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For those of you who have used it, you'll know that Debian is a solid distribution of Linux. Like Fedora or OpenSuSe, it was developed with all users in mind. Unfortunately, what many of the geekier users to this day fail to wrap their minds around is that this "Windows thinking" they complain about is more or less about ease of use, versus "choice." And I believe that this is why Ubuntu is, more than other Debian distributions, out-performing Debian proper.

Users not interested in mythical 'Linux education'

The idea that the average new user really ought to consider becoming more educated with Linux in order to merely use it is just plain silly. Granted, for the geek set interested in learning, this is a great plan. It will save you time and money instead of funding one of the common Linux profit models -- tech support. Give me a break. I have been using Linux for longer than I care to admit, and the fact is that most people simply want the end result, a successfully running Linux box. And I hope that most people remain clueless as it does help make sure that our favorite companies giving away their distributions can still successfully provide tech support as a business for their product. Even for generally basic tasks.

If you place most people into the "command line" world while expecting success, you will instead hear the pitter-patter of their feet as they run back to their previous OS. It's a simple matter of understanding what the general public wants. Despite the immense benefit Debian has provided for the Linux community, it is not a ready, off-the-shelf product that Joe User is going to wish to use. Looking at Ubuntu's numbers speak for themselves to that end.

Is too much choice a bad thing?

Who is primarily being driven to Ubuntu over Debian? It appears to be a mix between those who need consistency with their desktop; meaning not being asked which desktop they prefer to use, etc, and those who simply wish to have the bleeding edge thrown at them with their Linux installations.

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Debian on the other hand, is generally believed to be more secure. And, right from Mark Shuttleworth's own mouth:

"But the majority of the Ubuntu community is made up of newer developers, who are attracted to the Ubuntu way of doing things."

Engineers are not marketers

Until Ubuntu came along, you had to hold up a stick to see Debian development move. Yes, that was mean -- get over it, I am dead on. Using Debian was like driving your father's Oldsmobile. It has been well maintained for years, and it provided safety, dependability, and driving at 15 MPH for as long as you need it to.

Ubuntu, on the other hand, was edgy, took chances, and more often than not, had more bugs than users might care to admit. But it was showing signs of life, while Debian had the visual appearance of being on a heart monitor just so people knew it was still alive.

Another huge distinction I have seen between the two distributions is that the Ubuntu group actually understands appealing to the newer user. Simply browsing between the home pages for both projects will show you how polar opposite the two development groups actually are. In short, Debian is offered as a "here it is" proposition.

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