This is by no means an exhaustive list of Linux Distributions, just some that I would recommend.

I’ll concentrate on Distros which can be tried without making major modifications (for example re-partitioning) to your current Windows system. Also, I’ll limit the list to Distributions which are free to download and install without further cost. Note: a Live-CD refers to a bootable version of Linux which can also be installed.

Knoppix – fully bootable Linux from a CD or DVD.

Ubuntu – Live-CD and installer. I’m not just recommending this because it was started by a fellow South African . This is one of the most popular Linux distributions.

PCLinuxOS – this one I haven’t tried, but it is based on Mandrake Linux which I have used and liked. This is also a Live-CD.

Fedora – this is the free version of Red Hat Linux. I would recommend only trying this if you have tried another Linux distribution first. It is a big distribution, only available on DVD (or via the download of a DVD ISO). It is also updated at least once a year, when I last used it, the updated version required an uninstall and re-install.

Debian GNU/Linux - Very stable distribution, Live-CD is available. It is available for multiple platforms (processor architectures). Packages may be older than in other Linux distributions, but this is a totally free Linux.

For further information about Linux distributions, see Popular Linux Distributions on Wikipedia.

Posted on June 3rd, 2008 by mervyn