Choice of Linux

**keinloffel** · 06-08-2003

Hey Guys,

I was about to install linux as the second OS on my system and was hoping for some advice on which variation of Linux to go for. Mandrake, Gentoo, Redhat? others?

Just based on your experiences, usability, performance etc...any hints will help.

I've used Redhat for a couple of years now.

Never used any other Variation.

Also, could you tell me how to install the OS variation you think is best?

Thanks!

**murray** · 06-08-2003

I'm totally happy with redhat. I use 7.2 at work and 9 at home. I must admit, I haven't tried any others, though why would I need to?

**Dolda2000** · 06-08-2003

I'm just trying out gentoo (not right now, though... haven't installed a web browser on it yet), and although the installation process takes a day or two, the system really does seem to be better designed than RedHat's. Especially the portage system; that's just wonderful, but the rc scripts and everything just seem so much better.

**caffeine** · 06-08-2003

Another vote for Gentoo. Since installing it, I haven't looked back. The install process is lengthy, but worth it.

**genlee** · 06-08-2003

Dolda you finially converted, didn't think you would ever leave redhat.

**Dolda2000** · 06-08-2003

I just thought that I'd finally try it out, and although I haven't had the time or disk space to build a complete system, I must say that it looks really promising. As soon as I finish off some projects, I will make some room on my primary hard drive (instead of the 2 GB HDD that I'm using for it right now), transfer the files to there and finish the build.

Let me ask you something about it, though. I noticed that emerge has a -C option to unmerge a package, and when I used it, it didn't seem to be running make uninstall, so I'm getting the feeling that records the installed files somewhere. Is that true, and, if so, is there a way to query that database?

**caffeine** · 06-08-2003

That's true. As far as I know, file location and install time is recorded in one of these directories:
/var/db/pkg/
/var/cache/edb

Which means uninstalling is pretty straightforward. If a file has been modified since being installed, it isn't removed. So installing new versions over the old means that uninstalling the old version, won't remove the new components.
This is as I understand it. It may be different in reality.

**Dolda2000** · 06-08-2003

Thanks, I'll check that out.

**keinloffel** · 06-09-2003

Originally Posted by Dolda2000

I'm just trying out gentoo (not right now, though... haven't installed a web browser on it yet), and although the installation process takes a day or two, the system really does seem to be better designed than RedHat's. Especially the portage system; that's just wonderful, but the rc scripts and everything just seem so much better.

What is a portage system and what are rc scripts?

thanks

**genlee** · 06-09-2003

Caffeine you are correct, when doing an unmerge you can specify which version you want to remove. Keinloffel, the gentoo portage works almost like the ports on bsd. I suggest you go to www.gentoo.org and read the docs on it.

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