Linux Distributions

rjstaaf · 05-25-07, 04:45

Hey all,

Just curious how many of you guys out there run Linux and if you do what distros?

I have been a Red Hat guy for many years and run Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 on one machine and the latest test release of Fedora 7 on another.

Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop
redhat.com | Desktop

Fedora
Fedora Project

I recently downloaded Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn for my kids though and they are enjoying it. I know it is considered a "newbie" distro but not sure you can call anything based on Debian a "newbie distro"

Ubuntu
Ubuntu Home Page | Ubuntu

Anyone using Linux in their work? Anyone using at exclusively at work or home? Just hoping to converse with other Linux users here on Autopia

mikebai1990 · 05-25-07, 04:52

First off, I'd like to clear the misconception that Ubuntu is a "newbie' distro

It has every bit of customizability and features as any other distro. The terminal can still be used to perform any feature other distributions of Linux have. The only thing is that Linux newbies find the graphical interface more pleasing and similar to something like Windows. It allows them to perform the same operations, except graphically. More experienced users use the terminal if they choose to.

I use Ubuntu Linux on my laptop and I use it exclusively. Originally I was dual-booting Windows XP and Ubuntu, but I switched completely to Ubuntu after finding that I had all the applications and necessary features that I needed. I've found that little things in Ubuntu have allowed me to be much more efficient in my use of the computer and web browsing. Things like keyboard shortcuts, pressing ALT to move windows, powerful applications, all contribute to my decision to use Ubuntu.

What I like about Ubuntu is the amount of programs that you can get from open-source projects. Sure, you won't be able to run Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Photoshop CS3 without lots of tweaking, but little programs like the calculator and the file browser are so much more efficient and useful compared to similar programs on Windows computers. Another big reason why I chose Linux and Ubuntu specifically is that there is a large support base on ubuntu forums, where help is easily found.

rjstaaf · 05-25-07, 05:33

You don't have to convince me, we have been running Ubuntu Feisty Fawn since it came out on the kids machine and they love it. The only complaint the kids have and this is one shared by all Linux distros and that is the lack of a Shockwave plugin. The kids love to play flash and shockwave games and since the switch to Linux from Windows on their machine they haven't been able to play the Shockwave games.

Ubuntu has even got me looking at Debian again. I have played around with the latest version "Etch" and was impressed by the changes they have made. I am going to be putting Etch on my old Cobalt Qube that will act as a log server for my small home network.

Debian
Debian -- The Universal Operating System

Debian on Cobalt
Debian on Cobalt

yarek · 05-25-07, 08:13

I am also an ubuntu fan, for now I am dual booting. I have to make sure that I can run everything before I sitch to non microsoft world. I am running XP on one Desktop and one Laptop. Ubuntu is on the laptop with Vista (I'm sorry but I'am not a big fan of Vista, to put it lightly).

mikebai1990 · 05-25-07, 09:19

rjstaaf: Flash games work fine for me. Adobe recently released it's Flash program for linux, so flash shouldn't be a problem. As for shockwave, I'm not so sure.

envirocbr · 05-25-07, 10:00

I am a faithful Linux User

For Desktop use: Mandriva

Server: centOS - or RHEL

I DO NOT like Gentoo or debian based distros AT ALL

Ubuntu quickly takes users away from the "open source" method of computing and putting 3rd party non-free packages right at their feet. Not my kinda way of computing in the open source world. I stay away from as much non-free as possible.

YES, this means I DO NOT like Unbuntu - PUKE

Also, come over to IRC and chat with us in the forums.

You should have xChat available

the server is: irc.freenode.net

Join the channel: #mandriva or #lfd

You will see me there!

envirocbr · 05-25-07, 10:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjstaaf

Hey all,

Just curious how many of you guys out there run Linux and if you do what distros?

I have been a Red Hat guy for many years and run Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 on one machine and the latest test release of Fedora 7 on another.

Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop
redhat.com | Desktop

Fedora
Fedora Project

I recently downloaded Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn for my kids though and they are enjoying it. I know it is considered a "newbie" distro but not sure you can call anything based on Debian a "newbie distro"

Ubuntu
Ubuntu Home Page | Ubuntu

Anyone using Linux in their work? Anyone using at exclusively at work or home? Just hoping to converse with other Linux users here on Autopia

I see your a Honda Fan....Go Nicky GO!!!!!!

Prometheus · 05-27-07, 03:54

I dual boot a FC6 install with an XP pro install. I've tinkered with Ubuntu and Debian and like them both, but for whatever reason I just keep coming back to Fedora. One of my good friends really likes Suse, but it drives me bonkers. I just abhor their menu system, I can't really explain it, but for whatever reason it just doesn't jive with the way my brain works.

rjstaaf · 05-27-07, 05:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prometheus

I dual boot a FC6 install with an XP pro install. I've tinkered with Ubuntu and Debian and like them both, but for whatever reason I just keep coming back to Fedora. One of my good friends really likes Suse, but it drives me bonkers. I just abhor their menu system, I can't really explain it, but for whatever reason it just doesn't jive with the way my brain works.

I know what you mean. I started with Red Hat 6.0 and have run every version since. I currently have the latest RC2 of Fedora 7 on one of my machines.

Just like with detailing products and most everything else, I am a tinkerer at heart. I probably have a current set of CDs for at least a dozen different Linux distributions and I have installed and played around with each of them but, like you I keep coming back to Red Hat/Fedora.

rjstaaf · 05-28-07, 07:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by envirocbr

I am a faithful Linux User

snip...

Ubuntu quickly takes users away from the "open source" method of computing and putting 3rd party non-free packages right at their feet. Not my kinda way of computing in the open source world. I stay away from as much non-free as possible.

YES, this means I DO NOT like Unbuntu - PUKE

snip...

This is a tough issue as I am on the fence about it as well. The problem I see though with the "free-software" purist philosophy is that there is no way Linux will ever be anything but an "enthusiast" only OS if we cannot compromise. I too do not want to see Linux dominated or influenced by any commercial entity but unless the community can come up with viable alternatives to these non-free packages that are in such high demand, distributions like Ubuntu are going to continue to grow.

Regardless of how you feel about Ubuntu, one thing is hard to deny. They have brought hoards of people into the community that likely would have NEVER given Linux a second thought. That can only be a good thing

TnM6i · 05-28-07, 08:12

I ran Red Hat several years ago when I was in school and really enjoyed it. My brother and I started the Linux Router Project, but never got around to getting it fully set up. I am in the process of partitioning for Ubuntu. This will be the first distro I've used in a long time, so i think it's a decent way to get back into Linux. Eventually, I will install one of the other versions. Now, if I can just remember some of those terminal commands. LOL.

BlackElantraGT · 12-03-07, 05:31

Recently, WinXP gave me some trouble on an old laptop of mine that I hadn't used in 2 years. I thought this would be the perfect time to try out Linux. When the laptop was newer, I was never able to get any Linux distro to boot up. Surprisingly, I've been able to install and use OpenSUSE 10.3 and Kubuntu 7.1 (for some reason, my laptop will not read any of the disks I burn for Ubuntu). I also thought that it was funny that both distro of Linux automatically installed the proper drivers for my laptop's Synaptic pad and cursor and the volume buttons right out of the box, yet when I reinstalled WinXP I had to go download the drivers from Compaq. OpenSUSE also popped up with a message that my S.M.A.R.T. hard disk drive was failing, which was probably the culprit of why XP failed to boot on me. S.M.A.R.T. has been around for years now for hard drives, yet I never figured what the heck it was for. Freakin M$.

I used OpenSUSE with KDE and it takes forever to boot into the system, but once I'm in it feels pretty fast. Kubuntu I boot into much faster and feels the same while I'm using the system, but it's shutdown/restarts seems to hang compared to OpenSUSE.

I'm a linux noob, but at this point I can't really say which I prefer. They both have their pros/cons. I do not care for OpenSUSE's menu system at all. Coming from a Windows environment, I thought it looked cool at first but I found it to be annoying having to go through the menus.

On the other hand, OpenSUSE seems to be less buggy than Kubuntu. Kubuntu's Adept Manager kept crashing on me until I googled for help and found other users with the same problem. I ended up having to fix it through the console. It wasn't hard to do, but that stuff should work right out of the box.

Which brings me to my main gripe about Linux: wireless card support. I've given up on trying to get wireless to work with my particular wifi cardbus adapter. I have an older OrinoCo 802.11 b card that might work with these systems, but I don't feel like dumbing down my router or disabling security all together just to use that card for Linux (it's only capable of doing WEP).

I know a lot of the blame for this is on the card manufacturer, but my laptop is pointless to me without wireless internet access. I wish it was easier. I may be a linux noob, but I'm fairly PC-literate, so I feel more comfortable with computers than the average user. As much as I'd like to just use linux only on this laptop, I don't ever see myself switching completely to it.

If I were to just install linux on the family desktop, there's no way my wife or any other family member (who are all computer noobs) would be able to figure out how to do basic functions using Linux, such as installing/removing programs, at least not on their own. It's just not friendly enough for the average user and as much as we all hate Microsoft, their OS is easy enough for an average user to pick up and learn. There's a slightly higher learning curve to OS X compared to XP, but it's still a much easier OS to use than any of the Linux distro's I've tried so far.

I was really looking forward to not having to install M$ on this particular laptop, but for now it looks like I don't have much of a choice.

/end of rant