Comparison: the best GNU Linux distributions of 2014

This article is intended for those initiated in this world, for users of other operating systems who are trying to investigate the Linux world or for those who have tired of other platforms and want to land on this one. We will try to make an analysis of the best GNU / Linux distributions of this year 2014.

Due to the type of users to whom it is intended, too technical details will not be entered into and everything will be expressed in simple language and without too many technicalities. As simple as possible so that everyone can understand it even without computer skills.

We will also help you choose distribution suitable according to your needs, whether you are a novice user or someone who wants to set up a server for your company. For this we are going to generate a list of fields, or basic needs, and inside we will describe the most appropriate distribution in each case.

* Nota: If you want help for a particular case not included in this article, do not hesitate to leave a comment.

What is Linux?

Linux is not an operating system, it's a kerneIt has already been said a thousand times, but the word Linux is still used to refer to a complete operating system. You should know that this is incorrect and the correct thing to do is to use Linux to refer only and exclusively to the kernel or kernel of the operating system, that is, the most important part of it.

FreeBSD, Windows or Mac OS X yes they are complete operating systems and go beyond a simple kernel, being distributed in a complete way with the rest of the elements that are needed to complete it. This is where the programs written under the GNU project come into the picture, which come to complete the system. That is why GNU / Linux is more correct when we want to refer to it as a complete operating system, or directly say the name of the distribution we are addressing.

What is a distribution?

As it is not a complete operating system, but an important piece of the puzzle, we can complete the system by adding other components and these can be very diverse. That is why Linux appears under multiple distributions, all of them different and with different criteria. And the work of the GNU project complements the kernel to have a wonderful operating system.

This does not happen with OS like Windows 8 or Mac OS X 10 that are published exclusively as the creator wants it, in this case Microsoft and Apple respectively. They choose for you which parts they add and how they do it, taking away from you the freedom to select to your liking and according to your needs. What if I don't like any distribution? That is difficult with the huge amount that exists, each one with a philosophy and oriented to a certain segment, but if it happens you can create your own without problem ...
*Nota: In the GNU / Linux world we often refer to distributions with the word "distro" as an abbreviation.

openSuSE, for example, is a distro intended for everyday home use like Windows or Mac OS X, however, Android could be seen as a Linux “distribution” geared towards mobile devices. I always put an example from the automotive world to understand it better and that is that you imagine that Mercedes did not make cars, only engines. Then you could buy the engine and add the chassis you want, the suspension you want, the best direction, gearbox, interior, ...

Well, that's what it's all about in the distros. For example, Windows 8 The Windows NT 6.2 kernel uses the Metro graphical interface (Modern UI), the CMD Shell, the Win32 and Win64 API, its own boot manager, Windows Update system, Windows Installer installer, DirectX graphical API, DLL libraries, etc. In the case of Mac OS X 10.8, it always uses an XNU kernel, an Aqua interface, Shell Bash, Carbon API, its own boot manager, Mac Installer installer, PUB libraries, etc. And there is no more, you have no choice but to put up with these pieces if you want to use these systems ...
In a distribution Linux there are multitudes of desktop environments to choose from, like KDE, GNOME, Xfce, Mate, Unity, Cinnamon and a long etc. Regarding the Shell, you can choose between Bash, Tcsh, Zsh,… While the boot loaders for Linux are: LILO, GRUP, SysLinux and others. The installers or package managers are equally numerous: YAST, Synaptic, Muon, YUM, etc., as well as other utilities of the GNU project.

Who uses GNU / Linux?

It is one of the most "morbid" questions regarding GNU / Linux world, since few know to what extent this system is used. And this is due to its low reception in the home world, where most users see it as a stranger.

But in the world professional and business Linux is much more common than many people think, even famous. In the server sector, Linux has a dominant share compared to its direct competitors, FreeBSD, Windows Server and OS X Server. The same occurs in the supercomputer segment, being installed in more than 94% of the most powerful computers in the world.

Organizations as important as the NASA or CERN They have used it for years, or companies such as AMD, Intel, IBM, Sony, Google, Cisco, Novell, HP, etc., Linux is installed even on the servers of their arch enemies, I mean Microsoft and Apple, which they see as their systems themselves cannot compete with the free kernel.
Automotive companies like Toyota, Ferrari, Mercedes, Ford, Peugeot, or aerospace companies like Virgin America, Boeing and Airbus also have it as a system. In fashion it is also present in brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, in addition to other institutions and governments. Many of the most reputable hackers use it, such as the well-known Kevin Mitnick. You can see a complete list here.

Advantages of GNU / Linux

The advantages of using GNU / Linux versus Windows or Mac OS X are already very hackneyed on the web. They have been repeated over and over again, but I will try to make a remix of the main advantages that can be found. For more information you can see other articles in which we have made comparisons Linux vs Windows, Linux vs Mac OS X or even Linux against other free compatriots like BSD or FreeBSD.

One of the main advantages it is without a doubt that it is free and open source software. These terms are sometimes confused with free and this is not always the case. Although Linux is also free, there is free and open source software that is paid and proprietary software that is free.

But in general, it is true that the premise is fulfilled that if it is free is free. Although the most purists on the subject do not want you to be confused, so much so that English speakers have changed the word "free", which is very ambiguous because it can represent both something free and free, for the Castilian "free". That is why in many English sites we can see "free software" as an adjective to designate these programs.

A software owner and closed it does not allow its source code to be viewed, that is, the lines that programmers have written in some programming language to create it. Nor does it allow modifying it by not distributing its sources, much less distributing it freely, since it is considered a crime (piracy).

A software of open source and free allows you to view your code to see what it does exactly, use it for educational purposes, modify it or correct errors, and distribute it freely without violating the law. This allows for numerous updates and enhancements much faster than private software.
*Nota: Every time “* nix” appears, I want to refer to all registered Unix and Unix-like operating systems, without going into compatibility, registers and POSIX standards.
Other adjectives that can be hung on Linux are inherited from its blood ties that unite it to Unix, all * nix systems (Solaris, FreeBSD, Mac OS X, OpenVMS, Unix, HP UX, AIX, IRIX, Hurd, ...) have some extremely good advantages and they are:

• Performance: * nix tend to perform amazingly, and Linux is no exception. Its speed is much higher than competitive systems and of course extremely higher when compared to Windows. Linux users sometimes boast that even running native Windows programs from Linux through a compatibility layer, they work faster than on Microsoft's system.
• Safe: they are much more secure than systems like Windows, and even within * nix, Linux is more secure than other systems like Mac OS X or FreeBSD. If there are vulnerabilities, due to the large development community, they are soon corrected and therefore make it difficult to exploit. They say that the exception confirms the rule and it is that there have been some security problems, such as the so-called Heartbleed that has affected the OpenSSL system and Linux servers and is so rare that it has been a very widespread news on the network (and that neither it even affected Linux as such, but OpenSSL software). If you don't want to install an antivirus on Linux, nothing will happen and if something happens one day the consequences are so minimal that it is not even worth installing it. Can you say the same for Windows?
• Sturdy: its spectacular permission system allows extra robustness compared to other systems such as Windows. In * nix you cannot install / delete programs or system files without superuser (root) permissions. In Windows, for example, we can delete .dat files from the system or Program Files folders, which could make a program or the system itself stop working.
• Stable: the blue screens that Windows has us used to are not so frequent in * nix. The famous "Blue Screen of Death" or BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) due to system errors is extremely common for us to see on a * nix system, moreover, even if we wanted to cause it by "mistreating" the system, it would be difficult to achieve it. By the way, the equivalent of Windows BSDO is known as "Kernel Panic" (on an old Mac or Apple iPods it is also known as Sad Mac). For this reason it is much better for professional work, ensuring a certain stability that allows you better productivity and avoid problems.
• Flexible: as I say Linux is extremely flexible, much more flexible than other * nix. The example is that there are electronic devices and household appliances that use parts of the Linux code. A toaster can use part of the Linux code, a Smartphone can use it (see Android, Tizen, Firefox OS, Megoo,…), vehicles are using it, just like a server or a supercomputer. I don't think you can do the same with other systems. Try installing Mac OS X or Windows on a supercomputer and on a PDA ...
• Portable: As it is mostly programmed in C language (although it also contains parts of assembly code), it is a fairly portable kernel. In fact, Linux has broken the record for the most portable system, being available for dozens of architectures. Windows, for example, is available for ARM, x86 (IA-32), x86-64 (AMD64), and for IA-64 (Itanium). Mac OS X was for PowerPC in its versions from 10.0 to 10.5.8 and from there it was ported to x86 and x86-64. Ridiculous when compared to Linux supported platforms: x86, x86-64, Alpha, ARC, ARM, AVR32, Blackfin, C6x, ETRAX CRIS, FR-V, H8 / 300, Hexagon, IA-64, M32R, m68k, META, Microblaze, MIPS, MN103, OpenRISC, PA-RISC, PowerPC, s390, S + core, SuperH, SPARC, TILE64, Unicore32, Xtensa, etc. This shows the number of machines in which Linux can be installed without problem, even libraries have been ported to be executed in an 8-bit ATMega microcontroller similar to those included in Arduino boards. Surely the creator of this invention, Dmitry, would sweat blood until he gave up before doing the same with Windows or Mac OS X. The system took 4 hours to boot on the impotent 8-bit chip, but finally it started even in graphics mode.
• Compatible: it's one of the worst faces of Linux, but it's not a drag at all. More and more companies are releasing drivers for Linux. Developers interested in Linux have grown exponentially and the video game industry turned over this platform since last year, multiplying day by day the number of titles available for this system. In less than a year, the video game content on Valve's Steam store has grown by 900%. These figures are surprising and are a clear hope to consider that Linux is not a bad choice for the future. And great things are yet to come ... And if you are not happy in this sense, you can always go to virtualization or emulators like Wine, Play On Linux, etc.

Choose your Linux according to your needs

The best Linux distributions 2014 according to your needs are the following:
* Note: obviously I do not want to exclude the rest or belittle them, everyone is FREE to think which is better or worse. In my particular case I prefer openSuSE because it is the first distro I started with in the Linux world. Lately I have also tried Ubuntu and I have liked it a lot, but deep down I have a special affection for SuSE. This does not mean that it is neither better nor worse, it is simply a matter of taste.

• For users new to the Linux world and generic use: the best options for newer users are Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Linux Deepen, and openSUSE distros, in that order. Although from personal experience and the great development team behind the Canonical acronym, I could recommend Ubuntu without underestimating the rest, since they are all safe, robust and simple. Ubuntu is easy and has a very neat graphical interface. Its Unity desktop is reminiscent of Mac OS X in certain respects, so if you come from the Mac world it will be intuitive and attractive. The Ubuntu Software Center will allow you to install with a simple mouse click, without further complications and with a very extensive list of apps.

• Design and multimedia editing: If you are an artist or design is your thing, I advise you ArtistX and Ubuntu Studio. The second is practically a base Ubuntu distro on which special tools and functionalities have been added for design and publishing professionals. ArtistX is highly recommended, its functionality is basically the same as Ubuntu Studio. ArtistX allows the production of photos, video and audio, it also includes a multitude of tools to generate 2D and 3D graphics, drawing, photo retouching and sound processing.

• Accessibility: For those who have some type of difficulty, such as reduced visual abilities, blindness, dyslexia, reduced motor mobility, etc., the distribution they are looking for is sound linux. This distribution integrates tools to read text on the screen, enlarge areas of the screen for better viewing, special fonts for dyslexics, on-screen keyboard for people with mobility problems, etc.

• Scientific use: there are several distributions for scientists. CERN created a distro that was a binary clone of Red Hat Enterprise Linux and compiled from this source code to be used in the CERN and Fermilab labs. This distribution was called High Energy Physics Linux, although it was later baptized as Scientific Linux. This distribution is probably the best in this field, although there are others such as Poseidon, more used in the academic and educational fields. Poseidon is maintained by scientists and by the German institute MARUM, with tools for programming, scientific word processors, calculation, 2D / 3D / 4D visualization, statistics, mapping, bioinformatics, GIS tools, etc.

• Education: DouDou Linux It is one of the most important Linux distributions for education. It is based on Debian and is very stable. LinuxKidX is very similar in this sense to DouDoou, specially designed for children and its use in classrooms that help in learning. It has an easy-to-use child-oriented desk with a large number of educational programs and games for the little ones. Edubuntu is a derivative of Ubuntu specially designed for primary and secondary education (6-18 years), both for students and teachers. If we go one step further and target the more advanced students, there is also another interesting distribution called ForeSight.

• Security and privacy: There are many distributions that act as powerful tools for those who are dedicated to security, such as Kali Linux with a multitude of tools to perform security tests and for penetration. Another similar distribution is Bugtraq, with a multitude of packages for penetration and security audits. But above all of them, TAILS (The Amnesic Incognito Live System) stands out, a distro specially focused on security, privacy and anonymity in the network. TAILS is probably the most secure operating system in the world and is one of the tools used by Edward Snowden. Its developers, who know little about them because they remain anonymous, are responsible for covering any possible security hole and shielding it day by day. It also relies on the famous Tor tool, so as not to leave a trace on the networks.

• Computer scientists: Insertion is a distribution that is distributed as LiveCD and that contains a multitude of tools to carry out hardware tests and detect problems, an essential tool if you are a computer technician. It also allows you to recover the system, repair errors, analyze the system, manage networks, etc. On the other hand Caine is a distribution for those who are dedicated to forensic data analysis. But if software development is your thing, you also have an appropriate distribution, it's called PoweredByLinux Dev Edition x64, with tools to write code and compile programs.

• Electronic: CEELD is a distribution created from SuSE Studio and its acronym comes from Cyler's Electronics Engineering Linux Distro. It offers a multitude of tools for electronic engineers such as circuit simulation, CAD, technical drawing, VHDL, electronic calculations, circuit design, etc. A distribution that reminds us of the FEL (Fedora Electronic Lab) based on Fedora.

• Servers and business environmentAlthough there are many others for servers such as Debian, Ubuntu Server, etc., the two queens in this sector are undoubtedly SuSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). Both, SLES and RHELThey are extremely powerful distributions with a multitude of tools for the company and servers. These distributions stand up to Microsoft Windows 8 Enterprise and Apple Mac OS X. They have the latest news for this sector and lately the topic of the cloud and virtualization, so necessary and interesting in our days, is being pampered a lot.

• Health and medicine: Although it seems strange, there are special distributions for the health sector. One of them is Linux for Clinics, a distribution that integrates healthcare software and similar to other distributions such as Debian Med, Fedora Medical, openSuSE Medical, etc. Linux for Clinics is based on Debian / Ubuntu, adding this software designed for health auditing. The problem with Linux for Clinics is that it seems like an abandoned project ...

• Engineering and architecture: CAELinux It is a LiveDVD with packages for computer aided design or CAD and with tools CAE, FEA, CFD, etc.

• For teams with few resources: Both old equipment and equipment with limited hardware, there are alternatives that you can use to have a light system capable of performing its performance without obstacles. The distribution par excellence is Lubuntu, basically an Ubuntu with LXDE desktop to consume less resources and be lighter. Lubuntu can work with a Pentium II processor at 400 Mhz and 192 MB of RAM. Other alternatives are Bodhi Linux, Linux Lite, Xubuntu (similar to Lubuntu but uses the Xfce desktop environment), and Puppy Linux.

• For gamers: Without a doubt Valve, a well-known video game developer and the owner of the Steam store, has created one of the best distributions for video game fans. It is known as SteamOS and it is pampered in detail in its conception with an emphasis on the world of videogames and multimedia. It has also been designed for video consoles such as the Steam Machine.

To finish, add that when you download a distribution you can find it as an ISO to burn it directly onto a CD or DVD, and this in turn can be a Live (LiveCD, LiveDVD or LiveUSB). This feature is not common on other operating systems, but it is quite common on Linux. It is an image that you can burn to a pendrive, CD or DVD and with it you can both install it normally and run it without having to format and install anything. This is done directly from the RAM, without modifying the hard drive, allowing a quick test of the system without modifying or deleting anything on our computer.

You can also check that there are different ISO images with different designations, for example i386, x86-64, etc. This refers to the architecture for which they are intended. i386 is a distro for 32-bit processors, while x86-64 is for 64-bit systems. You must choose the appropriate one according to your CPU ...

If you liked this article you will surely love our special about the best Linux alternatives to Windows programs