what linux based OS should i get?

[fishjie]

So this isn't intended to start a flame war. Basically, my dad and I want to install linux on one of our computers. We'd be using it to play around with apache, php, and mysql, just so we can really learn it. We both have experience with UNIX. My dad has more, as an oceanographer, he's done tons of development stuff on it, me not as much, although I've messed around with LAMP before. Also as a computer science major i've had to use UNIX plenty in the labs.

so basically, a friendly UI isnt that important, since we'll be doing command line stuff anyway. So something like Lindows or Ubuntu isnt necessarily what we want. I'd be using emacs, my dad would be using vi for text editing.

However, I must admit I'm pretty clueless when it comes to the different Linux builds. I've pretty much used Windows all my life. So what are the differences? How do I compare all of them, short of installing them all on my machine? thanks..

 

[n0cmonkey]

They're all about the same, except for package management.

Use CentOS or Suse if you want to emulate what you'll be seeing in the workplace, obviously this isn't a comprehensive list. I'm guessing CentOS (Redhat Enterprise Linux clone) is more popular in the US, and Suse in the EU. But I don't have anything to really base that assumption on.

Slackware and Debian are good if you want to do more.

 

[M00T]

Package management and community support are key.

 

[pkme2]

I use Fedora Core 5 and working within the commandline and Gui is a tossup. You know Windows so the GUI is familar and the CL is also since your previous experience with UNIX.
I recommend FC5 and then FC6.

 

[M00T]

Maybe we could get Drag to write up a nice little article on choosing a distro and get it stickied. I had one a long time ago under another account, but it got deleted for various reasons.

 

[Brazen]

I'm getting sick of answering this question so this is all you're getting: Debian, Ubuntu Server, CentOS.

 

[fishjie]

Originally posted by: Brazen
I'm getting sick of answering this question so this is all you're getting: Debian, Ubuntu Server, CentOS.

yeah i figured this question has been asked a lot before.
do you have links to previous posts you've made on the subject?

i was hoping there might be some sticky thread somewhere, but i guess not

 

[Brazen]

Originally posted by: fishjie

Originally posted by: Brazen
I'm getting sick of answering this question so this is all you're getting: Debian, Ubuntu Server, CentOS.

yeah i figured this question has been asked a lot before.
do you have links to previous posts you've made on the subject?

i was hoping there might be some sticky thread somewhere, but i guess not

Not off hand, and the frustration isn't so much directed at the people asking the question all the time, but only because fusetalk's search is the suck. However, did you even TRY to search?

Here is some pretty good, and recent, discussion on the topic, they my comments are about the same as in here. You have to look pretty far back to before I got "jaded" with the question

Basically, I use CentOS on servers right now. I've wanted to switch to Debian, due it being more "free" (as in speech) and community driven. CentOS is a binary compatible Redhat distrobution. The basically just take the Redhat Enterprise Linux sourcecode and package it up for you in nice binary, installable, ISOs.

Another bonus for Redhat is that it is VERY well supported by third party software. Especially proprietary apps (such as VMWare), if they support linux, it is probably designed specifically to run on Redhat Enterprise Linux. Also for instance, we have Dell Enterprise Gold Support contracts on all our servers and Dells techs know Redhat linux very well.

If business support is not a concern though, I would definately use Debian. On my home laptop, though, I run Ubuntu. Ubuntu's main goal is to please desktop users (as opposed to Debian and Redhat/CentOS who's main goal is the stability and reliability required by enterprise servers). Ubuntu does have a "server" version. The Ubuntu Server 6.06 with LST (Long Term Support) is supposed to be supported by Conanical for something like 3 or 5 years, which makes it a little more viable for business use. Ubuntu Server 6.06 will also have more recent versions of packages than Debian. Although Debian can be brought up to nearly these same levels of newness, with the same reliability, by using the "Unstable" repository, which despite the name is actually as stable or more-so than most other linux or other OSes.

 

[SleepWalkerX]

openSUSE, fedora, or centos would be my prime choices. After that Debian/Ubuntu.