6. The best distro for netbooks: Jolicloud 1.2
As we're now in the thick of another age of cloud computing, it's only fair that we look at a Linux distribution that's closer to the cloud than most.
Jolicloudis an unusual distribution because it manages to bridge the gap between local applications and those online by creating its own desktop interface.
It does this by linking your local user account to one on Jolicloud's servers, which are then used to manage your applications and data though Dropbox and Google Docs. You can install word processors, media tools like VLC, games and many other applications, many of which already have a cloud basis. But you don't notice.
The desktop is cleverly designed to hide the custom browser when it's running so that you can't easily tell the difference between editing a Google doc online, for example, or using OpenOffice.org Writer.
Jolicloud saves its best trick for when you're travelling without a netbook. Your desktop can still be accessed online, even without your machine being on. Our favourite method is through a Google Chrome extension that turns Jolicloud into an app within your browser.
Log into this with your account details, and you'll get almost the same suite of applications and data you get on your netbook. There are differences, but it's still a massively useful addition, making Jolicloud a unique take on a Linux distribution.
Summary: Jolicloud 1.2 gives you access to your desktop wherever you are.
7. The best distro for sys admins: Debian 6.0.1
Debian has become the paternal grandfather of the Linux new wave. Ubuntu, originally based on Debian, has inherited many of its strengths, including its package format, its breadth of packages, configuration files and locations.
And as a result, so has Ubuntu's own derivatives, including Mint, Crunchbang and gOS. This gives Debian a great advantage. It's already going to feel familiar to millions of people who have never used it. And for that reason, it's the perfect choice for system administrators who have used one of its derivatives.
But there's another, more important, reason. Major version Debian releases are generally years apart, and the software that makes the final cut has been tested to the point of destruction. Version 6 took a little longer than planned, but was finally released in February. It builds on what is already the perfect platform for your own tools, utilities and solutions, and enables you to install almost anything you need through the package manager. A task that Fedora can't quite compete with.
Debian might not have the commercial backing of Fedora, but it's still enviably secure, bundling SELinux, the latest X server and desktops, and a new found ability to run as a Live CD, which is perfect for ad-hoc troubleshooting.
Summary: Part-named after the founder's girlfriend, Debian has matured into a stable, sensible and sober distribution for discerning Linux users.
8. The best distro for the office: OpenSUSE 11.4
This is only distribution in our list to use the KDE desktop by default, and
OpenSuse has chosen KDE for a good reason: the desktop is likely to feel most familiar in an office environment.
KDE is often likened to Windows, and now that both Gnome and Ubuntu have taken big steps away from the old-fashioned desktop metaphor, it's likely that KDE will become a stronger alternative for those who still want windows, icons, menus and pointers.
But there's some added complexity now that Novell is no longer independent and it's too early to say how committed Attachmate, its new owners, are to a Linux distribution - although each new release is still on schedule. But if your office systems are critical to your success, OpenSuse has both the pedigree and the functionality you'll need.
It also helps that Novell and Attachmate still make a significant contribution to open source, especially now that OpenOffice.org is no longer relevant and LibreOffice has taken its place. However, at the same time, Attachmate reportedly laid-off its Mono developers in May, and while this project continues under new management, it's not clear what that might mean for the future of its inclusion in OpenSUSE.
Either way, OpenSUSE is still a great distribution for an office environment, with excellent commercial support if you need it.
Summary: Thanks to strong links with Microsoft, OpenSUSE is still a great option if your office needs to work with Office.
9. The best distro for servers: CentOS 5.6
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is almost untouchable in the business market. It's one of the most profitable and well supported areas of the Linux ecosystem, and as you might expect, it's expensive. It's only available if you're willing to pay for the service, support and upgrades, at prices that put it out of reach of cash-strapped upstarts.
But RHEL is still open source, and while the binary packages might not be available, the source code for those packages has to be. Which is where
CentOS comes in. It takes the source code and rebuilds RHEL in its own image, feature for feature, for each release. It gets close enough to be almost 100% compatible with third-party RHEL packages, and is the best choice for many online projects that can't stretch to a supported RHEL contract.
Version 5.5 was released in May, less than two months after the equivalent RHEL release. You get the same packages, the same fixes, the same Gnome desktop and applications. The only thing missing is support, but the CentOS community is very active, and always more than happy to help, making CentOS the only option for real-world critical performance at almost no cost.
Summary: The only real difference between CentOS and RHEL is the logo and desktop themes.
Also consider: PC-BSD (we know this isn't strictly Linux, but it's a brilliant BSD distribution)
10. The best distro for multimedia: Ubuntu Studio 11.04
Linux has thousands of creative software titles, but the average distribution isn't always the best platform to use them. This is especially true of music software, which needs a specially configured kernel and a specific configuration of audio drivers to work at its best. Adjusting your everyday distribution to accommodate those changes isn't easy, which is why there are plenty of distributions that attempt to do the job for you.
The best is
Ubuntu Studio. It's designed for music and audio, but you can install anything from the standard Ubuntu repositories. Thanks to the realtime kernel, audio latency is low, and you shouldn't have any problems running resource heavy applications like The Gimp loading a large image.
You won't have to hunt around for the best software either, as the developers have chosen the cream of creative applications to install by default, including audio, video and graphics editors and a customised desktop.
The latest version, for example, is a 1.5GB DVD image, rather than the CD size of Ubuntu, and installation from this can save you a lot of time. But the best thing about this distribution is that it includes a working 'Jack' configuration, a low-latency audio layer that can transform your Linux desktop into a virtual recording studio. A task that isn't very straightforward without a little help.
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