Linux Shootout: 7 Desktop Distros Compared (InformationWeek) [LWN.net]

Linux Shootout: 7 Desktop Distros Compared (InformationWeek)

Posted May 5, 2008 15:50 UTC (Mon) by donbarry (guest, #10485) [Link]

That's simply not true, and our base of 40+ machines happily running 
Debian is a perfect example.  We know Debian's direction and transparency,
and have no clue what additional random profit-maximizing gimmicks or 
quick package hacks will be made at the whim of Shuttleworth (one can't say
Ubuntu, because in this case it's a wholly owned vanity distribution). We also have no desire
to clean up the pieces afterwards.

Linux Shootout: 7 Desktop Distros Compared (InformationWeek)

Posted May 5, 2008 17:41 UTC (Mon) by dskoll (subscriber, #1630) [Link]

No company is going to install Debian when Ubuntu is available...

That's not true. We use Debian on our servers. Our technical people also use Debian. We use Ubuntu for the sales guys. Our Ubuntu PCs basically have nothing important on them; we can blow them away and rebuild a fresh one easily. All the important directories are NFS-mounted.

Linux Shootout: 7 Desktop Distros Compared (InformationWeek)

Posted May 5, 2008 17:54 UTC (Mon) by jospoortvliet (subscriber, #33164) [Link]

No company is going to install Red Hat or CentOS with Fedora available?!?

CentOS vs. Fedora

Posted May 5, 2008 21:04 UTC (Mon) by dowdle (subscriber, #659) [Link]

Depends on what you want.  If you want a bleeding edge desktop, go for Fedora.  If you want a
longer support cycle and less changes... and more stability... go for CentOS / RHEL.  Because
you want the later more on a server, CentOS / RHEL is a better choice for servers.

Linux Shootout: 7 Desktop Distros Compared (InformationWeek)

Posted May 5, 2008 18:22 UTC (Mon) by mgb (guest, #3226) [Link]

We have only one desktop with hardware that can run Debian Stable.  Some of our desktops will
run on Debian Testing but most need a mixture of Debian Testing and Debian Unstable.

Debian Testing is so volatile that Debian on the desktop has become a significant admin time
sink.  I don't like some of Ubuntu's quirks and the limited support for Universe is an issue
but we're seriously thinking of switching our desktops to Ubuntu.

If Debian is to be relevant on the desktop they're going to have to fast track new hardware
support - particularly xserver-xorg and linux-image - into Stable updates.  Debian is starting
to get a rep for only running on old hardware.

Linux Shootout: 7 Desktop Distros Compared (InformationWeek)

Posted May 5, 2008 18:54 UTC (Mon) by tzafrir (subscriber, #11501) [Link]

backports.org?

BTW: we had better luck with Etch than with CentOS 5.1 with new hardware here.

Linux Shootout: 7 Desktop Distros Compared (InformationWeek)

Posted May 5, 2008 19:23 UTC (Mon) by mgb (guest, #3226) [Link]

backports.org has no xorg or xserver-xorg updates.

backports.org updates linux-image-2.6 from 2.6.18 to 2.6.22 but our Thinkpad T61's need 2.6.24
(or a patched kernel).

Hence we need to using Testing or a Testing/Unstable mix.

Linux Shootout: 7 Desktop Distros Compared (InformationWeek)

Posted May 5, 2008 20:29 UTC (Mon) by tzafrir (subscriber, #11501) [Link]

I believe backports.org already has 2.6.24 . Also try:

http://mirror.home-dn.net/d-i/

Linux Shootout: 7 Desktop Distros Compared (InformationWeek)

Posted May 5, 2008 19:19 UTC (Mon) by smoogen (subscriber, #97) [Link]

You shouldn't use absolutes like that.. with 6 billion people in the world... someone is going
to base their company desktop structure on Debian, Slackware, gNewSense, or some distribution
that their next door neighbors cousin writes in their spare time. That is the nature of
distributions...

Linux Shootout: 7 Desktop Distros Compared (InformationWeek)

Posted May 5, 2008 19:51 UTC (Mon) by avtechmjc (subscriber, #50477) [Link]

OK... I'll de-assert. Some companies will use Debian :-)

Debian vs. Ubuntu?

Posted May 5, 2008 21:01 UTC (Mon) by dowdle (subscriber, #659) [Link]

I'd say that on the desktop that is possibly true... but on servers, I'd say the reverse is
the case... Debian is much more proven on the server than Ubuntu is... hands down.

I'm a RHEL / CentOS / Fedora person myself.