I took the test, being a Fedora user since Fedora Core 1, I was recommended Fedora Linux.
In reality though, any Linux box can be used to run a server, or a workstation if the packages it includes have the ability, even if it doesn't, all Linux boxes should be able to compile software you want and be installable. So this distribution chooser is pretty much insignificant when it comes to knowing how to do these things.
So this distribution chooser is pretty much insignificant when it comes to knowing how to do these things.
I think you are right, but if someone only has a little experience and even less knowledge it can help them pick an OS that they can fully switch to or start with.
Yeah I don't think anyone needs a distribution chooser, they can just install Fedora since it is better than any other distribution in terms of the purpose of a distribution, all other distributions modify core files and have less functionality, hands down.
If you want to really get into Linux though, install Gentoo.
all other distributions modify core files and have less functionality, hands down.
If you want to really get into Linux though, install Gentoo.
I disagree about the fedora thing. Slackware doesn't make more modifications to core files than Fedora, but at least it supports MP3's in the default installation.
I agree about the Gentoo part, though.
And to stay a little bit on-topic: I don't like that linux distribution chooser (or others), they always put the distro's I definitely don't want to use in the first place. I'm looking for a lightweight distro which just works for an old PC for my 3 year old niece to watch youtube videos on and answer the questions accordingly. And it recommends: OpenSuse, Mint and Ubuntu? Say what? I want her to be able to use the damn thing, not sit in front of it waiting for it to open a browser (we're talking a pentium III 400 Mhz with 512Mb SdRAM here, I think that fits the definition of "more than just a few years old", but it seems they meant about 5 years old, not hardware from the nineties).
And to stay a little bit on-topic: I don't like that linux distribution chooser (or others), they always put the distro's I definitely don't want to use in the first place. I'm looking for a lightweight distro which just works for an old PC for my 3 year old niece to watch youtube videos on and answer the questions accordingly. And it recommends: OpenSuse, Mint and Ubuntu? Say what? I want her to be able to use the damn thing, not sit in front of it waiting for it to open a browser (we're talking a pentium III 400 Mhz with 512Mb SdRAM here, I think that fits the definition of "more than just a few years old", but it seems they meant about 5 years old, not hardware from the nineties).
IMO, 'a few years' is about 5, especially with technology. I didn't really like any of it's recommendations either, though. Seems like a good think to link noobs to, but not so useful for people experienced with linux. I think if you're into linux you should just try them all, though.
Today I did follow the suggestion of the Linux Distribution chooser: I installed OpenSuse LXDE on an old laptop. I must say I really, really like it. This could be the desktop distro I've always been looking for. It looks good, it's light, fast (much faster than Mint ever was on that thing), it has good documentation, YaSt is pretty impressive ... And the configuration files I opened (just to look at 'em actually - most configuration can be done by GUI) seem well-written and according to the standards. Truely a distribution aimed at both newbies and experts. I'm somewhere in between, and I feel right at home in OpenSuse.
Levo75, if you don't like Mint, try OpenSuse. I've started despising Mint, but that's just my personal opinion, a lot of people love it.
All you can do is lose data if you screw up partitioning. Beyond that, everything Linux does can be undone. If you're currently using Windows and you wouldn't be able to reinstall it later if you need to, your best bet is to back up everything you can't replace and look up a dual-boot tutorial so you can install Linux alongside Windows.
Sorry for the noobish question but If I were to install linux what are the chances that I'll somehow fuck up my computer badly if I fuck up?
The only thing which may happen is that you corrupt your windows partition. This happened to me when using the side-by-side option in Ubuntu, for some reason. I can't actually remember what I did now, but I think that in the end I used GParted and properly set up some partitions.
I was suggested Gentoo or Slackware, and that's pretty right. But out of everything *nix, I'm most likely to install OpenSolaris, Debian, or Solaris, in that order. Gentoo is nice though.
I was suggested Gentoo or Slackware, and that's pretty right. But out of everything *nix, I'm most likely to install OpenSolaris, Debian, or Solaris, in that order. Gentoo is nice though.
Pro's:
Huge repositories and very good package management
You can tweak your system to your every need
You'll learn more about Linux than you will using just about any other distribution
There's a guide for every possible thing you might want to try out
When you have a problem, post it on the forums and somebody will help you.
Con's:
You have to make your own system. No plug & play, not even close. You'll need at least a week to get a useable desktop up and running your first time, after that it will take you three days.
Compile times. A package which might take 10 minutes to download and install in a different distro can take two hours of compiling on Gentoo.
Bleeding edge = sometimes unstable. I've messed up my system twice just by doing a full update from the stable repositories.
Gentoo has lost direction a bit. Guides are spread trough the old wiki archive, new wiki, gentoo handbook & docs and the forums and are not always up to date.
In the end, I love Gentoo, but my server runs Arch Linux, my two nix laptops run OpenSuse and my Gentoo installation is just for fun.
Pro's:
Huge repositories and very good package management
You can tweak your system to your every need
You'll learn more about Linux than you will using just about any other distribution
There's a guide for every possible thing you might want to try out
When you have a problem, post it on the forums and somebody will help you.
Con's:
You have to make your own system. No plug & play, not even close. You'll need at least a week to get a useable desktop up and running your first time, after that it will take you three days.
Compile times. A package which might take 10 minutes to download and install in a different distro can take two hours of compiling on Gentoo.
Bleeding edge = sometimes unstable. I've messed up my system twice just by doing a full update from the stable repositories.
Gentoo has lost direction a bit. Guides are spread trough the old wiki archive, new wiki, gentoo handbook & docs and the forums and are not always up to date.
In the end, I love Gentoo, but my server runs Arch Linux, my two nix laptops run OpenSuse and my Gentoo installation is just for fun.
I know a couple of Gentoo users, they are literally always compiling something.
Even the distro installation consists of compiling everything on your computer (except for a few packages to prevent the need for bootstrapping)
I question the performance benefits of this approach. It seems like nerd masturbation to me with only marginal performance gains that are offset by the time spent _waiting_
but yes, arch, slackware and gentoo have basically the same philosophy (with the first two being binary-centric)
Arch has more packages btw (although yaourt and AUR have been giving me trouble lately - especially with all that python3 headache)
Drake
Acolyte
Comments
In reality though, any Linux box can be used to run a server, or a workstation if the packages it includes have the ability, even if it doesn't, all Linux boxes should be able to compile software you want and be installable. So this distribution chooser is pretty much insignificant when it comes to knowing how to do these things.
I think you are right, but if someone only has a little experience and even less knowledge it can help them pick an OS that they can fully switch to or start with.
If you want to really get into Linux though, install Gentoo.
lulz
I disagree about the fedora thing. Slackware doesn't make more modifications to core files than Fedora, but at least it supports MP3's in the default installation.
I agree about the Gentoo part, though.
And to stay a little bit on-topic: I don't like that linux distribution chooser (or others), they always put the distro's I definitely don't want to use in the first place. I'm looking for a lightweight distro which just works for an old PC for my 3 year old niece to watch youtube videos on and answer the questions accordingly. And it recommends: OpenSuse, Mint and Ubuntu? Say what? I want her to be able to use the damn thing, not sit in front of it waiting for it to open a browser (we're talking a pentium III 400 Mhz with 512Mb SdRAM here, I think that fits the definition of "more than just a few years old", but it seems they meant about 5 years old, not hardware from the nineties).
IMO, 'a few years' is about 5, especially with technology. I didn't really like any of it's recommendations either, though. Seems like a good think to link noobs to, but not so useful for people experienced with linux. I think if you're into linux you should just try them all, though.
Levo75, if you don't like Mint, try OpenSuse. I've started despising Mint, but that's just my personal opinion, a lot of people love it.
The only thing which may happen is that you corrupt your windows partition. This happened to me when using the side-by-side option in Ubuntu, for some reason. I can't actually remember what I did now, but I think that in the end I used GParted and properly set up some partitions.
The analysis itself is vague as hell. Along with SUSE, they gave me 4 other choices.
Pro's:
Huge repositories and very good package management
You can tweak your system to your every need
You'll learn more about Linux than you will using just about any other distribution
There's a guide for every possible thing you might want to try out
When you have a problem, post it on the forums and somebody will help you.
Con's:
You have to make your own system. No plug & play, not even close. You'll need at least a week to get a useable desktop up and running your first time, after that it will take you three days.
Compile times. A package which might take 10 minutes to download and install in a different distro can take two hours of compiling on Gentoo.
Bleeding edge = sometimes unstable. I've messed up my system twice just by doing a full update from the stable repositories.
Gentoo has lost direction a bit. Guides are spread trough the old wiki archive, new wiki, gentoo handbook & docs and the forums and are not always up to date.
In the end, I love Gentoo, but my server runs Arch Linux, my two nix laptops run OpenSuse and my Gentoo installation is just for fun.
Even the distro installation consists of compiling everything on your computer (except for a few packages to prevent the need for bootstrapping)
I question the performance benefits of this approach. It seems like nerd masturbation to me with only marginal performance gains that are offset by the time spent _waiting_
but yes, arch, slackware and gentoo have basically the same philosophy (with the first two being binary-centric)
Arch has more packages btw (although yaourt and AUR have been giving me trouble lately - especially with all that python3 headache)
I think I'll stick to Arch and Ubuntu for now.:(