so... What should I do with my linux now?
 

I'm currently using a Red Hat Linux version 8. I heard that Red Hat will not be producing anymore linux versions after 9. Should i switch my OS to another vendor? What do you guys suggest?

Thanks

Once I get an OS that works the way I like it on a box, it stays till the hardware dies :)

maybe you should try gentoo or slackware

I'll go with burnpile: if it does all you need,
keep it. You can pretty much always update
individual things like the kernel, or programs
that need change, from source later on.


Cheers,
Tink

P.S.: Two of my favourite quotes as a goody :}

"Never change a running system!" (For Slackware, OS/2, ...)

and

"Never run a changing system!" (Windows, Mandrake, ...)

<BEG>

I see.... thanks guys for the help... This is the part i love about the linux community and it really makes me wana stay on with linux with all the support that i see i'm getting.... well... up to this point in time, it has been great....

Personally I like Debian, It seems to be abit behind on the state-of-the-art linux software but is very easy to maintain once it is up and running. Also I have heard it has similarities with RedHat (I have not run RedHat so I don't know how they compare).

I was under the impression that although redhat will no longer be supported, they are still continuing with its delopement under a different name, this is to seperate the personal desktop version from the commercial version. Its going to be called furora or something similar isnt it?

The "new" free distribution from RedHat is called Fedora, and if you enjoy the older RedHat releases this one should hit pretty close to the mark too.

But, by all means go ahead and try other distributions. I have been using Debian the last couple of years but ventured into the land of Gentoo, SuSE and Fedora before settling with Debian again. There's nothing wrong with not having a favourite distribution or running different distributions at the same time (if you have more than one computer or if you dual boot the one you have).

Håkan

You should try the lands of Slackware.
Great Linux distro.
Even on the piece of excretia computer I'm running Slackware runs like a dream.
(Although I hear Gentoo would be faster.. I'm gonna stick with Slackware)

I tried RedHat (More familiar with 6.. Although I have dabbled a little bit with 9)
I found Slackware alot more user friendly actually, even though it didn't so much *tell me* what to do, I found it easier to do the things I wanted/needed to do with Slackware. (Which in my opinion is what makes user friendly)

The Slackware community is also quite large, and any number of the many people in the community could and will help you with any and all misfortunes you encounter on the way.
I also believe the Slack community at lq is quite large... Just a little tip ;p

But when it all comes down to the very fine nail which holds it all together, it really is your choice as what you think is best.

If you're comfortable with RedHat, you might want to stay?

If I were you I'd do this:
Keep your Redhat, but clear a new partition on your hard drive. Shift stuff around until you have a fair bit of room (as much as possible)
Go to http://www.linuxfromscratch.org and follow the instructions there (to the letter). Don't hurry, keep your Redhat and use that, but if you've got a spare moment, read another chapter, compile another program.
Reboot for the first time into your LFS system and think "My God that was fast!". Wonder what to do. Go back to your Redhat system for a while.
Go to http://beyond.linuxfromscratch.org and install X, all the libraries you need and so on. Install your favourite window manager.
Boot up into your LFS system and be amazed by how fast it is, how perfectly configured it is, and how much you've learnt about Linux.
Keep the Redhat on there for posterity but never ever go back.
This is what I did, only with Debian.

if i'm not mistaken, isn't the fedora project just desktop redhat for the masses? it will still be produced, just without the corporate support.

Fedora is where they will be test-driving their changes on the non-proprietary side of their OS. They will be using Fedora as a technology test-bed as well as a goodwill/public relations tool. They just won't be supporting it (so I guess it's kinda like buying Mandrake without the money changing hands ;) ).

hmm... ok.... thanks guys....

I've been using linux (RH) for about 7-8 months now. lately I notice on the webpage they don't even mention RH9 anymore is JUST there corperate crap. If there going to abandon there os, yes I know the fedora thing, what will happen to that same thing? I understand co's like to make money.. but it looks like there trying to be the next microsoft (sorry). I love linux due to the fact that it's so far from what ms does. If thats the case I wan't nothing to do with them at all, i'd rather completly switch distros. also aren't they kinda veering off the path of the "Linux way"? i dunno maybee i'm nuts :)

I think what they are doing is to satisfy as much people as possible:

1. On one hand, they have to make money. Corporate distributions, support contracts and stuff like that is what makes money. Their desktop series have never sold that much, and even if they did, the real money comes from support contracts.

2. On the other hand they still like to have "geek cred", and support (and get support from!) the Linux community. Let's not ignore the great lengths RedHat have taken GNU/Linux as an operating system, both for the masses (invention, and making it accessible for new users) and in terms of technical skill and making Linux a credible choice in the corporate server rooms. They are trying to provide Linux to the masses with Fedora, while not having to provide costly support for it (better spent hours fixing the corps' problems). The community can then provide feedback and improvements on the Fedora features, so RedHat can take them and make money from this in form of putting these features in their corporate distributions. This is how it works, and possibly how it *has* to work, in order for RedHat to stay alive and function well as a company and as a community presence.


Håkan