How many distros you checked before you made decision?

How many distros you checked before you knew what is the right for you?

I for myself checked dozens of LiveCDs.
It's not easy to decide but my favorites are:
Puppy,
openmamba,
Mandriva,
Knoppix,
Slax,
SAM,
Linux Da Vinci

and I still use them in different context.

How did you make your decision? You checked yourself or followed recommendation?

For me,

It all started with a Tech, who was building my current system, giving me a Knoppix LiveCD back in 2000. At that time, I was still running Win98, and doing VB programming. I was getting tired of the security updates that M$ had; every time I fixed one security hole with one of their patches, it seemed another was introduced. So I was ripe for a change, and never tried any Linux.

Upon booting the LiveCD, I was not only impressed by Knoppix, but saw the potential of getting away from M$ all together.

I hard drive installed Knoppix fully, and did about 3 or for Dist-Upgrades on that HD install, until it became apparent, Knoppix was better suited for LiveCD, or poor mans, installs. Around that time, someone suggested Kanotix, which I moved to.

From Kanotix I think moved to Sidux, which I have been running ever since. My "join" date here reflects when I went "full time" Linux, and have never looked back. I may shift to another Distribution, due to SID being so unstable at times (mostly during Debian Freezes when they are getting ready to release updated Stable), but, I am impressed with Debian, and may just move to Stable or Testing.

I have seen Ubuntu, and Kubuntu. Linux has come a long way since I took the plunge, and completely immersed myself in it. I do not run every LiveCD, nor do I go looking for other Linux, or for that matter, Windows, Operating Systems. Once I find something I like, I tend to stay with it. I would still be running Knoppix to this day, if it wasn't for those couple of DU's that failed up my HD install.

I have become well known in IRC, on many channels, as the Lady who runs Linux... and I will never go back to anything Microsoft will ever put out, again :-)

Good to see you're still on the Forums here, Cuddles, a familiar name when I look in again after a long absence...

Total of 4, not including Knoppix. Checked out both Linspire and Freespire at someone's recommendation. Wasn't turned on. Read about Ubuntu. Settled on Ubuntu (Hardy on one machine and Intrepid Kubuntu on another). Investigated Fedora later for the newest box. Installed it and bought the "bible" It's too cutting edge for me. I went back to Ubuntu--Karmic. The Intrepid box died an unseemly death due to something shorting out the mobo, hard drive, and power supply. Probably cheap parts. The Karmic box is doing okay so far. The Hardy box is this one I'm on right now, and it's actually my favorite. There might be better distros for everyday use, but I'm now pretty comfy with Ubuntu. You have to learn to add those various repositories that you have to add to have the latest stuff and the nonfree goodies. And, now, Knoppix for fixing problems. Plus I'm going to noodle around with Knoppix as the O/S just to get good and familiar with it for those emergencies that happen.

None.

Since I was a Debian user of many years, Knoppix was a logical choice for a live CD. Since it worked really well I looked no further. Since I had wanted to try installing to a USB stick, I discovered that I had all the more reason to "stick" with Knoppix. :mrgreen:

to tell the truth... knoppix was the only one what work for me in my time of need....

i tried dsl, ubuntu, puppy... none of them worked with all the hardware that i need to run at the time....

knoppix was one of the easiest ones to set up by far....

came accross this fine live OS software from the usb installation software some where else provide...

great stuff...

yup... I'm an OLD user, starting back in the TI99 and amiga day's. First real computer was this room sized monster @Notre Dame ( I was just six, my 'guardian' was the dean of math at the time). I have every flavor Of M(onkey)S(ocks) Windblows ever made [and a few never released]. I remember those punch cards, then the Unix, and Ada cryptologies, scaring me to death... that's why I fell for you know who's easy sleazy wares! Now, its the golden years of lots of time to play I finally got brave enough to start messing with this penguine stuff.... damn I miss a lot of fun didn't I! Am currently playing with distros of Ubuntu, Knoppix, Mandriva, and a few other of the more prominant ones. I am using VM's, Live CD, and pendrive distros until I get enough milage under my treads to put one down hard on one of my five machines. What I'd like to say here, is this Knoppix was the first boot on my Gateway t-series that took with out a single issue. I have had to do some crash course work with the others to get this or that part of my devices to take ... but the 6x knoppix slid through it all and dished out perfectly. I've cruised a bunch of the threads here, (really liked the novella about posting guys....:) ) Though I am more than programmer profficient, years in the electronics eng. field ,,,, moving from the locked, but easy winblows env. to this CL build stuff is a bit scary (but us real geeks love scare like that don't we). Its ppl like you Mod's here that really make it work .... so Cudo's, thanks and don't stop even if we sometime can't find the FM to RTFM! we'll get there someday ... kind of like the way you all did ...eh? Yannos

must have gont through 20-25 before settling onSlackware, Debian and knoppix.
Have more or less found that the "harder" the distro is to learn the better it works when installed and running.
Building from source like Gentoo hardline is great also LFS and similar BUT they take time and knowlege to get going, then we have slack and Debian not easy but up and running within resonable timeframe and amazing amount of stuff available.

I'm using two BSDs on three architectures and debian on two architectures. What works and requires the least amount of resources is what I look for.

I'm a windows user that every year or so takes a look at linux. This time around, I built a USB boot thumb drive with ubuntu 11.04 and made it farther than I did in the past. I'm now on ubuntu 11.10, which is what I'm running on my laptop, but while 11.04 ran on my desktop in classic mode, so far, I've not been able to run 11.04, so I'm looking around, including Knoppix 6.7. Will also try Mint 12.0 when available. So, I haven't settled yet.

I used ubuntu prior to switching to knoppix. To be honest I didn't quite like it. It wasn't for me. But when I tried knoppix which was recommended by my friend I immediately liked it. Now I am using it for the last 2 weeks.

Thank you Klaus Knopper you have kept my faith in Linux.
My favorite distro's include Debian, Knoppix, Sidux, Slackware, Slax, Absolute and Wolvix.
Where'as other distro's fail and need kernel modeline's and or xorg.conf tweaks and require frustration and error, Knoppix succeeds and recognises my hardware on first boot.
I love the unrivaled hardware detectection of Knoppix and practical and bloat free approach.
Thank You again Klaus...you the man (*J*).

forgotten how many.. a-Red Hat 8 was my first free Linux, b-Then Mandriva 2005, c-Ubuntu 5 was my first ubuntu. d-LinuxMint in last couple of Years , e-Fedora.
Lately Knoppix 7 (NOW) Live, Ubuntu-Studio 12.10 Beta - Mint 13 cinnamon etc...

I've always been a debian user, but with the latest debian releases causes my processor to overheat, I was looking for a lighter distribution and tried the knoppix dvd; I installed knoppix on my hard drive, it works like a classic debian but it is much more powerful and fast, I do not understand why we do not do more advertising for this distribtion which is fantastic!