I used Debian for a few years and switched to Ubuntu about a year ago. I think the main difference between them, for a desktop user, is that Ubuntu typically has a newer core system (things like the kernel, udev x.org, alsa) while Debian typically has newer applications. If you are a fanatical apt-get upgrader, then running Debian Etch or Sid will be more fun, since Ubuntu only updates every six months. If you're a little more patient, then Ubuntu provides the better experience. You can, of course, run Ubuntu unstable, and get packages that are only slightly older than Debian's. But Ubuntu unstable is *far* less stable than Debian unstable. In the end, both are fantastic distros and will serve your needs. I just think that the considerations tip slightly in favor of Ubuntu for desktop users. Ian On Thu, 2006-05-04 at 10:15 -0500, Matt Waters wrote: > Man, all this technical stuff I'm gonna need to remember is making me > mighty glad I'm taking the Linux for programmers class in the 2007 > spring sememster. =) > > I remember someone saying something about how Ubuntu is great as a > desktop distro. I tried mail-ordering CDs once, but every single CD > turned out to be bad. Any opinons on how Ubuntu rates against Debian > before I go through the trouble of grabbing new disks? > > _______________________________________________ > TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota > tclug-list at mn-linux.org > http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list