Should we use linux

Which Distribution of Linux Should I Use?

Jeremy Morgan

Feb 20, 2018 — clock

Tags: | #linux| #review

I’m often asked: “hey, you’re a Linux guy right? What Linux should I use? I have this friend who recommends _____ and I want to know what you think?” I usually reply with the same question: what do you want to do? So I decided to make a blog post about it that I can send people instead.

My History with Linux

I should probably preface this article with a little bit of my history with Linux, in case you’re reading this and you don’t know me (very likely). You can probably skip this if you don’t care.

I started out using Linux around 1996. My first Linux was Slackware 4, a set of CDs I purchased at Egghead Software (yep, I’m old). A friend of mine told me about this Unix like thing that was so great and I just had to try it and he thought I would love it.

I read a lot about Unix, and was very curious about it. I had a shell account at my internet provider and I’d tinkered around, yet at first I was a bit hesitant. “Why would I need this?” His reply was simply: “Because you hate Windows 95 so much and love DOS, you’ll love this”. So I bought it. He was right.

I took an old hard drive I had and installed it. I fought with it for hours, then days. I finally got a desktop up and running. I have no idea what drove me in this time, but I had to figure out how to make this system work, and it was difficult. I had to know so much about my hardware! Simple things were suddenly hard again. But I pushed through, and I got my desktop up. And I started building some silly scripts for fun. The system was fast, and I could change nearly everything about it.

It had a built in C compiler? I just bought some really expensive Borland package for this I could barely figure out. But this OS had a compiler built in? A free Image editor? I was hooked!

For years after that, I experimented with tons of Distributions. Even BSD Unix ones. My “main computer” was always a dual boot, and some of them were pure Linux. Most of the early 2000s, I avoided Windows completely. So by year, I can break it down to my “main machine”, it would be:

• 1996-1999: Slackware
• 1999-2002: Redhat (and FreeBSD)
• 2003-2005: FreeBSD / Knoppix
• 2005-2009: Gentoo
• 2009-2011: Linux Mint
• 2011-2018: Arch Linux / Debian

So of course I used probably 50 or more distributions in my time, but this was what was running on my “main machine” I used for work, or browsing, or development or whatever. Obviously Arch had the longest run so far, mainly because I could just configure it and forget about it for long periods of time.

But the main distro for my “real work” the last few years has been Debian.

Enough about me though, let’s talk about what you should use.

So What Do You Want to Do?

I’m going to put these in categories based on common needs. There is some overlap here, and with enough work any of these Linux distributions will work for your desired needs. One of the great things about Linux is you can make it whatever you want. But some distributions do a lot of that work for you, or have a design that works better towards certain goals. I’ll present these in categories based on the easiest path to reach your goals.

I’m a Linux Newbie Just Getting Started

For a long time I recommended Ubuntu for this. As far as ease of use and compatibility it was great. But I pretty much hate Ubuntu now. I still use it for demos in my courses and articles because so many people use it, but I am not a fan of the way they run this distribution, the built in Amazon adware, and Unity is annoying.

So if you’re just starting out I recommend:

It’s kind of a cheat because Linux Mint is built off Debian, but Mint looks prettier and has some nice cross platform stuff.

Use these distributions if you want:

• A Windows-like experience
• Something simple to install
• Something reliable
• Something “Linux like” that doesn’t deviate from the norm
• Something that “just works”

Ok so that last one is really important. It just works. Either of these distributions are plug and play. Set them up, and forget about it. I have become increasingly reliant on Debian for my development machines because at times I don’t care about the OS and I don’t want it to get in my way. When I’m in a mood where I just want to build things, it can’t be beat.

I Want to Learn More About Linux/Unix and My Hardware

Maybe you’re in the mood to play and experiment. You want to challenge yourself and force yourself to learn by doing. That’s great, it’s exactly what I did.

If you want to challenge yourself and learn I recommend:

Each of these distributions requires a lot of configuration, hardware discovery, and compiling of source. With Gentoo you have to compile everything. It’s a great way to have absolute full control over your operating system.

Use these distributions if you want:

• Full control of your computer and OS
• To learn about Linux internals
• A lean and mean optimized system

This comes at a cost: mainly your time. A full install of these can take hours. On the plus side, they tend to run forever.

I had an Arch Install on a Lenovo that took the better part of a Saturday to configure, and let’s say another 10 hours or more spread out after that. It ran nearly effortlessly for 5 years (till the laptop hardware died). I only had to do a few updates once in a while, but I used it reliably every day for 5. Long. Years. So in a way you can look at it as investment.

I want Cutting Edge Stuff

Ok maybe you want the latest greatest software and you don’t care how stable it is. You want to do some kernel hacking or some other cool thing that some coder committed yesterday.

To hell with stability and security you want the newest thing now.

Use these distributions if you want:

• To trade risk for the newest stuff
• The latest and greatest features always
• Fun configuring things to work with breaking changes

To be fair I’ve personally used Arch and Gentoo without significant stability problems, but I am taking a risk using the bleeding edge stuff on rolling releases.

I Just Want to Get Some Work Done

Ok maybe you don’t really care about the OS particulars and just want to GSD (Get Stuff Done). Maybe you have some Node or GoLang apps you want to build and heard Linux is the best for it.

These are great for getting work done:

Use these distributions if you want:

• Smooth operation with low maintenance
• Minimal configuration
• Things that just work mostly automatically
• Compatibility with hardware and software

As I said I often use Debian these days as I’m usually just making something and don’t really feel like tinkering around and optimizing. It’s stable, fast, and stays out of my way. I’m writing this article in Debian 9 right now.

I Want to Set Up a Server

Maybe you want to set up a web server or virtual host and don’t know what to use. The first one on this list is the dominant distribution for web hosting, so if you want something that mimics the site that’s hosting your software try CentOS (or learn Docker!)

These are solid and reliable for web hosting:

Use these distributions if you want:

• Stability
• Security
• Support from other people using it for the same reason

I believe any Linux distribution can be used for web hosting effectively, but some take more work than others.

I Want the Most Performance Possible

So if you’re one of those types who wants to squeeze out every ounce of performance (I’ve been there) these are great for you. Some of these require compiling all the source code to produce binaries optimized for your processor(s). Fun stuff!

Use these distributions if you want:

• Fast performance
• High Load Computing

Keep in mind that hardware has reached a performance point where these don’t matter quite as much as they used to. 15 years ago you could hack a kernel and dial in your services and see a big boost. These days, the difference is negligible. Any Linux will be pretty snappy.

I Want a Secure Desktop

Maybe you want to set up a system that’s hard to break into, for whatever reason. There are a couple distributions with security as a top focus. If you’re really concerned about locking down your main machine, these are great ones to look at.

Use these distributions if you want:

I Want a Minimal Computer System

Ok sometimes you just want something lean and mean that gets a certain job done. I definitely understand this. Maybe you have an old Pentium you want to re-purpose. Sometimes the OS is just a small part of your goal and you want the bare minimum.

Use these distributions if you want:

• Something that will run on old hardware
• Something minimal as possible

Conclusion

I hate to sound like a broken record, but you could just pick out one of these Linux distributions and make it whatever you want. That’s the nature of Linux, its customizable to the furthest degree. But these are great distributions for getting started fast. If you think I’ve missed the mark or left out a distribution feel free to leave me a message in the comments, or Yell at me on Twitter.

And whatever you do, if you reached this page because you’re curious about Linux, try it out!! Now! These days you can download something like VirtualBox (free of charge) and try it out before really committing to anything. It’s definitely worth your time to check it out!

Want to learn more about Linux? Of course you do. Check out this Linux Fundamentals course. You can sign up for a free trial here and take it today!

Published: Feb 20, 2018 by Jeremy Morgan. Contact me before republishing this content.

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10 Reasons: Why should we use Linux?

Bored using windows or any other server in your computing experience? Linux has been designed to offer you a smooth and effective experience. Whether you want to use it for business or any other home operations, Linux offers the most reliable system to adopt.

Linux has become one of the most adopted systems by many users in and around the world. Most of the world’s largest data centers across the globe use Linux. There are various reasons that answer why should we use Linux, keep on reading.

Why Should we use Linux?

1. Linux is free of charge and in case you still doubt, then know that it is.

In case you want to get rid of all the restrictions in terms of patents of any other form of restriction, then this would be the best switch for you. Linux can be edited in terms of the source code by most of the innovative business owners. It is, therefore, the best system to be adopted by a large number of business owners who want to simplify their business operations.

2. Linux is more secure than any other server

Linux is a dependable server that offers excellent security to the user. Linux community offers the security fixes for any technical or security threat that encounters. Moreover, Linux users also offer regular kernel updates and regular security patches. In this regard, it is not mandatory for you to have an anti-virus program for your system. With Linux, you can save a lot of dollars you could have spent buying an antivirus program.

3. It has wide compatibility to hardware

Most of the other servers do constraint you with a lot of features. Take for instance windows 7 and 8 do require at least 1GB RAM for your system to operate well. However, Linux is such a lightweight operating system and hence does not constrain you in terms of a memory capacity of your system. It can thus be used by any of your systems. It is designed for everyone and can be used by anyone.

4. Easy to Operate

Ideally, one does not have to go for intensive training for them to know how to operate a Linux operating system. Besides, it comes with all the necessary functionality that is included in windows OS. If you are looking for a system that is reliable and can be used by anyone in your business, then this could be the best system to adopt.

5. It comes inclusive of drivers

Ever experienced some difficulties when using windows only to be told that some of the drivers are missing in your system? Linux saves you a time you have to spend moving from one shop to another for drivers. It saves you money as well. Most of the drivers are included in the Linux operating system. No need to hassle and stress for drivers.

6. Smooth and easy Updating Process

Updating windows can be very challenging and stressful. Linux updates both the OS and the applications that are installed in your system. Besides, when compared to windows that need your system to shut down Linux updates are just a matter of click.

7. Linux is speedy

Since Linux is lightweight, it is therefore far much speedy compared to any other operating system. Windows has a bloated software and therefore huge to operate. In any business operation or gaming experience, time is the most crucial factor. Linux is the best system to adopt as windows get slower days after days.

8. Linux has a community support

One of the best things about Linux is the fact that you have a sense of belonging. You have a platform where you can share everything with fellow users. You get to know more through the frequently asked questions. Moreover, any question that you have can be dropped and get the answers that you need.

9. Linux features a powerful word processing program

Libre Office is a powerful word processing program that comes with Linux. You can use it for free in editing, opening and send Microsoft documents. You, therefore, save more and more dollars you could spend buying such a program.

10. Linux offers you a chance to download a lot of free tools

By just a click of a button, you can get access to thousands of tools and programs. This is a big added advantage over the windows operating system. It is the best way to transform your serving experience.

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