Is linux.org hurting linux?

[ago]

How is the image of Linux going to be affected by having casinos and pills advertised on its main page? If an enquiring soul stumbles upon this website when investigating whether to use Linux on his desktop, is the 90's revival feast going to convince him or is it likely to turn him off? Or does the website provide useful information?

http://agolb.blogspot.com/2006/09/is-linuxorg-hurting-linux.html

[meng]

I would think it would have little effect either way.

[GuitarHero]

The site looks horrible and not trustworthy. I most likely would not have tried ubuntu if i had seen that first.

[Sam]

This look not professional at all. Some articles are very outdated as well.

[TheRingmaster]

you mean this site here? I think it looks very professional.

[GuitarHero]

You're joking right? Ads everywhere, nav buttons look like they were auto-made by some online script, no thought put into colors or title fonts.

[TravisNewman]

In general, Linux sites until very recently didn't really care about the look of the site, but more about the content, therefore I don't think the site design really looks professional or unproffessional. I'm used to the old frame of mind I guess ;) Ever seen slackware.com? That site looks pretty bad, but it's the official home of Slackware.

Anyway, I dont't hink the ads matter.

[picpak]

That site confused the crap out of me when I was starting out. I eventually ended up on distributions that "install on MS Windows". Then I ended up with Topoligilinux, which scared me even more.

Needless to say, I didn't touch Linux again for a long time.

[NoTiG]

The slackware site looks simple and elegant As far as i am concerned.......

but does it matter about linux? i mean... the site could be hosting porn , or anything... but is there anything you could do to stop it ? besides buy it back ? would that be a waste of money?

[jimmygoon]

It actually had a huge impact on me. I was lost, confused, irritated and didn't understand what Linux was and I was using that site because it was linux .... dot-org... I assumed I could trust it. I would rather be introduced to generally what linux is ... and then something like distrowatch....

[ice60]

don't most of you filter out all the ads anyway? this is how i see it, i'd have thought most people here would see something similar.

[Sam]

don't most of you filter out all the ads anyway? this is how i see it, i'd have thought most people here would see something similar.

The average user doesn't use adblockers.

[Shay Stephens]

I don't think I have ever been there before reading your post. So I checked it out and it looks like any other commercial website that relies on advertising to make their coins. Nothing stood out that interested me, so I left and most likely will not be back to it unless I dig something up relavent via a web search.

I don't think it makes a difference one way or another.

[nalmeth]

linux.org is the first place I learned anything about using/installing linux.

Their 'linux lessons' were actually useful at the time, and I didn't even notice the ads.. I guess I was used to it all over the net, and didn't know any better.

[bobbybobington]

when i first got curious about linux the first place i went to linux.org and i was terribly confused to what linux was. The site looks like its from 1998 and in my opinion it could use a nice redesign.Look at the gradients on the buttons!! TERRIBLE!!! First impressions are everything. The site doesn't match the look of most recent distros.When you know nothing about linux trying to conceptualize what it is and what it's like is very difficult from the descriptions it gives. Its needs to be more noob friendly as it is the first place they will probably go.

[aysiu]

Linux.org is hurting Linux but not because of the ads.

It's confusing to new users. It confused the hell out of me when I first started using Linux. It'd be much better to have Linux.org's domain name point to this instead:
http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/index.php

[SKLP]

would be nice if linux.org pointed to http://kernel.org or http://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html

[ago]

Update:

I sent the webmaster an email complaining about the situation and pointing him to the blog for further discussion. You can see the content of my email in the blog comments.

The owner of the site replied with a kind letter saying that he welcomes suggestions but he is not going to respond to questions about how his website is financed.

[Christmas]

The site looks horrible and not trustworthy. I most likely would not have tried ubuntu if i had seen that first.
It let me the same impression, I bookmarked it though just in case, however I don't like it and I don't like the advertises. Something more professional like Ubuntu's homepage or Slackware's would look way better in my opinion.

[K.Mandla]

Bah. I'd never seen it until you mentioned it. Don't care how it looks. Linux fans won't care, Windows fans will hate it anyway, and Mac users are too busy polishing their hardware to look for it. ;)

[aysiu]

For some Windows users who are curious about Linux, it's the first "logical" place to look. Its look, navigation, and information are important to Linux's PR, whether you like it or not.

[Anonii]

How is the image of Linux going to be affected by having casinos and pills advertised on its main page? If an enquiring soul stumbles upon this website when investigating whether to use Linux on his desktop, is the 90's revival feast going to convince him or is it likely to turn him off? Or does the website provide useful information?

http://agolb.blogspot.com/2006/09/is-linuxorg-hurting-linux.html
Well, you are absolutely right. I had a similar idea before some years. When the 3rd or something site dedicated to linux, that I saw, was linux.org. It sucked. The interface seems like the creation of an 8years old girl with a WYIWYG. The resources are nothing special, and yes.. the adverts are TOO many.
Maybe not "hurting" but surely, a waste of the .org domain.

[RAV TUX]

The average user doesn't use adblockers.

I disagree with this premise, I have never meet anybody who isn't using Adblock Plus/Adblock FilterSet.G Updater/or atleast Flashblock

just curious what everyones thoughts are in comparision/contrast of http://linux.org/ to http://cafelinux.org/ ?

primarily on presentation and attractiveness to make a guest feel welcomed?

[aysiu]

I disagree with this premise, I have never meet anybody who isn't using Adblock Plus/Adblock FilterSet.G Updater/or atleast Flashblock You and I must be in different social circles, then. I'm the only person I know who uses Adblock.

[teet]

when i first got curious about linux the first place i went to linux.org and i was terribly confused to what linux was. The site looks like its from 1998 and in my opinion it could use a nice redesign.Look at the gradients on the buttons!! TERRIBLE!!! First impressions are everything. The site doesn't match the look of most recent distros.When you know nothing about linux trying to conceptualize what it is and what it's like is very difficult from the descriptions it gives. Its needs to be more noob friendly as it is the first place they will probably go.

I agree completely. I remember going to linux.org a few times back in 2002 when I was trying to figure out this whole "linux thing". This website just confused me even more. I finally remembered hearing something about 'redhat' so I searched for that and eventually decided to try out Redhat 9 since it seemed to be one of the biggest and best distros at the time.

What would I like to see on linux.org (and linux.com for that matter) you ask? A quick, simple description of what an OS is and what Linux is at the top of the page. Then links to the top 10 distributions (ubuntu, suse, fedora, mandriva, gentoo, slackware, etc.) that include a short 2 or 3 sentence description of the distribution. Then after that I don't care what else is on the site.

-teet

[christhemonkey]

I dont use addblock.

Only know one guy who does, and hes going to Oxford to read computer sciences or something.
Nough said ;)

[ago]

I disagree with this premise, I have never meet anybody who isn't using Adblock Plus/Adblock FilterSet.G Updater/or atleast Flashblock

I might have missed something here, but if you are right either firefox won the browser war, or adblock was ported (and built-in)to IE...

[RAV TUX]

I might have missed something here, but if you are right either firefox won the browser war, or adblock was ported (and built-in)to IE...

In the social realm of this forum how many do you think use IE on Ubuntu over Firefox/flock/mozilla/netscape?

This was posted not only in a Linux forum but a Ubuntu forum...I have loaded IE only once on Ubuntu for developmental reasons....

I don't think that the browser war is a factor in how many Ubuntu users actually use IE, specifically in Ubuntu or any distro.

Even when I used XP I didn't use IE.

My social realm is of Linux users,...who build, use and test multiple Linux distos.

here is a thread in a non-linux based forum...see how many use adblock:
http://stumble-tweaks-tricks.group.stumbleupon.com/forum/39185/

[jimmygoon]

due to the utter confusion surrounding me and that terrible website my first experiences were with debain (too 'stable' to support my system), mandrake (too gross and confusing) *bought new computer*, stupidly tried gentoo (big mistake... never seen a prompt before [not true... dos/win32])

and then bam... on digg one day, ubuntu... wtf is that... oooh... I like... and I've been windows free (cough aside from a dual boot for my phone) since then!!!

thank goodness for ubuntu!

[ago]

In the social realm of this forum how many do you think use IE on Ubuntu over Firefox/flock/mozilla/netscape?

Certainly the situation is far less relevant for existing Linux users. But the main topic is whether Linux.org may represent a problem when NON-Linux users look for info on Linux and stumble upon this website (that most will wrongly believe is THE official linux website). What is their first impression of Linux they come out with? Is the site going to be useful to them? Are they going to be incentivized to try Linux? Will they know what is the next step?

PS cafelinux is a very nice site (why not joomla though?).

[aysiu]

I think the idea is that for a lot of migrants from Windows, Linux.org seems the logical first place to go on the web to find information about Linux. That's the first place I went. I didn't know about DistroWatch, and there was no Zegenie Studios quiz back then.

[NESFreak]

well, it did confuse me. If i hadn't heard from a friend to check out distrowatch 2 years ago i wouldnt have made the switch. I kept ending up with all kind of usless discontinued distro's. Well i guess linux.com is useless as well with their windows banners. But somehow google's pagerank system does rate it as the top site.

[Klaidas]

OH NOES, IT'S A BANNER!!!!!!!! I won't love linux anymore!!! leaving!!!! wtf!!!

Dudes :) Whatever, it's a banner.
Besides, linux.org is a gret resource - see my signature ;)

[aysiu]

It may be a great resource for you, but it's a terrible resource for people who are just trying out Linux for the first time.

If you click on the "download" link, it just tells you to go to the "distributions" link. When you go to the "distributions" link, it has a search for distributions, and most of those search terms don't mean anything to Windows users.

Let's say I do a search for English language mainstream Intel compatible distributions. Do you know what the first results are?

In this order:
Conectiva Linux
SOT Linux
Libranet
Debian
easyLinux
Gentoo
Linux Antarctica
Mandriva
LuteLinux
Progeny
Red Hat Enterprise
Slackware
Stampede Linux
SuSE
TurboLinux
ASPLinux
...

Sorry. It's a crappy resource. A new user would be much better off at these two places:
http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/index.php
http://www.distrowatch.com

[Dinerty]

I know adverts are used on certain sites for obvious reasons, like every other user we all dislike them. The advert on the right hand side of the screen (The square one) is rather annoying, espically with it moving all the time.

The advtertisment in the banner is not to bad, but I really dislike when pages have adverts actually within the content of the page.

Does not look brilliant for what one may think is the godfather of all linux pages and people may well be put off by it, I personally think it does not look proffessional enough.

[ago]

The advtertisment in the banner is not to bad

Check the one at the bottom of the page. This is what I see...

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/8689/sponsoredlinksuw1.png

[Dinerty]

Check the one at the bottom of the page. This is what I see...

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/8689/sponsoredlinksuw1.png

Pretty poor and gives a bad reflect on linux in general.

Had a intresting chat with a user in #ubuntu-xgl about this, most of these linux websites seem to advertise to users already running linux based system, If I where a new user to Linux in general there is not a chance on earth I would stay and read through the website, I mean linux.org is quite outdated and is pretty complicated.

Most users just want a brief explaniation and a easy viewable download link, this has quite a complex system.

When you click on the "Download" tab and go to "Distributions", you input your language, pretty simple stuff, but then underneath it says "Choose category", no Windows user (Lets admit, 99% are coming from Windows) is going to know the difference between:

Debian based systems
Red Hat based systems
Security enhanced
Embedded ...

You get my idea, it should simpler and just say "Home" / "Server" or "Business"

Next is the "Platform" section, not many Window users are going to know:

PPC
Alpha
Sparc
Mainframe

Personanly I think it should say excatly what the Ubuntu download page says

"PC (Intel x86) desktop CD
For almost all PCs. This includes most machines with Intel/AMD/etc type processors and almost all computers that run Microsoft Windows. Choose this if you are at all unsure.
Mac (PowerPC) desktop CD
For Apple Macintosh G3, G4, and G5 computers, including iBooks and PowerBooks.
64-bit PC (AMD64) desktop CD
For computers based on the AMD64 or EM64T architecture (e.g., Athlon64, Opteron, EM64T Xeon). It is not necessary for all (even most) processors made by AMD -- only their 64 bit chips."

Now I know people may think my views are wrong, but I'm a pretty new user to Linux and if I had of seen this page I guarantee I would not be running a Linux system now, never mind my entire home network on it.

We need more websites advertising Linux on a human form like Ubuntu does, not all this Kernel stuff, Compiling, Source code straight off, yes keep these websites which do advertise it, but broaden the aspect of advertisement.

[slimdog360]

I wanted to try linux for quite a while but everytime I did that page scared me away. I didnt know what was going on.

[bobbybobington]

I think linux.org should have a redesign competition like slashdot.org . Think of all the millions of linux users, hundreds or even thousands could submit their design!! But the site could use some love on the noob friendliness as well. I can understand how experientced users would want it as a powerful resource for them. But for noobs that information is pretty much useless. As long as the site is the first search result for basically any search, they have a responsibility to make it attractive, inviting, easy, and informative for those wondering "what is this linux thing?".

At least the ubuntu website is the 5th result on google.:-|

[ago]

As long as the site is the first search result for basically any search, they have a responsibility to make it attractive, inviting, easy, and informative for those wondering "what is this linux thing?".

This is what I wrote in the letter to the webmaster


Dear sirs,

I have major complaints about the website, while I appreciate the initial efforts and the original contribution, I do not think that the website as it is today is helping Linux image. Quite the opposite. I expressed my thoughts in my blog http://agolb.blogspot.com/2006/09/is-linuxorg-hurting-linux.html . I was harsh, but I am not a political person. I honestly hope that the resulting debate will help improve the website and make it state of the art, as it deserves. Linux.org is the flag, and the flag has to fly high. The people who maintain Linux.org bear a great responsibility.

Kind regards

After almost a week the ads about casinos and pills are still there though.

[slimdog360]

at least now when you google 'linux' Ubuntu is the second on the list. *sigh* I wish it was there over a year ago when I first wanted to use linux, or even 6 months ago, I took me about a week or so of scouring the internet to find even one good distro.

[Mr. Picklesworth]

That site doesn't even pass w3 validation (http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=www.linux.org), which is rather unacceptable.

It needs a major overhaul, and fast!

As has been suggested in this thread, something simple and to-the-point with all the wordiness moved over to less prominent sections. Too much information is being presented at once, I think.
All that 'Latest Kernel' stuff could just be replaced by a link to kernel.org or some such.

Linux.com sort of works alright, but it's also rather daunting!

[EdThaSlayer]

Linux.org does provide good information...except that the interface is kinda outdated(Graphics from the 90's)

[RAV TUX]

PS cafelinux is a very nice site (why not joomla though?).

Thanks for the compliment, Joomla and Mambo opensource are both nice...I have used Joomla in the past... ex: http://douc.us/

I just felt like giving Mambo opensource a try and over all I am very happy with them as a content manager....

please take a look at The Forums at cafelinux.org also:

http://cafelinux.org/forums/

we have much to do but are hard at work.

Jozef

[RAV TUX]

I think the idea is that for a lot of migrants from Windows, Linux.org seems the logical first place to go on the web to find information about Linux. That's the first place I went. I didn't know about DistroWatch, and there was no Zegenie Studios quiz back then.

surprisingly the statistics for OS's for visitors, at http://cafelinux.org/ are mostly windows users....

This is a good sign and trend for Linux overall...

This is our time to shine and deliver...

Ubuntu, knoppix, Sabayon, Dreamlinux...are rising to this call...

cafelinux.org also is rising to this call.

[montgoej]

Tux would cry, about Linux.org.
It looks like something I'd make(Sophomore in high school and just beginning html) but with more ads. Linux.com at least looks professional, which would attract a new user more than the bland-ness of linux.org.
~Jordan Montgomery

[Carrots171]

Although Linux.org does provide useful information, it has an unprofessional look because of the advertisements, bad graphics and disorganization. The unprofessional look alone may scare away potential Linux users, but more importantly, there's a lack of good information on the site for someone who's new to Linux and wants to know how to get started with it. In my opinion, the Introduction to Linux (http://www.linux.com/article.pl?sid=02/03/09/1727250) on Linux.com is far more informative for a newbie than anything on Linux.org.

Linux.org should look professional and it should link to some distribution resources like DistroWatch or the Linux Distribution Chooser (http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/) along with a more newbie-friendly intro to Linux. And if there are any advertisements, they shouldn't be about casinos and weight-loss pills.

[JoshHendo]

http://who.is/whois-org/ip-address/linux.org/

Hay look! Fake whois (unless he has that fax number). I have been told that it is normally wrong to report domains for fake whois...

I have to say that Linux.org was the first website that I went to a few years back to look into Linux, and I couldn't work out how to download "Linux" (I didn't know about distros then). It was not a nice experience.

[FoxxyZoe]

This (http://web.archive.org/web/19990117014619/http://linux.org/) is what linux.org looked like when I first saw it. Run by the same jerk but at least not covered in ads. As far as I knew at the time, it was at least semi-official. Then I started reading about all the drama... oh dear. *sigh*

Most people will probably run into OSTG's linux.com first though anyway.

[Polygon]

when i first googled linux i came to that page and was confused as hell on what linux was and where i could see some screenshots and maybe download it.

very confusing website....

[ago]

The story is also on digg:

http://digg.com/linux_unix/Is_Linux_org_hurting_Linux

[rowanparker]

It was because of that site that I first tried Linux which was feather linux.

[FyreBrand]

I would never send someone to the www.linux.org site. It was a confusing mess for me when I was researching Linux and it's still a confusing mess. I have very little trust for advert companies and banner ads, especially the flash ads. I think it would be the worst thing in the world for a MS Windows user to surf to that site and pickup malware because of an unscrupulous advertiser.

Aysiu that link to zegenie.net was amazing plus the test and results were fun. Yozef the cafelinux site is really nice.

[Mr. Picklesworth]

As linked to from Digg, http://www.getgnulinux.org/ is an excellent site that shows what Linux.org should really be on the surface - an attractive first glimpse of Linux for new users.
The complexities - wonderful though they are (and they can be a good resource) - can go somewhere a bit less prominent.

Regarding getgnulinux.org, I kind of wish they trimmed off the Gnu thing in some places, just for the sake of making it easier to understand (The slash can imply "or", and we don't want people calling Linux GNU... do we?), but other than that it is set up perfectly.
They should really point out the existence of more than two distros, though!

[ago]

I have exchanged some emails with linux.org's webmaster. I am adding relevant bits of our conversations on a separate blog.

Is Linux.org hurting Linux? Part 2 (http://agolb.blogspot.com/2006/09/is-linuxorg-hurting-linux-part-2.html)

[Mr. Picklesworth]

Good of you to post that; it really explains a lot!

I think this bit sums it up:

One may think the present look of Linux.org hurts the Linux community, but they should be thankful that Linux.org is in the hands of who it is. I have been told of six-figure offers for the domain from a lot of companies. Many of these you wouldn't want to have it - people who would *really* hurt Linux. Michael has constantly said that Linux needs an independent voice and that's what we are. That's why he's held on to the site.

I think they should really be looking for less ugly sponsors with a relation to Linux (such as Canonical) which could be thanked in a less detrimental way and I hope they do well with the redesign.


By the 3rd box, though, I am sort of in disagreement.
The site needs a more open approach, and they need to give it a better chance.
Since a redesign would probably result in Perl being replaced by something newer (please!), that could be the perfect oppurtunity to develop a more open framework.
How about a system like a Wiki but not quite, where users submit full articles through a group of editors? That would stop stuff from being left unfinished since it already would have to be finished to a reasonable extent.

They need to be more open with their openness.
I am sure that they are very willing to accept help, but their web site needs to say that somewhere!

I'm fine with them being independent, but they have to admit that no independent group that small can possibly keep track of the entirety of something so big and wide-spread as Linux.
I think they need to open up a bit more for that alone - then there's the fact that the very nature of Linux is openness, and, while people are completely entitled to do what they want, it only seems fair that what has become an online figurehead should reflect it.

Finally, once again regarding ads. How does www.polishlinux.org do it with only one set of well-fitting ads that aren't even on the home page? Do they pull money off of trees?
No, they get funding with polish because people and corporations will fund a .org domain associated with Linux - especially one called Linux.org.

[ago]

How about a system like a Wiki but not quite, where users submit full articles through a group of editors? That would stop stuff from being left unfinished since it already would have to be finished to a reasonable extent.

They need to be more open with their openness.
I am sure that they are very willing to accept help, but their web site needs to say that somewhere!

CMS is the word, and I completely agree with you.

[Druidor]

When I first did my first steps into Linux my first stop was Linuxquestions.org which was very helpfull.

Linux.org confused the hell out of me with its layout & still odes.

[decyus]

linux.org does not need a "redesign" or a "little correction".
I would delete the _whole_ content to the last file and let someone that has a slight idea of what he does start over...

[chaosgeisterchen]

Well, without referring to all postings here I would blindly say that linux.org is a great shame for all the great Linux community. We built up something great which is really looking good, but the 'official' Linux page is a mess...

[Gargamella]

I think it has a very ugly layout and it needs in my opinion an interesting interface.
It seems linux is not for you and you will not proceed reading the pages.
The advertisings make it worse

[ago]

Sadly after more than 2 months nothing has changed, and the casinos adds are still there.

There was some interest from the webmaster only when my blog was on Digg's first page, as soon as the digg effect faded so did the replies from the webmaster... For those who missed it, here is the digg link:

http://digg.com/linux_unix/Is_Linux_org_hurting_Linux

Here is the follow-up with all my mail exchanges with the webmaster:

http://agolb.blogspot.com/2006/09/is-linuxorg-hurting-linux-part-2.html

I guess the only way to make those guys improve the website is to keep the pressure up...

[darrenm]

Resurrecting the thread...

Yes linux.org is rubbish and with the current climate of trying to tempt Windows users out of the Matrix it really isn't helping one bit. It just portrays an image of an old, out of date unsupported operating system.

[timpino]

In general, Linux sites until very recently didn't really care about the look of the site, but more about the content, therefore I don't think the site design really looks professional or unproffessional. I'm used to the old frame of mind I guess ;) Ever seen slackware.com? That site looks pretty bad, but it's the official home of Slackware.

Anyway, I dont't hink the ads matter.

Hey slackware's site is elegant, liniux.org is just plain butt-uggly :)

[ago]

Well, I have done my best, I have tried to convince them to open up (see my email exchanges with the webadmin), but nothing has changed, and worse, the casinos adds are still there.

If you can think of something let me hear.

[kazuya]

I am indifferent to it. I feel it sort of does and does not for different reasons.
I believe the site is due for an overhaul. They should follow the design of distrowatch.com or reviewlinux or linuxquestions

If new users upon searching for linux was directed to sites like distrowatch.com, you would have speedier addition of users. Why? All the resources and links to other sites are there. It is your onestop to everything linux related and MS related as well BSD.

Linux.org is older and not as quick to get the news out to its new audience. This is just my opinion. I would not say the site is unprofessional though. Alas, it is no where near the polish of other linux sites as mentioned above.

[Fidelio]

Well, it put me off a bit. I found it while I was 'linux curious' a few months ago, and I sort of thought it must be the 'official' linux site. I just it looked cheap and unproffessional.

[daynah]

www is deprecated. http://no-www.org/ (try going to http://linux.org)

[darrenm]

www is deprecated. http://no-www.org/ (try going to http://linux.org)

It's not. The www DNS record is very much needed still. Its nice not having to type the extra 4 chars but its needed in places such as local networks that use the company domain as their DNS suffix. They need a www record to find the external webserver.

edit: However in the context of having both directed correctly to a web server such as linux.org and www.linux.org then they should both show the same content.

[justin whitaker]

I'm indifferent on the ads: I don't think anyone really pays attention to them anyway. As for the website, yes, it is in serious need of a refresh, and one of you enterprising chaps should do it. :D

[Nils Olav]

Looks just fine to me.

[texasjim]

You musta missed it, Firefox DID win.
Jim

[macogw]

Why does it have a Microsoft ad at the top?

EDIT: I just read your email exchanges where he says they'll "*never* run Microsoft ads" haha yeah right...they're doing it now

see screenshot below.

[Nils Olav]

You musta missed it, Firefox DID win.
Jim

15.1 < 78.6

[macogw]

www is deprecated. http://no-www.org/ (try going to http://linux.org)

If you do that then click their link to it with the www., it shows up really screwed up.

[spinflick]

It's a mess and needs tidying up, and those MS ads have gotta go.

[happy-and-lost]

To the newbie, it does look a bit intimidating. But, then again, I think the new Ubuntu site design is a bit intimidating...

[FuturePilot]

If you do that then click their link to it with the www., it shows up really screwed up.

Yeah I noticed that it's all messed up too.

Anyways I came across linux.org back when I was trying to find out what Linux was all about and possibly looking for links to download, however I found that site confusing with no links or even anything telling me where I could download distros.

[BarfBag]

Linux.org was how I learned about Linux. Seemed like a useful resource at the time. However, that was close to four years ago. The site hasn't changed since then.

[bastiegast]

I am indifferent to it. I feel it sort of does and does not for different reasons.
I believe the site is due for an overhaul. They should follow the design of distrowatch.com or reviewlinux or linuxquestions

If new users upon searching for linux was directed to sites like distrowatch.com, you would have speedier addition of users. Why? All the resources and links to other sites are there. It is your onestop to everything linux related and MS related as well BSD.

Linux.org is older and not as quick to get the news out to its new audience. This is just my opinion. I would not say the site is unprofessional though. Alas, it is no where near the polish of other linux sites as mentioned above.

Distrowatch could use a redesign too...

[justin whitaker]

Distrowatch could use a redesign too...

I think Ladislav is a database jockey, not a designer. I'm sure if you gave in a nice ajax interface that integrated with a database and did not bogart bandwidth (good luck), he would be happy to take a look.