[NTLUG:Discuss] Need Distro Recommendation, Please

[Ralph Green, Jr.]

Howdy,
  I like Mandrake and I have used it for several years.  I can't really
recommend it for a server, though.  My Mandrake 9.1 server is still
doing yeoman service, but the releases since then have not been stable
enough for me to use them as servers.  I can put together a desktop I'll
be happy with using Mandrake and the Penguin Liberation Front, but not a
server.  So, for your particular use, I recommend against Mandrake.  I
am looking forward to the newest Mandriva release and I hope I can
change this recommendation.

 I have a couple of servers running Ubuntu, and I just retired a
Debian(There was no problem with Debian there.  I just needed to do some
tests on Xandros and I could do without the Debian box.) system.  Both
of those are good choices and are easy to add packages to using
apt-get(wrapped in synaptic or not).  If you want to try a Debian based
distro, try Ubuntu or the new graphical Debian installer.

 SuSE is RPM based.  Yast does a good job of resolving dependencies and
making RPM livable.  If you want to stay RPM based. SuSE 9.2 would be
worth considering.  You can install it for free from several ftp sites
and it has been a solid release for me.  SuSE 9.1 was not so great, and
like Tom said, SuSE 8.1 was a great server.  But, you said you needed
something newer and SuSE 9.2 would probably serve you well.

 Finally, for home use as a server, and considering your history with
RedHat, it may be tough to beat CentOS.  Get version 4 and it will be a
stable server that looks fairly familiar to you.  My only problem with
RHEL4 or its derivatives like CentOS is the poor filesystem support.  If
you are easily satisfied there, and can stand using ext3 for important
data, then go ahead.  Many people are, and I am pickier about this
requirement than most.

Above all, have fun and learn something while updating to a shiny new
Linux system.

Good luck,
Ralph

On Fri, 2005-04-29 at 21:41 -0500, Rick Matthews wrote:
> Jay Urish wrote:
> > 
> > Mandrake.
> I like your analogy!  
>