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Readers' Choice Awards 2011

Dec 01, 2011  By Shawn Powers
 in
Best IRC Client

Pidgin

Runner-up: X-Chat

For years I've been touting the awesome IRC features Pidgin boasts. It's nice to see Pidgin take first place again as favorite IRC app. As my geek-fu has matured, so has my chatting preference, however, and I skipped right over our second-place IRC client X-Chat. I'm now using IRSSI for my textual communication needs. Although my preferences seldom represent those of the masses, I'll be shaking my IRSSI pom-poms next year for the awesome underdog. Credit where credit is due, however; it's hard to beat the flexibility of Pidgin and the huge feature set of X-Chat. It's clear why they are the Readers' Choice victors.

The votes are in, the tallies are counted, the hanging chads have been evaluated, and we have our winners. This year holds a few surprises, a couple dominant players and as much open source as you can handle. We don't encourage gambling here at Linux Journal, but if you had an office pool going for pizza money, it's officially too late to make your wager.

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It is just a Linux, it was

MarkoK's picture
Submitted by MarkoK (not verified) on Sat, 12/10/2011 - 13:32.

It is just a Linux, it was never a GNU/Linux and never will be.

GNU/Linux would be correct only if Linux would be a microkernel and servers would be from GNU project. Otherway saying, Linux would be a microkernel and replace Mach microkernel used in HURD operating system.

Linux is a monolithic operating system, the kernel is whole operating system alone, no GNU - or any other project - software is needed or used at all in it.

Those who use GNU/Linux, does not know the truth of Linux (I was one of them long, looong time ago, until technology show the truth).

RE: Ubuntu

Anonymous's picture
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 12/02/2011 - 10:20.

Thank you for your insightful comments, which shows a depth and breadth of understanding and knowledge not normally found in internet comments. It's refreshing to read something that does not contain the usual stereotypes and trolling nature.

[/sarcasm]

I didn't vote, at all, but I'm well versed in Linux distros, and operating systems in general, and I still use XUbuntu for my normal desktop system.

First, since you claim that those who use Ubuntu have never used other distros, let me chime in with some of my history. My first Linux distro was an Yggdrasil Linux CD purchased when the internet was still dial-up in most areas. I've used Red Hat/Fedora, SuSE, Slax, Slitaz, Slackware, etc etc.

I'm also a dedicated OpenBSD user, and prefer that OS for my server installations. While we're on the topic of other operating systems, I used BeOS and Haiku, Mac OS X, and yes, even Windows (in all it's incantations from 3.0 through 7, including server versions) for most of my professional career (as an IT wonk).

Having said that, I like Ubuntu, or XUbuntu specifically, for my daily workstation, as it's nice to not have to mess with the underlying system to make most everything work. When I get done working on computers all day, sometimes I won't to come home and not work on a computer.

As the article states, apt makes updating and installing new packages simple, and I like the functionality of the Ubuntu One service. If I want to try out the latest bleeding edge software, I'm pretty assured of their being good Ubuntu support, due to it's popularity.

When I want to get down and dirty, I turn to one of my OpenBSD servers.

I forgot to mention the first

Carling's picture
Submitted by Carling (not verified) on Fri, 12/02/2011 - 13:46.

I forgot to mention the first Network system I did, I built 20 work stations and 2 servers running windows 95 with windows for work groups and Novell Netware. A bit before your time I presume

Ubuntu is a looser

Carling's picture
Submitted by Carling (not verified) on Fri, 12/02/2011 - 13:11.

[/sarcasm]
No I stated those that voted for Ubuntu are mostly ex windows users who have never used any other Distribution, if they had they would have voted for the more superior Linux distributions, You didn't vote Why not?
[/sarcasm]
As an IT wonk, Do you think by giving me your Linux history on what, how or where you use it make any difference to me,it won't make the slightest difference, Do you think your the only one that's ever used Red Hat/Fedora, SuSE, Slax, Slitaz, Slackware,etc etc. Me too.
Quote
Yggdrasil Linux CD purchased when the internet was still dial-up in most areas.
[/sarcasm]
Yes I remember those day's very well, and the years before Microsoft or Apple Mac came into being, When Bill and Steve where still wet behind their hears, When my first stand alone computer cost more than I paid for my house, Thank god for the IBM compatibility standards. That was the only thing Bill Gates ever got right in his life. Stop trying to be a smart Alex it don't work.

Re: Ubuntu is a looser

Anonymous Slacker's picture
Submitted by Anonymous Slacker (not verified) on Sat, 12/03/2011 - 13:44.

I don't think Ubuntu is as good as some of the other mainstream distros (Fedora or Mint) either, but through both of your posts, you've failed to mention why exactly you don't like Ubuntu!

You see! Here is a perfect

noelrobichaud's picture
Submitted by noelrobichaud on Sun, 12/04/2011 - 18:10.

You see! Here is a perfect example of what makes no sense about these debates!

Mint is ... "Based on Debian and Ubuntu, it provides about 30,000 packages and one of the best software managers."

Just like every other stupid distro that is based Debian and Ubuntu. It's not like we're comparing Irix and HPUX. The argument is moot.

Sorry, I'm not picking on you Anon Slacker!

Ubuntu

Anonymous's picture
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 12/09/2011 - 09:46.

Ubuntu is a great OS for popularization of Linux on desktops. Windows-likeness and over-userfriendliness are unavoidable. For me, Ubuntu was a transition step from windows to "that scary hardcore Linux" (I chose Arch shortly after).

The arrows disappear after GIT

Anonymous's picture
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 12/01/2011 - 21:19.

The arrows disappear after
http://www.linuxjournal.com/slideshow/readers-choice-2011?page=25

It's simple

jarubyh's picture
Submitted by jarubyh (not verified) on Fri, 12/02/2011 - 12:39.

We change the URL

It's simple

jarubyh's picture
Submitted by jarubyh (not verified) on Fri, 12/02/2011 - 12:39.

We change the URL

Where's Vim!?

Danny Sosa's picture
Submitted by Danny Sosa (not verified) on Thu, 12/01/2011 - 11:20.

Where's Vim!?
I saw it in the IDE.. but where is the text editor section? its an important category!

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