What Distribution
 

I've just about built my new PC. Having used Linux for about 3 years, I want to install Linux as my only operating system. But, I don't know what distribution to choose: Fedora or Suse. Possibly Mandrake but that is a bit newbie orientated. I don't want something like Slackware or Debian though. Thanks for any help:)

Mandrake 10 Official

Well, although Mandrake has an 'easier' install and known as the newbie linux distro, I actually recommend it. I run both Mandrake 9.1 and Redhat 9 and I like the set of configuration applications with Mandrake along with its look and feel, more than Redhat. Its also very cheap, and it makes alot of advances with every new version. Redhat is Ok and has free internet updates from the Redhat Network which is neat, but I would say go with mandy--it may be easy, but in any linux distro you're bound to have problems anyway.

Hello,

I agree with blinux1: "I like the set of configuration applications with Mandrake along with its look and feel, more than Redhat".

But you've been using linux for 3 years? Why not considering Slackware? OK, I sometimes mis the ease of configuration from Mandrake. But I learned more about Linux. And Slackware is more stable, even if I pull the plug it keeps on running ;-)

Bye

Koen Plessers

Hi,

I haven't used Fedora and for SuSe... well.. the Live-CD edition and it's great! but if you've been using Linux for three years, you also must consider running Slackware or KNOPPIX, the last one is quite easy to use, and based on Debian, so it's good, at least I liked it (although I wiped it out right today because I've constructed my own LFS system, and it's, simply put, awesome :D)

Julio

Yea really, if you've been using linux for 3 years, why would you want to use *crap* distros like mdk? I say slackware or debian.

my buddy tried fedora in his linux class, loves it..

I got the fedora cd's on a cover disk, installed them on no2 comp, lasted about 2 days, until I decided to actually do an LFS installation (yes Particle Hunter, nothing like it :). I personally would say get debian, or wait until the current testing distro goes stable.

I generally use my no2 comp for playing about on, so have tried a few distros on it, I found mandrake 9.1 (last I used it) so limiting, fedora even more so. I have not ran suse since 6.4, but I did swear by it until I got my eyes opened by Debian, not the easiest to use by any stretch of the imagination (Bit Quirky, Bit user-hostile), but of what I tried, just the ease of apt is great.

Eddy,

Mandrake

http://frontal2.mandriva.com/en/downloads/mirrors

SUSE

http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=suse

Both Distros are easy to use, install and need very little configuration

Jake

You must try MEPIS;)

www.mepis.org

Mandrake or SUSE are both great, and easy to get up and running. I find SUSE to be a bit more polished, but that's just my opinion. They're both great distros.

Fedora Core Project

To most of the posters: using Linux 3 years is not the same as playing around with Linux and tweaking it for three years. I was in a similar situation, using UNIX (Solaris) and Linux (Red Hat) at work for several years. Still, I was using systems that someone else set up and troubleshot.

I tried many distributions and keep coming back to SUSE. It has great hardware detection, YaST is a great setup tool and package manager, and the retail version comes with just about every package imaginable. There have been many occasions that I heard about some new package and I looked on the DVD first, and there it was. I also like the fact that SUSE is forgiving of bad administration choices. As a newbie, you can make some wrong choices that can break a system. It seemed that Red Hat stayed broken, as did Slackware. Somehow, a restart seemed to resurrect SUSE. Maybe it did not come back exactly where I wanted it, but it came back. This makes learning a much less traumatic experience. :twocents: