This subject will raise a few eyebrows from the geek community. Everyone has their favorite Linux distribution. However, this post will be rather unbiased. I have my picks, but I will try to refrain from pushing them. So I’m ranking Linux distributions based on experience but not on personal preference (to an extent).

Choosing a Linux distribution is like choosing a programming language. You should pick the right tool for the job. I see three main uses of Linux as an operating system.

First of all, if you are going to be using Linux in an enterprise/business setting, you should probably learn the industrial standard distribution for enterprises. Chances are, if you are going to be a Linux admin at some big company, you’ll want to learn Red Hat (RHEL). It’s a commercial operating system, so if you want to practice using it, you’ll probably want on of its clones. They are usually free and are basically repackaged versions of RHEL. The forerunner of these clones is CentOS. Honorable mentions go to ClearOS and Scientific Linux as alternatives to Red Hat. These clones offer most of the same features as RHEL and give you a nearly exact replica of the Red Hat environment.

Secondly, if you are going to run Linux as a desktop operating system, there are a few good choices. Linux Mint, Debian, and Ubuntu make great desktop operating systems. Of those, I prefer granddaddy Debian. Debian is the basis for which many of the popular desktop Linuxes derive. Ubuntu is an “improved” version of Debian, though really I don’t care for many of the “improvements” and tend to stick with Debian. Linux Mint has two versions. One is derived from Ubuntu and the other is derived straight from Debian. Fedora also provides a good desktop experience and is based on Red Hat. So for you enterprise admins out there, Fedora will feel closer.

Finally, if you want a development server to run in a VM or another machine, I suggest Debian again. It’s one of the quickest and easiest to set up.

If you are a Linux guru, I suggest ArchLinux, as it gives you more control over more aspects of the OS.

One distribution that I’ve never tried (but I should) is Slackware. Many people like it. I personally don’t like being without a package manger.

No matter what you want to use Linux for, there’s a distribution for you. Check out DistroWatch for direct ratings of Linux distributions.

#1 Sole Proprietorship

A sole proprietorship is an unincorporated company that is owned by one individual only. While it is the most simple of the types of businesses, it also offers the least amount of financial and legal protection for the owner. Unlike partnerships or corporations, sole proprietorships do not create a separate legal identity for the business. Essentially, the owner of the business shares the same identity as the company, consistent communication is the key to success. Therefore, the owner is fully liable for any and all liabilities incurred by the company.

An entrepreneur may choose this option if they want to retain full control of the company. Additionally, it is a relatively easy and inexpensive process to establish a sole proprietorship. There are also tax benefits, as income is considered the owner’s personal income and therefore only taxed once. Finally, there are relatively few regulation requirements for sole proprietorships.

#2 Partnership

As the name states, a partnership is a business owned by two or more people, known as partners. Like sole proprietorships, partnerships are able to take advantage of flow-through taxation. This means that the income is treated as the owners’ incomes so it is only taxed once. Owners in partnerships are responsible for the liabilities of the firm. However, there are some nuances to this. There are different types of partnerships: general partnerships, limited partnerships, and limited liability partnerships, look into this coworking space located in Sydney.

General Partnerships: This is the easiest type of partnership to form, with few upkeep costs. Every partner is considered as participating in the operations of the business, and there is unlimited liability for every partner. This means that every partner’s personal assets can be used to repay the liabilities of the partnership. This also means that each partner is responsible for every other partner’s actions.

For example, John and Dave are in a general partnership. If John is sued for malpractice, Dave’s personal assets may also be claimed against in the lawsuit.

Limited Partnerships: This type of partnership has at least one general partner. This general partner takes on unlimited liability for the partnership and manages the operations of the company. Additionally, there are also limited partners in limited partnerships. Limited partners only take on as much liability as their financial stake in the business. However, as limited partners, they are not involved in management decisions and do not have any direct control over the company.