[Cialug] Distro choice

[Josh More]

Tom,

Your confusion is understandable.  The decision you are faced with is
one that a great many novices also face.  There is one simple question
you have to ask yourself:  Why am I playing with Linux?

* If the answer is "to learn", stick with Debian and work through any
errors and issues and resolve them within the paradigm.  You will learn
best that way.
* If the answer is "to have a free easy-to-use system", burn what you
have and install Ubuntu 8.10 or OpenSUSE 11.1.
* If the answer is "to have a long-term stable system to slowly learn
on", stick with Debian stable.
* If the answer is "to have a long-term stable system that also works as
a workstation", go with Ubuntu 8.04
* If the answer is "to learn Linux to use in an eventual professional
capacity", go with OpenSUSE 11.1 (matches with SLES 11), Ubuntu 8.10
(matches with Ubuntu server) or Fedora (matches with Red Hat
Enterprise).
* If the answer is "to run a long-term stable server system", go with
Ubuntu Server or CentOS.

This sort of list goes on and on, and can only be answered by you.  I've
been assuming that you primarilly want to learn, so I've been
recommending the first option "stick with what you have and learn from
it".  If I've guessed wrong, my answer is also wrong.

Just remember that all modern distros are about the same from a
beginner's perspective.  We all have ones that we love and ones that we
hate.  Many of us put these biases right out in front (I love
OpenSUSE/SLES and hate Slackware and Gentoo (and I have an architectural
issue with Debian and Ubuntu that many do not)).  Just don't let these
biases sway you.

So, ask yourself the question and if it doesn't match one of the answers
I provided, mention it here and you'll get LOTS of distro
recommendations.



-Josh More, RHCE, CISSP, NCLP, GIAC 
 morej at alliancetechnologies.net 
 515-245-7701

>>> Tom Sellers <tomsellers2001 at yahoo.com> 01/28/09 9:21 PM >>>
OK

Now I'm confused since I have never been able to install Ubuntu period
and am currently running Debian 4.0 (etch) and have been basically since
my first contact with the Cialug.  


--- On Wed, 1/28/09, Josh More <morej at alliancetechnologies.net> wrote:

> From: Josh More <morej at alliancetechnologies.net>
> Subject: Re: [Cialug] Distro choice
> To: cialug at cialug.org, tomsellers2001 at yahoo.com
> Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 8:27 PM
> Tom,
> 
> It is common for novice Linux users to jump distros and
> versions trying
> to fix issues when the issues are generally caused by
> inexperience.  It
> would be best, IMO, for you to just stick with Ubuntu 8.04
> and get
> everything working.  It might not be quite as user-friendly
> as 8.10, but
> it's very close and you'll learn more resolving
> issues than you will
> continuously installing different distros.
> 
> If you get stuck with 8.04, you can ask for help here or on
> the Ubuntu
> help forums.  Just ignore everyone who says "upgrade
> to
> 8.10/OpenSUSE/Fedora/etc".  You'll be better off
> picking something
> (anything) and sticking with it.
> 
> 
> 
> -Josh More, RHCE, CISSP, NCLP, GIAC 
>  morej at alliancetechnologies.net 
>  515-245-7701
> 
> >>> Tom Sellers <tomsellers2001 at yahoo.com>
> 01/28/09 8:14 PM >>>
> Do you think it is worth while to try to download the 8.10
> version of
> Ubuntu?  I'm not familiar with the Dell laptops
> referenced below.  I am
> using an HP Omnibook 6000.
> 
> 
> --- On Wed, 1/28/09, Josh More
> <morej at alliancetechnologies.net> wrote:
> 
> > From: Josh More <morej at alliancetechnologies.net>
> > Subject: Re: [Cialug] Distro choice
> > To: cialug at cialug.org, wd0fia at hotmail.com
> > Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 7:03 PM
> > Keith,
> > 
> > More people than just Theron use Wine.  If you want,
> you
> > can just pick a
> > meeting and ask for Wine people to show up there and
> help
> > you out.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > -Josh More, RHCE, CISSP, NCLP, GIAC 
> >  morej at alliancetechnologies.net 
> >  515-245-7701
> > 
> > >>> "Keith Carpenter"
> > <wd0fia at hotmail.com> 01/28/09 6:48 PM
> >>>
> > I have been running Ubuntu 8.10 on 5 Dell laptops
> without
> > ANY issues. 
> > Two 
> > are Inspiron 1501, one is a Vostro 1000 (basically a
> > Inspiron 1501), and
> > the 
> > last is a Dell B130.  All ran setup without any
> problems,
> > and even the 
> > wireless works without any additional hoops to jump
> > through.
> > 
> > Now if I can catch Theron sometime, I can switch
> strictly
> > to Linux at
> > home. 
> > I just need his help figuring out WINE on a few
> programs I
> > cannot find
> > open 
> > source.
> > 
> > Keith D Carpenter
> > 
> > Technology Analyst
> > 
> > 
> > Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > Cialug mailing list
> > Cialug at cialug.org
> > http://cialug.org/mailman/listinfo/cialug
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > Cialug mailing list
> > Cialug at cialug.org
> > http://cialug.org/mailman/listinfo/cialug
> 
> 
>       
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