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ajifans
June 21st, 2006, 03:50 PM
Help.

I've only been using Linux for less than 2 months, and I'm already on my third distro!

Started with Suse 10.0, then FC5, back to Suse (albeit 10.1), then Ubuntu.

Anyone else have the problem that as soon as they get a distribution runnning fine for them, they get itchy feet?

Any tips on how to stop myself changing again in the near future?

mscman
June 21st, 2006, 04:04 PM
You're not alone! When I first started using Linux, I went through about 10 distros a week for a month. Yes, that's a lot of distros. It started to slow down to about 3-4 a week and finally I found Ubuntu.

The only advice I can offer is this: don't store anything important on the same partition as your linux installs! :D Other than that, keep trying distros until you find one that you think is the best for you. There is no "perfect distro" that reigns supreme over everyone. Until you find one that you really like, you'll have to keep trying different ones out.

Good luck! and have fun!

Kimm
June 21st, 2006, 04:12 PM
Same here.
I've been through a myriad of distros... before I found Ubuntu I has settled down with Mandrake 10. Other distros I've tried includes: topologi, lindows, slackware, fedora core and a couple more...

Funny thing is... Slackware was one of my first (topologi was the first, but I then fund out that it was slackware based, so I went for slackware), and that system survived far longer than my initial Ubuntu setup... my current setup has lasted longer than any other install I have ever had before though.

kanem
June 21st, 2006, 04:13 PM
Eventually I think you find one that has enough stuff that you want so that changing to another distro would feel like a handicap.

For instance I realized that I wouldn't be happy if I didn't have a Debian based system or didn't have the latest Gnome release. Which is what keeps me with Ubuntu. If it weren't for those requirements I'd have probably been through several more distros by now.

Brunellus
June 21st, 2006, 04:16 PM
The "distro inferno" phenomenon happens to every new user. It tends to wear off as you begin to want to get down and do real work, rather than play around.

weasel fierce
June 21st, 2006, 04:24 PM
well, I just switched from Gnome to KDE, so Im satisfied for a bit, but I am itching to try something new :)

I dont want to mess around on my main computer, so Im looking for a laptop to muck around with

B0rsuk
June 21st, 2006, 05:04 PM
Ill try Debian Etch (testing) in next few days.

rai4shu2
June 21st, 2006, 05:11 PM
I tend to try more distros on laptops than I do on desktops.

pulver
June 21st, 2006, 05:11 PM
bah.. install them all. what distro do you wanto use today.

Sye d'Burns
June 21st, 2006, 05:37 PM
Where's the option to keep a working distro and seperate testing partitions? I love to test-drive and tinker but wouldn't dream of starting from scratch every time I did so.

hizaguchi
June 21st, 2006, 05:39 PM
Yeah, I'm doing the same thing. I've even branched out to installing *BSDs lately. And to complicate matters, I'm still torn between KDE and Gnome, so every disto I install ends up with 2 full DEs... and occasionally XFCE.

For me, the problem is performance vs features. Ubuntu is king, in my mind, for ease of use without being intrusive, as well as having the best repositories. But you pay for it in performance, and after experiencing Arch Linux and FreeBSD I find that hard to live with. I think the only thing that would fix it for me is a computer about 3 times better than the one I have. Then I could run Ubuntu without the side effects.

Donshyoku
June 21st, 2006, 05:46 PM
I have only ever used Red Hat and then Fedora on a regular basis. Ever since I switched to Ubuntu, I haven't changed any more.

I still DL live CDs/DVDs and sometimes I will install a new distro. This isn't becasue of dissatisfaction... just a geek's curiosity...

Kimm
June 21st, 2006, 05:47 PM
I've been stationary with Ubuntu for some time... and I probably will be for a while longer.
In the future I plan to try out FreeBSD (doesnt like my computer) and Solaris!!!

http://www.gnusolaris.org/gswiki =D>

pulver
June 21st, 2006, 05:54 PM
Where's the option to keep a working distro and seperate testing partitions? I love to test-drive and tinker but wouldn't dream of starting from scratch every time I did so.

I'm using hda1 as my test partition, everything goes onto it, even *******. Then I use partimage to backup. Takes like 5min to restore.

drfalkor
June 21st, 2006, 06:09 PM
I've started with FC2, then FC3, then Slackware, SuUSE 8 or 9 something, back to FC3, Back to SuSE 9 something.. Then Hoary, then Breezy, and now... Dapper, Im thinking about changing to gentoo, since it have a graphical installer on the live CD..!

Oh well,.. I think Im gonna try out gentoo on a wmvare server,.. and stuck to ubuntu 'till edgy comes out,.. if ubuntu get worse, I'll jump to gentoo !:-\"

Kimm
June 21st, 2006, 07:22 PM
Im thinking about changing to gentoo, since it have a graphical installer on the live CD..!

Oh well,.. I think Im gonna try out gentoo on a wmvare server


Lol... graphical maby... do you know how a setup of Gentoo is performed? :mad:
I tried to install it once, under guidance from a friend (over the net)... I didnt succed... although I was a n00b back then.

If you try Gentoo on wmvare, I suggest you get ready for a couple of days/nights without a computer!

tseliot
June 21st, 2006, 08:07 PM
Im thinking about changing to gentoo, since it have a graphical installer on the live CD..!
The graphical install it kind of buggy.

It failed 4 time on my computer before I managed to install it.

Engnome
June 21st, 2006, 09:24 PM
I've got this problem as well, started with ubuntu though so I've never really used any other distro (or *BSD) for long.

The first cure is install a new desktop theme, get a little "a thats new" feeling back.

If it doesnt help try another DE like xfce, kde, enlightenment, fluxbox etc. etc.

beercz
June 21st, 2006, 11:51 PM
Ill try Debian Etch (testing) in next few days.Same here - when I find a bit of time to install it.
(Probably when the world cup is over so I can watch less tv!)