Cut through the confusion of choosing a Linux distribution

People who are new to Linux are often confused by the large number of distributions to choose from. The good news is that you can safely ignore most of them. This article helps you choose a distribution for getting started with your Linux exploration—and helps you understand just what it is you've just chosen.

One of the things that is very confusing to new Linux enthusiasts is the "distro," or distribution. And one of the most confusing things about distributions, for the beginner, is that there is no official definition of what a distribution is, exactly: distributions existed in many forms long before anyone cared.

To venture my own definition, a distribution is a bundling of the Linux kernel with other software and services. That's it. In general, the kernel is the same, so what you are selecting is the style of installation, the tools you want, and the level of support that you need to have.