Which is the Best Linux Distribution of 2009

[Solomon]

Guys! Vote for the best Linux Distribution of the year 2009. Mention which flavour you like the most along with its Version!

Ubuntu 9.04 :

Ubuntu is a Debian-derived computer operating system based on GNU/Linux. Ubuntu's goals include providing an up-to-date, stable operating system for the average user, with a strong focus on usability and ease-of-installation. Ubuntu has been selected by readers of desktoplinux.com as the most popular Linux distribution for the desktop, claiming approximately 30% of their desktop installations in both 2006 and 2007. Ubuntu 9.04 is the latest stable version and Ubuntu 9.10 alpha is out.

OpenSUSE 11.1 :

openSUSE, is a general purpose operating system built on top of the Linux kernel, developed by the community-supported openSUSE Project and sponsored by Novell. After acquiring SUSE Linux in January 2004, Novell decided to release the SUSE Linux Professional product as a 100% open source project, involving the community in the development process.
The initial release of the community project was a beta version of SUSE Linux 10.0 on December 2008. The latest current stable release is openSUSE 11.1

[Solomon]

Fedora 11 :

Fedora is a RPM-based, general purpose operating system built on top of the Linux kernel, developed by the community-supported Fedora Project and sponsored by Red Hat. Fedora's mission statement is: "Fedora is about the rapid progress of Free and Open Source software." The latest is Fedora 11

Linux Mint 7 :

Linux Mint is an operating system for personal computers. While Mint is mostly based on (and compatible with) Ubuntu, the design of the user interface differs. Design differences include:
A distinct user interface, including a simplified bootloader, desktop layout, theme, and the custom Mint menu.
A strong focus on full functionality out of the box (E.g.: Wireless drivers included, plugins required to play common media formats installed by default, screen resolution automatically set, etc.). Linux Mint 6 also includes or features a free Flash player so users can view sites such as YouTube without having to install anything else.
The Mint Tools, a collection of system tools designed to make system management and administration easier for end users. Latest version is Linux Mint 7

[Solomon]

Mandriva 2009.1 :

Mandriva is a publicly traded Linux and open source software company with its headquarters in Paris, France and development center in Curitiba, Brazil. Mandriva, S.A. is the creator and maintainer of Mandriva Linux, describing itself as a "project initiator and a skills organizer in the Open Source arena", and a founding member of the Desktop Linux Consortium.
Mandriva, S.A. began as MandrakeSoft in 1998. It currently has about 130 employees (80 of whom are engineers) and has offices in France, the USA, and Brazil. The company sells its products in more than 140 countries and estimates the number of Mandriva Linux users to be in the 6-to-8 million range.
The Latest version is Mandriva 2009.1

Debian 5.0 :

Debian is a computer operating system composed of free and open source software and proprietary software. The primary form, Debian GNU/Linux, is a popular and influential Linux distribution. It is distributed with access to repositories containing thousands of software packages ready for installation and use. These packages are distributed under free software / open source licenses. Debian is known for strict adherence to the Unix and free software philosophies as well as using collaborative software development and testing processes. Debian can be used as a desktop as well as server operating system.
The Debian Project is governed by the Debian Constitution and the Social Contract which set out the governance structure of the project as well as explicitly stating that the goal of the project is the development of a free operating system. Debian is developed by over one thousand volunteers from around the world and supported by donations through SPI, a non-profit umbrella organization for various free software projects.

[Solomon]

PCLinuxOS 2009.1 :

PCLinuxOS, often abbreviated as PCLOS, is a desktop operating system. It is a free operating system for personal computers aimed at ease of use. he precursor to PCLinuxOS was a set of RPM packages created to improve successive versions of Mandrake Linux (now Mandriva Linux). These packages were created by Bill Reynolds, a packager better known as Texstar. From the year 2000 to 2003, Texstar maintained his repository of RPM packages in parallel with the PCLinuxOnline Web site. In an interview, Reynolds said he started PCLinuxOS "to provide an outlet for crazy desire to package source code without having to deal with egos, arrogance and politics."
The latest version is PCLinuxOS 2009.1

[Divyesh-tech]

Ubuntu and Mandriva both are very easy to set up and use, and have excellent community support (Ubuntu especially). Sabayon is the fastest of the three, but also the most difficult to set up and use.

[mercyjohnsoon]

I would go with Ubuntu.I think the main reason is its very easy to use.

[Tylon Foxx]

Gentoo for sure. You get what you want and not 4832974 programs that makes the OS sluggish, like Ubuntu.

granted, Gentoo is difficult to install (everything has to be done manually), but what you get is an OS that's customized to what you want.

[bamund]

Hi, i'm farely new to linux, and I have tried all of the most common (and popular) linux distros. As with most people (and especially new Linux users) every distro seems to have something we dont like, such as when they dont come with something installed which we wish we had (I havent yet gotten around to learning much about manually installing packages).
After trying ALL the most commonly known distros (Fedora, PClinuxOS, Open suse, most of the Slackware, Ubuntu, you name it!) My favorite distro happens to be a not-so-wellknown distro called "pardus". Pardus is not based on any other linux distro, and it has it's own packages called "pisi" (Packages Installed Successfully, as Intended). The newest version is 2009, which uses KDE 4, but actually, I prefer pardus 2008, which I think uses KDE 3.5. They are both very nice, but i am not too high on KDE4 yet, because for me, if offers very little more, other than more gadgets and a couple of other things (it's almost too fancy for me). For me, there simply isnt anything lacking in either version. It came with a couple of everything, such as chat tools, CD/DVD burning software, DVD players, Music players etc, and then I downloaded a few more of the same, just to have a lot of variety. The distro is actually funded by the Turkish Govt, so maybe that's why it's made so well. Just check out any reviews you can find, and you'll see many (MOST) of those who try it, really like it. In fact, i'v yet to see any reviews with anything bad to say about it. This a viewpoint of someone who's quite new to linux, but for those who are near-exports, you may have your own preference, but from what I can see, Pardus may be fine for advanced users as well. As far as installation goes, you dont know what "easy" is, until you install it. (similar to Mint Linux). For anyone who will try Pardus, if you want to download mp3's, you can use a pisi package compiled from Frostwire (similar to Limewire), which someone made for pardus. Just google "pardus frostwire". When you download the package, pardus will ask you if you want to install it, that easy. . . Well, that's if for now, just thought I would share my thoughts, coming from someone farely new to linux.