[TriLUG] What's the Fairest Distro of All?

[James Brigman]

Just when I thought I had a handle on the world of Linux distros, things
change out from under me. 

I'm running CentOS 4. I like it OK, but I've been looking for ready-to-
go RPM packages and am surprised to find that there are few, if any, on
the major websites for CentOS 4. For example, I tried to install a DVD
reader app, and came up short on the libraries required for the app to
run under CentOS/RHEL 4.

I've started looking for other packages for CentOS, and am finding that
the other distros have pulled out ahead of CentOS/RHEL 4 for RPM or YUM
package popularity: Mandrake 10 seems to have a lot going on, along with
Debian, SuSE 9, and even Fedora Core 1, 2 and 3. 

The questions I've got are:
1) Can I just use any Fedora Core 3 packages I find for RHEL/CentOS 4?
2) What's the distro seeing the most activity for add-on software these
days? 
3) Is there a website anywhere with a grid that tallies such
information? I thought Distrowatch would be the thing, but turned up
null there. 
4) Without trying to start any flamewars here - what's everyone's
favorite distros to use for a WinXP replacement (everyday desktop "heavy
lifting") and why? 
5) Should I just shut up and subscribe to Linux Journal or Linux
World? :-)

JKB