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What's the best "user friendly" linux distro?


Kieth
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Years ago I bought a new computer with W98 on it. I hated it. That's when I started looking into, and using linux. At that time, Mandrake was the recommended "user friendly" distro. A lot has changed since then, I know. I've never used another distro in all these years except for a short time with Suse (when the Mandrake distro wasn't too good, and I wasn't able to get it loaded on my system.) Just for curiosity, what would be considered the best "user friendly", distro now, for a "normal" user?

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Mandriva

 

Is my short answer, I've tried Ubuntu two years ago, and again the latest RC build of Ubuntu 8.10, and I really can't see how this distro can be calles user friendly, but mayby it's just me who are to dedicated to Mandriva.

I've also tried out Suse in one of the 9 versions, it was a really great distro then, easy to use, I don't have anything bad to say about Suse, but it was just not my distro. I have thought about installing openSuse when the 11.1 comes out just to see again if I can work with it this time.

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Just for curiosity, what would be considered the best "user friendly", distro now, for a "normal" user?
That depends on what you consider "a normal user" and what you consider "user friendly". For some people, configuring everything in a text-file is considered user-friendly (because of system transparency and learning included) while others prefer GUI-wizards for everything which may or may not work. :rolleyes:

 

Basically, Mandriva is still considered one of the most "newcomer-friendly" distros, but others like Mepis, PCLinuxOS or Ubuntu are also pretty newcomer-friendly.

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I think that for beginners are the best in addition to MINT, is everything he does not have Ubuntu. Mandriva also proposes XFce-ONE-DVD version instead. Now I am working on XFce-ONE to Live distribution and is ideal.... Lex

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Kieth,

 

Pretty much like everyone else has said, Mandriva, or Vista ;) If by "user friendly" you mean, great hardware detection, Mandriva is your answer. If you mean, easy to use, then Mandriva is your answer. If you mean greater user support forums, Ubuntu is your answer. I think the only problem Mandriva has is that its too damn good. I hardly ever have to ask any questions about it because everything just works. There are only three other distributions I can say that about; OpenSuse, PCLINUXOS(Mandriva based), and SimplyMepis(based on Ubuntu, havent tried the debian base yet.)

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In my opinion, the keys to user-friendlyness are:

- hardware auto-configuration,

- configuration wizards for “everything†else (firewall, backup, file-sharing…), ie: no CLI,

- control center.

 

As far as I'm aware, only Mandriva and Suse come close to this.

 

Yves.

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Until very recently I would have said Mandriva, but a couple of days ago I installed a testing version of Linux Mint. If there is anything easier to install and use than that is then I have yet to find it.

One word of warning though, if you suffer from a weak stomach then their default colour schemes may well induce nausea :lol2: :lol2:

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Since most naturally of us are (or were) MDV users, it's no surprise most of us are recommending it, and I can only agree.

 

But I have an advice for you: you can take a few leading distros, and run from the live CDs for a day or two. Of course running from the live CD is not the same as running from a full installation, but at least it will tell you something about the ease of operation, the look n' feel, and the HW detection. Then use your instincts and go with the distro that most impresses you.

 

I did it with MDV and Ubuntu almost two years ago, and MDV was much more convenient, but I haven't been tracking things and maybe today things are different.

 

 

Good luck!

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Yeh, I know, tyme. I asked a tough question because there are many types of users and many needs, along with many wants. I was thinking of a "newcomer-user", that doesn't do any programming, script writing, etc. I was thinking of a person that just uses the computer around the house writing e-mails and letters, surfing on the Internet, keeping track of his pictures, playing games, making "homemade" videos, watching films, trying new programs, etc. As I mentioned, it was just a curiosity question. In fact, the answers were interesting. Thanks!

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