Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 07:16:22 -0700 (PDT) From: Richard Mahlerwein <mahlerrd@yahoo.com> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users Message-ID: <611581.73356.qm@web51003.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
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My preferences for Linux:
I have used FreeBSD fairly regularly since 2.x and various flavors of Linux since around that time as well.
As I was writing the first pass at this, I realized that many or most of the problems I have with Linuxes are endemic to "Linux" (whatever that is) and not to particular distributions. My main problems with most of the them are that they are just so inconsistent. Directory structures, documentation, even just where they install packages to by default - the standardization inside FreeBSD and that which is supplied by the ports system just makes for so much more of a sane and predictable experience.
Secondarily, apart from *some* of the source ones and the debian-based ones, I always end up with broken dependencies or some weird circular inconsistencies. I'm sure I could fix them if I were a rpm guru, but I am not. FreeBSD just [generally] makes it so much easier and makes me not want to become an "rpm guru".
Servers:
As you have probably guessed by this point, the only Linux that I feel suits my needs well enough to have used it long term (on my own, that is, not when I've been required to use it) is Debian and some of its progeny (including, in fact, Progeny itself! :).
I usually end up with Ubuntu server. And it's OK.
Desktops:
Now, on desktops I flit around like a jack rabbit on crack. My desktop needs are completely different from my server needs. I'm usually XP (for games at home, work at work), so it's always the second and third OS on my boxes, so I try 'em all. PCLinux is actually been very good to me recently (Surprise! It's rpm based, too! How weird is that!). Kbuntu and some variants are decent enough. None of these last long enough to need more than a few patches, so I don't have the problem of dependency issues.
Rich Mahlerwein
Mobile: 715-891-7420
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