Is There Such a Thing as Too Many GNU/Linux Distributions?

I think it's time to clarify the matter of "too many Linux distributions" once and for all. For a Linux veteran like myself, it is getting annoying to see all sorts of comments on the Internet from people complaining that there are way too many distributions of Linux.

First of all, let's clarify the fact that Linux is the kernel, the core component of a distribution or operating system, and that one should refer to it as the Linux kernel. The computer or mobile operating systems based on Linux kernel are to be called GNU/Linux distributions or Linux kernel-based operating systems.

During the last 15 years, I have had the pleasure of testing hundreds of Linux kernel-based operating systems. I've never thought of them as being too many. I for one still get curious to see what's different or unique to a brand new GNU/Linux distribution that's being released on the market. On Softpedia, we list about 2,000 GNU/Linux operating systems.

Of course, some are consecrated, such as Ubuntu, Arch Linux, Fedora, OpenSuSE, or Debian; some are community-made and very popular among new users because of their simplicity or modern, easy-to-use functionality incorporated, such as Manjaro, Solus, or Chakra; and some are derivatives of consecrated OSes that have small modifications.

Yes, it is true that some people will not like certain new GNU/Linux distributions because the only thing they bring is a new Linux kernel or a bunch of different apps and some UI tweaks as compared to the operating system it is based on. But that's not a reason to say things like "there are too many distributions." It's like I'm saying, "there are too many Android ROMs out there."

Is there such thing as too many Android ROMs?

I hear people say things like "Linux is a failure" because there are too many OSes, because of the fragmentation, and yes, as is the case of GNU/Linux distributions, please keep in mind that there's also a great number of Android operating systems out there (see the XDA website). Does that mean that Android, which is also based on the Linux kernel, is a failure? No, it is a great success.

I bet that if Microsoft made its Windows operating open-source and gave people the tools they needed to fork/clone the OS, there would be thousands of Windows derivatives to choose from. I remember that there were a couple of them some years ago that became extremely popular among the Windows community because they had all sorts of apps pre-installed and made everything much easier.

So, to end this editorial, there's no such thing as too many GNU/Linux distributions. There's only a matter of choice. It's not like someone wanted to make a bad joke and dropped thousands of Linux kernel-based operating systems to annoy you. There are so many because the community wanted to be so many, because the community loves Linux. Just say thank you because you have from where to choose, and you aren't stuck with the same operating system for the rest of your life.

When you go to the mall, and you enter a shop with hundreds of pairs of shoes, you say, "there are way too many shoes, I'm out of here"? No, you don't. The fact of the matter is that you are happy that you have the option of choosing, and you can't wait to try them all, or at least the ones you like the most. The same goes for everything else in life, just get used with it. It's always good to try something new once in a while.