Linux Distribution Round-Up 61
Patrick Mullen writes: "The Duke of URL has just posted a Distribution Round-Up. The article covers information on many of today's (and yesterday's) popular Linux distributions as well as links to many distribution reviews -- and aims to arm Linux users with the information to choose the distro that is right for them." It's pretty much required that Slashdot publish one of these every few months.
Vine? (Score:3)
A couple of corrections (Score:1)
Perhaps one of WinLinux's biggest features is that it was the first partitionless versions of Linux.
Hmm, I remember using doslinux long before WinLinux was ever around. Since it ran on top of umsdos, no partitioning was needed. I believe Slackware also supported umsdos (and possibly does still? dunno, I don't use it any more...).
Mandrake's GUI enhancements often require more memory than a stock Linux distribution, often requiring 32 MB just for their DrakX graphical installer.
Yet there's no mention of RedHat 7.1's ftp installer, which won't run on my system with 48 megs of RAM. I don't know how much it needs, but that's absurd. (Note that the NFS install works just fine with 48 megs).
Old? (Score:1)
Quite a few South American languages... (Score:2)
In addition to this, they are Brazilian, meaning this distribution supports quite a few South American languages as well as the standard US/English.
And that is quite an acomplishment, considering the fact that only two major western languages are spoken in South America, Portuguese and Spanish.
Also, last time I checked Connectiva, support for Tupi-Guarani, Ancient Inca and Traditional Ianomani was still lacking.
uhm... (Score:2)
now i know the slashdot editors may still get excited when a mainstream media outlet mentions linux. but i got over it about three years ago.
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Kondara (Score:3)
1) It says that is a GNU project.
Kondara has never been, and never will be, a GNU project. It is created by a group of volunteers and packaged by a commercial enterprise, Digital Factory. (Some people consider DF to be a bunch of VC losers, but that depends on who you ask.)
2) It says that Kondara appears dead.
A new version is currently at beta2, scheduled for release in the next month or two.
With errors like these, one has to wonder just how well the writer did his research.
Re:Kondara (Score:2)
Caution: Now approaching the (technological) singularity.
Re:They recommend Suse. Cool, but... (Score:2)
Anything which could become a chokepoint needs to be widened or branched around. Design to avoid centralized positions of control.
Caution: Now approaching the (technological) singularity.
Re:slackware (Score:2)
Caution: Now approaching the (technological) singularity.
SW 7.1 + Xfree 4.0 (Score:1)
Re:uhm... (Score:1)
Re:SW 7.1 + Xfree 4.0 (Score:1)
Re:Bah! Only weenies use distributions! (Score:3)
9600 bps connections using TERM and mosaic-term to surf the web for the first time.
How retro.
Re:Bah! Only weenies use distributions! (Score:3)
Building a Linux system from scratch is by all means time consuming. If you have time to do it that way, congratulations.
Re:Bah! Only weenies use distributions! (Score:1)
There is a book called Linux From Scratch [linuxfromscratch.org] that gives instructions for building a complete linux system from source code. The instructions are good enough that you don't have to be an expert to follow them. I would highly recommend this "distribution" to anyone wanting a completely customized linux system.
Re:Bah! Only weenies use distributions! (Score:1)
Re:Bah! Only weenies use distributions! (Score:1)
Re:Progeny is on the list. (Score:2)
Sorry - rather, Progeny isn't in the category lists. It hasn't been classified as simple, intermediate or advanced, and it didn't receive a review as the remainder of the distributions did.
Progeny missing. (Score:3)
Re:uhm... advocacy assistance (Score:1)
While most slashdot readers probably already know this, I think that this could be helpful when trying to orient people when you are trying to introduce linux in an organization. Once old-timer IS people see how well it works within our larger network services infrastructure, they are always asking about all of the different distros and which one they should be trying. This type of overview is good to have around to give to those people.
What about Progeny? (Score:2)
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Re:uhm... (Score:1)
Now I'm not going to defend this particular article, as I didn't find it enormously enlightening on the subject, but it was decently well written and did contain most of what I wanted to know. However, I do think this stuff belongs on the
~Anguirel (lit. Living Star-Iron)
"Veni; Vidi; Vi C++"
Where is...? (Score:1)
Re:Kondara (Score:1)
Re:Bah! Only weenies use distributions! (Score:1)
I also upgraded that sucker while mostly following Debian and Slackware for file system structure. I did it all the way up to Linux 2.2.12.
Eventually, my system became unstable. It was probably due to a bad compiler. You know. The one compiled with bad memory.
Since then I have switched over to FreeBSD. I no longer have the time nor inclination to worry about glibc incompatibilities or where the files went. Now I have more time for development as opposed to solid administration.
Before anyone complains, I do realize a Linux distribution would have solved this, but I picked FreeBSD due to several more criteria I was looking at (i.e., extensive man pages, standard file system layout, libc and kernel sync, and central repository using CVS).
Re:Bah! Only weenies use distributions! (Score:1)
Both will run on FreeBSD. Personally, I run Enlightenment v0.16.5.
Re:Progeny is on the list. (Score:1)
Those aren't the only errors! (Score:2)
"At the release of 7.1, not only does Slackware include XFree86 4.0, but also KDE 2.0 (beta), Kernel 2.4 (test), and Perl 5.6. While none of the other options will cause much of a problem (as they are in the unstable tree), Perl 5.6 causes some big problems. Still, this is just one problem, and unless you actually run Perl, this won't affect you."
Which is false. Slack 7.1 uses 2.2.17, XF 3.3.6, KDE 1.1.2. Anly the Perl part is close to accurate. But Perl 5.6 works creat at running Kuro5hin [kuro5hin.org], so you have to wender. If at least two distro parts were way off base, who's to say they're all not wrong in same way (which I naturally would not know since I'm reading the article to familiarize myself with them!).
(Note: yeah, some of the stuff he mentioned is in contrib, but they are not reallf useable packages -- LinuxMafia [linuxmafia.org] has better packages.)
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I noticed. (Score:1)
That's just plain bad reporting. It appeared to be a decent article, but with so many mistakes (and very obvious mistakes), I don't think I can trust any of the info about distros I don't already know about.
The only thing that guy has going for him is the catchy domain name and handle.
Re:SW 7.1 + Xfree 4.0 (Score:1)
Linux rocks!!! www.dedserius.com [dedserius.com]
Re:Vine? (Score:4)
Omitted: e-smith (Score:1)
Stand on the shoulders of a correct configuration and move on from there.
e-smith is also good if you want to help move MS out of the server-farm room, as well.
My 2 cents... ;-)
Re: (Score:1)
Focus on bundled software (Score:1)
Missing Distros (Score:1)
Re:Mandrake=most advanced distribution? (Score:1)
I know most of the navigation in the installer could be done by keyboard, but it was a bit slow: moving up/down to another package on a list had an annoying delay while the description text appeared. Dunno if this had to do with the framebuffer X or something else. On a text mode menu you would very quickly scroll around with up/down keys and press space to [un]select a package.
But hey, no distro is perfect and Mandrake 8.0 is the best I've used so far.
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I hit the karma cap, now do I gain enlightenment?
Re:A couple of corrections (Score:1)
Re:Progeny missing. (Score:1)
Bah! Only weenies use distributions! (Score:2)
(Although I do use Slackware for my basic source of everything...I originally used SLS [SoftLanding System - remember them? 1993/1994 in Victoria Canada...one of the first distributions around])
Bah! Distributions! Bah!
Thomas Dzubin
slackware (Score:1)
Re:And The Review Of Mandrake Is Right On (Score:1)
After Windows users start seeing Linux-mandrake crash and lock up they are going to think poorly on Linux and go back to Windows. I am not paraniod or prejiduce agaisn't mandrke but I am just telling you what I experienced and seen with it. Look at all the anti-linux posts at zdnet and here and you will relise all the users or %90 use Mandrake. Mandrake is the SCO Xenix of the linux community.
Re:They recommend Suse. Cool, but... (Score:1)
THey have a right to show their share holders that they can protect their intellectual property. What they are doing is perfectly legal under the GPL. ITs free as in speech but not beer. Alot of work went into developing SuSE and the GPL says you only need to give away the source if your selling it or tying it. They are doing this. If you pay you have the source.
Also caldera is very proprietary. THey do release the soure to the linux related software but everything else is closed soruce and Ransom Love stated that he did not like the gpl. Caldera is alot more anti-gpl then SuSE.
What about Caldera OpenLinux? (Score:2)
They also have a lot of big-name corporate deals involving Linux, a commercial version of embedded Linux (Lineo), and the code and customer list for SCO now. They were the first to ship with KDE as a graphical desktop (I believe with KDE Beta-3, before even KDE 1.0) and one of the first to ship with a full desktop of any kind (with Looking Glass, way back when). I think Caldera has always put out great distributions.
I use eDesktop 2.4 right now. I chose it after comparing it to a number of others. I have basically upgraded my distribution (not a fun task) after each generation of libraries -- first when the switch from a.out to elf was made (libc4 to libc5) and then when the switch from the linux-hacked GNU libc to the standard GNU libc was made (libc5 to libc6). My first distribution (a.out) was Slackware, but for both upgrades since then I've tried out a number of distributions, and both times I've ended up choosing Caldera's distributions over the likes of Red Hat and Debian. Why? The LISA tool (which you can choose instead of Lizard if you want) gives me Slackware-like flexibility during install, and once in, the compiler and library configurations always seem to compile more free source code "out of the box" without frustration, which is a big deal to me.
Re:Bah! Only weenies use distributions! (Score:2)
I clung to Mosiac for the longest time... I nearly cried when they said that 2.7b5 [IIRC] would be the final release and that development was stopping. Then I went looking around at others, like Chimera and Mmosaic... I hated Netscape. *sigh*
I miss the days when the "amazing" factor was so high in Linux and computing in general. These days, we can do anything, so anything we do is mundane.
Re:SW 7.1 + Xfree 4.0 (Score:2)
I'm doing some Slackware 7.1 installs on non-personal systems right now, and it's like a 10 minute job at most. If that sort of thing is above your head, perhaps you should be trying an rpm-based distribution instead of Slackware, just to make things a little easier for you! No sense in beating your head against a wall and there's no shame in being not quite ready for Slackware yet.
Better yet, just give it a try. Download all of the files in the XFree86 4.0.2 distribution for i386 Linux Glibc 2.1 [xfree86.org] and read and follow the "Install" file, which will tell you how to proceed to install XFree86 4.0.2. Then, re-visit the XFree86 repository and grab the update to 4.0.3 and install it in similar fashion.
Re:SW 7.1 + Xfree 4.0 (Score:1)
Slackware 7.1 DOES come with Xfree 4.0. In the set that I bought, it's on disk 4 in the contributed package archive.
-- juju
Mandrake=beginner distribution? (Score:1)
other architectures? (Score:1)
can anyone point me to something like this for other architectures? i run all ppc at home, and a friend of mine is looking at getting an alpha... a fairly complete comparison like this would be a godsend.
--saint----
Missing Linux Distro's (Score:1)
-Steven
http://www.thedukeofurl.org
Re:Quite a few South American languages... (Score:1)
Re:SW 7.1 + Xfree 4.0 (Score:1)
Re:slackware (Score:1)
Re:redhat created RPM? (Score:1)
The Linux Distribution List (Score:4)
There's a pretty complete Linux distribution list here [www.ldl.cx].
Re:They recommend Suse. Cool, but... (Score:1)
I don't think I said it wasn't legal. The GPL also deals with distribution, though. As in, you can freely redistribute the work or derivative works, with the only stipulation being that the source code also has to be included as well. You cannot redistribute Suse the distro, or YAST, without permission from Suse the company. They have not been released under the GPL. They've been released under a different license. They're the only things Suse does that aren't released under the GPL. Why?
And so what if Caldera is not in favor of the GPL? How are they proprietary? Ransom Love said that he *was* in favor of BSD-style licensing. I was under the impression that everything will still be open source, just not GPL. We were talking about Suse, not Caldera anyway.
Caldera releases stuff under the GPL. Caldera the company may not be in favor of the GPL, but Caldera the Linux distro company doesn't have any problems with it. Caldera is trying to become a Unix software company, with Linux thrown in for good measure. As far as I know, all of Caldera Linux is under the GPL. And anyway, Caldera isn't abandoning the GPL. All their stuff will be open source and I'm sure their Linux distro will remain GPL.
They recommend Suse. Cool, but... (Score:2)
I just don't get Suse, the company. Their YAST and YAST2 programs are under their own, non-GPL license. I believe the distribution as a whole is under a funny license as well. They refuse to release installation iso's for 7.0 or 7.1 for x86. If you frequent LinuxIso.org [linuxiso.org] you know what I'm talking about [linuxiso.org]. But Suse released "live evaluation" iso's of 7.0 and 7.1. You can install Suse from ftp. You can even download installation iso's for every other arcitechture that they support. But not for x86. It just baffles me.
Linux Central [linuxcentral.com] just recently added a Suse 7.0 disc to their Linux Cental CD-Roms selection. But not 7.1. I know I could roll my own and stuff, but the new Redhat, Conectiva, and Debian beckon to come and try them out as well. Rather waste my time messing with getting Linux From Scratch working, than trying to get Suse installed.
I know. The patent answer is "It's business, stupid", but that argument doesn't make much sense when *all* of your competition is offering 'free samples', but you're not. As a dumb American, what's the reason for going with Suse instead of Redhat or Mandrake, or even Storm or Progeny? I just don't get it.
One other thing, if anyone can help me. One of the most annoying things right now for me is the lack of good fonts in web pages under Konq. Do the boxed distros include fonts that aren't included in the download versions? I haven't bought a boxed distro in almost six months and it's about time to get one. I'll definately get one sooner than later if I can get some better fonts.
And finally, I feel the need to pimp some of the very cool distros I've come across. I've haven't been able to try these out yet (doh. got to get a cd burner.) but they do look cool. First, Caldera has released a beta for their upcoming 3.1 workstation release. Their is a review [linuxplanet.com] of it at Linux Planet [linuxplanet.com]. The coolest transistion distro I've found is Redmond Linux [redmondlinux.org]. Tries to focus on the destop and do away with the need for the command line. There is also Demudi [centrotemporeale.it]. The Debian Multimedia Distribution. The name says it all. Then there's a few of the more hardcore, hacker type distros: Rock Linux [rocklinux.org], Stampede Linux [stampede.org], and Linux From Scratch [linuxfromscratch.org]. And last, but not least. The most vaporous of them all. Microsoft Linux [mslinux.org].
finally... (Score:1)
And The Review Of Mandrake Is Right On (Score:1)
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Debian (Score:1)
i used SunOS at work for 3 years before i tried Debian, so i already had some idea of what a *nix could do, and some experienced systems admins to ask for advice.
i've done RedHat, and been very hard pressed to get it to do what i wanted. i've tried Dragon Linux for fun, too. they work, but they do not have good package management, and when something new comes out i'm hard-pressed to upgrade anything.
apt-get and dselect are Debians true masterpieces.
yes, Debian is conservative. i laude the package maintainers for their work in testing before release. if Debian cost money, i'd pay it gladly. i'm glad it doesn't.
Bob-
Re:Linux slahsback (Score:1)
Just because someone has a different opinion doesn't mean that it is wrong. I happen to be a big proponent of the GPL. I am not however a huge fan of Linux. It's just one of the Kernels of the GNU operating system. No more no less.
Linux is neat but it's not a religion.
Re:Bah! Only weenies use distributions! (Score:1)