Re: Help with Linux selection please?
On Sun, Dec 18, 2005 at 10:45:37PM -0500, Chinook wrote:
> I have an X86 based PC (with a ATI AIW 8500 card) on my LAN that I'm
> expunging XP from and am trying to decide which Linux to install. I AM
> NOT :-) looking for a heated debate of which is best (whatever that
> means), but rather which might better facilitate a couple personal
> general criteria.
>
> 1) My wife will be using it for documents and communication. I'm sure
> OpenOffice will satisfy the documents use, and she prefers Thunderbird
> and Firefox for communications. Oh yes, she says she has to have her
> card games :<))
>
Debian may do fine. Depends on the cardgames - but add in the games from
KDE games.
> 2) I mainly play at (I'm supposedly retired) software development on my
> PMac G5 using ObjC/Cocoa. I would like to be able to expand into the
> Linux world using GNUstep.
>
Debian possibly the only major distribution to have heard of GNUstep :)
> So, a combination of a simple home system and one on which an old SE can
> keep his head busy :-) I'm comfortable using Unix, but have had no
> experience using Linux.
>
Shouldn't be too hard to switch.
> Though it may be as unneeded as on a Mac, I'll want to include ClamAV or
> an equivalent. Some sort of firewall would also be a consideration, as
> well as a volume cloning tool for backup and whatever system maintenance
> tools might be appropriate. Maybe I'll even have more luck keeping it
> networked with my Mac than I had with XP.
>
Clamav is there. IPtables and a GUI front end (guarddog) or script
(shorewall) to assist configuration will do your firewall. Volume
cloning - amanda for backup? partimage. Mac networking - Debian speaks
AppleTalk at least :)
> Any comments are appreciated.
>
Debian like distributions vary. Start with a LiveCD / DVD to test out
a system without really touching the hard disk. The latest KNOPPIX 4.02
DVD is really good for this.
Ubuntu provides a smooth install - but a much smaller list of packages
by default. I prefer the KDE version kubuntu myself - but it doesn't
matter because one can be converted into the other straightforwardly :)
Try a live CD for (one of) Ubuntu (GNOME desktop) Kubuntu (KDE).
Once you've tried these for a week or so, then slide to a Debian
install. Debian stable will work well - but "feels" very old
to some people. Debian testing is updated much more regularly - but
there are occasional breakages as large packages like KDE
change API / library versions and have to be coaxed in - that usually
means a few days wait until your favourite application is there again.
Debian unstable Just Works 99.9% of the time - but if it breaks, it breaks
a lot :)
Lurk on the list for a couple of weeks and get a feel for user issues
and/or lurk on debian-devel to see the sorts of "stuff" going on there.
Most questions at user level really do belong on debian-user - if you
inadvertently post to the wrong list, someone may jump at you - but
others will probably answer a misplaced question anyway :)
HTH, all the above in my opinion only
Andy
> Thank you,
> Lee C
>
>
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