As posted on their respective websites...
RedHat 9 features:
Linux Kernel 2.4.20
GCC 3.2.1
GNU libc 2.3.2 (with NPTL)
Web server powered by Apache httpd 2.0
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VS
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Mandrake Linux 9.1
Kernel 2.4.21
XFree 4.3
Glibc 2.3.1
GCC 3.2.2
Apache 2, Samba 2.2.7a, MySQL 4. 0.11, ProFTPD 1.2.7, Postfix 2.0.6, OpenSSH 3.5
KDE 3.1, GNOME 2.2, IceWM 1.2, WindowMaker 0.8, Enlightenment 0.16.5, BlackBox 0.62
OpenOffice.org 1.0.2, KOffice 1.2.1
Mozilla 1.3, The GIMP 1.2.3, XMMS 1.2.7
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VS
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SUSE 8.2 features:
Kernel 2.4.20
XFree86 4.3
KDE 3.1
GNOME 2.2
GCC 3.3 prerelease
Sun Java 1.4.1
Kiosk functions in KDE 3.1 (limitation and handling of permissions for administrators)
VPN (Virtual Private Network, remote connections between various networks)
VNC terminal server
POSIX ACL support via NFS
Why doesn't Redhat implement the more recent updates? Stability?
So far I have tried Redhat 8.0 and Mandrake 9.1, one think I know is I like Red Hats install better, Mandrake seems pretty buggy to me. for example, their install has no "back" button, so if you mess up you have to restart, and their Harddrake menu icon link is busted..it launches a Logging program...and how do you login to the system as Root? There is now root user at the log on screen, its only asks for root upon accessing some locked items, and then even some only say you have to log in as root but it does not give you the option to do that??
I have tried mandrake 9.0 in the past and it too was buggy, it frustrated me so much. (Or maybe its KDE thats buggy 'r then Gnome?)
I only recently tried RedHat 8.0 and I really liked it, it has a more professional feel to it, but I really like Gnome 2.2 and KDE 3.1 in Mandrake 9.1, are they in Redaht 9 too?
The reason I had never tried RedHat up until now was because I tried repeatidly in the past to download it from their web site and it always failed miserably, until I used Filezilla to access their ftp and after about a week of really pathetic download speeds i got the 5 disks. (Man, I'm wasting a lot of CDRs on all these Distros to find the right one for me, thank god I do have to buy them.)
Anyone know how Suse 8.2 compares to the other two? Is there a another Free Distro I should check out thats got all the latest stuff and is newbie friendly? (I tried Caldera's latest Stable version, and the install was far to complicated for me, and it used up 7 CDRs in the process. I never got it off the ground.
Just to summarize...
I tried RedHat 8.0 - Ok, Solid, but difficult to configure for the newbie. It is aimed at enterprises as a server solution. FREE Version available.
I tried Mandrake 9.0/9.1 - Cool, but very buggy. Amined at middle of the road, Users. FREE Version available.
I have yet to try Suse 8.2 - From Website seems to be the perfect package for me. The Desktop/ Windows User. I am very impressed with it's look and feel. FREE Version available.
Not sure about Lindows, Lycosis, or Xandros yet...they are not free, band are aimed at the Desktop users, however they seem very proprietory looking at their websites.