A few days ago, I wrote the Dependability, Reliability and Stability? Not with micro$oft! article, and now my Dell Precision T3400 is running a freshly installed version of Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 (using the amd64 stable release).
I have used Debian GNU/Linux exclusively, on all company web servers for the last several years. I’ve been through Sarge, Etch and Lenny. The Debian’s development process goes out of it’s way to ensure performance, reliability and stability over anything else. In my mind this strict development process makes Debian GNU/Linux my first choice for any server environment.
During the last several days, I have been using Debian GNU/Linux on my desktop. I’m still impressed. However, Debian is just not suited for use as a production desktop. I need something a little more “Cutting Edge” running on my desktop.
So, what does all this mean?
It means, I’m switching the OS on my system yet again.
First Determining Factor
The GNU Project‘ believes
free refers to freedom, not to price…
which is something I’ve been on board with for quite some time.
Second Determining Factor
While I do a lot of management from the command line interface, a lot of my daily work is visual. I want things to grab my attention and demand my focus, or I get board with them. To this end, I have found my favorite Linux GUI to be the K Desktop Environment (KDE).
KDE is a powerful graphical desktop environment for Unix workstations. Most KDE software falls under GNU Licensing, which, in my mind kind of ties them back to my First Determining Factor. This project is also in the process of porting applications into Microsoft Windows OS environments (not that this a huge deal to me).
Third Determining Factor
In my Dell on Board with Linux Development I said
The Dell Linux Engineering Web Site is intended to provide useful information for using Linux on Dell equipment. Dell boasts their partnership with Red Hat, Novell / SuSE, and Ubuntu…
To me, this clearly shows the Linux community and the micro$oft world, Dell is on board with Linux, as a hardware manufacturer. My desktop being a Dell Precision T3400, I like knowing I may be able to utilize Dell as resource for support, if I need it.
Final Determining Factor
Let me see! You have:
- Extensive Debian GNU/Linux Experience
- GNU Project
- KDE GUI
- Dell Supporting Ubuntu
- Ubuntu and Debian are closely related
So, what Linux Distro am I going to install?
Common, don’t act as if the title of my article didn’t give it away…
KUBUNTU