Fedora Core 5 Review

Fedora Core is a distribution developed by a community of developers sponsored by RedHat. Fedora is the descendant, so to speak, of RedHat's distribution for individual users, which they stopped selling a few years ago.

Applying the reverse of the Star Trek curse, I usually skip the even numbered Fedora Core releases. And since Fedora Core 5 was just released, and 5 being an odd number, I give you my customary combination how-to/review of this latest Linux distribution.

Installation

For those of you who are already familiar with Fedora, as it boots up you'll notice that the logo has changed. Just after the splash screen, you'll have the opportunity to check the disks you've just downloaded. Type 'linux mediacheck' at the prompt to do this. To those used to sizzling graphics, be forewarned that this part will take you back to the days of text mode.

Once you've checked your disks, you're ready to proceed with a standard install. First, you'll need to choose your language and your keyboard layout. Though the second choice is usually based on the first, it isn't in my case. Since I live in Spain, I have a Spanish keyboard (which is actually required by law) but I prefer my interface to be in English (my brain seems to work faster that way).

Since this machine was running Fedora Core 3, I was presented with a choice to upgrade. But I chose a fresh install, as I have done in the past. I've been given a few unpleasant surprises in the past with upgrades, though there's no reason this has to happen in this case.

Full Story