The most user friendly version.

Link It,

Thanks for the great tip regarding the web site covering Linux distrbutions. I find it especially valuable because I'm growing tired of Windows and am considering Linux for use on my next system. Now I'm sure to make a better choice. Thanks.

Tony

I've tried a few distros (RedHat, SuSE, DamnSmallLinux and a few others) and there are several things that I found out that just shocked me and I'm probably going to get lambasted for this, but here we go:

1) Installing software is sometimes NOT a simple affair
2) Running the software is sometimes NOT a simple affair
3) There's a still LOT of hardware that's not supported

Like when I tried RedHat because of the .rpm 'packages' that it has to ease installation, I couldn't find where it'd been installed, what the icon was to run the thing (''use a command line!'' I was told) or how to check for updates of it.... it's not too hard, but it's ALIEN!

Also, the thing that's stopping me now is stuff like my printer doesn't have a Linux driver : http://www.linuxprinting.org/canon-faq.html#q_7_1 so that kinda sucks....

Not to mention that my wife would kick my butt if she couldn't just load up new pictures of the kids from the digital camera or something....

I like to describe Linux as being not being 'desktop ready' but it's certainly 'usable' and not too far from 'user-friendly' so long as you don't mind the learning curve.

Anyway, that's my 2cents

Points 1 and 3 are unfortunately correct. Some hardware compatibility is lacking without support from manufacturers. Although many things can be found from repositories (try the Debian-based distros; the Debian repositories are the biggest), and some things have .deb or .rpm or other kinds of binary installers, occasionally you have to compile from source and it just doesn't work.

I think this is more to do with lazy software developers who can't be bothered pre-compiling binary packages.

I have to disagree about Number 2. Running the software is never rocket science. If it doesn't appear on your menu (again; lazy software developers), just go to the "Run Application..." program and type the name of the program. It'll then run. You can also add a launcher to your menu, the command being just the name of the program.

If the actual name of the program is different to the package name, go into your package manager and get information about the package. There should be something there which tells you exactly where the binary has been installed and under what name. But really, you don't need to know WHERE the program has been installed. It's not important like it is on Windows.

Sadly, the thing that stops most people from considering Linux is not occasional hardware incompatibility, nor is it any difficulty-of-use problems; it's that it's ALIEN. Linux is as alien to Windows users as Windows was alien to me when I began using Windows earlier this year.