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Fedora Core 2 Review (LinuxLookup.com)
LinuxLookup.com
reviews the Fedora Core 2 distribution.
"This leads me to my biggest problem with Fedora. On one hand, it is a great introduction to Linux. It installs easily, works well and is attractive. On the other hand, it plays right into the hands of Linux's biggest critics, which is the mistaken notion that it is unfinished and most things don't work. You are given a browser with no plugins, so if you jump online excitedly with your new system, there are a lot of things that won't work. You load your favorite mp3s, then find out you cannot play them. God forbid you have a dvd drive. You notice the red exclamation point telling you there are updates available, but up2date freezes leaving you unable to get them. I know there are fairly simple solutions to these complaints, but the fact remains that not everyone who tries Fedora will know how to do it. They will just feel disappointed by a system that lets them down, deciding that this Linux thing is not ready for prime time."
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Fedora - NO NEW USERS PLEASE Posted May 20, 2004 16:26 UTC (Thu) by ccyoung (subscriber, #16340) [Link] Point well taken. And even worse if the user tries to really use the system and tries to rely on one of the "system tools". However, as a base for someone who (semi) knows what he's doing, I like it a lot.New users: Knoppix for experimenting, Mandrake for fun, and Suse for work.
Debian 3.0 anyone? Posted May 20, 2004 18:54 UTC (Thu) by stuart (subscriber, #623) [Link] and Debian for the rest of us wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!Happily using Debian since 1997 and yes I find its (old) installer better than all these new graphical ones. Those of us who are happy rarely get up and make a big song and dance about it, Debian just works and thats it. 'Course most readers will think I am trolling but this is my opinion based on the evidence presented to me. Stu.
Fedora - NO NEW USERS PLEASE Posted May 20, 2004 19:44 UTC (Thu) by hppnq (subscriber, #14462) [Link] I must admit I have only given it a quick spin, but I really cannot find anything wrong with Fedora 2's system tools.As for the review: to call it that is giving it too much credit, it's more like five or six random observations. Well yes, there is a menu entry called Kopete, I can hardly deny it. How this is ogin to upset either newbies or advanced users, I really couldn't tell. Package management works okay for me, up2date had no trouble at all installing the three updates that were available. Perhaps the reviewer was installing on flaky hardware? The only remark that makes any sense is that Fedora does not include the fancy stuff people might expect from a full-blown distribution. I applaud Fedora for choosing to only include packages that match their license restrictions. If you do want Flash, Realplayer and all that, even for a newbie downloading and installing these packages is painless. Basically the conclusion is that Fedora is not at all like the reviewer's favourite distribution. Not really interesting stuff.
Fedora Core 2 Review (LinuxLookup.com) Posted May 20, 2004 19:23 UTC (Thu) by kh (subscriber, #19413) [Link] Plugins...not free mp3s... not free dvd... not free I am thankful for a system that does not sacrifice freedoms for some users' convenience. up2date not working is the only real complaint in my view. The rest is an issue of documentation, and by that I do not mean how to install missing software, but explaining why freedom is important.
Fedora Core 2 Review (LinuxLookup.com) Posted May 20, 2004 20:01 UTC (Thu) by kasperd (guest, #11842) [Link] up2date not working is the only real complaint in my view.The problem is most likely caused by too many people trying to download from the same server. Would be nice if up2date offered an easy way to select a mirror to download from.
Fedora Core 2 Review (LinuxLookup.com) Posted May 20, 2004 20:23 UTC (Thu) by JoeBuck (subscriber, #2330) [Link] Solve both the up2date problem and the mp3 problem as follows. Step 1: go to the Fedora Extras site and follow the directions for installing apt. Do "apt-get mirror-select" to choose your mirror. Step 2: go to livna.org, and follow the instructions to add the Livna repository to your apt configuration. Do "apt-get update". Now, you're set to install MP3 support, DVD support, as well as apps like mplayer or Xine, all with "apt-get install", and keep everything up to date the Debian way. Red Hat will not tell you about livna, because livna apps might infringe US patents and distributing some of them might violate the DMCA.
Fedora Core 2 Review (LinuxLookup.com) Posted May 21, 2004 14:59 UTC (Fri) by Kurrelgyre (guest, #5600) [Link] Whatever his problems with up2date were, I didn't see them. up2date in FC2 automatically downloads packages from mirrors. If you did an upgrade instead of a fresh install, check for a /etc/sysconfig/rhn/sources.rpmnew file.
Fedora Core 2 Review (LinuxLookup.com) Posted May 20, 2004 20:11 UTC (Thu) by maceto (guest, #16498) [Link] uurggh is all I can say.. It has to many bugs, but hey it`s a "RedHat beta" for home users to try out. So it will work 100% when RedHat sells it for 1500$ to corp users
Fedora Core 2 Review (LinuxLookup.com) Posted May 20, 2004 20:44 UTC (Thu) by dowdle (subscriber, #659) [Link] Whatever.
Fedora Core 2 Review (LinuxLookup.com) Posted May 21, 2004 6:44 UTC (Fri) by mbligh (subscriber, #7720) [Link] The point is "do you want to be an unpaid RH beta tester?".Personally, I want something that just f***ing works.
Fedora Core 2 Review (LinuxLookup.com) Posted May 21, 2004 20:25 UTC (Fri) by hppnq (subscriber, #14462) [Link] You make it sound as if being an unpaid beta tester for RedHat is somehow an awful thing. I must admit that for a moment, I was under the impression that I just got a great piece of free software, and that, not unlike other distributions, Fedora would allow me to file bugs to help make things better. I'm glad that you sorted it out for me.Whatever.
Fedora Core 2 - quite satisfied Posted May 21, 2004 19:14 UTC (Fri) by scripter (subscriber, #2654) [Link] I just upgraded one system from FC1 to FC2 from CDROM, and I installed another fresh system, from the ISO images being on the hard drive. In both cases, I didn't experience any problems.I've been a RedHat user since the 4.x days, and I like Fedora. I get a lot of work done using Fedora from using my FC systems as servers to using them to encode my some of my DVD collection. I don't understand why so many people moan and complain about Fedora. I've tried debian, and I like what I get from RedHat + freshrpms much better. By the way, Fedora includes execshield and selinux. ExecShield is enabled by default, and the inclusion of SElinux can only be a good thing given time for the rules to mature.
Be careful if you plan on setting up a dual-boot system with WinXP! Posted May 21, 2004 20:34 UTC (Fri) by gbailey (subscriber, #58) [Link] Some users have complained that after installing Fedora Core 2 they're unable to boot into Windows XP because there's apparently some difference in how the 2.4 and 2.6 kernels interpret disk geometry. Or something like that.Relevant links might be: This Bugzilla entry which describes several users' problems with Windows XP / Fedora Core 2 This article on ONLamp.com called "Beware Fedora Core 2 Linux if you dual boot Windows XP"
Fedora Core 2 - quite satisfied Posted May 22, 2004 8:40 UTC (Sat) by maceto (guest, #16498) [Link] The thing about RedHat has been, it has worked, the gui has just worked- and not more to it, they also have had nice admin tools to fix stuff. So I can quite understand why it`s popular. Debian is way harder (woody) and not all have the old hardware to support it. A new version on the way tho, and if you Fedora people like easy, well then 15000 + all "illegal" codecs etc to find other places. Debian has lots alot of people cause of the woody-sarge taking way to long. This will be solved this fall. And to you who talk about security- have a lok at what startup on the Fedora WOW! that is like every service possible without the ram taking a blow.Suse 9.1 way way better release, even if in house testing, the lates Mandrake more stable than they ever have been. What I can`t wait for tho is NOvell 1. with ximian desktop with gnome 2.6.2 ( probably by then) with all plugins just working out of the box. Yast with possible more addons etc. And more addon`s from Novell. Then I will remove Windows for good, even tho Fedora did it`s best, cause to Redhat puching it as a beta ( it`s not any better than a beta considering the Release critical bugs they even put in the release notes) Not one release from the Linux community have been like this, this is like when win 98 came out! Man, RedHat grow up, you make money, will not kill you to have the "final" as a rc a bit longer, cause that was the final nail in the coffin when it comes to me testing it. About me tested about 70! (yes belive it or not) linux distros. Have a 10 mbit line @ home and was without a job for some weeks. And I like a feature or two with most. What I always have gone back to is debian, why? well I can find it all, that is plugins/codecs- all windowmakers, uptodate gnome/kde- without using to much time getting hand dirty. Hell I like Slack, but to much time go get that perfect dekstop, always something one want better, and then debian is faster. Dropline for all distros maby would be nice ( a bit buggy, needs more testing) Gnome 2.6.1 soon going into debian by the way. and the new installer going into rc1 in a qouple of weeks
Fedora Core 2 Review (LinuxLookup.com) Posted May 26, 2004 23:49 UTC (Wed) by kDD (guest, #21852) [Link] I had problems with up2date from the command line. Perhaps that was the other users problems. I prefer this method over the clicking next, next forward. The GUI went right through.mp3 license thing is a pain. I really don't understand why they are worried they aren't providing mp3's just a player. Mozilla and plugins I do feel it should come with them. Most are easy to put in just a hassle. But how many other pluggins do you have to add. I run (ok will be once I've tested more) this as my web/email/chat/samba.... server. I just make a list and go down. If every pluggin came with how fat would that be and a lot of stuff I wouldn't want. kDD
mini review Posted Jun 1, 2004 13:17 UTC (Tue) by jeremiah (guest, #1221) [Link] Have been running it for about a week. Gnome 2.6 is nice. I like the spatial thing. They messed with the window focus controls. If you type in anything it brings the window to the front. Plus there doesn't seem to be an option to get back the old behavior. The 2.6 kernel has some serious issues. Locking up and the inabilty to kill -9 a process in some cases (Java and eclipse). I had to refert to the old FC1 kernel to get a stable system. Freshrpms.net ans synaptic take care of all of my codec problems, but would be cool if they used synaptic by default, then all we'd have to do is add a new repository.Overall desktop wise I like it, but the kernel issue is a little disconcerting.
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