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A Look at the Linux Distribution Situation


spinynorman
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Here are the experiences of a distro junky who probably installs Linux once every couple of weeks.

 

Last week I had cause to install 3 distros on 3 computers for a 91 year old Spanish Civil War vet who was fed up with Windows, Blag 60000 (a version of FC 6), Ubuntu Ultimate 1.1 (a customized version of Edgy released a couple of weeks ago) and MCNLive installed to the disk, basically 2007. I have to say, the Mandriva was the least buggy, easiest to configure, and the one I think he'll like the most. It also had the most sensible default settings for things. Software was easy to install once I'd done the EasyURPMI stuff. Compiz & Beryl actually worked (I couldn't get it to fly on Ubuntu with the same video card without investing more time than I had). I'm typing this on a 2007 install upgraded from 2006 using URPMI (not the best way to do it, by the way, use the DVD), and it is a very nice OS, as pleasant and bug free as anything I've ever used.

 

I've installed all of the distros in the article except for Linspire (however I have installed Freespire), and really, I think Mandriva was about the easiest to get going the way I like things and the least trouble to keep going (actually, PCLinuxOS may take the cake because I prefer apt to URPMI, but I've just set it up for other people, never used it much myself). If I were going to recommend one distro for a newbie to set up I think it would be Mandriva. It seems a pity to me that Mandy gets so little respect. PCLinuxOS outpolls it on Distrowatch, but where would it be without Mandriva?

 

But I really don't feel passionately about Mandriva the same way I do about Debian, I really don't know why.

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One thing in this thread I have to object against: the complaint that Mandriva drops in quality, that other distros are somehow better.

Yes I'm looking at you gowator ;-)

 

My point: no one gets further than circumstantial evidence; there's no hard numbers, and if you look on any forum of any distro, you find people with problems and issues - some of which were not their fault.

 

Second: after finding something doesn't work, people switch distro. Why? Because that other distro works. Well, they switch until they find a distro that works (mostly). Then, what if a future iteration of said distro also doesn't work?

Remember, we're on the 2.6 kernel series, where the distro kernels are much closer to Linus' vanilla kernel.

So, first proper thing to do if hardware doesn't work properly: get a different kernel from the same distro version.

Failing to do so gets you a note 'newbie' from me ;-)

 

As Linux distros go, Mandriva is quite decent, not better or worse than the other big distros.

And as it is still a bit distro, it is still relevant.

 

On a side note, what has to happen for Linux to become (more? somewhat?) relevant is that preinstalled machines should show up in shops. Any distro that can make that happen in a big way will be the most relevant one.

I say, now with Vista, Linux has a great opportunity.

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That's right, every distro has its problems and most hardware probs we run into are kernel related and only partly distro-related. Right now e.g., the new kernel in Debian Etch just killed scanner support for my Canon LIDE 30. Solution: get a different kernel. ;)

 

As Linux distros go, Mandriva is quite decent, not better or worse than the other big distros.

And as it is still a big distro, it is still relevant.

Agreed.
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I agree with Rob.........

 

I know a lot of people that switch Linux distributions every time something does not just work with a new version that worked before.

 

I have tried several Linux distributions and Mandriva is no better and no worse than the other big distributions.

 

I also agree that getting Linux preinstalled on computer hardware in a big way will make some Linux distribution very relevant.

 

-Bill

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