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Which is the best Linux distro?

Posted on 16 Nov 2012 at 14:00

If you fancy trying something other than Windows, why not give Linux a whirl? We test drive eight popular distros, with the help of our readers

To the average mainstream Windows user, Linux can be an unusual and sometimes frightening prospect. So for this feature we've taken an unusual approach.

In keeping with the open source Linux philosophy, the reviews you'll find within are part-based on our first ever PC Pro wiki, to which numerous readers kindly contributed over a period of six weeks. The results combine our own testing and analysis with real-world community experience for an all-round view.

The aim of this feature is unusual, too, as we’re not looking to identify a winner. The whole point of Linux distros is that each is aimed at a particular type of user, so what’s perfect for one person may be anathema to another. Our goal is simply to help find the right distribution for you.

Don’t forget, too, that most distributions are available as live CD or USB images, so if more than one distro makes your shortlist, you can try as many as you like before committing to a full install.

Our thanks go to hosting provider Memset for the server space on which we installed our wiki.

Contents

Guide to choosing a distro

Tested: Linux and touch

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Debian

Fedora

Gentoo Linux

Linux Mint

openSUSE

PCLinuxOS

Puppy Linux

Ubuntu