best distros: comentary
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| jimf Nov 24, 2006 5:22 PM EDT |
rijelkentaurus said:
> I think. Linux has come such a long way over the past few years that it's almost (almost) ridiculous to think that DistroX needs a seasoned user and isn't fit for a new user I think that depends on the amount of computer experience that a new user has. I do think that anyone who has actual expertise with computers would be able to handle Debian, regardless of their experience with Linux. That might not be true of the average windows user. |
| Abe Nov 24, 2006 5:40 PM EDT |
Quoting:My comment removed from the poll thread since it didn't follow the rulesI have been waiting for Kanotix new release for a long time. It hasn't been released yet. I suggest PCLinuxOS (I am using since removing Novell) for new users and Kubutu for seasoned (I am using as server since removing Novell) PCLInuxOS is solid, reliable, self contained LiveCD, easy to install, nice graphics, no hardware problems recognition, excellent package installation and update, etc... |
| jimf Nov 24, 2006 5:58 PM EDT |
> PCLinuxOS PCLinuxOS is a little too bubblegum for my taste, still, for the average windows user it may be just the ticket ;-) |
| rijelkentaurus Nov 24, 2006 6:02 PM EDT |
>PCLInuxOS is solid, reliable, self contained LiveCD, easy to install, nice graphics, no hardware problems recognition, excellent package installation and update, etc... It's simply the best distro out there, IMO. Because of its heritage (and my preference for Red Hatish distros) it's very easy to use with most commercial software you find for the GNU/Linux platform. If you're comfortable with Mandriva or Red Hat, you'll be comfortable with PCLOS. It's even good for a server if you want a GUI to go with the guts. SimplyMepis is another great one, lagging (again, IMO) just behind PCLOS. I am using Kanotix on my laptop, it's the easiest way to install Sid, and wireless is SOOOOOOOOO easy to setup on it. >Knowing that these poll type things are a real pita to tabulate unless you follow the rules, I'm going to open a parael thread specificly for commentary. Let's use that :) If you'd like, I can create a poll on my website that would make it a bit easier to tabulate. Seems a pain to count by hand, eh? |
| jimf Nov 24, 2006 6:05 PM EDT |
> SimplyMepis Got to disagree with you on that one. http://jimf-linux.blogspot.com/2006/11/root-rot-at-mepis.htm... |
| jdixon Nov 24, 2006 6:08 PM EDT |
New user - PCLinuxOS, Mepis, or Blag. There's almost nothing to choose between them, and any of the three will work. Of the three, I'd use PCLinuxOS. To be fair, I haven't tried Kanotix yet, and if I could trust Warren as far as I could throw him, I might choose Mepis. Seasoned user - Debian or Slackware. Here, it's almost entirely a matter of personal preference as to how you like to do things. I think everyone here probably knows which I prefer. :) |
| rijelkentaurus Nov 24, 2006 6:20 PM EDT |
>Got to disagree with you on that one. NOOOOOOOO!!! Haha, just kidding, no distro wars. 8-) I'm PCLOSing it now. As much as I like Mepis, PCLOS is more Red Hatish and that's to my liking. I like CentOS/Red Hat on the server. |
| devnet Nov 27, 2006 8:18 AM EDT |
Just so you guys know with PCLOS, they're going to rebrand very soon. They've got a new logo in the pipeline for version .94 and a new project that started at my PCLinuxOS Projects site http://mypclinuxos.com to make all things graphical/beautiful flow (splash, text, audio, and other). If you'd like to see what the graphics guru's in the PCLOS community are up to, hit the gallery here: http://www.mypclinuxos.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=3 Enjoy! :D |
| rijelkentaurus Nov 27, 2006 2:34 PM EDT |
>Just so you guys know with PCLOS, they're going to rebrand very soon. Eagerly awaiting .94, you betcha! I have to say that KDE, in general, is my favorite desktop environment, and it's UGLY by default in every distro I have ever tried, except .92. It takes me about an hour to set it up so it looks right and functions like I want...of course, that's one of its strengths: Customization ease. I'm getting excited! |
| tqk Nov 29, 2006 3:08 PM EDT |
Make backups, then (pick one or more): - For a newbie, Zenwalk; a stripped down, easy to support Slackware downstream. - For seasoned users, Debian. - For *very* seasoned users, grml.org (Debian Sid based). - Go to distrowatch.com, close your eyes, throw the dart, see what it hits, and see what you can do with the result. You're bound to learn something, at the very least. |
| helios Nov 29, 2006 3:18 PM EDT |
A relatively small but determined number of us set out to "put PCLinuxOS on the map a couple of years ago. I have long-ago become accustomed to the "fanboi" namecalling, and it doesn't bother me a bit...PCLinuxOS has made its point. It didn't take but a year or so until we could hand off the baton and let others do some of the work...and just Boy Howdy have they done the work. From an obscure and "Oh-It's_RPM-based" attitudes to what it is becoming today, PCLinuxOS is bound for great things. While I fully understand that it is not for everyone...even I have an on-again-off-again dalliance with Kanotix/Elive; The RPM "issue" really isn't an issue at all. Many argue that the debian repositories are much richer, and I agree. I like mixing my libs and running banshee and beagle within kde but as of now, that causes severe breakage in PCLOS... I understand from a post thac made a while back that this may change soon. So far, all attempts to "gnome-ize PCLOS has not lasted long. And tqk, you are correct in recommending zenwalk. I just got done spinning the latest and greatest from the ZenMasters and I have to say, it's a piece of work. h |
| tqk Nov 29, 2006 3:24 PM EDT |
Am I the only one noticing a huge and not at all subtle marketing push for PCLinuxOS recently, in numerous online venues? Assuming I'm not halucinating this, here's my reply:
o Yo! *buntu's eating you alive! Libranet recently went t*ts up partially because of
assumptions you too are currently making.
o "rpm Hell" vs. "apt-get update && apt-get install aptitude && aptitude update &&
aptitude upgrade"? No thanks.
o Usenet: linux.debian.user (Usenet gateway to debian-user@lists.debian.org). 'Nuff
said. -- "You can leave if you want to. We're just jammin'." -- Jimi Hendrix |
| Abe Nov 29, 2006 4:03 PM EDT |
Quoting:Am I the only one noticing a huge and not at all subtle marketing push for PCLinuxOS recently, in numerous online venues?It doesn't take you much to find out the facts, give it a try yourself. Obviously you haven't or it is not to your taste. I used Suse for over 5 years, tried PCLinuxOS about 5 months ago and haven't used Suse at all since. I make it a habit to try new releases of various distros to select the best. Recently I removed Suse from my other 2 systems after Novell's latest blunder. I assure you my vote for PCLinuxOS was not a sales pitch. It was simply its quality and to my liking. |
| helios Nov 29, 2006 5:50 PM EDT |
tqk... you seem to be suffering a bad case of foot in mouth disease. On top of that, it looks like a Y.D.H.A.C infection has spread quickly. Oh. YDHAC? You Dont Have A Clue. If you did, you would know that pclos uses the apt-get method for installation...yes, an rpm distro that uses apt get. Ubuntu is fine, but all the star-struck new Linux Converts are the ones making the push here...and that's fine. As long as it's Linux I don't care...You can refer to me as fanboi all you want, but look at your "na-ne-na-ne-na-na language in your post, and let's compare "fanboi-ism... Do your homework before you make yourself look silly...just trying to be helpful. This was sent as a private email first, but it bounced via your spamtrap...sorry for the public dressing...but if anyone ever needed it... PCLinuxOS is slam-bam ready out of the box...Ubuntu won't even mount windows shares or other hard drives without three-step manual intervention. DKMS installs nvidia or ati with a couple clicks. Easybuntu is an entirely different program that has to be indulged. As soon as your rose-colored glasses start to dim...you might want to give pclos a try. I have converted hundreds. One more wouldn't hurt. Ubuntu has billions of dollars behind it. I can remember when the pclos website was being hosted on our individual computers when it couldnt afford web hosting. Take a look at distrowatch.com. PCLinuxOS has went from the bottom third of the 100 rankings to the top ten, and soon to break the top five. We did it the hard way my friend...by coding and hard work...no professional developers from Debian or OpenSuse...just people who actually care about providing an easy answer to the new linux user. PS...Libranet "died" because the author and president of the company died and no one had the heart to carry on his work. It had nothing to do with assumptions...largely unlike some of the comments I've witnessed in this thread, ahem. helios |
| jdixon Nov 29, 2006 7:55 PM EDT |
> Am I the only one noticing a huge and not at all subtle marketing push for PCLinuxOS recently, in numerous online venues? Apparently it's just you. You'll notice that many of the above posts, including mine, recomment PCLinuxOS. Hint, I don't use it; I use Slackware. However, I recommend PCLinuxOS as the best newbie version of Linux at this time. I've tried it, and it's as good as everyone says. It's just that, for the experienced user, Slackware and Debian are better. |
| devnet Nov 29, 2006 8:22 PM EDT |
BTW, Most of the push is most likely coming from my site... http://mypclinuxos.com In the past 3 months, our traffic has tripled to over a million hits a month. We also publish a PDF Magazine now for PCLinuxOS with over 11 thousand downloads each month. So, I'd like to point out that my site gives the community members a place to rally and push PCLinuxOS...and it seems to be paying off as PCLinuxOS is enjoying success...which it should because it deserves it. When .94 is released (soon...or should be...the repositories for .93 are frozen right now) it will have an entirely new and completely customized graphics and theme layout thanks to the PCLinuxOS Beautification Project (sponsored by mypclinuxos.com of course)...and don't forget to go and check out the PCLInuxOS Magazine December issue that will release tomorrow...11 thousand people will. PCLinuxOS is the most complete and simple distro for new users...and I like that I can customize it completely myself and make it just as difficult as my technologically advanced minuscule mind could want it with .93a MiniMe. It's amazing what you can do when you find other like-minded people and organize and motivate them. |
| helios Nov 30, 2006 2:36 PM EDT |
It's amazing what you can do when you find other like-minded people and organize and motivate them.... Just as a means of public acknowledgement, Devnet has worked tirelessly for PCLinuxOS. I think it's about time we bought him some new tires.. (rimshot w/cymbals) Try the roast beef folks, I'll be here all week. I will also have cd's and tshirts for sale after the show..... But seriously folks...I may have sounded a bit harsh, but ignorance is not an excuse to talk about things you are ignorant about. There is one redeeming factor here, and I did offer the solution. Ignorance is repairable by the seeking of knowledge. To quote one of my favorite comedians, Ron White. "You can't fix stupid." Not that any one who posts here is stupid...we ALL suffer bouts of ignorance though. Fortunately for all of us, the Community holds people like Devnet, Texstar, Dino, Sal (bof-of-'em) and a cast many of us know by heart. My open and sincere thanks for those people and their efforts. Those who do...do, those who cannot...advocate. h |
| SFN Dec 01, 2006 11:13 AM EDT |
helios,Quoting:Ubuntu is fine, but all the star-struck new Linux Converts are the ones making the push here. Come on. That's beneath you. There are plenty of non-newbies here pushing Ubuntu and you know it. |
| Sander_Marechal Dec 01, 2006 11:41 AM EDT |
I'm one of them. Though I might start peddling another distro if Feisty really churns out binary drivers by default. We'll see when the first beta gets out. |
| helios Dec 01, 2006 1:33 PM EDT |
"...We'll see when the first beta gets out." The first beta IS out... have a looksee here. http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/74803/index.html BTW sander JUST HOW do I get my #*#&$)#@+ hda to show on the desktop like it does in kde. Re-evaluating Ubuntu/Kubuntu/WeBuntu/YouBuntu/MiMiBuntu et al at the urging of a poster to my blog...I am drawing a blank on gettin' this done///seems it should be easier than it seems to be. SFN: "That's beneath you..." No it's not. I can go a bunch lower...I just choose not to cause it serves no purpose but to make people hit me with sticks and call me names. Those who recite and believe the old saying, "Sticks and Stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me?" They obviously have not been labeled as a Tax Protester. Once so "Named"...one finds out what real pain is. As per my claim of "star-struck new users...it ain't my sole observation. Sure lots of seasoned vets use Ubuntu...it simply seems that the newest Doze converts are the most enthusiastic. h |
| Sander_Marechal Dec 01, 2006 2:56 PM EDT |
helios, There are two things you can do: From the cli, start gconf-editor. Navigate to apps>>nautilus>>desktop and check the "computer_icon_visible" flag. This will show a "computer" icon on your desktop. Clicking it opens the filebrowser giving you access to all drives. The gconf-editor allows you to tweak most of gnome and most gnome apps. Look around in it. It's sort-of a registry done right. Alternatively, if you want to show specific icons for specific partitions then you have to edit fstab. Anything mounted under /media will show on the desktop automatically. Anything mounted under /mnt (or anywhere else) won't. So start adding/changing mount points. PS: You linked to MintLinux, which is a 3rd party Ubuntu spinn-off and not the official Feisty beta. Last time I checked the release goals for Feisty weren't even approved fully (e.g. binary drivers by default is still under review). |
| Koriel Dec 01, 2006 8:18 PM EDT |
At the moment im using PCLinuxOS 0.93a Big Daddy on the desktops and Slackware 10.2 on the server, im also trialling PCLinuxOS on a small test partition to see how it performs as a server (so far so good) it may in the end replace my Slackware installation which i have used for the last 6 years, we will see how it turns out, i might just fling Slack 11 on it to save me reconfiguration hassles. But can certainl highly recommend PCLinuxOs on the desktop for new users and Slackware for seasoned users in a server role. |
| Abe Dec 02, 2006 7:44 AM EDT |
I have been using PCLinuxOs on an IBM ThinkPad T42 (for portability) as a web server for few months now and I am very pleased with it. I am also testing Kubuntu on a desktop hardware as a server. I haven't seen any advantages that Kubuntu has over PCLinuxOS. Mind you, this is only a limited server use and doesn't give a full picture, but I don't see a good reason to use Kubuntu instead of PCLinuxOS on the server. So far I see PCLinuxOS as a very clean, fast, reliable, easy, neat, complete, easy to maintain and configure as desktop and/or server, why wouldn't I use it as a server? I don't see any reason yet except for long term support. I haven't had the need for that (it is very user friendly), but companies would consider it as an issue since PCLinuxOS is not a seasoned company yet. Keep in mind that this might not be an issue in the future though. Kubuntu might have an advantage in this area since it is based on debian, which is well established group for the long term and PCLinuxOS is a fork of Mandrake. PCLInuxOS is still release .93 and I am sure when release 1.0 is out it will be of super quality (unless they flop like Kanotix just did). To be fair, I guess more input from various poster would be very beneficial. If any has specific criticism of either distro would also help make both better. |
| Koriel Dec 02, 2006 3:26 PM EDT |
Just a little addendum, its a shame this thread isn't about the worst distro as Mandriva 2007 would get my vote, i tested this distro out about 5 days ago and my god does it suck big time, thankfully it was the community edition and didnt splash out good money for it, so many bugs, so unstable half the time it wouldn't even shutdown properly let alone actually do proper hardware initialisation at startup just as well was only running it on my test partition, anyways PCLinuxOS has replaced it on the test partition and is performing like a trooper now i hear PCLinuxOS are considering supplying updates on CD/DVD if this actually happens i may switch all my machines to PCLinuxOS as im on dial-up and you wont believe how painful it is to do upgrades. |
| devnet Dec 04, 2006 5:16 AM EDT |
Quoting:it simply seems that the newest Doze converts are the most enthusiastic. I think you're right about this with Ubuntu. The bad part is that the fans of it are VERY sensitive. When you bring up something that is a shortfall, you're roasted alive. The most popular entry I have blogged about (90 some odd comments) was on why I considered Ubuntu to NOT be the best distro for a new user. Just one persons opinion....and all the points I brought up were valid ones...yet I was roasted alive in comments. It's my opinion that when someone brings up shortfalls with something, you should at least take the time to listen...because even if they are off base on a few points, they may be right about a few as well...and you can bet that there are hundreds or thousands that share the same opinion. This is the kicker for me...the community...it's too fanatical right now...hopefully it will die down and become a little less that way. |
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