Linux Distributions

Over the last several years, I have used 6 Linux distributions. I have compiled a list, mostly from my personal experiences, of the pros and cons for each one. It’s not a comprehensive list by any means, but you may find it helpful if you want to try a different Linux distribution.

Arch

• Pro
  • Rolling release.
  • Great support forum.
  • Rewarding, but difficult, installation process.
• Con
  • Some forum members are elitist.
  • Difficult, but rewarding, installation process.
  • While packages are automatically tested, an unstable one may slip through.

Debian

• Pro
  • Very stable.
  • Long support periods. 2 years of full support and another 3+ years of LTS.
  • (Testing) Very up-to-date packages. Almost like a rolling release.
• Con
  • Clunky installer.
  • Some packages can be outdated. Security updates are still provided, of course.
  • (Testing) Sometimes unstable, especially in early stages.

Fedora

• Pro
  • Installer almost as good as OpenSUSE’s.
  • Most packages are updated regularly.
  • (Rawhide) Rolling release.
• Con
  • Short 6 month support periods.
  • Can be difficult to update to new versions (e.g. 33 to 34) if you use 3rd party repositories.
  • (Rawhide) While packages are automatically tested, an unstable one may slip through.

Mint

• Pro
  • More traditional desktop interface than Ubuntu.
  • Long support periods. Up to 5 years.
  • Compatible with most packages for the equivalent Ubuntu version.
• Con
  • Disturbingly, their servers have been hacked multiple times over the years.

OpenSUSE

• Pro
  • Roughly year-long support periods.
  • Great installer and configuration tools. Arguably the best in the Linux world.
  • (Tumbleweed) Rolling release.
• Con
  • Does not allow access to F2FS formatted drives. Forcing decisions on users is not cool!!! 😠
  • (Tumbleweed) While packages are automatically tested, an unstable one may slip through.

Ubuntu

• Pro
  • Great community support.
  • Excellent driver and software support.
  • (LTS) Long term support (currently 10 years) versions are available.
• Con
  • Somewhat bloated. May not run well on older machines.
  • (LTS) Some packages can be outdated. Security updates are still provided, of course.