repos mixing :)

Cheers all Ubuntu fans :) My first post, but I've been following this board for ages :)

[jeffreyvergara.NET]

I first learned linux in Linpsire Five-0, but I have a bad experience, so Linux had a bad impact on me before

[aoimacollamain]

Mostly Suse for me, though I have worked with several others - Red Hat, Fedora, Debian, Knoppix, Centos (only on web servers that I run). At the moment I like Ubuntu better than all others, especially for desktop - though I am still working out for myself whether it is going to do for a couple of server jobs that we need to do - postgres database server, workgroup fileserver and email server, host OS for sql-ledger

[Cirkus]

I used to switch between running NetBSD and Debian Sarge (along with XP, which I still have).

[oxEz]

I started with Red Hat 7.0 4-5 years ago. Then I used Slackware, then SuSE, then I installed Fedora and never used it.. And since 2003 I was using Gentoo. I proudly switched to Ubuntu and like it very much :cool:

[mjwood0]

Was using Fedora Core 3.

When upgrading to Fedora Core 4, all sorts of problems happened on my laptop.

Went to Ubuntu 5.4 and now 5.10 and all is happy again. Recommending linux to friends now without hesitation.

[essexman]

158 posts come up on a suse search for this thread, which is not on the poll. Add me; 159.

[mariux]

I was running gentoo. But my gentoo was for some weird reason very slow (X was slow that is) so i switched to Kubuntu and its alot faster.

Still i miss portage as it was more flexible than apt-get.

[bonzodog]

I switched from Slackware as I wanted a good 64 bit distro;
I do dual boot this box with slamd64, the unofficial 64 bit port of Slackware, but slamd64 is still a bit buggy, and needs a lot of software porting to it. So i went looking for something that gave the feel of proper linux, but was more mainstream. I tried Suse 9.3 pro, but it was so bloated (4GB on full install!)I wanted out very quickly.
I had heard about ubuntu, and I liked what I saw a lot. This install for me has been trouble free, and you still get all the power of the CLI with it. Plus apt-get is amazing. I hadn't considered debian before because I always considered it a very backwards distro, with standard releases to the codebase so far apart.

[tseliot]

My 1st experience with Linux was on my notebook: Linspire 5, Ubuntu Hoary, Kubuntu Hoary, then the Compaq assistance installed Winxp so I tried Opensuse and I will switch to Kubuntu Breezy

Compaq desktop computer (AMD 3500+): Ubuntu Hoary, Fedora core 3, Mandrake 10, Mandriva 10.2, PCLinuxOS and then back to Ubuntu (AMD64 this time) > too bad the computer doesn't like any kind of Linux distro. Now my father uses it with Winxp (and he's always complaining about it), the only thing that works there without freezing.

I bought another computer (AMD 3500+ 2GB RAM, etc.) and chose the components myself (I wanted a computer for Linux ONLY):

1st harddisk: Ubuntu Hoary 32bit, Ubuntu Breezy

2nd harddisk: PCLinuxOS (cool but buggy), Fedora core 4 (yum is too slow for me!), OpenSuse 10 (it wants to do thing its way and I want to do things MY way, and BTW I don't like Yast). I think I'll install Kubuntu (Dualbooting Ubuntu and Kubuntu would be cool) or I'll keep it as a testing harddisk (40GB).

[jimcooncat]

Good poll I hadn't notice before. Very interesting results since it's based on so many responses!

Oh yeah, Gentoo servers before. Warty was my first Linux destop I used very much. Running Hoary right now, looks like I'll be moving to Xubuntu-Breezy.

[MakubeX]

From Fedora Core 3 to Ubuntu 5.10. (http://smithforgerx.blogspot.com/2005/10/ubuntu-510.html)

[shade11]

Ubuntu was actually my first. Right now I am running Ubuntu.

[sophtpaw]

I think we all are wondering where the new Ubuntu users are coming from!
If I forgot your "previous" Distro, vote for it by posting a message!

SuSE 9.3

--
sophtpaw

[djkork]

Gentoo

[phanboy_iv]

Started with RH8, then my laptop's HDD gave out. When I got a new one, nothing seemed to run on it except distro's with the very latest kernals. Ran a Knoppix install for a while, but thought it was a bit cluttered, and it ran KDE(I prefer GNOME). So, I found Ubuntu. I like it best because: 1. It's Debian-based 2.It uses GNOME 3. It detects and configures my hardware better than anything else, even Knoppix. :cool:

[basketcase]

Mandrake 7.2 -> 8.1 -> RedHat 8.0 -> Fedora Core 3 -> Mandrake 10.1 -> Ubuntu 5.04 -> Kubuntu 5.04 -> Ubuntu 5.10

And various other live versions inbetween.

[Azriphale]

I came from SuSE 9.3 to Ubuntu 5.04 (Now I'm on 5.10).

The full story is: Mandrake 8.2 -> Mandrake 9.0 -> Mandrake 9.2 -> SuSE 9.1 -> SuSE 9.2 -> SuSE 9.3 -> Ubuntu

I'm still tinkering with other distro's and the BSD's, but I don't think I'm leaving Ubuntu.

[towsonu2003]

first ever distro: slackware 10.1
last distro bf. ubuntu: suse 9.3

I was gonna go with suse 10, but I tried ubuntu live cd BY CHANCE and found that my modem worked (did not do that with any other distros!!) so I switched ----the OS, not the distro - modem is important...)

[Optimal Aurora]

Well this time I was using Gentoo which I had a problem getting it to install, Then I tried FC4 Stentz and it had some major problems with not wanting to load grub and letting me log in. So I went to using Windows and I enjoy it. Now I am trying to use the live version and just have some fun with it every now and then.

[Samuel]

i used to use suse, tried fedora for a little while too but ubuntu is here to stay unless they go terribly wrong somehwere

[Greyhair]

SuSE 9.2 [-o<

[zachtib]

was using suse, but i dont see an option for that

[jatos]

I had tried slackware, knoppix and Debian prior to Ubuntu, but Ubuntu wasthefirst Linux distro I started using.

[Darrin]

Used linspire before coming here.

[Revert]

Used SuSE and am planning on trying Slackware and Gentoo.

[greathoj]

I was using Slackware 10.1. I've been using Slack since 4.x. I had switched to Gentoo around the time Slack was at 9.x, but I got sick of compiling every single thing I wanted to install and switched back to Slackware 10.0, and then 10.1. Slack is great and all, but I don't like the fact that GNOME was removed. I realize I could've used Dropline's GNOME distribution, but I'd rather it be in sync with my Linux distribution's updates.

Then I found Ubuntu, and all was good.

[flower]

I had a Suse 9.2 installed :rolleyes: ... but it sucks compared to Ubuntu :))))

[Pablo_Escobar]

This is the last time I'm switching distros !!
Right now I have Fedora Core 4 on board.
Pros : New packages
Cons : Messy system, stable (but the directory system is a mystery for me).
Cons : You can do jack to compile programs by hand, I've tried even conky wouldn't compile, and that's such a small program (yes I had all the dev packages :) )

So, I've switched Ubuntu <-> Fedora like 10 times in last a couple of months.
Today, when I get back from work -> Fedora CD's off the window. I'll have Breezy installed. Win partition will be deleted also in the making. So definite changes for me today.
I just love Ubuntu for it's simplicity, and I can't seem to stay away from it.
If I'll want to have a new package I'll checkinstall it :)
Good to be back. I'm such an impatinent person :D

[cyrax]

i used debian, and before that i used slackware. But now i stick to ubuntu maybe sometime change back tom deb

[ajaustin]

Until I installed Ubuntu, Gentoo was the only distro that I found that had documentation and a user community that gave me what I wanted.

Ubuntu has lured me away from Gentoo as it satisfies the above conditions and seems to "just work" for me, everything I need is there but it isn't piled up with dross.

As a quick-install distro it stands head and shoulders above the others for presentation, professionalism and functionality (in my opinion). Sadly I will probably foresake Gentoo forever because (much as I love it) keeping it up to date is just too ardous.

[nrwilk]

First Linux install was Red Hat
Second, Red Hat
Third, Yellow Dog
Fourth, Ubuntu Hoary
Fifth, Kubuntu Hoary
Sixth, Kubuntu Breezy

Kubuntu is by FAR my favorite.

[Downtown]

First Linux distro I used was a Slackware based one called College Linux, but it blew, even for a Linux Newb like me. Since, I've been using Ubuntu Hoary and now Kubuntu Breezy, and I think I'm not gonna change anymore. I was considering Suse, but I've been getting used to Kubuntu, so I won't.

[mike998]

Other : FreeBSD.

[endersshadow]

Fedora...as a server, it works great. As a personal computer, it comes from the depths of hell!! Um...sorry...

[isitututu]

Still using Mandrake and Linspire. Considering Changing to Ubuntu. Running it on on pc and considering it for a laptop. Was hoping to get a win4lin kernel though. Mandrake has one.

[Rackerz]

I came from, Mepis < SuSe < Ubuntu/Kubuntu. So far this is were i have stayed. It's a great place to learn ;).

[majikstreet]

Slackware on my spare computer (turned server once I put ubuntu on it) and windows on my main computer- but I did try slackware and debian on it..

majikstreet

[kalin_s]

Red Hat > Mandrake > Fedora > Slackware & Sons :confused: > Mandriva > Fedora Core 3 > Ubuntu5.10 :)

[mstlyevil]

Ubuntu was my first Distro. I got a free copy of Linspire I used for one day and had to get rid of because it annoyed me. I also tried SUSE 10. I used it for about a month and switched back to Ubuntu. I prefer apt-get to Yast and debian to RPM.

[Derek Djons]

Before Ubuntu I used:

* SuSE Linux
* Red Hat Linux
* Fedora Linux
* Debian Linux
* And some other (small) Linuxversions which slipped my mind

SuSE Linux and Fedora Linux were serious Windows alternatives for me. I like SuSE at first. It was very active as it's community. Then I found out that Fedora was much easier to maintain and configure. Now Ubuntu has really proven itself.

[eriqk]

I ticked Gentoo, because SUSE isn't listed. Even if I've only used it for three weeks (not because it was too complex. Not at all, it's pretty easy to get in to. It was just too time consuming).
So: Red Hat... dunno, version 7 I think, around 2001. SuSE 9.1 after that, Gentoo a couple of months ago and now Ubuntu.

Groet, Erik

[equal]

Hehe is Win XP a distro? Nah I'm kidding. Ubuntu was my first foray into the world of Linux. Since then I've tried a few others (Knoppix, DSL, Debian) but Ubuntu always comes out on top.

[truthfatal]

Slackware >> Fedora Core 3 >> Fedora Core 4 >> Ubuntu.

[John Dooley]

Suse 9.2.

I use Python but was having a terrible time installing Python ugrades.I also found Suse to be cumbersome and slow, in general. Was going to go to Fedora 4 but thought I would give ubuntu 5.10 a try. I heard about it at a silicon valley LUG when a ubuntu 5.04 CD package was passed out. I was pleasantly surprised by the Python support.

Ubuntu now runs on my 333MZ 486 clunker, my 1.7GHZ Dell Precision 340, and my refurbished IBM Thinkpad A21 (700MHZ). I gave away my professional Suse 9.2 to a masochist(I did warn him).

Thanks to this forum I just got my iomega 250 IDE zip working on my DELL.

After Suse, using Ubuntu is like floating on air.

[beercz]

Still use debian (sarge) for my servers.

[IYY]

I was actually using FreeBSD.

[Kurt Dodrill]

First distro I messed with was Slackware. Picked up Suse, Gentoo and Debian from my cousin and played around with them alittle. Was using opensuse a little before this and later went to Ubuntu.

[FizDev]

I was using Gentoo. It was great, but too complicated for someone who started =) Then I learned about Ubuntu... and here I am =D

[dsjas297]

I was running RedHat. Didn't find it as great as a few people told me it was.

[Krigl]

It's my first succesfully installed. I tried SuSE 9.2 when it was new and later some older Mandrake's version but both weren't able to read HDD during installation (my HDD controller is too exotic). Oh wait, I had also some experience with MS distro - DOS (great), 3.1, 95, 98, 2000 (more or less nothing special) and eXPensive (already satisfying but not enough).

[daedalusman]

Man you forgot SuSE, no worries though, just letting everyone know thats where I came from and it was also my first chioce when intially coming to the linux side.

[OneWingedAngel]

I was using Gentoo. However I hated (no sorry HATED) the 'slots' system (where if a program went up a major version, it would be installed alongside the old one, whether the old one was necessary or not). It also grated how long it took to install things (the home-built speed improvements seemed nonexistent in most cases).
I started to have fond memories of my Debian Sid installation, but wanted something where if I had a problem, I wouldn't get some alt.sysadmin.recovery-esque hellbeast ranting at me if I asked for help (I was using Sid, remember).
I was torn between Kubuntu & MEPIS, and finally went for Kubuntu (as well as installing it on my mother's computer as well (replacing an outdated Fedora Core 1)

[coolworld]

Bayanihan Linux 3.1 ==> Ubuntu 5.10

[Mizzou_Engineer]

SuSE. I had tried to install the ATI drivers on it and it pretty much kiboshed X and nothing would fix it. :( Since I would have to reinstall something, I thought I'd look at Distrowatch and try out Kubuntu because of all of the noise about it.

After using it for a while, I've found that Kubuntu's pretty nice. APT is much faster than the Yast frontend to RPM that SuSE has and you can pull stuff from repositories from it. I had tried apt4rpm but it can't install anything in SuSE. Here it can :) The repositories are a lot bigger than the Yast ones and there are almost dependency problems since there are so many packages out there. Also, the graphics look a little nicer and better rendered. Suspend does not work on my computer with Kubuntu, but it did with SuSE because SuSE has swsusp2 already in the kernel. I'm working on putting it in the Kubuntu kernel- the howto's here are very helpful and relevant.

[joselin]

Suse > Red Hat > Mandrake... and now Ubuntu on both my servers and my laptop.

I felt in love when i install the first ubuntu at work with test purposes... and change the OS of my three computers.

P.D.: apt is great!

[kaamos]

Suse 9.1 -> Suse 9.3 -> Ubuntu 5.04 -> Ubuntu 5.10

[Vlammetje]

What if Ubuntu happens to be your first Linux distro ever? Where's the option?

:rolleyes:

[mgmiller]

Although I voted as a former Fedora user, I was really using the last release of Red Hat. My first Ubuntu was Warty 4.10. It was an interesting change. My son suggested the switch to Ubuntu when RH changed to Fedora. At first, I used to tell him that if I was using Red Hat, I would be done with <insert task of your choice here> by now. It was a mild learning curve. After about 3 days it suddenly occured to me that I really LIKED Ubuntu. Especially getting 3d acceleration to keep working with kernel upgrades and such. Usually, stuff "just works".

[Demo2006]

I have moved to Ubuntu 5.10 from Mandriva 2006. Mandriva is real pain in a ***:
- acpi problem (cooler on my laptop never shutdown, reboot problem, pc shutdown problem,quick keys, screen brightness problem);
- keyboard layout swithcing problem;
- bad localization;
All this problem were solved by installing Ubuntu 5.10 automatically. And the size of Mandriva 2.2 GB and Ubuntoo - 1 CD - 700MB.
Ubuntu rules!!!!

[Mr_Grieves]

Redhat/Fedora, SuSE, Debian and a little Slackware. Now I wouldn't install anything else then Ubuntu at home. Debian, BSD & Unix is still running in the server rooms, but that's next..

[agyeya]

I think you forgot Red Hat Linux

[briancurtin]

^ fedora

[linuxfanatic1024]

Debian > Fedora > Debian > Mandrake > Ubuntu

I liked Debian, but devlopment was way too slow.

Thought I'd try Fedora because Red Hat is so praised by my operating system class text book (and it is the most praised in the USA). I got rid of this one pretty quickly because it was slow. VERY slow. And it didn't like my sound cards. And it was awful for multimedia and games.

Then tried Mandrake. It was OK, but it was too commercial and the LE 2005 I tried was too buggy.

Ubuntu is the best one I've used. But please provide a way to disable the N60 errata patch in p4-clockmod! It says my laptop has the bug but it really doesn't.

[linuxfanatic1024]

Well, I wouldn't go quite that far. It simply means that folks who chose to use this particular Debian-base distro have not spent much time with other Debian-based distros. I find that interesting. Does ubuntu have more buzz than these other distros? Or is the fact that ubuntu is free the differentiating factor? But Xandros has a free-beer Open Circulation Edition. So is it the Software Libre aspect that makes the most difference?

That explains it: ubuntu users are just a bunch of leeches!

(ducks and runs away)

Just kidding. I have always been fond of Debian and I have probably used all of the Debian-based distros. Does anyone remember Storm Linux (was it Stormix?)
Debian is also software libre...

[linuxfanatic1024]

I was actually using FreeBSD.
You switched to Ubuntu from FreeBSD???????? Aren't FreeBSD users supposed to hate GNU/Linux? (At least that's what I've seen around *BSD forums when I briefly tried FreeBSD but gave up because it didn't support my hardware.)

[Mr_Grieves]

That might be because *BSD distributions generally are more stable than Linux distributions. The reason is that *BSD demands more of a package to be included in the distributions, and of a kernel to be considered stable, I guess. More security focus, generally, aswell. That's what people been telling me anyways.

I like *BSD cause of it's stability and security. But I'd never run *BSD on my home desktop.. I like more user friendly stuff wich big shiny buttons. Hahaha.

[rwilmink]

First Suse, then Red Hat 9, followed by Fedora for a short time before going back to RH9, and now Ubuntu.

[JanvL]

I still use Suse 9.0 pro.
Will change it to Debian 3.1, Suse is not my kind, I love Synaptic!

Use Ubuntu on a fomer win98-machine.
With Ubuntu zero problems, with win98 a lot!
Still have it dualboot for I have not tested all apps in Ubuntu yet.

[Zerocool10482]

I used Xandros, SUSE, Linspire and Phrak. I'm glad I found Ubuntu. It's was just easier to use this than the others. They looked too GUI.

[fergus.b]

All of them :p (Seems like it)

Before settling of Ubuntu I used a great variety of distros but I always got the point where got stuck with something and didn't have time to puzzle through it. Unfortunately when this happened I always ended up going back to using windows as my primary OS. I've been using Ubuntu for several months now and have totally gotten rid of my Windows partition. Feels great :D

Distros I used before:

Redhat, Mandrake, Gentoo, Fedora, Slackware, Suse (out of these I like'd Suse the best cos it came with the best out the box support for multimedia, hardware and lots of things, basically what you get when you run the automatix script)

[Ultimo Aliento]

Fedora, i liked a lot Fedora, but i dont found linux very impressive and in that time, i used windows a 85% of my time.

When i was reading the information on www.linux.org.mx , i found a section called "Linux Distributions" , i started reading the descriptions and when i get to ubuntu i read this in spanish:

"Ubuntu" is an ancient African word, meaning "humanity to others". Ubuntu also means "I am what I am because of who we all are". The Ubuntu Linux distribution brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the software world.

For my, it was love on first sight :D , im trying to get to university to study sociology, and when i read that, i found a distribution with the focus i wanted, a mix of tech and humanistic !

And when i started using it , i was a dream, my only disapointment was the installer, no flashy stuff like fedora, but after using Ubuntu a couple of days, i started using ubuntu for my work (60%) and windows just for playing :D

[Teutates]

I've been using gentoo, too. I liked it, but gentoo still has no openoffice-binary-packages for ppc (and I don't want to compile it), but ubuntu has! That's great! I have to write some works for my law studies, so I decided to use ubuntu for a while.

[riktzvet]

I am triple booting Ubuntu Breezy, Suse 10, and Xandros 3.

[Bandit]

You didnt have SuSE listed??
Well technically before Ubuntu 5.10 I was using Ubuntu 5.04..

[JAwuku]

I used to use SUSE, but I didn't like its configuration tools, notably Yast.

I still use Xandros and Windows on other partitions.

[sivadnaes]

My firsst linux distro was SUSE Linux 10.0.

I enjoyed the wide, WIDE world of linux computing, but the speed and KDE crashes were killing me. I was actually browsing some SUSE problems to fix an error and came across a link to (drum roll please) UBUNTU!!! I have tried others like PCLinuxOS and Fedora, but I came bakc to Ubuntu and I now support it all the way.

BTW, converting Kentucky high-schoolers to Ubuntu from Windows is a very VERY hard fiasco. Well, I'll shut up now.

[annsachd]

I was Gentoo. I use Macs everyday for work. Found a link to free disks and remembered that I had an old P4 lying around at home doing nothing so I installed Ubuntu on it about two weeks ago.

Love everything about it. No problems to speak of. I've got everything running I need to.

Some great people here in the forums. Today I ran into a few losers but you can't get away from jerks in this world. You just have to try and minimize your contact with them.

Peace to the middle.

[Klaidas]

Im was using Mandriva 2006 before. I'm so glad I discovered ubuntu! :)

It RULEZ! :)

[The Mekon]

I started with Redhat 8 and graduated to Fedora Core 3 before trying Mepis which I really liked. Unfortunately I could never make it work with the Intel 810 graphics on my HP Paviliion machine which I wanted to use as a dedicated Linux Box.

Ubuntu (Hoary) worked first time and was easy to set up. I still experiment with othe Linux versions bur Breezy is my main operating system of choice.

[guano]

My machine at University runs Gentoo (Slackware before that). My laptop (HP DV4170) runs Ubuntu Breezy. I tried Gentoo on it, but without much success, it didn't recognized all HW (specially hotkeys). Ubuntu get all HW out of the box, even widescreen resolution.

[oyvindaa]

I used Fedora Core 1 before I switched to Ubuntu.

Ubuntu is much better.

[RavenOfOdin]

Red Hat (Shrike)

[darkninja]

My experiance has been:

Mandrake->SuSE->Debian->Gentoo->Ubuntu

I switched to Ubuntu because though I had gotten very good at managing my Gentoo install, had everything working I decided and learnt a lot, I wanted a Linux OS that "Just Worked" without constant recompiling, reconfiguring and fixing. Ubuntu was my answer.

[linuxfanatic1024]

I like that the text-based installer works on my older machines. Most other distros have shoddy text-mode installers that just won't work right (like Mandrake). They spend so much time on the graphical installer that they seem to forget that some computers won't work with the VESA framebuffer.

[killernurd]

I've used half of the distributions on that list, and of the lot was most frustrated with Fedora and most impressed with Gentoo.

Now, however, I'm solidly an Ubuntu user - I've always loved Debian (it was my first distro :) and Ubuntu has made enormous strides in improving my experience.

[AndyCooll]

When I first decided to do an install a Linux distro I downloaded ISO's for Fedora, Mandriva and SUSE. I ended up starting off with Fedora Core (version 3, I think) because I couldn't get the hang of the other two.

After that I had a look at a number of others, the aforementioned Mandriva and SUSE, and Debian, Xandros and Linspire. I also looked at Ubuntu. As soon as I installed it I liked it, and I haven't looked back.

I've also set up a test pc on which I have a number of distros (e.g. Debian, Fedora, and SUSE). On it I've tried Gentoo and Slackware, but at the moment these seem to be a step too far for me.

:cool:

[plb]

And what made you switch. Also, how long have you been using linux? For me, I was using Debian and Gentoo (which I still also use) and I've been using Linux since 1999. I switched mainly for the ease of use and because I got tired of configuring every little detail which can become a time consuming process.

[RandomJoe]

I haven't switched so much as added.

I've been using Slackware since somewhere in the 1995 range. And I still love it, I feel like I know a LOT more about what's going on with the system using Slack than with anything else. (Except maybe when I did LFS, but that's a whole 'nother ballgame...) Problem I had was, there were many "desktop" things that were a royal PITA with Slack (to me), and I wanted something closer to the "it just works" metaphor for that role.

So I tried Ubuntu, and now solely use it for my desktop systems. Synaptic is lovely! I have found all kinds of apps to play with and use that I'd otherwise never have bothered with. I also like how simple CD/DVD burning is - not sure if that's a Slackware or KDE thing, but not having to use a separate program sure is nice...

I still prefer Slack for my server/firewall/dedicated process needs. And I must say I had a much more finely tuned desktop/mobile setup on my laptop under Slack, but I'm slowly getting familiar enough with Ubuntu to do the same things there. (Mostly WRT my wireless networks and docking stations - essentially "profiles" in Windows terms.)

[M_the_C]

I tried Debian before I found Ubuntu, but I couldn't get into it.

So I really came straight from Windows.

[Mateo]

used Fedora when i was a complete linux newbie (still am a newbie somewhat). not sure why i switched. i think i had trouble getting some drivers to work and such, but i really didn't know what i was doing back them.

and fedora uses Yum. i prefer synaptic. also i could never get the Menu Layout to work properly with fedora.

I also like the fact that Ubuntu will send you CDs. much prettier than burnt discs.

[aysiu]

Merged with the previous similar thread.

[boulderjams]

I have to say, I have been using Fedora since 2. Typically, I am very happy with the performance. I install Fedora Core 6, about a week after it came out. For some reason, FC6 had a problem with my ipw2200 wireless card & i915gm video card. After browsing around, I found ubuntu. I use to use Debian before I switched over to Fedora for ease of use. This is typically a work notebook. I am more than satisfied with Ubuntu. I just thought I would say great job. I have a Dell Inspiron 6000, and *almost* everything worked out of the box. Multimedia keys, Suspend/Hibernate, wireless, etc. Still tweaking Bluetooth. Thanks guys.

[coder_]

Slax (Used Live CD to play with Linux) -> SuSE 9.2 -> Fedora -> OpenSuSE 10 -> Ubuntu & Debian

(And I hope to get Gentoo installed on my other HD, I'll probably do a 32 bit install, as opposed to my 64 bit [but somehow extremely stable] Ubuntu install)

[qpieus]

None. I'm a convert from windows. Yay me and yay for ubuntu for making the switch easy.

[RAV TUX]

None. I'm a convert from windows.

+1 (Windows[Home] & OS X[Work])


(moving to the "Other OS" forum, with a redirect)

[Baron Bosse]

Mandrake in the olden days (pre-1999), then Gentoo, then got sick of compiling, switched to Ubuntu.
Great distro.

[linux_kid]

Used Windozes FOREVER and hated it. Started trying live cd's of PClinuxOS, and Slax, but found Ubuntu and Gnome and plan on staying with it forever!

[jclmusic]

started off with slax, then fedora, then debian, have been settled on ubuntu for almost a year now :)

[Canis familiaris]

Red Hat Linux 8.0 and Knoppix as Live CD

[kazuya]

Used Windows, Mandrake, back to Windows XP, Xandros 3OCE, Mepis {awesome}, Ubuntu {Easy}, then VectorLinux {superb, but not as bleeding edge.}, and Now for about 3 months, all Zenwalk {Just incredible to me} Zenwalk lives power at my hands and is bleeding edge, while stable - everything just works, but works fast.}

Ubuntu is still on one of my PCs and is what I recommend to my total Newb friends {aka Linuxmint.}

[kahlil88]

"What [GNU]/Linux distro...?"
I think my avatar can answer that one.

[david_lynch]

Was using suse which oddly is not an option in the poll...

[brion@cbkidder.com]

Mandriva nee Mandrake has come a LONG way. I run it on a backup machine just in case Ubuntu ever goes awry. Haven't needed it so far, but very impressed with Mandriva's latest KDE distro. Very impressed.

[perlluver]

Came from Windows, and now I am using Slackware.