Linux·4,539 discussions

Best versus worst Linux distro

Locked

I have replied to a few discussions, so now I will create one myself.
I would like the opinions of those familiar with Linux to rate their experience with various distributions. It could be the best or the worst.
If the best how come? Was it ease of install? Maintenence of the os? Included programs?
If it was the worst what happened to make that decision ? I’m interested in whatever might be said.
By the way , running a quad-os system here, so would be neat to see which distros you have tried that I haven’t. I’m always up for checking out something new.

Topic

tough to call it

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

For ease of install with good hardware support, Xandros, Mandriva, Vector.*

For ease of use, with respect to customising the configuration, getting servers running etc, Mandriva, Debian.

For software options during / after install Debian Mandriva, RH Fedora core.

For adherence to the Linux Standards Base,
Slakware, Debian, Linux From Scratch, Gentoo.

Generally, I find single cd distros to be seriously lacking, or else completely screwed in their functionality.
[ Ubuntu, Kubuntu both required removing primary hard drive, as if there is any partitions on a second drive they can’t ignore the drive to install onto the other one. Both have a seriously flawed security model that actually breaks the benefits of a multiuser operating system. ]

I have had no pleasant experience with Red Hat’s products, as they have always been a real b*$ch to get to install, then they don’t pay attention to config options made during install.

I doubt you will find anyone that has tested every single distro, I’ve quite likely tested more distros than most have. [ at a dozen ]

* Vector has issues with post install configuration, last version I checked. It’s almost time to check as new version is due out soon.

No good RedHat?

In reply to tough to call it

I’m sort of surprised by the comments about RedHat. I never really had a problem installing the older versions up until they came out with the Fedora Core. That’s when I started having problems with it losing my modem or my NIC when booting up. I hated kudzu yet had to use it to enforce the hardware configuration.
Vector I had issues with it constantly setting the onboard video instead of the NVidia pci card which was installed..and the agp video was disabled in the bios at the time too , which I thought was odd.
At the moment my distro on here is Slackware 10.2 with both 2.4 and 2.6 kernels.
Thanks for your observations, I’ll have to look at Gentoo now hehehehhe

Reply To: Best versus worst Linux distro

In reply to No good RedHat?

ZenOS looked like it was what I wanted in a base OS to start my own distro. Low system requirements, low number of pre-installed software, and “great hardware detection.”

Maan was I off.

The liveCD took FOREVER to load on any machine that I used it on, so much so that the rest of the experiment was useless. I wanted something quick and small, and this was not it. This was about 6 months ago, so much may have changed with this OS, but at the time I was not interested in using it.

Mandrake just seemed to kid-like and I couldn’t find any system settings GUI app. The default installed programs are boring, and I had no idea where to start with this one on changing that. So i just gave up in few days.

DSL is probably the most amazing, just for its size, speed, and usefulness. Its great for laptops, but I wish that it was a bit more modern so that I could install e17.

Elive 0.4_pre is pretty sweet. Loads pretty fast, looks great, and has a decent number of useful programs, with Debian to fill it out more as needed. Install on this takes hours though…

I detailed in a blog entry here on TR

In reply to No good RedHat?

exactly why I never recommend Red Hat to anyone.

http://techrepublic.com.com/5254-6257-0.html?forumID=99&threadID=175579&messageID=1912810&id=2340510

CentOS

In reply to No good RedHat?

I think is basically RedHat, just without the label… Granted, it was an older system, but I had no issues with install and no issues with setup…

(However, now I don’t have the time to actually play with it so, yeah…)

My home computer, the first distro I put on it was kUbuntu (Breezy Badger). Unfortunately, even with their “Multi-verse” setting as “advanced”, they still don’t have everything I’d like to see in their whatever-it’s-called. (The online db thing that it hits when you apt-get a file to install.) I’ve been told it is because they do not allow (in the base package) any software that isn’t opensource. I also have been trying to set up Cedega for ages and it just won’t load my video and sound cards right. (Nvidia FX 5500 I think the video card was, K8V SE Deluxe motherboard, AC?97 onboard sound)

I “documented” some of my problems here: http://www.geeknoob.com/?cat=15 – if ANYONE can help, please let me know!!

Otherwise, I’ll be looking at another distro, suggestions welcome!

I have to agree

In reply to tough to call it

I have far more problems with Red Hat and it’s clones than most other distributions. For server, plain old debian is the easiest to deal with and maintain over the long haul.

Flavor of month distributions are fine for beginners to use as a desktop to get their feet wet but the old stable distibutions such as debian and slackware are still the workhorses of the server world.

not just server

In reply to I have to agree

Debian is my favorite distro for desktops, too ? and even for newbie full-desktop kitchen sink installs (like I do [b]not[/b] use myself), I think one of the best is the Debian-type install of Knoppix.

I thought I was alone with RH Problems

In reply to tough to call it

In my inability to get Red Hat to reliably load w/o serious quantities of antacids.

I rather like Mandrake, and that reminds me that I have to write a letter to the editor of a trade rag, wherein a columnist called for a Linux-based app suite that Mandrake/Mandrivia have been providing for [b]years[/b].

IMHO, tho for webserver use you can’t beat the Nuonce distro of CentOS/BlueQuartz for ease of setup and operation.

Isn’t CentOS a RH clone?

In reply to I thought I was alone with RH Problems

Or is it another distro I’m thinking of?

you’re right

In reply to Isn’t CentOS a RH clone?

CentOS is a Red Hat clone.

The easiest

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

for me to install was Mandrake, then Fedora, and Debian being the most difficult. I tried installing a couple other distros but could not get very far, maybe due to my general ignorance regarding linux or the fact that some of the hardware I was using was pretty old. As far as practicalities of any of the distros, I have only played around on these. I probably installed too many optional packages making the whole thing top-heavy and dragging down my resources.

What’s your focus

In reply to The easiest

Was you building a server or a desktop? A lot of people are looking for easy desktops. PCLinuxOS, Ubuntu and D.S.L. are easy to install and great on older hardware. Fedora and Debian tend to be a little heavy when you load them up for desktop but can’t be beat for a streamlined server.

Desktop dabbler

In reply to What’s your focus

As a dabbler with Linux (looking for a good but easily installed distribution to replace Windows), I’ve tried Red Hat, Caldera, Mandrake 8 & 9, Novell Linux and a few others. Had most success with Mandrake/Mandriva but recently installed PCLinuxos and impressed with ease of installation and updating. It could do with a few more heavyweight packages as supplied (such as OpenOffice) but very usable straight from the off. Now just need an easily installed Linux for server use, as would like a new e-mail server and a file server as good as Novell Netware. Any good suggestions?

depends

In reply to Desktop dabbler

If you don’t want to have to learn anything about what you’re doing, Fedora and OpenSUSE should provide you with simple installs with preinstalled GUI-configurable mailserver and fileserver capabilities.

If you want something that is better suited for server use, though, you’re going to have to learn something about the tools you’re using. That being the case, I’d recommend Debian. There are still GUI configuration options available, but some of them you’ll have to install yourself ? and, frankly, a server-only system shouldn’t have any GUI installed at all, unless it’s an application server or something along those lines.

Question

In reply to depends

Why shouldn’t a server install include any GUI’s?

Are you telling me that a server install should be command line only?

The whole point to today’s modern OS’es and computer systems is to bring the power, efficiencies, automation, etc to the everyday user, company, etc.

Do you really think Linux or any OS for that matter, will ever become widely used if one must do everything in the command line?

That is obsurd!

Obsurd

In reply to Question

> “That is obsurd!”

No, them’s fightin’ words, that’s what that is! :p

server setup 101 for the clueless

In reply to Question

A server install shouldn’t include a GUI because it’s a waste of system resources. Servers don’t exist to provide a user interface at the console so you can browse your favorite pr0n sites. They exist to serve data and functionality to client systems.

Would you install dozens of residential cabins of the sort found on a luxury liner cruise ship on an oil tanker? Would you expand the size of an F-117 fighter/bomber so you could put first-class airliner seats in the fuselage? Would you outfit a dry goods warehouse with well-apointed dining room, library, and bedrooms? The answer to all those questions should be exactly the same as your answer to the following question, and for the same reasons:
Would you install a GUI on a fileserver?

Yes, a server install (in almost all cases) should be command line only. Hell, you should be running most servers headless and admin them only from a remote system. I’m guessing by your lack of understanding of simple server management concepts like this that you don’t do much network administration.

You have the same bias pretty much every other Windows-bred tunnel-vision CLIphobe has toward a textual user interface. The CLI isn’t inferior to the GUI: it’s just differently useful, more useful for different things than the GUI.

To make a long story short:
“[i]Are you telling me that a server install should be command line only?[/i]”
Well, duh. I thought everyone knew that.

What the hell is “obsurd”? Is that an attempt to phonetically spell the word “absurd”? Don’t try to talk authoritatively on subjects about which you know so little. Whether it involves rattling on about a CLI or mangling English words, if you don’t know how to use it you shouldn’t go around pretending to know something about it.

You’re the Clueless One

In reply to server setup 101 for the clueless

With GUI’s, a minimal amount grant it, I can hire someone and pay them substantially less than hiring an egotistcal, bastard like you that thinks he knows everything.

GUI’s were created to dumb down the system, grant it. But not all systems are administered by God like asses like you.

My goal isn’t to hire someone that knows a kernel. My goals are to hire people to make $ for the company.

I have never surfed porn on a server. Your analogies of boats and airplanes only show your true mental age and not your biological age.

My job is probably 70% net admin.

Obsured was a typo, get over it.

Just one last thing to say. When Linux gets beyond a mere techno geek fascination and truly makes success in ALL aspects of an organization, let me know.

I have patience. I can wait another 10 years. But in 10 years, we’ll just be talking about the next lastest and greatest threat to MS.

That is, if the big boys don’t eventually just buyout the small fries…look at Oracle.

Oh, and yes, there will always be someone supporting open source just so they can get a cheap shot at MS.

For example, Oracle. They will make purchase after purchase of open source just to hurt MS by turning the product into a real product.

I have given you just about every point you have about Linux. Speed, reliablity, security, etc.

But one thing that you and your like will always miss…the power of $$$. MS will be on top for a long time, for good or evil.

Here’s your recipe for success….

Don’t give Linux away for free, charge something. Something, less than MS, just so you can make marketing campaigns, educate people, pay staff, and make fancy Super Bowl commercials (kidding).

But really, do you think for a second that anything that is free will ever break the back of the 100% all American, free market, open competition, competitive world of the economy today?

You’re a dreamer…get over it.

Nuh-uh, YOU are! Neener neener.

In reply to server setup 101 for the clueless

“[i]With GUI’s, a minimal amount grant it, I can hire someone and pay them substantially less than hiring an egotistcal, bastard like you that thinks he knows everything.[/i]”
I don’t think I know everything. Far from it. I just know that I know more about running a fileserver than someone that thinks it should have a GUI running on it. That guy you’d hire for less to run a server by GUI because he doesn’t know what he’s doing well enough to properly secure the thing and tune it for the task at hand is going to end up costing you more on the back end in downtime, security failures, and poor implementation decisions.

“[i]My goal isn’t to hire someone that knows a kernel. My goals are to hire people to make $ for the company.[/i]”
That’s why you should hire someone that knows how to properly manage a network. Plugging a keyboard, mouse, and monitor into every server on the network because you don’t know how to manage it by SSH isn’t going to make a whole lot of money for the company.

“[i]Your analogies of boats and airplanes only show your true mental age and not your biological age.[/i]”
Right, ’cause obviously everyone who has ever made an analogy relating to aircraft and oil tankers is an immature brat. You’re making some real logical points there. Keep up the good work.

“[i]Just one last thing to say. When Linux gets beyond a mere techno geek fascination and truly makes success in ALL aspects of an organization, let me know.[/i]”
Okay. I’m letting you know.

“[i]I have given you just about every point you have about Linux. Speed, reliablity, security, etc.[/i]”
You have an interesting habit of conceding something that’s not central to a given topic while attacking Linux on eight other fronts, then turning around and choosing a different point to concede in another discussion while attacking it on the same point you conceded last time. Your credibility is pretty thin here.

“[i]But really, do you think for a second that anything that is free will ever break the back of the 100% all American, free market, open competition, competitive world of the economy today?[/i]”
Anticompetitive practices perpetrated by a multiply convicted monopolist isn’t “free market” and “open competition”. You’re way out in left field.

I’m not just a dreamer. I’m a businessman and an IT professional.

Apo, you have it all wrong

In reply to server setup 101 for the clueless

“Obsurd” is a rare species of moron, that, despite its total lack of brain funtion, has managed to propogate and still lives with us today!

Ah, typing…

In reply to server setup 101 for the clueless

Many people like GUIs as they can’t type fast, or remember the syntax, or whatever…

But these admisn should just know the command for starting the GUI, then exit it when they’re done.

What’s the issue here?

Why have the overhead of a GUI

In reply to Question

If you really want to use the GUI, use run level 3 and kill X after you are finished…but really, what is the point of having a resource hog on a server that should SERVE.

As for the pot shot at Linux, you do know that *nix takes up about 50% of the market, has 25-50 million users, and is growing.

I’d also like to mention that the command line can be FAR more efficient than a GUI. Just look at the mess that Exchange is.

To GUI or not to GUI

In reply to Question

Is that the question?

The answer is obvious. Or rather the answers…

To a true geek, stripping off all the unnecessary fluff should help improve performance and, after all, isn’t that what you want for a server?

Oh, but wait…

In the real world, many people cannot effectively cope with complexity and adding the fluff (such as GUI, Monitoring and, gasp, Security) will help make the server easier to work with and a bit more reliable.

So, what to do…

Simple. Become a hermit and build a server that only you can love. Just don’t expect anyone who runs a business to pay you big bucks to run theirs. Unless you can find some rich geeks who think just like you (and have better things to do) or perhaps mere mortals whom you can charm with your wisdom.

But…

Don’t kick one-another pretending that only one path leads to enlightenment (or is that enrichment!).

So, play nice children.

No GUI

In reply to depends

Lets see, I want to initiate a backup of my server. what’s that command again…..

two days later…

I found it, “man backup”, no that just tells me the correct syntax of the command, dam it where is an example so that it works……

another two days later….

OK found and example that worked, thanks to linuxguy57, And the back up has worked, lets check the backup files, whats that command again.
I found it. “man backupstatus”, doh! again the instruction manual, just a thought but why the f;uck isn’t there a gui. anyway.. .

two days later….

OK, got some info of this guy on how to check my back up worked, but he also mentioned, I was insane and I would be better suited to run a gui interface because I can’t seem to remember all the commands.

OK now a user is complain they can’t log-in, I’ll just check the account status. F;UCK I can’t remember the command! lets see I’ll type “man” then “enter”. OK I think I found the right command but like all help files the thing doesn’t tell me how to bloody use it. back to the internet.

Two days later…

etc…

Who said GUI was a waste of time and resource?

Using your brain to store all the syntax of every command line command and the ability to write in command line is a big waste of resource, maybe not the OS but definitely the person.

skills

In reply to No GUI

Obviously, you don’t have the skills to be an expert in system administration.

More Skills

In reply to skills

Other than taking a cheap shot at him, why don’t you bother to just explain that you prefer one way and we prefer another.

When it comes to Linux and the choices of numerous distros, choice is good.

But when it comes to using GUI’s or not, choice is bad?

Get over yourself.

I would put my system admin skills against yours any day of the week.

I’m paid to solve problems and pro-actively create solutions to future problems not memorize command line options, the details of kernels, etc.

IT to me isn’t some hobby, it is a tool for a business to use to gain competitive advantage.

Whether that is using a GUI or not, paying for software or not, etc I choose the route that makes the most sense for the business to meet the objectives…both long term and short term.

Decisions are complex and answers aren’t always simple. Perhaps all the time you spend being an IT expert could be used more productively learning about the business and therefore being able to apply your skills better.

Multi-depth clicks

In reply to No GUI

are FAR more inefficient than memorizing simple commands.

If I have to click through multiple menus to change a users password or worse yet, wait for Active Directory to load EVERY SINGLE FRIGGIN’ USER ON THE DOMAIN, just to change a password…something is not right.

backing up is as simple as scheduling a job and/or writing a simple script.

Checking the status of an account in linux is 6 letters….I can’t imagine that that is harder than the kludgy GUI of Windows.

Obviously

In reply to Multi-depth clicks

Windows isn’t even a Linux distribution so i don’t know why you bring that up. GUI exists in Linux. It doesn’t have to be all command line, VMWare has a GUI interface. If VMware did not have a GUI interface, the nightmare users would suffer\do suffer.

A click will always be more efficient every time.

In reply to Multi-depth clicks

How about a race. I’ll post links to web pages with in the TR, with long names for the URLs. You can use the address bar to type in the address to each of these links. no copy paste now, unless you use the command line copy paste. or write a command to perform a copy paste, that is run in command line. and lets see which is the more efficient and easier way to navigate. Gui or Command\Click or type. Ready here are the links. Get typing, I’m already 6 clicks ahead of you. I wouldn’t bother memorizing the URLs, it just is not worth it.

http://techrepublic.com.com/5218-11185-0.html?forumID=90&threadID=190011&messageID=1965698

http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-11183-0.html?forumID=89&threadID=188078&messageID=1939663

http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-11193-0.html?forumID=81&threadID=187158&start=0

http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-6319-0.html?forumID=14&threadID=149898&start=0

http://techrepublic.com.com/5213-6257-0.html?id=4093177&redirectTo=%2f1320-22-20.html

http://techrepublic.com.com/5247-6257-0.html?id=4093177

Beat ya 😉 :p 😀

Well Put

In reply to No GUI

Not only do I prefer to fill my brain with problem solving skills and creative thinking as opposed to memorizing command line options, I think one other thing should be mentioned…

While on-line searching for answers to problems, how many times does one give away too much information about their systems just to get an answer and how many times does one get crappy advice from some self-appointed expert?

I prefer to get my help, the kind of help that GUI’s don’t offer, from reputable sources such as our consultant or vendors directly.

I don’t feel comfortable getting answers from random sources that may or may not know what they are talking about.

Just look at some of the advice given in the Q&A on this website. While mostly good, some responses are pure gibberish.

cli options

In reply to Well Put

there is only one option you have to memorise.

-h or –help [ the long version ]

with every single cli tool in *x and *bsd it will call up a simple screen of the options for the command.

ls –help
Usage: ls [OPTION]… [FILE]…
List information about the FILEs (the current directory by default).
Sort entries alphabetically if none of -cftuSUX nor –sort.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.
-a, –all do not hide entries starting with .
-A, –almost-all do not list implied . and ..
–author print the author of each file
-b, –escape print octal escapes for nongraphic characters
–block-size=SIZE use SIZE-byte blocks
-B, –ignore-backups do not list implied entries ending with ~
-c with -lt: sort by, and show, ctime (time of last
modification of file status information)
with -l: show ctime and sort by name
otherwise: sort by ctime
-C list entries by columns
–color[=WHEN] control whether color is used to distinguish file
types. WHEN may be `never’, `always’, or `auto’
-d, –directory list directory entries instead of contents,
and do not dereference symbolic links
-D, –dired generate output designed for Emacs’ dired mode
-f do not sort, enable -aU, disable -lst
-F, –classify append indicator (one of */=@|) to entries
–format=WORD across -x, commas -m, horizontal -x, long -l,
single-column -1, verbose -l, vertical -C
–full-time like -l –time-style=full-iso
-g like -l, but do not list owner
-G, –no-group inhibit display of group information
-h, –human-readable print sizes in human readable format (e.g., 1K 234M 2G)
–si likewise, but use powers of 1000 not 1024
-H, –dereference-command-line
follow symbolic links listed on the command line
–dereference-command-line-symlink-to-dir
follow each command line symbolic link
that points to a directory
–indicator-style=WORD append indicator with style WORD to entry names:
none (default), classify (-F), file-type (-p)
-i, –inode print index number of each file
-I, –ignore=PATTERN do not list implied entries matching shell PATTERN
-k like –block-size=1K
-l use a long listing format
-L, –dereference when showing file information for a symbolic
link, show information for the file the link
references rather than for the link itself
-m fill width with a comma separated list of entries
-n, –numeric-uid-gid like -l, but list numeric UIDs and GIDs
-N, –literal print raw entry names (don’t treat e.g. control
characters specially)
-o like -l, but do not list group information
-p, –file-type append indicator (one of /=@|) to entries
-q, –hide-control-chars print ? instead of non graphic characters
–show-control-chars show non graphic characters as-is (default
unless program is `ls’ and output is a terminal)
-Q, –quote-name enclose entry names in double quotes
–quoting-style=WORD use quoting style WORD for entry names:
literal, locale, shell, shell-always, c, escape
-r, –reverse reverse order while sorting
-R, –recursive list subdirectories recursively
-s, –size print size of each file, in blocks
-S sort by file size
–sort=WORD extension -X, none -U, size -S, time -t,
version -v
status -c, time -t, atime -u, access -u, use -u
–time=WORD show time as WORD instead of modification time:
atime, access, use, ctime or status; use
specified time as sort key if –sort=time
–time-style=STYLE show times using style STYLE:
full-iso, long-iso, iso, locale, +FORMAT
FORMAT is interpreted like `date’; if FORMAT is
FORMAT1FORMAT2, FORMAT1 applies to
non-recent files and FORMAT2 to recent files;
if STYLE is prefixed with `posix-‘, STYLE
takes effect only outside the POSIX locale
-t sort by modification time
-T, –tabsize=COLS assume tab stops at each COLS instead of 8
-u with -lt: sort by, and show, access time
with -l: show access time and sort by name
otherwise: sort by access time
-U do not sort; list entries in directory order
-v sort by version
-w, –width=COLS assume screen width instead of current value
-x list entries by lines instead of by columns
-X sort alphabetically by entry extension
-1 list one file per line
–help display this help and exit
–version output version information and exit

SIZE may be (or may be an integer optionally followed by) one of following:
kB 1000, K 1024, MB 1000*1000, M 1024*1024, and so on for G, T, P, E, Z, Y.

By default, color is not used to distinguish types of files. That is
equivalent to using –color=none. Using the –color option without the
optional WHEN argument is equivalent to using –color=always. With
–color=auto, color codes are output only if standard output is connected
to a terminal (tty).

Report bugs to .

and ls is the *x version of microsoft’s dir command
ouch, I guess remembering one switch is to much work.
:/

and ls is one of 2 commands to remember.
the other being man

ls /bin ->> display listing of directory bin, which is half the cli tools

ls /sbin -> the other half the tools, the actual tools that can destroy the system and require root access to use.

You are confusing them!

In reply to Well Put

See, man is just too easy. Actually LEARNING how to use a computer, rather than clicking around until you finally find the tab/radio button/text box/etc that you need, you can simply type ONE command and be done with it.

cli options – for windows!

In reply to Well Put

My company has me working on Perl on a Windows platform, but I am used to the CLI on UNIX/Linux environments. I found that you can install ls, grep & other GNU utilities for Win32. These ports can be found at:

http://unxutils.sourceforge.net/

Once installed, you can use a command followed by “–help” to get the usage & options. For example: `ls –help`.

On Windows I find that `ls -R` is much easier than drilling down through directories with Windows Explorer. It is certainly light-years ahead of `dir`. Also, I find `grep -r` much quicker to set up than the Windows search function — plus you get case-specificity & reg/ex if you want for a text string.

NOTES: You have to add the directory with the tools to your %PATH%. I also had to rename find & sort to gnufind & gnusort, respectively, to avoid conflicts with Windows’ find & sort.

Try SUSE 10.0 . Many disagree but its easy!

In reply to Desktop dabbler

Earlier versions of SUSE were poor at best but the latest version comes with all the goodies, OpenOffice, Firefox etc. I have several friends and family setup now and with the auto-updater and yast it is as easy as I have seen. With KDE desktop it can be configured to look very close to what people are used to seeing and getting on WIN-X. I have done over a dozen installs and had no major issues on old and new hardware. Easy is good!!!

Really hard call…

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

Ordinarily, I would have said Red Hat, for the support, but this distro has some serious installation issues. Lindows (OK, Linspire, but I like tweaking Microsoft) ~should~ be the easiest install (and probably is), but has some very serious security issues by default. Gentoo is my personal favorite, for ease of install and general compliance with the way I expect Linux to work, but somewhere deep within, my heart belongs to Debian, if only because it is, at it’s very core, Linux in the very strictest definition.

Gone a few days and look what happens

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

Ok,I can see some people did not get the topic line of this discussion.
It was “Best versus worst LINUX distro”
Not what Winders XP can do for you, not can ya type all this url crap out in your head in a command line, it was simply put, which distro was better than another one.
I for one like the command line, especially when recompiling kernels, it runs twice as fast as there is not an Xserver taking up ram that can be used for the recompile.
I also like it when I mess up and forget to reinstall my Nvidia drivers hehehheh.
Navigating around the system in command line is fairly easy once the hang of it is achieved,cd to this or that ls there see what ya got back to main directory go elsewhere ls that sh whatever file to install..installpkg for whatever package I got….piece of cake.
Can’t do that in Winders, gotta wait till the damn XP bar stops running first then log on,then wait for everything to load, hell my Slackware is up and in a GUI before Windows even gets halfway there.
But I digress.

Best easy distro for mail server & file server?

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

Apotheon replied to my earlier request (Now just need an easily installed Linux for server use, as would like a new e-mail server and a file server as good as Novell Netware. Any good suggestions?).

Has anyone else any comments on the theme please?

Questions!

In reply to Best easy distro for mail server & file server?

What version of Netware/GroupWise are you guys on? We are 4.2 Netware, 5.5 GroupWise, and were looking at Open-Xchange ( http://mirror.open-xchange.org/ox/EN/community/ ). It runs on Redhat & SLES 9. There’s a migration from GroupWise 6.5 on… But not for 5.5.

What other servers were you looking at?

Netware replacement

In reply to Questions!

We are currently running Netware SBS 5.1 with WinXP/Office XP on the desktop. Did not like Groupwise, so also had (operative word!) an MDaemon mailserver running on Win2K until a Windows update broke it (the driver for the RAID card did not like it). Unfortunately no XP driver availale for the card, so this is an opportunity to look at open source options which will utilise the existing hardware (though maybe not the RAID card). I bought an Axentra server (running some Linux sofware pre-installed with wizards for option setups) last year as a possible solution but, while simple to use, it is not as good as MDaemon and very slow. I like the robustness and reliability of Netware (been using it since version 2.1) and the way you can give rights to users and groups by volume, directory or by file. With these proprietory solutions (Netware and Windows) getting more complex and expensive, I’m exploring the possibility of Linux.

NetWare on Linux

In reply to Netware replacement

You should look into Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server if you liked NetWare so much.

Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server

In reply to NetWare on Linux

Novell is the core of our IT shop and Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server fits like a glove. The effort Novell has put into providing SUSE with NOVELL integration works wonderfully.

NetWare

In reply to NetWare on Linux

Never said I *liked* it… Lol. The fileserver I don’t mind so much, but the mail server NEEDS TO GO. Granted, part of the problem is the fact that we’re on NetWare 4.2, (with whatever GWIA version that is) and the clients are 5.5ep. Any bit of malformed spam (ie, some spammers trying to hide their real address), tends to start the server in this never-ending cycle of trying to grab the mail and failing. This causes the *.000 files to get gigs large and drag down both the file-server and the e-mail server for everyone. (Oddly enough, it also affects WordPerfect for some reason, tho not Word… If anyone has any insight to that one, please let me know… lol.)

It’s also abit counter-intuitive when setting up new users and I find it abit lacking in the Group-Policy area.

BUT, they’re on what, NetWare 9 or so? (And GroupWise 7.0?) Maybe they’ve gotten better, I don’t really know. (It’s also my first network to admin, so I have nothing to compare it to either…)

Reply To: Best versus worst Linux distro

In reply to Netware replacement

I used to use a Pegesus Mail Client at a preveous job. What I learned about the server side of Pegesus sounded very good. Have you tried that?

Not really one best and one worst

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

In my opinion, you have to try it yourself. I tryed some different ones and like a part of each better than another. i.e. I like Ubuntu as a desktop. Very much done through GUI and that’s okay to replace a Windows box without learning much. Really easy to install and running smooth but nothing good when we’re talking server. (Just a pain in the ass not to have a root account but that’s my opinion) If you’re looking for a server, I liked the Red Had distro but I actually “quit” after a while because it went unstable. Something went wrong after an update and never got back on track. Last time I tried a new distro was a BSD. (UNIX but quite the same as Linux) and it’s working just fine even though it takes sometimes under installation to get it right.

great analysis

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-6230-0.html?forumID=5&threadID=181983&messageID=1871696

great analysis

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-6230-0.html?forumID=5&threadID=181983&messageID=1871696

thanks

In reply to great analysis

It’s always nice to see that someone else got some value from something I’ve said.

You’re welcome

In reply to thanks

I found your discussions on Linux interesting enough to make me drop $30.00 on Linux for Dummies at Borders.

Without reading the whole discussion

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

If no one else has suggested it, I think you can find a succinct Linux analysis below.

http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-6230-0.html?forumID=5&threadID=181983&messageID=1871696

Stupid keyboard

In reply to Without reading the whole discussion

see above

Linux Distros

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

I’ve tried Mandriva/Mandrake, SuSe, Linspire, Red Hat, Xandros, Knoppix, Damn Small linux, Lycoris.

I use Mandriva Linux (currently 2006.0 Powerpack – I always use the commercial version). I started using Mandrake because back in 2000 it was the only Linux distro that would install and work properly, out of the box, with all of my hardware. I’ve had no problems since, in that respect, so I keep using it.

SuSe seems ok, but I can’t be bothered learning how to use YaST.

Red Hat never seems to work properly, out of the box with my hardware, so I don’t really like it.

DSL is nice to have around.

I find Linspire too limiting. Xandros I find is a bit better, in fact I have installed Xandros for a few people, and they seem to like it, but it doesn’t have some of the really nice tools that Mandriva has.

From my point of view I suppose it would be Mandriva best. and Red and Linspire worst, but for different reasons.

What sort of hardware setups are being installed on?

In reply to Linux Distros

I was just curious as to which hardware setups are being used here? I’ve noticed a lot of posts regarding RedHat in general as well as a few other distro’s concerning hardware not being compatible with the software.

SUSE

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

My expereance is limmited. I’ve done 2 LINUX installs. For the first one I picked a disto based on size, and speed. I don’t even remember the name, but it was a flop. The config program ask me questions that I did not understand and provided no explanation.

My second installation was SUSE 9 from Novell. It went fairly smoothly. I had to ask a friend with more LINUX expereance a question or two, but the scripted install was handled much, much better. The system was up and stable the first time and I’ve had no trouble with it since.

Beatrix…

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

being a linux newbie, I did like Beatrix alot, SuSE’s pretty sweet to look at too, I’ve also tried Ubuntu, Mepis & a host of other’s.

I don’t care too much for DSL, College, or Lycoris distro’s, but then again I’m a linux newbie (is that a Lewbie or a newnux? – just kidding).

I prefer distro’s that look good, Beatrix impressed me with the fact that the install cd doubles as a live cd as well (and includes open office, mail client & a browser with the dist)

I also rec’d decent support from their discussion forums and someone in Czech on the other side of the planet spoke english and was willing to assist me in the odd hours of the night, for free, I don’t think I’d ever get that from MS.

Again, I’m a newbie so my take on linux may not even be worth the usual 0.02 cents cdn I offer at the end of most of my TR posts.

BeatrIX

In reply to Beatrix…

Yeah, I keep hearing good things about BeatrIX, and it looks pretty good for an introductory distro. One of these days, I’m going to have to try it on for size and see how I like it. I’m pretty sure I’ll continue using vanilla Debian as my distro of choice, but BeatrIX looks like a good candidate to go in the “full desktop installs” pile along with distros like Knoppix.

Xandros/DSL/Ubuntu

In reply to BeatrIX

Well working in a mostly windows enviroment I’ve been playing linux for my own use.
I had good luck with Suse, but its more cli then I want for desktop install. Yast seemed pretty easy to work with. I’ve been computing since 1979. I really don’t want to slip all the way back to CLI’s. BUT I don’t want that power under the hood removed so I can’t get to it if I want it.

Xandros has to be my favorite for a desktop install I was even able to get my CIO (Mr.Windows) to let me test bed a few IBM’s. Setup was fast and slick (20 minutes)surely not like windows. No hardware problems, straight onto our network with a standard login. Works well on older comps, and being able to run a few windows aps made the people I guinea pigged very happy. This one would be the distro to move people off windows. And is the one thats still installed on my file server ( I use the term server pretty loosely there). DSL impressed me with less is best. Its a great tool to have in a shirt pocket. And its pretty quick and small.
Mandrake/Madriva drove me mad with hardware problems. Especially when Suse and Xandros worked fine on the same machines.
Ubuntu, is the home users linux. Without much work you have a windows user running along surfing to his hearts content. And in some ways this could help get people off windows and onto open source. Although security is not what it should be.
Since I haven’t had to setup and config a linux server I really don’t have a reommendation, although my feeling is I’d likely try it with Suse for my first run at it.

Linux In Reality

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

classing myself as a average user today, I find that linux distros are still well off the mark, mainly in a user friendly way, every one that I have tried, about 6, Including Slackware, Mepis,Ubuntu,Knoppix. Are still far from ready for general use, Support for all is very poor.
Unless you happen to be a programer etc. still
rated 4 out of ten.When we get just one distro,
that is user friendly, and questions are answered sensibly. then the uptake will happen.

off the mark

In reply to Linux In Reality

You don’t want an easy to use Linux. You want Linux to be Windows.

With any luck, it’ll never happen.

here

In reply to Linux In Reality

http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm

WTF

In reply to Linux In Reality

You want no choice? You like buying the generic beer and generic chips and generic salsa at the store?

Please.

For ease of use try(if you thought Ubuntu was hard, I can’t imagine what you were doing)Linspire.

As for documentation, there are EXCELLENT docs all over the place. Gentoo has an excellent wiki that will work for most distros (with a little modification here and there to fit your distro).

Hell, the Fedora Forums are FULL of noob questions with very reasonable answers. There are also a ton of blogs (mine being one of them) that walks you step by step through setting up specific apps.

What more do you want?

What? no support?

In reply to Linux In Reality

I don’t know what you were doing so far as Linux goes, but if you go to google.com and type in linux support, you will get tired of going through tons of sites.
Most if not all that I have dealt with are user friendly, all you have to do is carefully read the installer whther it be in anaconda for RH\Fedora, YAST in suse, or ncurses in Slackware. Last one is my favorite, I have to be seriously stupid to screw that up.
If you want to use WIndows and watch your computing experience be reduced to lowest common denominator, be my guest.
If you want to learn about how a copmputer can really work , then start off with the first page in google search results for linux support.which oddly enough is this
http://www.redhat.com/support……
Now I have to go home and reinstall my freakin Winders XP Pro again.

Why?

In reply to What? no support?

Reinstalling XP Pro why?

Ah, you have a habit of surfing porn, downloading questionable programs, don’t run AV or firewall software, don’t scan for malware, etc.

Or, you were just taking another cheap shot at Windows?

I have XP Pro on one of my PC’s and haven’t had to reinstall in over 2 years. It’s called maintenance.

Just like a car, a PC needs a little tender loving care ever now and then. More now if you have the above habits.

What exactly caused your reinstall or are you just bitter about Windows?

I attended a MOM seminar today…some guy ranting and raving about Linux and putting down Microsoft ever chance he had.

I asked him, what open source software do you run?

Answer, none except for my own personal use.

He couldn’t even convice his own employer that Linux was worthwhile…a common problem, heh?

Only cheap thing is the price of free open source software

In reply to Why?

No it was not a cheap shot, if I wanted to do a cheap shot at MS there plenty of things I could say and then some.
When your power is suddenly shut off due to someone else’s stupidity, Windows tends to crash hard.
As to the rest of your post?
I’ve never run without antivirus, firewalls etc etc not loaded and in place.
I make my living in a computer shop so I’m not near as stupid as you seem to think I am.
I install Linux on a number of pc’s during the day, part of the reason I got this post going was to get ideas on what others out there had used and why, the recommendations do come in handy as well as the criticisms.
But I can’t resist a cheap shot now.
If I wanted to make Microsoft look really bad right now. I’d do a comparison between all the free replacements for Windows programs versus the ones you have to shell out hard earned cash for.
That’s one I’d win hands down.
When you get a clue….let me know. I’ll even pitch in to buy you one.
PS
After typing this post I replaced the keyboard I was using at the shop…..it reminded me of my IBM 286 kb

typo

In reply to Only cheap thing is the price of free open source software

I think you made a typo — typed “with” when you meant “without”. You may want to edit that.

baysic keeboordin skeels

In reply to typo

I think I goofed there

it’s obvious

In reply to Why?

You’re the one taking cheap shots with that post. There’s some more of that famed “neutrality” of yours.

boobs

In reply to it’s obvious

Your both a pair of extreme boobs.
GUI is not the end of Linux, and is a powerful tool IF you realy need it. CLI isn’t the worst thing going. Its always nice to be able to pop the hood and tinker if you have too. I did my time on the command line. I only want to do that now if I have too.
Both of you make me want to go read slash dot.
Linux with an ace GUI and command line for those who want it could sweep the desktop as it does the server world. I’ve had to work in all windows shops, and gui on the servers don’t make any damn difference when its sitting there serving. It just looks like any desktop with nothing running on it.
Get over yourselves, neither of you add anything constructive or of any value this way.
Linux is going to continue to grow and evolve, and GUI is going to be there more and more like it or not Mr.Purist. Windows, well I doubt it will ever be secure simply bad design has seen to that. And we can’t talk vapourware like Vista till its out there being hacked or not.
I want to know why linux needs 500 flavours. Its already so customizable that 5 (or less) good distro’s could do it. 2 decent (compatible) gui’s should be enough. Linux needs to lose its geek is shiek attitude just like the two of you have that holier then thou crap going.
I don’t have paper, I do have a job in network support. We’re not big, 6 servers, 100 desktops. In two years only one machine ever had a virus in an all windows shop. It got out before my time without anti virus on it. 5 minutes to image the hard drive and it was back.
Sometimes we use the gui. Its quick when the settings are straight forward. When we need something a little more precise we go command line. Both work well. Only the snobby attitudes are slowing down the discussions and the adoption of linux. Talk tech, even if its over my head I’ll reach up to get it. Talk trash and I’ll have no respect for you ever.

What are you talking about?

In reply to boobs

Who said the GUI was “the end of Linux”? I use GUI and CLI each about half the time on a “desktop” system. Hell, I use the two together.

You clearly aren’t paying enough attention to have any idea what you’re talking about. If you want to talk respect, you should first have enough respect to not invent arguments to rail against, and instead actually pay attention to what’s said.

stop drop and roll

In reply to What are you talking about?

Yo’ve made it pretty clear how you feel about GUI. I don’t think I was far off in my assessment of your feelings on GUI and linux. And I fully expected you to flame me out of the box. So now I’m not suprised. I’ll take your advice, with a grain of salt from here out.
I didn’t invent anything I’ve read a lot of your posts. You’d be great if you weren’t sitting up there on a linux guru pedestal. I have the same reaction to Rick.

Wow

In reply to What are you talking about?

I by no means put Windows on a pedestal. Nor do I claim to be a guru.

I do concede virtually all arguments to Linux that it is a better OS, technically.

However, I’m paid to get a job done and to solve problems. And to do that in the fastest, most efficient and cost effective way.

Perhaps a few years from now, after I have gained enough Linux knowledge, experience and skill Linux will fit that bill for me.

But Linux, at this point in time, isn’t cost effective for me. The learning curve is steep, there are compatibility issues, support issues, etc.

For all the time I spend learning something new, I could be solving problems and making/saving money for my company.

Indianapolis isn’t exactly the bleeding edge of technology. To find good Linux admins, one would pay more and have few choices to hire from.

I had dinner the other night with a guy working for some Linux organization. Great dinner, great conversation.

He helped me alot. However, again, at this point in time, the solution for my company is to perhaps pay a little extra for Microsoft, Cisco, HP etc brands and spend our time creating solutions and not studying/learning.

The increased costs for our decisions is offset by time saved. We study our business to solve problems and not study kernels and learn how to make our own drivers.

Our IT department is a driving force for our business not a driving force for being a OS guru. That’s not what we get paid to do.

But again, maybe that will change one day. One day at a time. I can’t throw away 10 years of Windows experience even though Linux maybe is a little better.

a bit for each of you

In reply to What are you talking about?

Merlin55: Actually, I don’t think you [b]do[/b] know how I feel about GUIs. How I feel about it is that the GUI and the CLI are both useful, each more useful for some tasks than for others. Each has its place. In previous posts on the subject, I was commenting on inappropriate use of the GUI. I recommend you go back and read what I said, again, this time with an eye toward avoiding snap judgments about my “feelings” on the matter.

rickk: I don’t know why you keep talking about rebuilding kernels and writing drivers as though these are necessary skills for a Linux sysadmin. I’ve never written a driver in my life. Use of package managers, shell scripting, and security configuration are by far the more important tools for the expert sysadmin. In fact, you might be surprised how rarely you’d find a professional unix/Linux sysadmin that knows how to write drivers, and many (especially RHEL admins) are unlikely to have ever rebuilt a kernel in their professional lives.

Kubuntu / Ubuntu for costs

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

If you want a totally free OS, then Kubuntu/Ubuntu is for you. Ubuntu is even shipped to you free of charge. I like the fact that it comes on 1 CD with the most widely used apps installed, and not 2 or 3 apps that does the same thing. You can always download more from their repository, if your internet connection is working. I like the fact that it is Debian-based as well (tried and tested software available).
I never had my internet connection up and running on any distro due to my winmodem. I know about linmodems and where to download a driver to make the modem work, but never had time to do it.
I started with Red Hat, which worked fine, but struggled to additional software. Mandrake (now Mandriva) was easy to install and work with, but also struggled to install additional software.
I like Knoppix as a boot-up OS without installing it on a PC. Kubuntu/Ubuntu also has a boot-up CD, but not as nice as Knoppix. With Knoppix, you can access your Windows partition (comes in very handy when Windows fails to boot up and to retrieve valuable data).

I really feel bad for you, SWLChris…

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

Hi Chris,

I would be considered a “newbie” in the Linux world, but that doesn’t bother me one bit, because it seems that all these techno-geeks can do is argue over who is more intelligent while they call the others stupid.
I know very little about Linux, have only tried a few distros, & am an MCSA (in case the rest of you haven’t figured that out, I manage Microsoft Windows systems…not directed at you, Chris). I’ve found that RedHat can be quite difficult, but Ubuntu, the old Mandrake & the old SuSE were pretty easy to deal with as an inexperienced user. I got all my HW to work, learned how to do a few things & use a few programs, so I have had some reasonably good experiences. So I’m sorry I can’t tell you too much of anything new, but at least I won’t get into a pi**ing match with others instead of answering your questions.
It just really fries me that you pose a simple request for advice & all you hear after the first few posts is sniping & griping. The only way that Linux is ever going to be taken seriously is if these smarta** know-it-alls learn some humility & begin to act like computer professionals rather than spoiled 6 year olds. Good luck getting any info from these neanderthals.

Regards,

Robert

high horse

In reply to I really feel bad for you, SWLChris…

That’s an awfully high horse you’re on. Maybe you should stop feeling so superior with your Microsoft certs (I’ve got some of those, too, and don’t consider it an indication of my superiority). Here you are, implying that Linux users are starting pissing matches, and it was the resident champion Windows troll rickk that started the pissing matches here:

http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-6230-0.html?forumID=90&threadID=190011&messageID=1964373

. . . and now you, too — another Windows champion — are making more inflammatory remarks aimed at Linux users. Yep. Yer a real saint. Prick.

yeah your right about the little

In reply to I really feel bad for you, SWLChris…

All the little spats about what and who is what keeps the big JUMP to using Linux ! ! Instead of getting their heads together and talking aobut making Linux a MAJOR contender in the Market . .
These tiny minds just fight over stupiud stuff instead of getting the world to see what is REALLY good about LINUX . . As it has lots to offer in a Desktop system or even a server ( lots of Linux Servers around )

I do believe title says Linux not Windows

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

I’ve read the posts here.. If you want to back up and read the title of the discussion it state BEST VS WORST LINUX DISTRO….
No which MS this or that can’t do this or that Linux thing etc etc etc.
I have used Linux for years now so I’m far from a newbie when it comes to that. I have played\tried\evaluated a hell of a lot of distro’s both mainstream and not so mainstream.
If I wanted to hear about Windows this or that I woulda made a freakin discussion for that.

mandrivia

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

I got a bit frustrated off with mandrivia a couple of months back (been using it at home for 3? years now)

I tried Kubantu, Fedora and Suse.

I am still running Mandrivia (2006) as my home operating system. (I run analog and digital TV, DVD, multiple monitors with it – and haven’t had time to sit down and study it as much as I’d like to!)
Hugh

Best vs. worst…

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

After reading all the responses (and wondering how best vs. worst means CLI is better than GUI, or my dog is better than your dog), I noticed Mepis is only mentioned once. I tried numerous distributions trying to get away from Micro$oft (I didn’t like being on hold for 45 minutes to be told “Sorry, can’t help you”…among other things), I don’t know a whole lot about computers, and then I ran across SimplyMEPIS. I’ve been running Mepis for over a year now, and I think it’s most excellent. I’ve run across a few quirks, but I tend to try the latest and greatest so I expect that.Fast install time, great hardware detection, ease of use…and an outstanding forum community. I hope this helps…and to a lot of you, “pbbbtttt” (see, I can be childish too, but I have an excuse…I had a “juvenile” brain tumor. What’s yours?) Be well…

Ok Linux version

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

I have used several versions and have gone to the newbie Linux Mandriva 10.2 ( as its called now )
I have tried Red Hat twice and Lindows 1 time and went back to Linux Madrake as it was known at that time ! Linux Madrake Version 9 was dam solid ! It did not have any problems just needed a few more gismos added to it and this new version of Linux Madriva seems to be really stable Oh yeah there is a version of Linux which runs totally in memory and the cd-rom called HImandrake ! its really neat . .

Check out www.distrowatch.com

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

I recommend looking at the table along the right hand side. It is kind of a gauge of the latest.

MEPIS has been very satisfactory for me.

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

The ease of install is great. Some basic knowledge about partitions is needed if you want a mutiple boot system but the supplied partioning tool is very easy to use.

The hardware detection and configuration is excellent. I’ve been through 3 succesive releases of MEPIS on 5 diverse machines with a wide diversity of cards and peripherals. The only configuration I’ve ever had to do was adjust the volume for one soundcard once!

I was considering trying ubuntu since it is very popular and generating a favorable buzz. However the most recent release of MEPIS is now built on ubuntu so I don’t feel an urgent need. Nevertheless it should now be very easy to try out ubuntu with my existing configuration whenever I like.

I can say (happily) that I just don’t have the experience to name a worst distribution.

Bit the dust

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

Ok I finally broke down and downloaded the Fedora Core 5 iso’s just to see what the hype was about. Burned em on CD R\W so if I don’t like it I can erase em hehhehehe.
Testbed machine is a gussied up Dell that used to be a V333c but now has a Pentium 3 Slot One 700 mhz cpu dropped in and now 384 meg of ram as well.

Took forever to install versus the last Slackware install. Time on screen 55 minutes. time in reality more like 75 minutes when all said and done.

Will be testing this out over the next few weeks as time permits.
First pet peeve. SMB is a bitch…..CIFS is a pain in the ass to do to read files over my home network.
More on this later

KNOPPIX ~!~

In reply to Best versus worst Linux distro

IMH0, the Knoppix DVD beats ’em all hands down.

It’s also priceless to have around if your boot disk goes south, other nasty little things…

From the time ya stick it into the drive, it’s 10 minutes till your running Linux =NICE= hands off no configging anytning — Dare Microsausage Wieners to build an install script that good!

God Bless

dogx

On a DVD ?

In reply to KNOPPIX ~!~

Never heard of that version of Linux ! !
Knoppix ? haha microsauages weiners huh ?
Thats good :-))

Knoppix revisited

In reply to KNOPPIX ~!~

I have had a copy of Knoppix for about 3 years and there are several times it comes in very handy. Especially when Windows has laid down and died.
I have an older version and the newer one. Older version is best for older machines as I found out… the 3.06 version I think vs the 4.03?
The thing is on certain items it has a tendency to choke.USB drives seem to be the big sticking point as I have three of those hooked up and none of them were seen.
There is also an interesting Windows alternative to Knoppix called Mni PE if anyone out there is aware of it. It’s also a live cdrom version of Windows and I use it a lot at work with XP home based pc’s,
Knoppix is great to learn linux on in a sense ifyou don’t want to have it completely installed on the pc.

[Author]

Replies