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If I had to install Linux on a beefy desktop, I would be inclined to use Ubuntu, because that's where all my experience is. But Fedora looks like a good second.

Anyone here use the new Fedora 15?

My buddy was a die-hard fedora guy.

Never used it personally, though.

Ubuntu and Fedora are more alike than different. Without any specific desire to use Fedora, if your experience is with Ubuntu, then you should probably just stick with it, maybe using their gnome 3 interface instead of Unity if you want.

I've used Ubuntu and Arch.

Thus, IMO, if you want a packaged deal, go with one of the flavors of Ubuntu. If you want your own highly-customized setup, go with Arch.

If you try Arch, be prepared to spend a good chunk of time setting it up to be the way that you want it.

Jeff250 wrote:Ubuntu and Fedora are more alike than different. Without any specific desire to use Fedora, if your experience is with Ubuntu, then you should probably just stick with it, maybe using their gnome 3 interface instead of Unity if you want.

I should say, I thought I knew ubuntu. Ubuntu, you've changed. I'm looking through you! YOU'RE NOT THE SAME/beatles

I'm switching someone from Ubuntu 10.04, long term support. The more I think about it, the worse that sounds. Maybe I'll actually add the features she wants, rather than have fun experimenting on her system. She has been happily using 10.04 for about a year, since I got her off Vista, long term tumor.

snoopy wrote:I've used Ubuntu and Arch.

Thus, IMO, if you want a packaged deal, go with one of the flavors of Ubuntu. If you want your own highly-customized setup, go with Arch.

If you try Arch, be prepared to spend a good chunk of time setting it up to be the way that you want it.

Yikes. isn't Arch for users that know what they're doing? My brother mentioned he was going to try out Arch.
I like the "keeping things simple" line at the top of their page. Maybe this is what I need for my netbook. Currently Xubuntu refuses to crash, lag, or go on a killing rampage (via bluetooth car syncing), so I'll wait before making a change.

I plan to install Fedora with XFCE shortly to replace Linux Mint LXDE. I need something lightweight, but Mint's LXDE is just a little too short on features. Fedora's XFCE build is like a dream come true for me, but that's because I only need a few, specific applications. That's the thing I like most about Linux; you can "work backwards" to find a distro perfectly suited for your needs.

Isaac wrote:Yikes. isn't Arch for users that know what they're doing?

How do you think I figured out half of what I know now? One day I decided that I was going to give arch a legitimate shot, downloaded it, and started reading their wiki entries. Their wiki is generally very good, by the way.

It is handy to have a second machine on hand when you do your original install, so you have have a browser up with the wiki open while you work on configuring the system.

I'm starting to feel the bug to make a change on my machine again, now that you bring it up.

vision wrote:I plan to install Fedora with XFCE shortly to replace Linux Mint LXDE. I need something lightweight, but Mint's LXDE is just a little too short on features. Fedora's XFCE build is like a dream come true for me, but that's because I only need a few, specific applications. That's the thing I like most about Linux; you can "work backwards" to find a distro perfectly suited for your needs.

Interesting. I'm now reading up on XFCE issues under Fedora, trying to see what the actual differences between it and Xubuntu. Ubuntu's repos, it appears, has more software. Benchmarks are pretty much useless... Might just have to try and see how the machine likes it.

snoopy wrote:

Isaac wrote:Yikes. isn't Arch for users that know what they're doing?

How do you think I figured out half of what I know now? One day I decided that I was going to give arch a legitimate shot, downloaded it, and started reading their wiki entries. Their wiki is generally very good, by the way.

It is handy to have a second machine on hand when you do your original install, so you have have a browser up with the wiki open while you work on configuring the system.

I'm starting to feel the bug to make a change on my machine again, now that you bring it up.

Maybe I'll toy with it using live disk. I'm sure that's available. Arch keeps looking like a really light OS, with lots of capabilities. There's even a low mem option that can run on 64mb... neato!

Update:

So I met with my friend and we had two live usbs. One with Mint 11 and the other Fedora 15.

She instantly wanted Fedora. Gnome 3 looked much nicer than her old Ubuntu's gnome. She had a blast using it. Then we tried figuring out how to make the wifi work. We could not get it going. I'm sure I could have gotten it if I had a week to kill on the forums.

We tried Mint 11. Connected to the net. Got her drivers, which fixed a video problem. All the little issues related to Ubuntu 10.04 went away. She also really likes Mint's application menu. Not flashy like Fedora's, but fast and easy.

Yeah, in my opinions Fedora and Mint are in a dead heat for 2nd place under Ubuntu (speaking as someone who is married to systems with GUI's; I'm clumsy with a terminal).