Thread: Which Linux distro is better ?

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Posts
    29

    Which Linux distro is better ?

    Hi !!
    I want to install Linux on my friend's system. Which distro of Linux would be better ? I have a Red Hat 7.2 and a Debian (Potato, i think thats what its called !!). Both of us are newbies. Though I tried asking around, the respose was quite confusing and I cant install both the Linux Distros due to hard disk limitations. Could anyone please suggest which distro to go for ?


    Thanks and Regards

    Pritesh

  2. #2
    geek SilentStrike's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    NJ
    Posts
    1,141
    For a newbie, I'd recommend Red Hat. Although Debian is very nice after it's installed (as you'll find out, installing new software in Linux isn't the easiest thing, as it often requires getting dependencies before software will install, and those dependencies often have other dependencies, etc. Debian provides a program called apt which recursively gets dependencies and installs software for you easily), it's not easy to install. I've personally tried Debian after I had been using Mandrake for awhile, and I couldn't even really get X (the basis for pretty much all GUIs in Linux) working properly. On the other hand, Red Hat should install pretty easily, despite probably being a little bit more painful to install software with after you get it going.

    So, I'd recommend Red Hat, unless you have someone experienced to help you through the Debian install.
    Prove you can code in C++ or C# at TopCoder, referrer rrenaud
    Read my livejournal

  3. #3
    junior member mix0matt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    144
    any one of the three major distros (Mandrake, SuSE, RedHat) are easy enough to install unless you're dealing with very old or very new hardware.

  4. #4
    Microsoft. Who? MethodMan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Posts
    1,198
    I recenlty purchased a Mandrake kit, which had several Cds and some manuals, although you can get it for free too. I just popped in the Cd, and a boot disk, and the installation was a piece of cake, with the Graphical interface provided.

  5. #5
    geek SilentStrike's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    NJ
    Posts
    1,141
    I use Mandrake myself as well, although it's not that different than Red Hat, as it actually started from a fork of Red Hat.
    Prove you can code in C++ or C# at TopCoder, referrer rrenaud
    Read my livejournal

  6. #6
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    202
    If you're a newb, RedHat, definitely RedHat.

    starX
    www.axisoftime.com

  7. #7
    Unregistered
    Guest
    i'm a redhat user, but i've tried all of the "big three". i almost think that the newer suse releases are the easiest to run once you get it installed....yast2 is by far the best adminstrative tool i've seen in any of the distrobutions. i switched from suse 7.1 to redhat because of issues with my usb cd drive. they are probably fixed by now, but redhat handled the drive wonderfully and i never looked back..i think you should try them all...they're all great in they're own way...

  8. #8
    Registered User JasonLikesJava's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Posts
    175
    I'm a linux newbie and Mandrake has been great

  9. #9
    Comment your source code! Lynux-Penguin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Posts
    533
    for newbies, I suggest
    RedHat (for Servers or practical uses)
    for home I suggest either
    Mandrake
    or
    SuSE
    Asking the right question is sometimes more important than knowing the answer.
    Please read the FAQ
    C Reference Card (A MUST!)
    Pointers and Memory
    The Essentials
    CString lib

  10. #10
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Posts
    6
    SuSe 8.0 offer an easy installation and upgrade option. Yast2 give best assist to newbie and prof

  11. #11
    In The Light
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Posts
    598
    howdy,
    RH 7.2 is slick and adding stuff with the RPM packages is pretty easy.

    M.R.
    I don't like you very much. Please post a lot less.
    Cheez
    *and then*
    No, I know you were joking. My point still stands.

  12. #12
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Posts
    7
    adding things with apt-get is even easier than with RPMs

  13. #13
    Registered User biosx's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    230
    RedHat isn't just for newbies. I use RH7.3 and it is perfect for me.

    I think the key is to try a few and see which one makes you feel more comfortable. I used Mandrake for about a year and just decided to try RedHat one day. Turned out that I liked it and haven't gone back.

    Good luck

  14. #14
    Unregistered
    Guest
    I installed SuSE yesterday, without any complications. I love it :-)

  15. #15
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Posts
    106
    i recommend you suse becouse you will have everthing installed once you install the system and suse gives you easy maintace for newbies and it comes with 1000 's of prog inside you wont need to download a program
    C++ Makes you Feel Better

    "Gravity connot be held reponsible for people falling in love"--Albert Einstein

Popular pages Recent additions subscribe to a feed

Similar Threads

  1. Which Linux Distro?
    By CreatedByShadow in forum Tech Board
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 07-30-2007, 10:28 AM
  2. Linux distro advice
    By Decrypt in forum A Brief History of Cprogramming.com
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 08-16-2006, 10:42 AM
  3. Looking for a new distro (Linux) to use, any suggestions?
    By Maragato in forum A Brief History of Cprogramming.com
    Replies: 17
    Last Post: 11-29-2004, 01:44 PM
  4. Which distro of linux to get for programming?
    By Rak'kar in forum Linux Programming
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 09-15-2004, 01:36 AM
  5. Linux distro
    By c++.prog.newbie in forum Linux Programming
    Replies: 18
    Last Post: 01-22-2004, 01:58 AM