Can I short-circuit a lot of this.... Question: How DUMB are you? Question: How steep a learning curve curve can you take? Question: How easily discouraged are you? Question: How committed to learning Linux are you? As others have said, the core (kernel and utilities) of the various distributions of Linux are all the same. The "value added" is where they differ; installation (which, lets face it, you don't do as often as you do things like read mail ....); installation and maintenance. The read difference between any of the *IX family, be it Linux, AIX, Solaris or even some of the dead and gone like XENIX and SCO UNIX on the one hand and Windows on the other is sometimes summarized like this. The UNIX family is based upon a few basic patterns and concepts that are applied over in different forms. In this its like the underlying concepts of chemistry (e.g.valency) or the genetic code. Don't be confused by the variations. Windows is very much "sui generis". Very often each new release requires learning over a new set management tools or interfaces. Knowing how one part works says little about how other parts work. This probably emerged form the software development styles. Microsoft had independent teams working on different parts. The original people behind UNIX were one small and very cooperative team who then set the principles that others followed. Now we can argue the details on all of the above, but in this context those "broad brush" generalizations are close enough. The point is that the spread between the distributions of Linux are not going to faze anyone with a little experience, and not going to stop people who know any version of Linux, AIX, HP/UX, Solaris .... from moving to another platform. I often get calls from friends and old colleagues with problems and they don't even bother telling what platform they are on. For 98% of the issues (access control, basic applications and administration) it doesn't matter. So wat do I recommend? I hate to sound like some New Age freak but I would recommend takeing a look at the #1 in Dr Phil's "Life Strategies" : <quote> Life Law #1: You either get it or you don't. Strategy: Become one of those who gets it. It's easy to tell these people apart. Those who "get it" understand how things work and have a strategy to create the results they want. Those who don't are stumbling along looking puzzled, and can be found complaining that they never seem to get a break. You must do what it takes to accumulate enough knowledge to "get it." You need to operate with the information and skills that are necessary to win. Be prepared, tune in, find out how the game is played and play by the rules. </quote> The other rules aint to bad either :-) What i'm saying here is this Stop trying to over optimise. Get one package and install it. It doesn't matter which. Either you have the commitment and patience to learn it or you don't. That's all there is to it. I recall at a presentation at a trade show I sat next to a guy who turned out to be a real estate agent but was learning Linux. He had an Asus netbook and a pile of USB sticks with different distributions on them and was trying them out to find which he felt comfortable with. Hmm. I just scrolled down Dr Phil's page http://www.drphil.com/articles/article/44 and I realise some of those other "life laws" make sense here. Life Law #2: You create your own experience. Life Law #3: People do what works. Life Law #5: Life rewards action. Make careful decisions and then pull the trigger. Learn that the world couldn't care less about thoughts without actions. My advice to you: Stop writing here. Stop trying to decide which distribution. Pick one. Use it. Give yourself a time frame and decision matrix. Make notes and go back over them as you learn. Maybe you will get published if you write an article "Choosing a Linux Distribution: Advise for People Migrating from Windows". But _ _ ____ ___ _ | |_ _ ___| |_ | _ \ ___ |_ _| |_ _ | | | | / __| __| | | | |/ _ \ | || __| | |_| | |_| \__ \ |_ | |_| | (_) | | || |_ \___/ \__,_|___/\__| |____/ \___/ |___|\__| Life Law #2: You create your own experience. -- Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority. Thomas H. Huxley -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org