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What distro do you use and why?

indie

By indie
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Your favourite Linux distro  

31 members have voted

  1. 1. Your favourite Linux distro


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indie

indie

Posted
Posted

I'm sure we all have our favourite distro that we use and recommend to people, but just what is it about that distro that you like?

 

I've been using Debian for years. It's moved on from what it was in the late 90s and has excellent package management!

 

Need to install apache? apt-get install apache

 

Need to install mySQL? apt-get install mysql

 

It installs the other components that the package needs and sets up a default configuration.

 

Want to update all your packages to the latest version? apt-get dist-upgrade

 

What other features do you like that your distro has?

kingswood

kingswood

Posted
Posted

I've never been very good at getting Debian installed, although when I have done have found apt an excellent package management system.

 

I installed SuSE 10 OSS last night on my Dell Inspiron 510m, and everything works! It was a fantastic install and I think I might just switch from XP Pro to SuSE on the machine permanently. I have always liked the manuals with SuSE, and the system seems nicely polished. I also happen to like YAST- it's been a really handy configuration tool. The other thing I love is the depth of software that comes with the average SuSE package- just amazing!

 

*sigh* getting all sentimental :-)

 

Paul

DMcCoy

DMcCoy

Posted
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Pity Novell got hold of suse :/ First distro I used too :)

 

I've moved to debian now, but only because I can't use openbsd very easily without vmware tools. OpenBSD is rather daunting to install, but it has no extra rubbish with it and is small and secure.

 

I can't stand all these huge distros, completely useless for what I want.

 

I know OpenBSD isn't a distro, but they are all unix like.

MkII

MkII

Posted
Posted

With my very limited experience I vote ubuntu! :)

 

Minimal number of installed apps initially. Like the idea of the update/install system. Gotta do a re-install of the generic x86 version as the amd64 version has problems with flash and a particular java applet I need.

 

I tried Mandrake almost 10 years ago - didn't like it really, Red Hat on a server since, Slackware, Xandros recently, and live CD's of Damn Small and Linspire - as well as knoppix and Kanotix that I keep in my kit.

ChrisH

ChrisH

Posted
Posted
I use debian as once again the package management is excellent. I have tried various other distros but got completely lost with them especialy the $&£** RPM dependancy crap . I started of doing full installs with full GUI then threw myself in the deep end and installed from a base installation and went from there with the basic command line. Im still no master as my frequent posts is the Linux forum will indicate but I enjoy learning how to use another oh so flexible OS.
E1uSiV3

E1uSiV3

Posted
Posted

Technically its not linux, but ive only run FreeBSD to any useful extent, so my vote goes to other. From Geoffs reccomendations (and the fact i like the optimisation and customisation gentoo allows) ill be tryign gentoo on my next bit of kit.

 

btw, due to the nature of gentoo (ie the custom compiles etc) is there a livecd available or do i need to create one? (which sorta defeats the object lol) ive found a wiki on how to create them but cant find anything on an "out the box" livecd. The issue is i have no hardware to currently install gentoo on and i wanted to try it on my workstation at work.

SimpleSi

SimpleSi

Posted
Posted

Using Ubuntu (it works and comes on 1 CD) at home and at 1 school.

 

Used RedHat 7.0 in the old days.

 

Always have Knoppix at hand for rescue work.

 

regards

Simon

penguinpowered

penguinpowered

Posted
Posted

I started way back when (about 4 or 5 years ago) with Redhat 6.0, then moved on to Redhat 7.3, 8.0, 9.0 Fedora 2, Fedora 3, Fedora 4 (very recently), and I've tried out various others (slackware, suse, debian). I've even tried OpenBSD and Darwin though I did have a little trouble getting Darwin installed.

I also regularly use various live cd's for tasks including knoppix, slax, phlak, std, demo-linux, mepis, and some floppy-based distros including, trinux and brutalware.

My PC is currently dual-booting XP & Fedora 4. I've also got a laptop running Ubuntu, a PDA (Sharp Zaurus) running OpenZaurus 1.5.3 (based on th 2.4 kernel), my iPod runs Linux for iPod with the Podzilla interface.

 

Much love for the penguin!

penguinpowered

penguinpowered

Posted
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Curious that no one is using DeadRat? Not even got an Enterprise Edition server between us? :)

 

I did look into trialling it at home before I got Fedora 4 but I didn't see any advantages over Fedora (considering that my 'trial version' wouldn't have been eligible for support). ;)

ConTheITGuy

ConTheITGuy

Posted
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I'm sure I read somewhere (tho I may have dreamt it) that it was going to be made available to schools for nowt - anyone else concur with that or am I just making it up (quite likely) :)

 

Andy.

ConTheITGuy

ConTheITGuy

Posted
Posted

Yeah, just looked into it - RedHat do Academic pricing but a Site 'Subscription' starts at $2,500! Tho you can get individual licenses - would probably need looking into (more).

 

:)

  • 2 weeks later...
eejit

eejit

Posted
Posted
I've mainly used SuSE over the years, but gave Ubuntu a try recently - I hated it and went back to SuSE. People online are up in arms that Novel have ruined it, but I just see it being better with every release. Am I dillusional?
  • 1 month later...
openhgs

openhgs

Posted
Posted

AT school, we use FC3 & 4, because they are the natural progression from Redhat. I first installed Redhat professionally in 1997 and I used it until the Fedora split off. Over the years, it has proved to be the most reliable, the easist to administer and the easiest to upgrade. We're an LTSP site; are there any others on this list?

 

My first deviation from RH was to Suse. I spent 6 months with it, before cutting back. I got sick of having to download dependancies, when ever I wanted to do something. Take The Gimp, for example. Suse did not have the development libraries on the CDs. which made compiling Gimp plugins impossible. I also found YAST to be less than sucessful when making changes to hardware configs. I also had a brief filitation (3 days) with Ubuntu, but after it completely trashed my filesystem, I swung back to FC. and here I will stay.

 

At home, my laptop runs RGH7.1 and my main box dual boots FC3 and Windows 3.1; as an aside am I the only person running Windows 3.1 on a P4 2K? It's very quick, on the very rare occaisons that I use it.

webman

webman

Posted
Posted

Windows. 8O Three. 8O Point One 8O :lol:

 

I did a very small trial of K12-LTSP based on FC3 last year, but it seemed very, very slow on a 2.4GHz P4 with 1GB of RAM with only one client connected. Now Edubuntu does LTSP I may revisit the idea if I get the chance :)

CyberNerd

CyberNerd

Posted
Posted

@webman

Check out FreeNX, I use it to access my (SuSE) Desktop from home and vice (over ssh) versa, Its faster over slow network links as it uses Citrix style compression and caching, Its just a more advanced LTSP and it will also allow you to forward RDP connections to windows servers/.

http://freenx.berlios.de/

Never tried for multiuser though.

They also have a commercial version with better management tools.

http://nomachine.com/

 

There is now a Thin Client / Server Forum on EduGeek :D

MkII

MkII

Posted
Posted
I 'knew' of an IT Manager that ran Win 3.1 and Office 2.4 [i think] on some serious h/w - it had the functionality he needed an booted and ran like ....

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