OStatic

Within a few months of beginning with Linux, it became obvious that I was one of those who have severe difficulties settling on a distribution. This situation presents some unique challenges, but generally, I've found there are more benefits than drawbacks. While I may have favorites, or be more familiar with some distributions than others, they all offer a little something different.

A few months ago, I wrote about Gentoo. It's been one of my favorites, as it's a learning experience and exceedingly stable when it's been successfully configured. A few commenters suggested Arch Linux as an alternative.

This weekend, I finally got a chance to take Arch for a spin. A basic installation isn't a huge time investment, and while it isn't quite as under the hood as Gentoo is, it's a clear canvas for those needing specific tasks and control on their system.

Jack Wallen wrote a great article over at Tech Republic outlining 10 things you need to consider when choosing a Linux distribution. He says though fundamentally the same, the various distros are not created equal and it behooves users to take a look at some key issues when deciding what flavor of Linux is right for them.

Among his recommendations, Wallen suggests that users should decide if their preferred distro meets their needs in terms of security, hardware, and the community support it offers. He makes great points, and there are more.