| Most derivatives generally just add packages and customisation to make a more convenient and specialised derivative. At the top of the "family tree" of distributions, you've got "root" distributions such as Slackware and Debian. They branch out into specialised distributions such as Ubuntu Server for servers, Kali Linux for pentesting, and so on. With this in mind, it's probably easiest to start with choosing a "root" distribution, and optionally choosing a derivative as necessary if a root distribution isn't specialised or convenient enough for your needs. For example, if one wants stability and hardware compatibility, one can go straight with Debian. If they want a layer of user-friendliness and official support from many applications, then they could pick Ubuntu instead of plain Debian. (This is a subjective example!) Considering there's hundreds of distributions, having some criteria such as high popularity and thorough documentation might be necessary to narrow down the list of choices. DistroWatch is good enough for giving you an idea of each distribution's purpose without opening dozens of search tabs. Of course, one could also choose the option to perpetually hop from distro to distro every other day, if feeling adventurous (or anxious to make a choice) :P |