Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

LWN.net VS DistroWatch

Compare LWN.net VS DistroWatch and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

LWN.net logo LWN.net

LWN.net aims to be the premier news and information source for the free software community.

DistroWatch logo DistroWatch

9 hours ago - It does include a proprietary software set optimized for business users, students, researchers and developers." A list of features and further details can be found in the company's release announcement.
  • LWN.net Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-11-18
  • DistroWatch Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-26

LWN.net features and specs

  • Comprehensive Coverage
    LWN.net provides in-depth coverage of Linux and open-source developments, offering detailed analysis and insights that are valuable to developers and IT professionals.
  • Expert Contributors
    The site is maintained by knowledgeable contributors with expertise in Linux and open-source software, ensuring high-quality, reliable information.
  • Community Engagement
    LWN.net fosters an active community of readers and contributors, allowing for engagement and discussion around the latest news and developments.
  • Historical Archives
    LWN.net offers a well-maintained archive of past articles, enabling users to research historical changes and trends in the Linux and open-source arenas.

Possible disadvantages of LWN.net

  • Subscription Model
    Some of the content on LWN.net is behind a paywall, requiring a subscription for full access, which may limit access for casual readers or those unwilling to pay.
  • Niche Focus
    The focus on Linux and open-source news may not appeal to users more interested in broader technology trends or different operating systems.
  • Interface Design
    The website design and user interface might feel outdated compared to more modern news platforms, potentially affecting user experience.

DistroWatch features and specs

  • Comprehensive Database
    DistroWatch provides a thorough list of active Linux distributions, which is helpful for users seeking to explore various options and find the right one for their needs.
  • Distribution Popularity Ranking
    The site features a page hit ranking system that gives an indication of the popularity of distributions, which can guide users toward more widely supported and updated options.
  • News and Updates
    Regularly updated news and release announcements keep users informed about the latest developments in the Linux and open-source software world.
  • Reviews and Summaries
    DistroWatch offers reviews and summaries for many distributions, providing insights into their strengths and weaknesses without needing to test each one individually.
  • User Resources
    The site includes links to official distribution sites, download mirrors, forums, and documentation, making it easier for users to find support and further information.

Possible disadvantages of DistroWatch

  • Popularity Metrics Limitations
    The page hit ranking may not accurately reflect a distribution's true popularity or quality, as it only counts page visits rather than usage metrics.
  • Overwhelming for Beginners
    Newcomers to Linux might find the vast array of distributions and information overwhelming and challenging to navigate without guidance.
  • Community-Driven Content
    Information and reviews on DistroWatch largely rely on community contributions, which can lead to variability in the quality and reliability of the content.
  • Niche Focus
    While DistroWatch is highly valuable for Linux enthusiasts, it has limited appeal to users not interested in open-source operating systems, narrowing its audience.
  • Outdated Information Risk
    Some distribution pages might not be frequently updated, leading to potential issues with outdated information or dead links.

LWN.net videos

The Kernel Report - Jonathan Corbet, LWN.net

More videos:

  • Review - The Kernel Report - Jonathan Corbet, LWN.net
  • Review - The Kernel Report - Jonathan Corbet, LWN.net

DistroWatch videos

Measuring Distro Popularity And Why Distrowatch's Page Hit Rankings Suck.

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to Choose Your Linux Distribution - Distrowatch.com
  • Review - Let's talk Distrowatch!

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to LWN.net and DistroWatch)
Social Networks
100 100%
0% 0
Linux
0 0%
100% 100
Code Collaboration
100 100%
0% 0
Operating Systems
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using LWN.net and DistroWatch. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, DistroWatch should be more popular than LWN.net. It has been mentiond 284 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

LWN.net mentions (43)

  • Ask HN: Did Jack Dorsey cancel FOSDEM 202?
    There is an https://lwn.net article on the background. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Bus Number – The GitHub plugin my coworkers asked me not to write
    The Nebraska problem really is terrifying, I wonder how to get it in front of the eyes of CEOs and the like. PS: I suggested to LWN https://lwn.net/ that they might want to contact you about the Linux numbers. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • The journey of an internet packet: Exploring networks with traceroute
    So you think you understand IP fragmentation? (https://lwn.net) similar stories. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • Show HN: I'm 17 and wrote this guide on how CPUs run programs
    I can't resist pointing out that LWN (https://lwn.net/) has been dedicated, for many years, to the production of operating-system information that is not terrible. Have a look, and perhaps consider joining us :). - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Best Linux Kernel book to read in 2023?
    Honestly, you're probably best off just reading LWN: https://lwn.net/. They publish articles on bleeding-edge features of the kernel, often before they're even merged. The editors are highly technical, and excellent writers, who are able to explain technical concepts in a way that's often clearer than what you'll read in a textbook anyways. They also frequently get guest writers who are kernel contributors and/or... Source: about 2 years ago
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DistroWatch mentions (284)

  • Practical Guide to Switching to Linux
    This, but here are some things I've learned to do: * Use a .local directory under my home directory instead of ~/bin. That's a great prefix when installing from source or tarball at the user level, keeps the top-level of the home directory from getting cluttered with /share /lib /include /etc /lib etc. etc. * Reach for the package manager first when installing new software, unless there is a good reason not to. It... - Source: Hacker News / 2 months ago
  • Warm Welcome to Linux P2
    Picking a starting distro is like playing a game, it does not take long for us to stay in our starting town. With various informative sites like DistroWatch, and even a testing site like distro test, our options are endless. Beginners should not get too hung up on deciding which game they want to play as there are tons available. Sooner or later in life, some even leave their starting towns, and even their countries. - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
  • Warm Welcome to Linux
    The common sense I advocate mainly revolves around DistroWatch. High ranking distributions (indicated by the hits per day chart) are generally more favorable for many reasons; stability, support, user-friendliness, friendliness of other users and so on. Over the past few years, I have usually recommended the three major M named distros; Mint, Manjaro, and MX. They have had high favorability over the past decade. A... - Source: dev.to / 12 months ago
  • Linux Distros: Ubuntu and Manjaro Fall Further into Oblivion – February 2024
    The broken headline (should say Linux Gaming Distros) reminded me of DistroWatch's value to the community, aside from its unusual ranking system: https://distrowatch.com/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Ventoy, Live USB multitool for you ISOs Collector
    Ventoy is an open source tool to create bootable USB drive for ISO/WIM/IMG/VHD(x)/EFI files. With ventoy, you don't need to format the disk over and over, you just need to copy the image files to the USB drive and boot it You can copy many image files at a time and ventoy will give you a boot menu to select them. You can also browse ISO/WIM/IMG/VHD(x)/EFI files in local disk and boot them. x86 Legacy BIOS,... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing LWN.net and DistroWatch, you can also consider the following products

Hacker News - Hacker News is a social news website focusing on computer science and entrepreneurship. It is run by Paul Graham's investment fund and startup incubator, Y Combinator.

Linux Mint - Linux Mint is one of the most popular desktop Linux distributions and used by millions of people.

Lobsters - Lobsters is a technology-focused link-aggregation site.

Ubuntu - Ubuntu is a Debian Linux-based open source operating system for desktop computers.

explainshell - Match command-line arguments to their help.

SUSE Studio - Modernisieren Sie Ihre Infrastruktur mit SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, OpenStack Cloud-Technologie für IAAS und softwaredefiniertem Storage von SUSE.