Linux vs Linux

Five flavours of Linux, all pitted head to head. Which one's best for what? We tell you.

Linux gives you a world of choices, from the applications you run to the desktop environment you use, and you start making those choices before you even install it, by selecting a distribution to install. The distribution you choose defines how you’ll install your Linux system, how you’ll manage it on an ongoing basis, and how you can expand the base system with new software installations.

Unfortunately, there’s no one distribution that’s perfect for anyone, but how could there ever be? Different users have different needs, and Linux is all about letting you do what you want, rather than being shoehorned into someone else’s idea of a good system. So how do you pick the right distro
for you?

Well, that’s what Atomic’s here to sort out for you. We’ve looked at distributions at all levels, from the newcomers that need a bit of hand-holding, to those looking to get their feet wet with command-line tools and new technology, and the Linux kung-foo masters that are ready for something truly hardcore. The learning curve can be steep, but if you persevere, you can gain power, flexibility, and the smug satisfaction of knowing that you’ve mastered the dark arts of Linux.