Fedora 14 seems to rock - mostly
Posted 02-29-2012 at 10:34 PM by dav0
Why am I here? Today I learned that I have apparently been a registered user long enough that I have earned my own blog on LinusQuestions.org! Do I deserve this distinction? Certainly not! That said, I do feel somewhat honored, and maybe this is just what I need to inspire me into some sort of action to help out around here? Or not... time will tell!
My story? I've currently got an HP 64 bit AMD based system dual booted with Fedora 14 on top of a Windows 7 factory install setup for home use. I say "currently", but in fact this system has been in active use for over a year now without needing to do much beyond the usual updates here and there. Of course, if not for LinuxQuestions.org, I would probably still be trying to figure out how to build this system, so here's my chance to say THANK YOU LQ!
This install started out as yet another attempt to make some practical use of a Linux distro, except this time I thought that, instead of what I usually do, which is to install onto the carcass of an old abandoned Windows PC (which also works quite well by the way - for what it is), this time I thought I'd give Linux a fighting chance and install it on some brand new hardware for a change. Best decision I ever made!
Ironically, I am currently booted onto the Windows 7 boot of the same hard drive, but I find that I only occasionally need to use the Windows boot anymore, and the Linux environment has become the default boot. There are still a few issues that can be annoying - like trying to keep up with the Flash plugin upgrades on the browsers, which ends up meaning that I don't end up watching as many web videos as I might otherwise, but other than that, there are many advantages to having a Linux workstation. For one, given that I am developing for Linux based websites, there are a lot of things I end up testing out first on my own environment. Scripts are easier too, since they don't need to have multiple personality disorder in order to function in both environments.
Of course, the best thing about Linux is the fact that it is just so much more reliable and less distracted by the need to put everything on hold for constant virus scans and automatic reboots. I can actually set up a work environment with nearly a hundred different browser tabs open and various tools all set up - and then I can walk away and come back hours or days later to the exact same work environment! No need for a reboot! (OK once in a while maybe, but more the exception than the rule and only on my terms). The same goes for comparisons with my Mac as well - Linux is much more like a PC than a Mac is like a PC, so Linux is a much easier transition for a PC-centric user like me. What's best, with all of the open source options for editors and tools, I feel like I'm just exploring the tip of the iceberg... and I've been using Linux off and on since it was invented, so that says something about how much Linux has to offer.
Anyway, I guess that all of this makes me want to try and give back a little. So far, I have been giving back in my own way - in the form of open source artwork presented with plenty of Javascript for example (see http://opentoons.org and http://opendoodle.org and their derivatives for starters). Hopefully I might be able to share a few Linux setup tidbits here and there as well - things that might not seem like a big deal to me, but things which might be just what the doctor ordered for someone who is having trouble finding the answer they are looking for.
Disclaimer: I am not a Linux Guru, nor am I a guru of anything in particular. I am a veteran software engineer with over 28 years of work experience in more languages and system environments than I can even count (many of which probably don't really even count anymore).
My story? I've currently got an HP 64 bit AMD based system dual booted with Fedora 14 on top of a Windows 7 factory install setup for home use. I say "currently", but in fact this system has been in active use for over a year now without needing to do much beyond the usual updates here and there. Of course, if not for LinuxQuestions.org, I would probably still be trying to figure out how to build this system, so here's my chance to say THANK YOU LQ!
This install started out as yet another attempt to make some practical use of a Linux distro, except this time I thought that, instead of what I usually do, which is to install onto the carcass of an old abandoned Windows PC (which also works quite well by the way - for what it is), this time I thought I'd give Linux a fighting chance and install it on some brand new hardware for a change. Best decision I ever made!
Ironically, I am currently booted onto the Windows 7 boot of the same hard drive, but I find that I only occasionally need to use the Windows boot anymore, and the Linux environment has become the default boot. There are still a few issues that can be annoying - like trying to keep up with the Flash plugin upgrades on the browsers, which ends up meaning that I don't end up watching as many web videos as I might otherwise, but other than that, there are many advantages to having a Linux workstation. For one, given that I am developing for Linux based websites, there are a lot of things I end up testing out first on my own environment. Scripts are easier too, since they don't need to have multiple personality disorder in order to function in both environments.
Of course, the best thing about Linux is the fact that it is just so much more reliable and less distracted by the need to put everything on hold for constant virus scans and automatic reboots. I can actually set up a work environment with nearly a hundred different browser tabs open and various tools all set up - and then I can walk away and come back hours or days later to the exact same work environment! No need for a reboot! (OK once in a while maybe, but more the exception than the rule and only on my terms). The same goes for comparisons with my Mac as well - Linux is much more like a PC than a Mac is like a PC, so Linux is a much easier transition for a PC-centric user like me. What's best, with all of the open source options for editors and tools, I feel like I'm just exploring the tip of the iceberg... and I've been using Linux off and on since it was invented, so that says something about how much Linux has to offer.
Anyway, I guess that all of this makes me want to try and give back a little. So far, I have been giving back in my own way - in the form of open source artwork presented with plenty of Javascript for example (see http://opentoons.org and http://opendoodle.org and their derivatives for starters). Hopefully I might be able to share a few Linux setup tidbits here and there as well - things that might not seem like a big deal to me, but things which might be just what the doctor ordered for someone who is having trouble finding the answer they are looking for.
Disclaimer: I am not a Linux Guru, nor am I a guru of anything in particular. I am a veteran software engineer with over 28 years of work experience in more languages and system environments than I can even count (many of which probably don't really even count anymore).
Total Comments 2
Comments
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Just curious... I mentioned that a specific version of Fedora rocked (14), but I have been doing Fedora for a while before v14, and Red Hat before that (along with a bunch of other distros).
My question to you is: assuming there are newer versions of Fedora by now, is anyone running a newer version of Fedora than v14, and if so, would you recommend it as well?Posted 03-01-2012 at 09:38 PM by dav0 
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Great read, thanks. I too am juststarting to really focus on Linux as a alternative. Ben dabbling with Linux for about 6 years both teaching it to high school seniors and college students. My choice so far is LinuxMint 12 Kde or Gnome.
Posted 03-02-2012 at 10:00 AM by Cybertek1
