When will Ubuntu not be considered second tier

Story: Second-tier Linux makers release new productsTotal Replies: 2
Author Content
ralph

Oct 14, 2005
9:37 PM EDT
Ubuntu has been the number one distribution at distrowatch for over a year. It is a solid distro that I now use as my main Linux machine and heartily recommend to others. I wonder what it takes to be treated as First tier.

I am not trying to put down RedHat, SuSE, or Mandrake. I use all of them, as well and I recommend them all for some people. They each have strengths, but Ubuntu has come from nowhere in just over a year and is doing a great job.
salparadise

Oct 14, 2005
11:24 PM EDT
It probably needs to be around as long the others in order to be considered "first tier". The big three commercial distros have some years under their belt.

It's a very human reaction to not trust Johnny -come-lately. Ubuntu is also perilously close to "too good to be true" for some. After years of Redmond style behaviour there's probably a few thinking "yeah right, and as soon as it reaches critical mass it'll be "just a little charge to cover production" and "just a little charge so we can carry on providing you with quality"". By which time we're all tied in again and back to square one. Strange is it not, how we want to be on the winning side yet have a slight suspicion of anyone who wins?

As an aside...

Ubuntu is a great gateway to Debian proper for more serious users as well as a superb "first distro". Cut yer teeth on Ubuntu, then switch to Sarge.

richo123

Oct 15, 2005
7:12 AM EDT
Seems to me that a good strategy might be Ubuntu on the desktop and Sarge/Stable on the server. The release cycle times of 6 months and 2-3 years respectively seem tailored for such a choice. Ubuntu is "good enough" stability wise for the desktop and has more up to date apps. Sarge/stable is more stable but less up to date so a great choice for a mission critical platform. Sid is a lot rougher than Ubuntu. Just my 2 cents worth.

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