I'm seriously engaging in an internal debate as to whether I should switch distributions from Mandrake to SuSE or RedHat.

I currently use Mandrake 8.2. (old,... yeah I know)

I'd like a more up-to-date distribution and would like also to maintain the following:

1) ReiserFS as filesystem, and RPM as package management (no compromises, so Debian is out)
2) KDE as the GUI (sorry to Enlightenment and Gnome fans, I just like it better).
3) My compatibility with my existing running WineX games (Transgaming 2.2 and 3.1 RPMs), and maybe some more that are supposed to run better than they do
4) Neverwinter Nights (no compromise here, I worked too hard to get it running).
5) StarOffice 6.0 or higher (I'd like to add the relational database front-end, so OpenOffice is out))
6) Solid nVidia support (currently a GeForce3 MX400 AGP 128 MB RAM).
7) Support for Intel motherboard chipsets
8) Opera (I need it for my work related website compatibility)
9) Easy access to the retail CDs in the store (PowerPack equivalent, i.e.: 6-7 CDs per distro)
10) TuxRacer, Majhonng, Ltris, SDLroids
11) support for a Benq CD-RW 52x24x52
12) Strong community behind it (one of the reasons I'm very hesitant to leave Mandrake)

The major problem with Mandrake for me of late is a weak distribution channel for the retail CDs, meaning that I can't pick up a copy at a store if I want an up-to-date copy of the distro. I'm hesitant to go RedHat for the same reason (recent announcement and all). Is SuSE a viable alternative for me, or am I likley to encounter problems in switching over???

Personally i couldn't care less about getting a boxed set(i don't wan't the extra apps on the power pack).
I always can get it quicker by downloading it than by waiting for it to arrive in a shop.

NWN runs very nicely on my 9.1 (btw you should check out the user submitted mods if you haven't, i recommend the penultima stuff)
I don't know stuff all about transgaming but all the new distros will use the new glibc so it does'nt matter which you choose i would think, i do use wine for jedi kight2.

I don't know about the database front end in staroffice but openoffice has on in 1.1rc well sort of, you can make forms and reports but it isn't a RAD by any means IMO.

But if you wanna go try SUSE well go ahead you can always come back.

It's not just the extra apps...

It's the extra apps in an easily installable format.

I don't have broadband (should have mentioned that). CDs are important.

I want to have a one-stop shop that will get me to a useable system. Fewer hacks.

My biggest fear is loss of usuability in a place where I enjoy it now,... like gaming or productivty.

Well i know of an ustralia distributer of Linux stuff, there bound to be one somewhere in the US. Or one of us could volunteer to burn and mail them for you. Just some suggestions.

Maybe wait until 9.2?

James

I'm hesitant between advicing to go SuSE or Mdk9.1, in the latter case: to arrange the cd's from someone/somewhere.

As to your points:
1) you can have with any system exept non-rpm distro's
2) no problem with Mandrake, Suse, die-hard fans have a problem with RH there. BTW SuSE is said to have done a great job on making gnome apps follow KDE colour scheming and all with geramic..
3) no clue
4) no clue, should be possible on mosts systems
5) same as 4
6) no problem on any linux system (just used the new installer yesterday, works fine)
7) kernel dependent, and they put all in there that they can find
8 ) should not be a problem in Mdk or Suse or RH
9) the Mandrake sore spot. Don't count on it. But are you really into getting a new pack every six months?? Or just now and then? With the current linux development curve, yes, you really want the new version every six months, unless it's a production machine/server. On any other system you at least want to dual boot old linux and the new one to try out.
So again, are you going to actually buy a pack every six months?
10) not a problem
11) should not be a problem in any distro
12) RH, SuSE, MDK, Gentoo, Debian, Lycoris, Xandros and even Lindows ALL have strong communities behind them.

You can write your list best, so I won't argue, but I am just curious: why boxed?
As you can see on other discussions right now, (see here: http://www.mandrakeusers.org/viewtopic.php...t=6848&start=15 ) I don't agree with the boxed set thing, and others do.
Anyway, to repeat myself: can you not arrange the cd's from someone? Or have someone send you the boxed set?
BTW Did you try to order from Mandrake directly?

Just out of curiosity - why so keen on the RPM thing?

What's wrong with rpm?? if you know what you're doing it's easy!! Well if you learn a few tricks.

I have met dep hell before, it has only stopped me once. Though i had broken the golden rule. Get the latest version!!!

And more programs use RPM than any other package format except source.

Before I moved away from a RPM based distro - I thought RPMs where brilliant and would have agreed. Now I'm no longer so sure that they're the best way forward. I'm not violently anti them or anything, I just wondered why JaseP was so keen to stick with them?

Well i have only used RPM and source tar.gz/bz2
Have'nt tried debs, slack, tgzs or gentoo emerge (it's pretty much source tho).

James

I agree on the RPM debate but I havn't tried APT or emerge.

Using urpmi certainly helps but it isn't foolproof.
I spent several hours in dephell lastnight with mysql4 and lots of php stuff and also DigitalDJ.
I had PERL::DBI installed. I could use it from the perl command line AND it was installed via the MDK RPM's but along with PERLStrict the RPM packager refused to see it.

I knew it was there and working...so I did a --nodeps (and it works)

Again with RPM's lets say I wanna reinstall perl. Click uninstall and WHOAH.... its proposing 90% of my system from KDE base to Gnome to the installer, urpmi to .... AND all I wanna do is let it know i have DBI installed and PERLStrict.

I know I hammer on about this ..... but if you try living without Internet at all for 6 months Mandrake sucks.... when my friend left Paris and closed his DSL line I used to borrow with my laptop I was planning to switch to Debian stable on CD. Had it been available in the sotres I would have...

Not everyone has the luxury of broadband or even Internet. I didn't even have a landline for 1 year+

IMHO Mandrake is brilliant with broadband ..but try downloading at work onto floppy, getting home with the deps and finding they have more deps. This is why it took me forever to get libdvdcss working ....

At the time I wanted to walk into a store and buy a Cd set that worked without downloads and my experience of Mandrake with no internet at all was not good.

However JaseP has 56k and lots of the updates and additions are not that big. If he had no internet I'd say do what I was going to do and forget the RPM's and go with Debian stable... but the 56k tips the balance.

gentoo's portage (which is used by the cli command "emerge") just uses scripts to build from source.

JaseP: I'd stick with mandrake, seriously. Anything else will disappoint that sticks to your requirements above. If you'd like, wait 'til 9.2 is final and I'll download it and send it to you. If you can't wait, I'll send you 9.1 (or I'm sure someone within your country would do the same for faster delivery). If you don't want the download version at all, I recommend ordering mandrake 9.1/9.2 online if you can't get a store to get it for you. I obviously recommend waiting for 9.2 as it will have all the newest updates and such. And I do recommend mandrake as the rpm distro of choice. Otherwise gentoo, which will have cd's for your specific arch on aug. 5, and it can be made to use rpms, but I'd still stay with mdk unless you'll be getting high-speed.

As for RPMs, the first Distro I tried, SuSE 6.1, was an RPM based distro, and I've grown used to that. Using Debian would mean not having access to all the RPMs I now have or having as many distribution channels for additional software available to me.

I probably know more about Linux than the average clown (I can troubleshoot most of my own problems without too much help), but I'm nowhere near an expert. I'm just getting kind of frustrated in that I see some possibility that my system is not working to full potential because of not using up to date libraries and files.

http://mandrakeusers.org/viewtopic.php?p=54887#54887

ciao!

Debian can use rpms quite well actually, with the alien command to turn it into a .deb, and when I started using libranet2.8, I was amazed at all the apps out there that I had never even heard of. Debian by far has the most apps, that are easity accessible through apt-get, than any other distro I've tried....even RH. I've not tried SuSE. I'm using Debian Woody to unstable rt now (though I'm not done upgrading to unstable yet---dialup).

I would certainly be willing to do this if you would like. I have done it before (ask Steve) and would be happy to use my broadband connection to help anyone else who would like the help.

I'm pretty sure tyme lives in Pensyllvania (excuse my spelling)
He might send it

James

Pennsylvania, boy!

JaseP: if you need CDs I can have them to you in a very short period of time, most likely by Tuesday! just tell me and I'll burn some 9.1 cds and send them your way.

Which reminds me, I have to send a set off to my (ex-girl)friend in williamsport...she wants to try Linux, and I'm gonna make sure she knows to come here for help! (We need more females anyways...)

Where in PA are you Tyme??? Williamsport/Hazelton area??? or closer to the Lehigh Valley???

I went to school in Williamsport, Lycoming College (left in the middle of my fourth semester-long story).

I now go to school in Harrisburg, Penn State at Harrisburg.

My home town is Chambersburg.

now you know where i live :shock:

Good ol' Dauphin County.

I went to school at Dickinson College in Carlisle... undergrad at least.