I've been using Linux in one form or another, starting with Slackware Linux, since some time in late 1993 (my memory is a bit fuzzy on the details).  Back then installing Linux was a bit of a challenge for a noob like me... especially if you wanted a GUI, aka X which I did: Command Line stuff really wasn't my thing back then.  How things have changed... but I digress.

I had some fun getting those early versions going on my wizbang Edge 386 DX40 with 4MB RAM and a 105MB HDD (but I digress again).... I think I even managed to fry a monitor by trying to adjust the screen settings using 'vidtune' or whatever the equivelent was called back then (there goes the fuzzies again).

Since those early days I have tried and/or used a variety of distrobutions of Linux.  I liked Debian/GNU Linux right from the early days (started using it sometime in 1995) and have been using it and other deb based distros ever since, although these days I tend to use debian mainly on servers.   I've never been a big fan of Red Hat or other rpm based distros.  I've played around with Gentoo a few times but usually didin't have the time or patience to build/compile everything from the ground up.  I think its a good idea but it's just so time consuming and with the speed of computers these days, a few milliseconds one way or the other (in terms of what I might gain), isn't going to worry me. 

Somewhere along the lines I got a bit 'lazy'.... and couldn't be bothered finding all the extra bits (codecs etc) every time I installed on a different machine, which is fairly often in my case...  so I looked for options where most of the work had already been done.  I discovererd and used Klaus Knopper's Knoppix for a couple of years but then went back to debian for a while.

A few years ago I started playing around with Ubuntu (about version 5.04 I think) and used it off and on for a couple of years... up to version 7.10 or thereabouts....  but was never particulary thrilled with the "look and feel" of that distro...

Then I stumbled accross Linux Mint 5.  It immediately struck me as easier on the eye... I liked the "Mint Menu" and the included tools, etc.  I've been using Linux Mint ever since and am currently awaiting Mint 8, due out around the end of November.

For those (like me) who use computers in a variety of ways and find themselves often installing (or re-installing) Linux on various PCs; if you need a 'quick and clean' option, I can recommend Linux Mint as a convenient, attractive and user friendly distrobution.  It's also a good disto for new Linux users and makes for a reasonably easy transition from Windows.....  and that's got to be a good thing, right?

I still used debian (as mentioned above) for mission critical applications and I also use other distrobutions for a variety of reasons.  Some of my favourites are Puppy Linux for use on older/slower PCs (especially old laptops) and DSL for quickly booting old PCs and/or booting from USB.  I regularly use dedicated tools like Linux Rescue CD and the Trinity Rescue Kit (TRK) for data transfer/recovery, virus scanning and other related tasks.

My current day-to-day partner in crime is Linux Mint 7...  It's done well to hold my attention as long as it has and with the immenent release of Mint 8, I can't see myself changing distos any time soon.  

Linux.  So many versions.  So many applications. 

It's all good!