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One of the mottos the Linux community has is "if you dont like it - then fork". While this is interesting idea it has created as many Ubuntu derivatives as the day is long. Dont believe me? Check Distrowatch - as I am posting this four of the eight "new releases" listed on the front page are Ubuntu derivatives. Now personally - I do not think this is a bad thing. Not the same thing works for everyone and when you are new to the world of Linux it is easier to try a different "spin" than it is to learn to configure everything yourself. The only problem with all these spins (and something Ive often heard complaints about) is that there is too much choice when selecting what flavor of Ubuntu to install.

I make a point of trying as many different variations of Ubuntu as I can, this way I can be informed when I recommend one version over another to friends and family. The following is a round up of my favorites I have found over my last three years in the world of Linux.

Best Full Featured DVD - Pinguy OS:
This is a spin just recently released and it has become the main OS on my Sager laptop for a number of reasons. Overall Pinguy OS has a very elegant, unified feel to it and careful work has been put into the visual aspects of the operating system with a close attention to detail. The current release is based on Ubuntu 10.04 and Pinguy has says he plans to release a new version with each new Ubuntu release.


Best Full Featured CD - Linux Mint:
Linux Mint is one of the older Ubuntu spins and it is still one of the best. It is where the fantastic menu and update manager Pinguy OS also uses were developed and it set the standard many derivatives have followed of including codecs, flash, and java in their releases (although the latter of these three is not include on the CD version of Mint). Where is Ubuntu has begun changing their default application set, Mint sticks to its roots - still including the Gimp and Pidgin instead of Empathy. The latest release of Mint is version 9 and it is based on Ubuntu 10.04 - Mint follows a release cycle the is typically a month or so behind Ubuntu releases.


Best Windows-Like - Zorin:
Zorin is designed with the intention of making a recent Windows convert feel at home. The default skinning and applets look decently close to Windows 7 and this can easily be changed to look like Windows Xp. Zorin includes flash and media codecs by default and the most recent version is based on 10.04


Best Lightweight - Lubuntu:
Lubuntu leaves a memory footprint right around 100megs on a fully booted system. It uses LXDE and is designed to be quick. The latest release of Lubuntu is based on 10.04 and Lubuntu follows a very close release cycle to Ubuntu. Before anyone leaves a "what about Crunchbag" comment - sorry, I prefer Lubuntu.


Best Netbook Remix - Jolicloud:
Jolicloud is designed to work with as many different netbooks as possible. In fact it is one of the only distros to support the GMA500 out of the box. It is based on 9.04 - but dont worry about this older version number, Jolicloud has some of its own repositories to provide more up to date packages to its users.


Best KDE - Netrunner:
I really like a lot of the features KDE has to offer - however many of the applications most KDE distros ship do not feel as "complete" as their Gnome counter parts. So while Netrunner uses KDE it still uses nautilus as its file manager, Firefox for its webrowser, and VLC for its media player. It also includes media codecs, java, and flash. One thing I dislike about Net runner though is that it uses Knetwork manager - which I feel is horrid compared to nm-applet. The latest release of Netrunner is based on 10.04


Best E17 - Moon OS:
Moon OS is an E17 distro that is based on 9.04 It looks elegant, is fast, and is decently stable. The only real draw back to it is the fact that being based off of 9.04 is contains mostly older packages.

If you want an update to date version of Ubuntu with E17 you might want to try compiling from SVN or Bodhi Linux.

These are what I feel are seven of the best Ubuntu derivatives and the area in which I feel they shine. Is there another type of Ubuntu spin you think I missed on my list? Or maybe you feel one of my picks should have been something else - if so let me know by dropping a comment below.

I use Ubuntu on all my personal computers and I even recommend it to friends. I am starting to think maybe I shouldnt though, because it is obvious:

Dont believe me? Read through a few of these comparisons below and I think it will be obvious which operating system is more "user friendly".

Installing Software:
To install a piece of software on Windows you just follow a few easy steps. First you go to the store and buy the software, then you pop the CD into your disc drive, enter the CD key, wait for the software to install itself onto the hard drive, and you are good to go! Be sure to put the CD and key in a safe place in case you ever need to reinstall the software.

On Ubuntu to install a piece of software you open the software center. Type in the name of the software you are looking for (or browse by category), click install, and wait for the software to download and install.

Default Software:
Windows offers a fantastic default software install. Need to write a paper? No worries, Windows has the feature-rich Wordpad. Want to surf the net? Internet Explorer has always provided a safe webrowsing experience.

Ubuntus default software selection is somewhat disappointing. It has a full featured word processor, spreadsheet editor, and presentation creator. I know most people dont use facebook or twitter, but just in case you do Ubuntu includes Gwibber, a software that fully integrates your social networking with your desktop. For webrowsing Ubuntu only has Firefox and if you want to instant message Ubuntus Empathy only supports facebook, AIM, yahoo, MSN, IRC...

Adding Hardware:
Windows is the most popular operating system in the world. Almost any piece of hardware you purchase comes with a handy CD for installing the drivers the hardware needs to function properly. Again, keep that CD in a safe place in case you ever reformat or attach the hardware to a different computer.

If you have one of the millions of pieces of hardware that is supported on the Linux platform then 99 times out of 100 once you attach it to your computer it still start functioning right away. What about that hundredth time? Ubuntu will offer to automatically download and install any closed source drivers the hardware needs to function.

System Upkeep:
Upkeep on Windows is easy. Just remember to periodically run your anti-virus program, your anti-spyware program, and dont forget to defragment your computer every couple months. Also a yearly reformat tends to help keep things running smoothly.

Ubuntu? Well there arent really any viruses for Ubuntu and the filesystem it uses doesnt fragment nearly as much as NTFS does.

Updating the Operating System:
To ensure your operating system is secure, by default, whenever Windows is connected to the internet it will automatically download and install updates without asking. Windows is very through with its update process. As soon as it is finished updating the system will shutdown, install some more updates, and then possibly install the last bit of the updates and apply configurations the next time the computer boots up.

Ubuntu on the other hand tends to be kind of lazy by default with its update process. When a new update is available the system asks you if you want to download and install it. Then, it only installs the updates once. I guess Ubuntu just assumes it installed them correctly the first time.

I think I covered all the points that I often hear people complain about when they first start using Ubuntu. Anyone else know of other areas where Ubuntu is still harder to use than Windows?

In case the point (and my reeking sarcasm) where not conveyed to you in the above paragraphs, my point is this. Ubuntu/Linux really is not any harder to use than Windows is these days. In fact, in many respects it is simply different (in a good way) than what a Windows user is used to. I am tired of hearing from people who try to use Ubuntu for all of two seconds that it is "too hard" to use, because obviou