## Information

DistroWatch is basically your go-to website if you’re into Linux or other open-source Unix-like operating systems. It’s been around since 2001 and keeps a huge, up-to-date database of hundreds of Linux distributions plus some BSDs and other niche OSes. You can check out detailed info, compare them, see their release histories, read user reviews, and snag official download links all in one place.

They also have weekly news updates and summary articles to keep you in the loop with the latest happenings in the Linux world. Plus, there’s a friendly community vibe with forums and guides for beginners and pros alike. Overall, it’s like a one-stop shop for exploring and staying ahead in the open-source OS game.

## The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Starting with the Good—DistroWatch is basically the reason a lot of distros get noticed at all. Without it, many would just be stuck in obscurity with hardly anyone hearing about them. For example, I credit some of the buzz around XeroLinux to this site. Plus, I like how they keep track of each distro’s release history so users can easily follow along with updates and changes.

Now for the Bad—there’s a downside. The site isn’t really well-moderated. That means anyone can post whatever, true or not, and it just stays there. The admins don’t seem to verify or control what’s being said about distros. So you end up with stuff floating around that might be misleading or flat out wrong. Not cool, in my opinion.

And finally, the Ugly, which is the main reason I’m venting here. XeroLinux has been listed on DistroWatch since 2022 and was gradually gaining traction. Then, when I had to step away due to burnout, they marked it as Discontinued which hasn’t been correct for well over a year now. No longer is, check update below.

## Situation Update

Since this post originally went up, the situation’s been sorted out. XeroLinux is back up and running, the links are fixed, and things are slowly getting back on track. Big shoutout to that one awesome person from the DistroWatch team who made this possible (I won’t name names, but you know who you are—thank you!).

I decided to leave this post up because, honestly, some parts are still relevant. Other distro maintainers have shared similar experiences with me, both recently and in the past. Just wanted to keep you all in the loop about what’s happened since.

If you want to help us climb the popularity ladder quicker or maybe even write a quick review, you can do that right here.

But just a heads up, don’t treat DistroWatch as the ultimate measure of popularity. That site mainly sorts distros by downloads and page views, not by actual user numbers. Plus, nobody really knows if the reviewers actually use the distro for any meaningful amount of time before leaving a review.

And hey, always take the info about any distro (not just ours) with a pinch of salt. Some of it’s spot on, some… not so much. The only real way to know is to try it out yourself!

Let me know what you think of all this in the comments, I’d really love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for reading ❤️‍🔥🙏