Which Ubuntu Distro is best for me?

[darian2]

Hey guys,

I'm new to Ubuntu after having it for a while (a week) I found it was pretty slow so switched to Linux Mint 15 and found out that was pretty slow too.

So basically what I'm saying here is I want to switch to Ubuntu but I don't know which distro is right for me, I want a fast stable one (preferably one that can run Skype and doesn't crash everytime I try to call someone XD)

I'm also a noob with this stuff so I don't really want an extremely complicated one

I've just made the big switch from Windows 7

I don't made the Unity type deal, but I just want it to be fast and stable

Thanks!

[tripp98]

What hardware are you using?

[darian2]

What hardware are you using?

Oh sorry, I forgot about that haha


4GB RAM
Intel core i3 processor 2120
Intel HD Graphics
1TB HDD

I dunno if you need anything else XD sorry

[johnlittler]

What is best really varies from user to user.

A distro wich one person regards as 'fast and stable' may be seen as 'slow and unstable' by another person.

Do you still have any Linux system installed?

If you have no Linux system installed, I suggest you install Ubuntu 12.04LTS, which has support until 2017.

Once, you have done that you can install alternative desktop environments simultaneously. By doing that, you can decide what feels right for you. Try the desktops of Gnome, Gnome Classic, Xubuntu and Lubuntu etc.

Incidentally, I installed Unbuntu 12.04LTS and then installed Gnome Classic and then removed all the Unity system and 'zeitgeist'. Compared to Unity on 12.04LTS it is fast and stable.

I do not know how technically minded you are, so please forgive me if I say, "By the way, on the stability point, many problems are caused by too much 'tweaking' without real knowledge." If a new user leaves the system alone, it usually proves stable. Before you make any changes, please double check on the forum. I should not preach really. I have tweaked until I broke in the past.

[darian2]

What is best really varies from user to user.

A distro wich one person regards as 'fast and stable' may be seen as 'slow and unstable' by another person.

Do you still have any Linux system installed?

If you have no Linux system installed, I suggest you install Ubuntu 12.04LTS, which has support until 2017.

Once, you have done that you can install alternative desktop environments simultaneously. By doing that, you can decide what feels right for you. Try the desktops of Gnome, Gnome Classic, Xubuntu and Lubuntu etc.

Incidentally, I installed Unbuntu 12.04LTS and then installed Gnome Classic and then removed all the Unity system and 'zeitgeist'. Compared to Unity on 12.04LTS it is fast and stable.

I do not know how technically minded you are, so please forgive me if I say, "By the way, on the stability point, many problems are caused by too much 'tweaking' without real knowledge." If a new user leaves the system alone, it usually proves stable. Before you make any changes, please double check on the forum. I should not preach really. I have tweaked until I broke in the past.

Haha!

I got bored on Linux and wanted to see what some commands did...let's just say I 'got rid' of Linux with a command

and currently at the time of this thread, I'm still on Mint, but looking to switch back

[johnlittler]

The Linux 'black screen of death' can be depressing. However, it is one good way of learning about Linux.

If you do not like Linux Mint, it may be inevitable that you install something else. The installation process only usually takes about 20 minutes.

Subject to advice from others to your question, I think you need to try a few desktops.

12.04LTS is certainly older but smoother than the latest non-LTS distros. It will 'not fight you'.

Wait and see what others suggest and try the suggestions one by one.

[grahammechanical]

I must be getting old! You find Ubuntu slow with a hardware specification like that? I am using a machine with a specification lower than a smartphone. Ubuntu doesn't feel slow to me.

[darian2]

The Linux 'black screen of death' can be depressing. However, it is one good way of learning about Linux.

If you do not like Linux Mint, it may be inevitable that you install something else. The installation process only usually takes about 20 minutes.

Subject to advice from others to your question, I think you need to try a few desktops.

12.04LTS is certainly older but smoother than the latest non-LTS distros. It will 'not fight you'.

Wait and see what others suggest and try the suggestions one by one.

Well, I like the sound of the 13.04 of Ubuntu mainly because it has steam preinstalled (or so I've heard)

I mean I don't mind the whole Unity thing, but it's just when I click on icons (firefox, etc) it takes about 5 minutes to open them

I must be getting old! You find Ubuntu slow with a hardware specification like that? I am using a machine with a specification lower than a smartphone. Ubuntu doesn't feel slow to me.

Haha that made me laugh! XD

[DuckHook]

5 minutes?! That's practically unbelievable (and unusable if true).

1. We need precise data, so please time it next time and let us know exactly how long.
2. Does this happen all the time?
3. How many apps and web pages do you have open at once when it does happen?

The next time your system is this slow, please post the results of:

free -m

and

vmstat

back to this thread.

It is possible that you simply have too many apps and/or web pages open at once. Web pages are as bad as apps. I know of one instance where a user was wondering why his box was so slow and had thirty different web pages set to automatically open each time he invoked his browser. Not good.

So, please provide requested info before we can help further.

[darian2]

5 minutes?! That's practically unbelievable (and unusable if true).

1. We need precise data, so please time it next time and let us know exactly how long.
2. Does this happen all the time?
3. How many apps and web pages do you have open at once when it does happen?

The next time your system is this slow, please post the results of:

free -m

and

vmstat

back to this thread.

It is possible that you simply have too many apps and/or web pages open at once. Web pages are as bad as apps. I know of one instance where a user was wondering why his box was so slow and had thirty different web pages set to automatically open each time he invoked his browser. Not good.

So, please provide requested info before we can help further.

It's around 4-5 minutes, no more no less.

Yeah, it happened for the week that I had Ubuntu.

As for how many things I have open - none, this is just loading up Firefox originally.