Choosing a Linux distribution largely depends on what you intend to use Linux for. The great thing about Linux is that there are a lot of specialized distributions to meet your needs.
Distribution Similarities
You will find several things in common with the various Linux distributions. For one thing, they all support the standard (can't live without it) software that has made Linux so popular. Among these are the Apache web server, Bind DNS server and Sendmail.
They all generally use X-Windows as the under-lying windows API and give you the choice of running a KDE or Gnome desktop manager.
Also, they all use the same build (C/C++ compiling) tools which are the enormously popular gcc (Gnu C Compiler) to compile software specifically for your machine. Don't worry about compiling software right now, most of the major distributions offer package management that will take care of all of this for you.
Distribution Differences
There are a lot of differences between the various Linux distributions. Evaluate the pros and cons of each to make your decision on which distribution is best for you. Later we will provide recommendations based on your primary usage of Linux.
Platform Support
The most important difference you need to notice between different distributions is the computer architecture they support. In certain cases (like Debian), a wide variety of platforms are supported including Intel x86, Pentium, AMD, Athlon, Risc. Other distributions are specifically tailored to a platform like Yellow Dog Linux is made for Macintosh (Motorola). Make sure you choose the right distribution before you begin the time-consuming process to download it.
Internationalization
Another major factor to consider is internationalization or the language it supports. Although nearly every distribution supports English, you may want your Linux to support other languages. One distribution that caters to a large number of different languages is Suse Linux. In Japan, TurboLinux is really popular because it supports Japanese very well. Make sure you do your research before choosing.
Package Management
All of the major Linux distributions have a sophisticated package management system that simplifies the installing and uninstalling of software packages. In a lot of cases, the packages are distributed in binary form (which means they are pre-compiled) and can be installed on your Linux system in seconds.
The two trend-setters in this area have been Red Hat (which now distributes Fedora for free) and Debian. They both provide very easy-to-use yet powerful software management systems. Fedora even uses an update agent similar to Microsoft Windows to notify you when package updates are available for the set of packages you are running on your machine.
Apart from Platform and Langauge, this should be one of the most important factors in deciding which distribution to choose.
Administration Tools
The differences between the major Linux distributions is the set of tools that are used to manage the system. These are the command-line utilities that are used to administer your system. In addition to these, here are some of the characteristics that may be different between distributions:
- Filesystem (ext2, ext3)
- Boot Manager (LILO, GRUB)
- Services Manager
- Window Manager (KDE, Gnome)
- Package Management (RPM, Pkg, Portage)
Filesystem Architecture
Additionally, each distribution organized their filesystem differently. Even though a software package such as Apache web server defines a default install location for the web server, the distribution can override this default and place it in the directory hierarchy wherever they please. If you are new to Linux, then this doesn't make much difference to you. Just realize that not all Linux distributions install software in the same location or use the same utilities to manage the software.