Distro pick head ache openSuse10.3 vs. ubunutu gutsy ?

[tleslie]

I need to upgrade my main machine, and its obviously a choice between
openSuse 10.3 and gutsy because they are both just released distros.

I was assuming months ago I was going to switch to ubuntu gutsy (i use
open suse 10.2 now).

I couldn't help notice the ubuntu community just keeps getting bigger
and bigger, and I am a firm believer a kick ass community makes for a
good distro.

Also lately the blog reviews on linux news sites have dumped on
opensuse10.3
but in a google for opensuse10.3 in more main stream outlets,
the reviews have actually been stellar.

beta gutsy reviews have been good, but it seems opensuse 10.3
made a bigger jump from 10.2 more then gutsy did from fiesty,
but then fiesty might have started out better then 10.2
so who knows where absolutely they end up.

I am 60% in favour of switching to ubuntu and 40% with Suse, 
and looking for more info before I install the "winner".

For me, i will install the loser in vmware.
But since there is copy paste issues and the fact you can't 
3D desktop and get the audio proper via vmware,
the loser in vmware is more just for particular apps, etc
that might run better then the winner.

For me the benifit of Suse is:

- I dev. in Mono.
- Suse has more experience in 3D desktop, i.e. they brought out 
compiz in 10.2 and beryl (and now fusion) is a fork and recombine
of compiz anyways.
- Suse tends to have better support for Oracle, etc, and i do use SLES
on servers, and Unbuntu isn't there yet.

Benefit of ubunutu is:

- large community, and even when i google for multimedia issue
i find more answers in ubuntu forms then in suse forms.
- larger community means things usually means bugs/oddities get hashed
out earlier.
- bullet proof X seems like a good idea (not sure maybe suse10.3 has it
but they havnt stated it).
- Suse's "noob menu system sucks, and i put it in classic mode anyways"
- with Dell flogging it , i might get better odd ball HW compat.
- i think there is better software repo's for ubuntu.
- ubuntu does a 6 month distro rotation, open suse longer.



As much as people may read this and suggest  gentoo, or pclinux, ......
I absolutely am down to strictly considering 10.3 or gutsy,
and its looking like i will be leaning to gutsy
unless some list members have other feed back that makes me change my
mind.
If members can give even more pluses for gutsy, well then i will feel
better, because then i will not be so torn.

I run a quad 2.8 GHz opteron system with 8GB ram and a nvidia 7900GT,
dual monitor HP30" and Samsung 22" together for a 3760x1600 desktop.
Suse has support this set up great now, I assume ubuntu would to.


Gutsy is out tomorrow, so i need to make up my mind quick!!

-tl






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