MacOS X is sexy: and that's the best way to get banned. dont put a bad name on mac users.

these polls are useless. the result here show slackware wins (duh!) but on other websites, ive seen mandrake win and debian. here's just a few:

http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=3640
http://www.linuxorbit.com/modules.ph...rder=0&thold=0
http://www.programmersheaven.com/c/u....htm?PollID=31
http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS8302639792.html
http://www.fokus.gmd.de/linux/poller...l=distribution

the list goes on. LQ is the least accurate, IMO. i think someone's been "cheating". i dont think it is possible to accurately measuer the "best distro", because people are constantly switching and getting a new fav, like me. first it was mandrake for a few years, then mandrake went downhill, then slackware was next. then i got suse 9.0 and im hooked on suse and i think linux cant get any easier. but my vote still goes to slackware, because it kept me the longest, and its pretty easy, programs "just work", and it's fast.(not as fast as most people brag, but it has its high points)

Some of those are outdated (2002). Due to redhat's change in policy, even the combination of redhat and fedora has probably decreased because some people got miffed. Debian's next major release (sarge) is projected for 2005, and despite apt-get that seems to scare away some people. Any poll is going to be inaccurate with few people answering, and none of these had a lot of answers.

nonetheless, it's still proof that no distro poll is ever going to be accurate, even if its from slashdot, because people are constantly changing and upgrading distros.

A poll is a collection of opinions. So it is, in fact, an accurate representation of the views of those members who responded.

There is no best distro - it is entirely subjective.

Slackware does rock, though

yes it does (slackware rock, i mean)

Slackware is a GREAT distro.. and I agree that different boards will have different results on polls.. due the fact that it is based on the member group..

Slackware is a GREAT distro.. and I agree that different boards will have different results on polls.. due the fact that it is based on the member group..

I'm surpised Gentoo didn't win with all the ehtusiasts

There are several great distro's. Some I've tried and some I will in the near future ;-) One cool thing about Linux is variety and choice.

Debian rocks though. And I mean rocks!!

And believe me, when darthtux says rocks, he means rocks!

Or is it rocks? http://www.rocklinux.org/

Yay for slackware