Spawn of Debian faceoff: MEPIS Linux (NewsForge)

Mepis, like its antecedents is a fine distro with some great ideas added.

The hardware support with Mepis is very good, and the approach to supporting network/internet-disconnected PC's with a second CD provides an alternative to using DVD's for bringing in additional software for installation.

The optional license to allow conservative IT shops to gain access to support for a very modest price is a fine example of how money can be made from "free" software.

While I have experimented with Knoppix, Gnoppix, Lindows, Morphix, and now Mepis, Mepis and Morphix appear to be my GNU favorites, with Mepix a strong contender for installation in very conservative environments.

Mepix, along with all the others is yet another example of the quality, and vision of Deb, and Ian a.k.a. DEBIAN. Though many other distros exist, and will persist, DEBIAN is turning out to be seen as the foundation of a growing number of Linux distros, threatening all others. RPM's are OK, but given the alacrity with which DEBIAN tech is helping new distros to be built, RedHat may be wise to begin using their license, purchased from DEBIAN to employ APT-GET, and build on the more-powerful apt-get model.

Mepis CD's are now a standard in my briefcase, good enough to be given away to the IT challenged. I will certainly be recommending MEPIS as a leading alternative distro.