What a dumb set of criteria…

First of all, Ubuntu did not start out having a commercial backer. That came later. Second, why does this matter? Debian is the real powerhouse behind Ubuntu, and it has been around for longer than anyone than probably Slackware, and it’ setup to be perpetually developed. So why would it matter that there isn’t a commercial backer for it?

Smaller community distros derived from more mainstream ones often improve upon them in very significant ways. PCLinuxOS, for instance, derives from Mandriva, but it’s miles better. Linux Mint improves upon Ubuntu drastically. The UI is actually useful, and the included non-free software sets up your computer from the word “go” with full abilities to play music and watch flash and other non-free stuff.

Just about every distro out there is available on CD from OnDisc.com. So, this point is moot.

If you need paid support to get Linux up and running, you’ve either got major hardware issues that probably won’t be solved without an upgrade of some kind, or you’ve money to throw away. Most distros have thriving communities that are perfectly willing to help, and wikis to look up information. Truly easy to use distros such as Mandriva have GUI control panel applications that make administration and setup a snap.

Rolling release distros such as PCLinuxOS, Arch, Debian, have not only security updates, but completely up to date software for a very long time. The last time you actually had to do a fresh install of PCLinuxOS was March of 2007. Talk about long term support… Ubuntu and Suse both have to be completely updated, requiring either risky ‘dist-upgrade’ method, or the much preferred wipe and reinstall method with every new release (6 – 8 months).

Why would it matter if major PC vendors are preinstalling any flavor of Linux? Why would that make you want to put it on your machine? Xandros and Linpus were both preinstalled on netbooks and horrendously slow and easily outdated. Ubuntu from Dell has been heavily criticised because of update problems. So, then why is this even a concern?

The best criteria for installin Linux on your machine is:

1.) Will it install on your hardware? A check in the forums will give you an idea.

2.) Is the community thriving and civilized? Is there enough participation in the community so that your questions will be answered and your problems solved?

3.) How easy is the distro to use? Obviously, Slackware is NOT for the beginner. Distros like PCLinuxOS, Mandriva, and (to a lesser degree) OpenSuse make it almost too easy. Distros like Ubuntu are also easy, but be prepared to open a console now and then. KDE will feel more right at home to Windows users, but Gnome is good if you’re willing to learn something new.

4.) Do you constantly want the latest/greatest and are willing to sacrifice the reality of the problems that may pop up with it, or would you rather take a slower path and have a solid system? Distros like Fedora are bleeding edge, but be prepared to have problems at times. PCLinuxOS is rolling release and has a reputation for being rock solid because they don’t release on a specified schedule, but they’re still at kernel 2.6.26 with something slightly newer in testing, but latest isn’t even on the horizon, yet. Most packages are very up-to-date, though. It’s a tradeoff.

5.) Can you take it for a spin on a LiveCD/DVD? It’s nice to try before you commit. You can learn if the distro can even boot on your machine at all.

BTW, Mandriva also meets all of your requirements. They are a bit lesser used than either Ubuntu or OpenSuse, these days, but they are installed by OEMs around the world (maybe not in the US), commercially backed, have long been oriented toward the desktop user (actually probably the original desktop oriented distro), and they offer paid packaged products with manuals and complete paid support. It’s also easier to use than either OpenSuse or Ubunutu.

“Unfortunately, KDE does not use Firefox as the default web browser or OpenOffice as the default office suite. You will have to install Firefox and OpenOffice subsequently.”

What does Firefox or OpenOffice have to do specifically with gnome that makes it some how connected? They are independent projects from KDE or Gnome and depending on your distro they may or may not be installed

A parent w 4 kids, one special needs baby, and unwed teen w an infant should probably have her hands full with her brood. ,

Constitutionally, only the American Government has the authority to issue currency. ,