Yes, you're right wrt the GUI. I'd kind of tangentially gone off about the 'I need a better GNU/Linux distro - I'll use a derivative of Debian' angle. I had a look for a package list for current Ubuntu Server LTS (now 20 months old) but couldn't find one. I expect it includes upstart, given the vintage. Nonetheless.

Could you please explain this reasoning:

  > Being "heard of more often" translates into the most up-to-date package manager

I think you're agreeing with me when I say Ubuntu is heard of more often, and you say it's well-known.

Support -- have you compared the length of support for Debian stable and Ubuntu LTS releases? Did you conclude that Ubuntu has long-term support and Debian does not?

Can you also explain what you mean by:

  > [Ubuntu has] wider software compatibility than any other distro

I'd be curious what software runs on Ubuntu that doesn't run on, Debian, CentOS/RHEL, etc.