Which Linux Distribution is Best for Astrophysics/Astronomy?

[neutrino]

And if you just want to look what there is look at distrowatch:
http://distrowatch.com/

Take a look at DW Weekly issues #195-199 for discussions on "The Top Ten" distros. http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20070326#topten

 

[ranger]

Its a pretty damn shame that great distros such as Gentoo, Slackware, Arch, and FreeBSD are not even in the top ten at distroWatch. Looking at the current number count of available distros on distroWatch makes me pine Linux developers need to stop competing with each other and try to improve linux as a whole.
The most tightly nit community that I've ever been apart of is most definitely the BSD community.

 

[Langbein]

I think that it is really good that there is a lot of distros. I believe the main argument for reaching the top of the distrowatch is userfriendlyness.

I think one of the major advances of Linux is that there is wide range of diffrent distoes with different properties.

My personal experience is that the very nicest and most clever user forums belongs to the smaller and spesialized distoes, not the general mainstreams.

 

[Stevedye56]

It isn't on my priority list either, but I was just pointing out that OSS doesn't have everything covered.

My mistake then, sorry. Another good point to make is that there aren't as many errors that occur when trying to run multiple applications.

 

[neutrino]

I believe the main argument for reaching the top of the distrowatch is userfriendlyness.

Nah...just page hits.

 

[Thrice]

http://distrowatch.com/stats.php?section=popularity" in the top 5 for last month

 

[Dathascome]

May I ask why you are only considering Linux as an alternative operating system to install? There are many free UNIX/UNIX-like variants out there that do not all follow Linux's mis-designs and flaws. It may be advantageous to start out on the right foot by using an operating system that respects standards and presents some level of backwards compatibility to the user for future releases of the operating system.

Purely out of ignorance...I don't know much of these other free UNIX/ UNIX-type variants out there.
What are some alternatives?

No IM client with video and voice chat.

Is Pidgin no good for IM'ing?

 

[ranger]

Purely out of ignorance...I don't know much of these other free UNIX/ UNIX-type variants out there.
What are some alternatives?

You can try Solaris or a BSD variant usch as FreeBSD.

Is Pidgin no good for IM'ing?

But neutrino wants voice and video chat, which gaim/Pidgin doesn't have.

 

[Stevedye56]

Heres a bunch of Free Operating Systems

http://www.theosfiles.com/general/osf_free_oses.htm

 

[Chronothread]

I'm sure other people have probably already said everything you need (I didn't actually take the time to read what everyone else had already said), but I would recommend ubuntu. I'm new to linux also, so I really don't know much. However, I tried ubuntu and mandriva. I stuck with ubuntu and haven't had any major problems yet. So yah... that's all I know.