[nflug] Desktop Linux suggestion?

[Sam Stern]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: John G. Boice [mailto:evrgreen at netsync.net] 
> Sent: Friday, March 30, 2007 10:28 AM
> To: samstern at samstern.net; nflug at nflug.org
> Subject: Re: [nflug] Desktop Linux suggestion?
> 
> Hi Sam.
> 
> I have been using MEPIS 6.0  and it meets most of your 
> criteria [that I
> understand.]

Hi John,

PERFECT! This is just what I was looking for. Suse seems so "BLAH" in a
pleasantly non-confrontational, committee designed, politically correct kind
of way. It's easy to use, easy to configure, easy to maintain and rather
joyless. Great for production use, not so hot for expressing my inner
tinkerer.



> <big snip>
> -------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> I'm asking here, now, because I don't understand what you're saying as
> part of your "must haves:"
> 
> Since you want "bleeding edge" apps, why the aversion to upgrading the
> OS when a new version comes out?
> 

When I install an OS for personal, non production use on my aging hardware
(you might noticed the system I described was worth US$3k in 2002 but still
is QUITE functional) I keep whatever Kernel the os has. Then I begin
settling in:

1) Set a deny list on things I will change: apache, libapr (if at all
possible), php, spamassassin, clamav, FUSE, nmap, mediawiki, mysql-server
(if possible) are the main candidates.
2) Then I install a big slew of interesting software that I'll likely never
use but love playing with.
3) Then I compile, by hand, Courier-mta and shim that in as the mta.
4) Then I compile, by hand, apache, mysql (taking care to disable the native
mysql server), php, spamassassin, clamav, FUSE, a slew of security/pen
testing tools all of which I like to configure in a certain way across all
boxen I work with.
5) Then I tease out any issues this created.
6) Now I add in any special repositories that might conflict with my
software choices and add in the Bleeding edge of multimedia, GUI (flux box
and KDE) and office/productivity software. If there is a conflict I do
without. This usually means wired things won't work like gnome bleeding edge
cannot coexist with KDE bleeding edge on debian, gnome-db on suse etc.
7) Next install vmware workstation, win4lin, ntfs3g, etc
8) Lastly I configure my user account so the menus are all setup real pretty
like.
9) Post configure I can now isolate and work with fussy software like
mediawiki, horde&friends, bugzilla, testrunner, selinium etc

As you can see UPGRADING this will be a mess. There will be much breakage,
gnashing of teeth and rending of clothes. Best backup and reinstall when a
new version of the OS (e.g. kernel and core user land tools) comes out. This
is not a problem since I do not need a bleeding edge KERNEL and the
resulting build is equal (in user land) to the new OS anyhow.

> It's not like it costs anything.  If you stick with a version of any
> distro that is more than a year old, I doubt you'll have unqualified
> success running bleeding edge apps. 

Oddly not true. I still work with a Suse 9.3 box that runs KDE 3.5.5,
FireFox 2.0 etc. 

> 
> As per your request, I won't ask about the All-in-Wonder card. But I
> will point out that nearly everyone admits NVIDIA graphics are more
> Linux-friendly than ATI.

The hardware I use has a faulty AGP chipset. It (the chipset) cannot use
NVIDIA chipsets with Shader 2.0 or OpenGL above 1.3 in hardware due to a
flaw in the 3.3v switching on the bus itself. I can, however, use the ati
9800 series that uses the older power switching methods. Until I'm ready to
replace my main desktop with a new quad core monster (e.g. once I can afford
the US$3k to replace the boxen and the price point on what I want is just
right perhaps sometimes post Vista sp1) I'm totally stuck with ATI's overtly
hostile attitude to Linux and it's (their?) users in general. It's either
the ATI 9800 card or no recent games. This just suxors. 

> <bug snip>

_______________________________________________
nflug mailing list
nflug at nflug.org
http://www.nflug.org/mailman/listinfo/nflug