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Ubuntu is
the most user-friendly Linux distribution, offering strong
community-based support and a consistent release cycle. It has also a
reputation for security. Ubuntu updates the latest software versions on
a regular schedule. The disadvantage of frequent updates is that it's
hard to keep bugs from slipping into the system. In fact, Ubuntu is not
intended to be updated with all the latest software as time goes on. It
is designed for the opposite, to be stocked with long-tested software
and only upgrading them with critical and security-related fixes. Ubuntu
is the best choice for newbies.
CentOS is
perfect for those looking for a highly stable version of Linux that
offers enterprise-level reliability. The price of stability is that the
software versions included with CentOS are rarely the latest. It comes
with the same set of well-tested and stable Linux kernel and software
packages that form the basis of its parent, Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
CentOS is supported with a minimum of 5 years of security updates.
Security features include an excellent firewall and SELinux, a policy
enforcement mechanism that prevents wayward applications from ever
causing security problems.
Fedora focuses
on including cutting-edge software. They continually update to newer
software packages. Since Fedora's priorities tend to lean towards
enterprise features, rather than server usability; some bleeding edge
features occasionally alienate some users. On the other hand, since
Fedora is not as popular as Ubuntu and CentOS, it may sometimes be
harder to find the app users are looking for. They will be stuck
building from source instead of just installing it from the
repositories. Building from source isn't all that hard, but it won't
allow users to automatically update that program. Fedora is recommended
for advanced Linux administrators.
Debian is a "rolling" distribution
which doesn't jump from release to release and its packages are
continuously updated. With a moving base of packages, each new change
can potentially introduce some problems. Some users consider Debian as
one of the stable
distributions,
as users are quick to report broken features and developers are quick to
fix them. Overall, it provides an "unstable" repository. Debian is
a usable and responsive distribution, but it isn’t one we’d recommend
for complete beginners.
Mint is light and faster than other
Linux distributions. It is a Linux distribution for desktop computers,
based on either Ubuntu or Debian. New versions of Mint are released
every six months. There are two releases per year, generally timed one
month after Ubuntu releases.
openSUSE package management is slower
than Debian-based APT. It is rather bug-free and comes with a rich
selection of programs. openSUSE is a little more difficult to setup by
newbies.
Red Hat can be the best choice when a
user needs the maximum level of enterprise software compatibility, but
it costs an additional license fee. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is
for enterprise-level servers. RHEL requires an extra license fee to Red
Hat to access their non-free software components. RHEL is stable and
handles heavy loads well. The main reason to use RHEL would be if a user
is running a software that has RHEL in its list of supported operating
systems. This means it aims at larger businesses. If a user is not
running software that requires RHEL but want to take advantage of its
reliability they can choose Ubuntu or CentOS instead.
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