Our Verdict
If there is one Linux distro we’d bet our money on, it would be SuSE! With Novell’s takeover of SuSE, things have simply moved several notches up.
With SuSE Linux 10.1, Novell has set a new benchmark in terms of look and feel. The interface is simply fantastic-well-thought-out grouping of menus, easy access to regularly-used applications, and an eye-pleasing Desktop.
YAST (Yet Another Setup Tool) makes installing SuSE Linux a painless affair; even disk partitioning, custom installation, etc. can be easily done by a novice. Hardware detection is on the better side, but could have been better.
The Beagle search engine makes searching for file a breeze, and YAST ensures application installation is easy. Automatic updates keep the system up to date with minimal user intervention. XGL X Server gives SuSE a user interface that has serious potential to rival the upcoming Vista and Apple’s Mac OS X.
These features apart, what makes SuSE our choice for the best Linux distro is the ecosystem that Novell has built around it. Whether you need it for Desktop or server or both, Novell has products that integrate well to offer a complete solution.
Runner-Up: Ubuntu Linux