Debian Linux

My Opinion

Pros

• This is a very popular and widely used distro, so there is plenty of support around.
• This is one of the oldest distros, so it's very well-established and very popular and widely used distro, so there is plenty of support around.
• Debian is considered to be one of the most stable distros. In fact, the "unstable" version of Debian is said to be more stable than the "stable" versions of many other distros.
• Debian uses less RAM and hard drive space than Ubuntu and most other distros. Thus, Debian is better suited for older computers.
• Debian contains a VERY wide variety of official software packages. The need for engineering software is what prompted me to try Debian for the IEEE's Project Phoenix study group (open source blood pressure monitor). Debian's official software packages offer programs for programming microcontrollers and engineering and mathematical simulations. Puppy Linux (my previous distro) doesn't have such a wide variety of software, and my attempts to install software resulted in dependency hell problems.

Cons

• It takes a few hours to install Debian. Unlike the lightweight Damn Small Linux and Puppy Linux distros, Debian isn't the type of OS that you can install in minutes.
• Debian isn't as user-friendly as Puppy Linux. If you are new to Linux, I recommend trying Puppy Linux first.
• Debian's software isn't the latest. However, that's not a concern for me. I'd rather have more stable software than the newest software. This is a trade-off. Other distros, however, offer newer software for those willing to sacrifice some stability.

Debian Linux Procedures