Linux distributions?

[SteveRiley]

With regards to one of the comments stating that Netrunner was dead, that isn't true.

An additional, but brief, explanation for the speculation.

http://www.netrunner-os.com/back-from-dns-error/

[kubicle]

AFAIK, as long as you set Muon to "Never" notify you of new releases, you won't even be aware they're available much less be forced to install them.

I don't think that was the point he was going after.

He probably meant something similar to debian's "stable" release..."stable" is just a link to the current stable release, whatever it's called (currently it points to "squeeze", but once the next version is released, the link will point to that instead). The benefit from that is that you can have "stable" in your apt sources and it always points to the current release (no need to change sources between releases).

I don't think such repos should be enabled in user's sources by default, but it could be a nice option for some:
current = latest release (now "quantal"...once raring is released "raring" etc.)
lts = latest lts release (now "precise"...once 'Tasty Toad' is released "tasty" etc.)
devel = development release (currently "raring"...once raring is released "salty" as in 'Salty Seahorse' etc. )

[bsniadajewski]

I don't think that was the point he was going after.

He probably meant something similar to debian's "stable" release..."stable" is just a link to the current stable release, whatever it's called (currently it points to "squeeze", but once the next version is released, the link will point to that instead). The benefit from that is that you can have "stable" in your apt sources and it always points to the current release (no need to change sources between releases).

Exactly, kubicle. Just like "stable" in Debian, "current" is only a pointer to whatever release is current. Even one for LTS can be set up just as easily. In addition, a guy could have the "*-proposed" update repos for a rolling-style repo for applications (but not kernels and such that could cause some problems) like firefox, LO,games, etc.

[Achaean]

I like also Debian, but the stable release it's very outdated (for desktop using).
The testing release it's OK, but I don't see the reason installing Debian testing with KDE and not Kubuntu.
It's the same thing, except if you go Debian, you'll have to do much more tweaking yourself (installing Flash, maybe Firefox instead of Iceweasel etc. etc.).
And my personal opinion is, that Kubuntu is more stable and more well supported than Debian testing.

PCLinux is a really well written and supported distribution, and I was using it at the past, when I had an x86 system (although it has some localization problems. I don't know if they are fixed).
It does not have an x64 release though. At least, not a stable one.
Oh, and it's RPM based.
Otherwise, it's from the best available choices from newcomers (again, with x86 systems).

Also a very nice distibution, is Mageia (the Mandriva community edition).
Easy to use, big number of features and a big and active community.
Under heavy development.
Oh, RPM based too.
Personally, I prefer DEB based systems (for a number of reasons) and also DEB based has a bigger software database.
OK, my personal preference.

[dequire]

Another worthy KDE-centric distibution would be Rosa Linux. FWIW their media player simply rocks and enjoys virtually feature-parity with VLC (plug-ins not withstanding). It also, of course, looks better in KDE.

http://www.rosalab.com/

[vinnywright]

dose no one remember slackware .

is it not so that nomater what distro one is using if you grab the source code for whatever app. it is you knead no mater if it's package is .deb .rpm .bla bla you can compile it for your install ?

VINNY

[Achaean]

Also fun is running something on my 600MHz PIII picture frame with 192 MB of RAM, right now it's a Ubuntu server install with the LXDE desktop that I want to change to Razor-QT.

Nice!!!
LXDE is also my personal preference for older systems of my friends.
I didn't knew about RazorQT. It looks really beautiful! It reminds me.....KDE!
I'll try that immediatelly.
Thanks!!!

[vw72]

dose no one remember slackware .

is it not so that nomater what distro one is using if you grab the source code for whatever app. it is you knead no mater if it's package is .deb .rpm .bla bla you can compile it for your install ?

VINNY

While technically true, it isn't always practical. For instance, Say you have a low resource system built around an Atom or Arm processor. It can take hours to compile somethings and days to compile something like KDE or Gnome.

When I was developing for a different distro and compiling kernels, that all occurred on a high end (for the time) computer even though the kernels were packaged for a netbook. Even then, the compile times were over an hour. So, yes, you can compile it yourself, but that is only practical on systems that have the capabilities to do it in a reasonable time.

[Achaean]

While technically true, it isn't always practical.

I think it was Debian, the first ever distro who introduced the "just give me the binaries" philosophy, with its DEB installers system (and the respective package management system).
For telling the truth, I like this approach!

OK, I know that compiling the programs at your own PC, for your own needs, its the best solution that gaining you a slightly better performance, but (except for the compliling time you have to pay, as already mentioned), you have to get yourself a lot more familiar with Linux insides.
This requires a lot of time and a lot of patience, since you'll have to undergo a really long course.

Ready premade solutions (as Sabayon does), which compiles everything without any required interaction from you, won't get you any significant benefits I think.
The real thing, requires from you, to deal with every single option, switch and parameter of the compiler.
And this is really dificult, unless you're determined to "Learn Linux, or die trying"!

I think, this is good of course, but only after the begginer and intermediate state of your Linux life.

[dibl]

I didn't knew about RazorQT. It looks really beautiful! It reminds me.....KDE!
I'll try that immediatelly.

FYI, siduction's latest release includes a Razor-QT desktop version.

[oshunluvr]

The above is the reason for distros, IMO. Can you imagine having to compile KDE 4 at each worth-while release over the last year? I have - for the learning experience - done an "LFS" install. It was very time consuming and there were many, many bad words involved. To a much lesser level of irritation, I have compiled my own kernels and I did see a performance gain. However, this was back in the early days of Pentium.

If you're using an old or very low-powered computer and wanted the best performance from it, it might be worth the time. The 1-2% I might gain on from my Q6600 by self-compiling would not be worth the headaches.

[oshunluvr]

FYI, siduction's latest release includes a QT-Razor desktop version.

Always pushing the "sid" aren't you, dibl?

OK, OK! You got me! Downloading now...

[dibl]

OK, OK! You got me! Downloading now...

I played with it when it was an RC about 6 months ago. It's a bit thin on configurability, but it's fast. I ended up putting the LXDE version on my little Atom N280 netbook.

[vinnywright]

Well I just talked myself into trying the newest Slackware agin .
I dont use the Backtrack install that mutch so it's out and slackware is going in .
I DL'ed it last night and just took the .iso and did a "isohybrid *.iso" then a "dd if=slackware64-14.0-install-dvd.iso of=/dev/sdb" to make a bootable USB out of it.
now on to the adventure

VINNY

[dibl]

I DL'ed it last night and just took the .iso and did a "isohybrid *.iso" then a "dd if=slackware64-14.0-install-dvd.iso of=/dev/sdb" to make a bootable USB out of it.

I have been using unetbootin of late, to make bootable USB sticks. The cool thing about it is, you can partition a larger stick and save the first partition for FAT 32 (data), and install your ISO on a smallish second partition (with the boot flag set), and it is still bootable. I haven't tried it with slackware, however, but it works with several distros including Parted Magic.