Recommend me a Linux distro

[Lucifiel]

Due to various factors, I'm drifting away from Ubuntu again.

Requirements:

- Fast responsive time?
Gnome is okay but during the past 2 months, I've been spoilt by Wolvix but due to various factors, I switched back to Ubuntu.

- Multi-language suport (Japanese/ Chinese)

- Easy to configure(I'm still a Linux newbie.)

- Stability? Well, I'm looking for something which doesn't crash much and doesn't require tons of tinkering just to get some browsers and programs to run.

- Decent repos or at least, great support for .deb files('cos I use programs like k3b, Comix, Koffice, Keepassx, Konqueror, Kpdf, Deluge, Swiftfox, Skype, Claws-mail, etc. Note: the drivers for my MP130 printer are provided in .deb only))

Due to various factors, I don't own Paypal or a credit card or some other form of electronic payment. So, no pay/donate to download or commercial stuff, please.

So far, I've come up with:

- Linux Mint(Xfce edition beta)

- Xubuntu


Are there are any other suggestions?

[smoker]

hi, Lucifiel,

you could have a look at 'sam linux', i have it on a virtual machine at the moment, and find it quite polished, some info here:
http://www.sam-linux.org/
http://www.seopher.com/articles/review_of_sam_linux_2007

best of luck

[b9anders]

going with plain Debian will satisfy your requirements for speed, stability, language, price and large repositories. Running gnome on debian lenny is a fair bit faster for me than xubuntu.

The downside is that it may not be as easy to configure from the outset if you have hardware requirements and such. Once you have the initial configuration set up, it's very easy to maintain and upgrade though - virtually indefinitely.

[Bachstelze]

Agreed. Debian seems the best way to go.

[beast2k]

Go with linux mint, I tried it about 2 weeks ago, and I'm still using it. There's alot of things installed at first boot that ubuntu has you install yourself and there's some welcome changes. At any rate it is on a live cd so it costs almost nothing to try it as a live cd first. One more thing you may want to keep in mind during your distro search is try to use a well documented distro and check if they have good forums so it will be easier to get help if it all goes wrong. Good luck.

[init1]

Due to various factors, I'm drifting away from Ubuntu again.

Requirements:

- Fast responsive time?
Gnome is okay but during the past 2 months, I've been spoilt by Wolvix but due to various factors, I switched back to Ubuntu.

- Multi-language suport (Japanese/ Chinese)

- Easy to configure(I'm still a Linux newbie.)

- Stability? Well, I'm looking for something which doesn't crash much and doesn't require tons of tinkering just to get some browsers and programs to run.

- Decent repos or at least, great support for .deb files('cos I use programs like k3b, Comix, Koffice, Keepassx, Konqueror, Kpdf, Deluge, Swiftfox, Skype, Claws-mail, etc. Note: the drivers for my MP130 printer are provided in .deb only))

Due to various factors, I don't own Paypal or a credit card or some other form of electronic payment. So, no pay/donate to download or commercial stuff, please.

So far, I've come up with:

- Linux Mint(Xfce edition beta)

- Xubuntu


Are there are any other suggestions?
I've never had any of your problems with Ubuntu, but I guess it depends on the computer. Debian distros have the best repositories by far, so Debian is good. Also consider Mepis.
Even Slax might be suitable. There are many modules available.

[fistfullofroses]

Because you want something DEB based with repositories (thus requiring apt) there is little I can actually recommend.

Outside of DEB based distributions I would recommend: Slackware, Gobo
If you want massive ease of use, aka point click: Mandriva One
If you want out of box perfection: Ulteo

PS: You can un-archive a deb file an tgz it for slackware, or Gobo... Mandrive has urpmi which is similar to apt-get and has massive repositories... Ulteo is ubuntu based.

[happy-and-lost]

Yeah Debian Sid netinstall is extremely fast. Maybe it's just me, but I find that Sid is more stable than Lenny.

[wolfen69]

i would go with xubuntu

[stepan2]

I've never had any of your problems with Ubuntu, but I guess it depends on the computer. Debian distros have the best repositories by far, so Debian is good. Also consider Mepis.
Even Slax might be suitable. There are many modules available.

Slax is meant to be a live cd and you have to go through a ton of trouble to make it install like a normal OS. I would not suggest it. i am making a new distro based on Ubuntu. You might like to try that when it comes out

[init1]

Slax is meant to be a live cd and you have to go through a ton of trouble to make it install like a normal OS. I would not suggest it. i am making a new distro based on Ubuntu. You might like to try that when it comes out
Maybe so. It takes some CLI understanding to install and to save. Could be more trouble than it's worth.
I would like to hear about this new distro.

[AriciU]

Sabayon 3.4 or Slackware 12.

[darksidedude]

ill just add my two cents in on this one, if not ubuntu go with Freespire 2.0 and you still get the ubuntu core and the new CNR.com thing looks good so far

[fistfullofroses]

xubuntu is very good, and on that note, i made a post in my blog about custom linux distributions using the xubuntu alternate install disc. http://openaddict.blogspot.com

[swoll1980]

Kubuntu 7.04 feisty fawn. All that Ubuntu goodness with a kde gui "someone pinch me"

[Bachstelze]

Kubuntu 7.04 feisty fawn. All that Ubuntu goodness with a kde gui "someone pinch me"

Yes, but a bad KDE GUI. If you really like KDE, do yourself a favour and install a command line Ubuntu plus al the normal KDE packages, without all the Kubuntu bloat.

[macrohard]

Well I most definetly would not recommend any of the pay for distros right now (SuSE, Microspire or Xandros) at this point.

I do like Mint, Ulteo and Sabayon, one project I am working right now with on testing is Klikit, a Kubuntu derivative. It is about to go beta shortly.

[hammad1337]

Try this:
Linux Distribution Chooser (http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/)

This is designed for the windows users who are planning to migrate to GNU/Linux. But it may be helpful nevertheless.

[RAV TUX]

Due to various factors, I'm drifting away from Ubuntu again.

Requirements:

- Fast responsive time?
Gnome is okay but during the past 2 months, I've been spoilt by Wolvix but due to various factors, I switched back to Ubuntu.

- Multi-language suport (Japanese/ Chinese)

- Easy to configure(I'm still a Linux newbie.)

- Stability? Well, I'm looking for something which doesn't crash much and doesn't require tons of tinkering just to get some browsers and programs to run.

- Decent repos or at least, great support for .deb files('cos I use programs like k3b, Comix, Koffice, Keepassx, Konqueror, Kpdf, Deluge, Swiftfox, Skype, Claws-mail, etc. Note: the drivers for my MP130 printer are provided in .deb only))

Due to various factors, I don't own Paypal or a credit card or some other form of electronic payment. So, no pay/donate to download or commercial stuff, please.

So far, I've come up with:

- Linux Mint(Xfce edition beta)

- Xubuntu


Are there are any other suggestions?

Honestly what is best for you and what your looking for is: elive (http://www.elivecd.org/).

I downloaded elive for free via a torrent that torrent is no longer available for free but the developer has made this following note:

What if it's not possible for me to make a donation ?
- You have the option to pay with a credit card or with paypal.
- You can try Elive from a development version. (http://www.elivecd.org/gb/Download/Development)
If you really don't have a way to make a donation to download Elive, contact Thanatermesis.http://www.elivecd.org/gb/Download/Stable/

I suggest you try this route.

[stepan2]

Maybe so. It takes some CLI understanding to install and to save. Could be more trouble than it's worth.
I would like to hear about this new distro.

Kix OS is a project created by a group of devoted linux enthusiasts that aim to make a debian based linux distribution for beginners.We follow some fundamental principles of the distribution we are based on , kubuntu but implement third party codecs such as flash , java and all proprietary multimedia extensions.not only this but we are also aiming to surpass every debian based distribution in terms of ease of use and beauty.In our road maps we will be creating the first PclinuxOS-like control panel for debian based distro's and a delta upgrading system for Kix(A delta upgrade system only downloads the changed bits when upgrading software , thus downloading faster and helping those with slow internet connections.)We are going to implement ubuntu ultimates way of installing the proprietary codecs (Ubuntu utlimate install the codecs on first boot :D, thus avoiding legal troubles :D).

[jbaerbock]

I have used Linux Mint (normal Gnome Edition) for quite some time. Gnome seems responsive and it has all the codecs for DvD playback and other video playback pre-installed, also has a cool slab menu. Along with this if you need to install a windows driver to get wireless to work it has a GUI version od ndiswrapper pre-installed. Basically most complete out of the box linux distro I have yet to find. It has all the ubuntu repos, plus some of its own, plus has mint installer along with some repos not enabled in Ubuntu by default. Gotta love the Mint!

[jbaerbock]

I decided to start with Ubuntu and add what I want instead of Mint adding what I want plus some. And Ubuntu seems faster.

[funpop]

Yes, but a bad KDE GUI. If you really like KDE, do yourself a favour and install a command line Ubuntu plus al the normal KDE packages, without all the Kubuntu bloat.

could you please explain what bloat youre talking about ?
the "kde" metapackage will install a lot of bloat..

isnt the kubuntu selection already a rather slim selection of kde-apps, or do you refer to kde-core package ?

will vanilla kde give a better performance than kubuntu ?

[fistfullofroses]

I was never a big Debian fan, but last night I installed Lenny on my wife's computer... it's blisteringly fast, easy to configure if you are familiar with apt, and hardware support was amazing (considering her hardware is very non-standard).

[init1]

Try this:
Linux Distribution Chooser (http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/)

This is designed for the windows users who are planning to migrate to GNU/Linux. But it may be helpful nevertheless.
It gave me Ubuntu and Debian. I guess I really did choose the right distro :D

[g0kb3rk]

You should prefer KDE over GNome, I would highly recommend Pardus Linux and actually it is better than Kubuntu. It has multi-lang support but doesn't have Chinese/Japanese for now. It is packed ready for any end user and ready to use without a problem after the installation.

http://www.pardus.org.tr/eng/index.html