Best distros for my requirements
 

Hi guys,

i have been messing around with linux the past few months, installed centos to learn more of the technical side of linux.

i also want to start doing a bit of python and also have a look at blender. It seems like a real mission to get certain software to run on centos...as i have read it really is a distro more suited to a server type environment.

i want to duel boot centos with another distro in order to do some game programming in python etc

been thinking about these:

fedora
mint
ubuntu

but know very little about these other distros...does it really matter at this stage which distro i choose???

thanks
sn

have a look at OpenSUSE 12.3

CentOS shoots for the a extremely stable system, so it tends to outdate its self in time, which in order to get the latest software to work on it you'll find your self updating or compiling your own libraries which can be a pain if you don't know what your doing.

Debian stable tends to be the same way. All though the current debian wheezy is pretty upto date at this time. Debian Testing is always the way to go for a desktop system imo.

Fedora is good, its more streamlined and has some of the later software available and is a good option. It to is based of of RHET Linux.

Mint is based off of Ubuntu which is based off of Debian Testing (Mint LDE is based off of Debian Testing). Linux Mint in my opinion is more polished and seems cleaner than ubuntu, but since they have a custom Desktops (Mate and Cinnamon) I've had a few problems with some app complaining about the desktop, however most apps should still work just find since Mate is based off of Gnome 2 and Cinnamon based of off Gnome 3.

Out of all those I would go Mint.

My personal preference is Debian Stable or Testing.

If you want to learn Linux use Slackware.
There is an old saying that goes something like this:
If you want to learn Red Had, then use Red Hat. If you want to learn Linux, then use Slackware.
This is still every bit as true today as it has ever been.
Slackware is still plain vanilla unpatched and un-messed around with Linux. When you use Slackware you get a plain vanilla kernel, desktop environments, and apps. This makes the system cleaner and easier to learn on. Slackware also does not have a "smart" package manager to resolve dependencies. This means that you have complete control of your system. However, you can easily add packages to Slackware with the slackbuild scripts available at slackbuilds.org.
Then once you learn how to use slackbuild scripts, you can easily automate the process by using sbopkg.

Also, there will be a new Slackware 14.1 available very soon. Be sure to check it out.

I have used Ubuntu far longer than I have used Slackware; but I would say that most of what I have learned about Linux I learned by using Slackware.

I can agree to that, but using Slackware as a desktop can be a pain also if your like me. I only install what I want to install, and to use slackware as a desktop people general install everything. If you get pick with your packages, you'll need to do all the research and try to figure out what packages were compiled with so you can resolve all dependicies.

I would use slackware today, if I didn't have to figure out how each and every packages was compiled, so I know what else it needed to work properly.

I use CentOS happily on a desktop, but it's a matter of taste. But if you think getting enough software in CentOS is a problem, don't try Slackware. It has the smallest repository of any distro, and you end up compiling the stuff yourself. Yes, slackbuilds make things easier, but the job still has to be done.

Fedora, Mint, and Ubuntu are all reasonable: it really depends on what environment you like. Ubuntu's Unity makes you computer look as if it's turned into a smartphone, but some people like that. If you get Mint or Ubuntu, get the long-term support version, or you'll be re-installing every six months. Fedora's very good at doing upgrades from one version to another, but don't let it do automatic updates between versions, or you may get "enhancements" that just break things.

Sure, if you want to learn how Linux works then Slack is a good choice, but if you want to learn how to use Linux, it is not. I've used a LOT of distros over the years, and Slack is nothing like the rest.

The way you install the OS is nothing like any other mainstream distro
The way you install software is nothing like any other mainstream distro
The way you maintain software is nothing like any other mainstream distro
The way you resolve dependencies is nothing like any other mainstream distro
etc.

In fact, if you treat any other distro the way you have to do things in Slack, you'll break it in no time.

It's good to know how the underlying bits and pieces work, but that doesn't tell you anything about how to set up, maintain, or use any mainstream Linux distro.

In my opinion, if the entire goal of this adventure is learning how Linux works at the lowest level, then Slackware is a good choice. However, if the goal is to set up a solid Linux system, become comfortable in it, and then use it to do something productive, all in a reasonable amount of time, there are much better options.

+1 for Slackware, if you learn linux.
Linux Mint if you want a system "all ready" to work on your projects.

Hi,

any of the three distros you mention should be fine for coding some python. Regarding blender, check to see if it is already packaged for each distro.

For example, check ubuntu:
http://packages.ubuntu.com/search?ke...searchon=names

I'm less familiar with Mint and Fedora, but you should be able to perform a similar search.

Other things to consider

* Release cycle.
- Fedora has a fast release cycle, meaning users should fully upgrade their system each 6 months
- Ubuntu also releases each 6 months, but also provides a longterm support (LTS) release that is updated each two years
- Mint is based on Ubuntu and as such has a similar release cycle (I'm less familiar with Mint)

* Packaging and familiarity
- Fedora is kind of like the upstream of RHEL so you will likely find some things familiar from your CentOS experience
- Ubuntu and hence Mint are derived from Debian which has a slightly different approach to RHEL

There are other things you may like to consider, but hopefully these will give you a start.

Please note that I am trying to address your query, not sell you my preferred distribution.

HTH,

Evo2.

Well, most of the stereotypes have been fulfilled in this thread ... You've got the "+1 slackware" poster, the "-1 slackware" poster, the "define every term the OP mentioned" poster, the "consider this" poster,..

I shall be "the not so serious poster" and also "the guy that says to just research the question on google."

There, now all the bases have been covered!

I'm going to ruffle feathers by making a further comment on Slackware. In another post, someone has just suggested a "solution" which involves editing a file the OP doesn't have. The would-be helper forgot that the file in question no longer exists if you have systemd. Over the years, I keep seeing this happen: "edit your xorg.conf" — "I can't find an xorg.conf." Slackware works very well in the way that it does, but that way hasn't changed much since the 1990s. If "learn Linux" means learning about the kernel, the Gnu tools, or bash, then any distro will do. If it means learning how the majority of distros boot-up and configure themselves, Slackware experience will teach you little.

My motto is: "If you have to ask... Linux Mint."