Best Linux distro ever!

Raduprv · 2005-03-08T07:14:30

Over the years, I tried quite a few Linux distros. So far, I tried: RH 6.0 and 8.0 RH is OK, but I got hax0red TWICE using the out of the box options. The RPM system also sucks, never managed to get it to work really well (problem with dependencies, inability to autodownload the required dependencies, etc.) Then I tried SuSe 7.0 which was REALLY REALLY buggy. Kde was not saving it's stuff at exit, for example. The Yast thingy was totally useless. Some libraries were installed in the unstandard paths so various ./configure programs couldn't find them. X managed to crash in such a way that I couldn't use my system, since it was set to load kdm at boot time. GCC had a bug in it that caused bugs in the compiled programs. My applications had problems compiling OpenGL, and sometimes they were using Mesa rather than the Nvidia drivers. A week or so ago I tried to install Knoppix on a laptop (not mine). It booted fine and stuff, but when I told it to install itself on the HDD, it bitched about not having at least 2GB free on any partition. WTF??? The whole god damn HDD was empty, so it has 20GB of space (I was even nice enough to create a 10 GB Linux partition, and a 1GB swap partition). I even went a step farther and formated it as ext3. Eventually I had to toy with the install script to make the god damn thing work. A few days ago I tried to install Gentoo. I got so frustrated by step 3 that I gave up. I mean, WTF, not even a MINIMAL install script? I understand that installing it manually is very fun for some people, but most of the users will never be able to install it. Even those with the technical skills to do it might not have the patience to do it. Then I tried Debian. It installed improperly, and KDE was NOT working (X crashed). Then I was about to install XP on it, when I went to distrowatch.com to see if there is anything new. There I found Mepis. Mepis is based on Debian, using the unstable branch. So it has TONS of Linux applications tailored for it, so goodbye dependencies hell. Then it isntalled flawlesly on my laptop (I read some bad reviews about my type of laptop regarding Linux. Things such as devices not working, crashes, etc.). Even my CF drive was working and mounted properly. A lot of applicatiosn came preinstalled, and getting other applications off the net is extremely trivial. Even easier than for windows! USBs mouse are supported natively. Was able to download pictures from my digital camera without any problems. Network, sound, videocard all detected properly. The only device I can't use is the wirless NIC, but then again, I don't have a wireless access point, so this might be why. The only problems it has are: 1. For some reason, KDE starts with the the headphones and speaker muted, and unmuting them is session only, they are muted again when restarting the computer. I guess I have to toy with alsa in init.d 2. Can't use the printer on another computer (everything seems to be ok, printer is found, drivers are there, but it won't print anything. And yes, the printer is on, and works from my desktop) 3. Samba doesn't work properly in konqueror (when browsing the network it sees only the Laptop, but using smb:// in konqueror works). 4. Sometimes when it boots doesn't see the CF, I have to take it out and put it back in. 5. Lacks the ability to set video modes for Xwindows. If you want anything but 1024x768 you have to edit Xconfig manually. 6. Not really a problem, but it would be nice if when you add applications with the graphical package manager (Synaptical Package Manager) would also add them in the KDE menus. 7. Lacks a LOT of applications from the KDE menu. Not a problem (but an annoyance) for the advanced users, but the newbies will not even know they have an application installed. If they solve those problems, I am sure that it will be even better than Windows for anything but games and some very professional stuff. And given the fact that this is a young distribution, I think/hope they will fix them in the near future.

Everything Unix Technical

Started by Raduprv February 26, 2005 10:28 PM

52 comments, last by Captain Maple 19 years, 8 months ago

Promit

13,404

February 27, 2005 01:10 AM

Quote: Original post by golopart
So I don't have to read through your whole post, Raduprv, which linux distro do you think is the best ever? Casually looking for one with no effort atm.

He liked Gentoo the best.

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CGameProgrammer

640

February 27, 2005 01:56 AM

I'm currently running Ubuntu and it's a very nice distro. It actually got my integrated wireless card working automatically, and it detected I was a laptop and set up the battery monitor, which also works correctly. Of course my USB mouse and Ethernet also worked instantly, and sound too.

It uses Gnome, and I think it's much worse than KDE, but I can always install KDE myself (and will).

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41ph4_r4p70r

132

February 27, 2005 02:54 AM

Quote: Original post by Raduprv
It's both.

Yeah, but where can I download the installer ISO, not the live cd, a link would be appreciated (link to the parent folder of the iso), thanks

41ph4_r4p70r

132

February 27, 2005 03:01 AM

Quote: Original post by Promit
He liked Gentoo the best.

prrrrrr, wrong

Quote: Original post by Raduprv
Then I was about to install XP on it, when I went to distrowatch.com to see if there is anything new. There I found Mepis.

41ph4_r4p70r

132

February 27, 2005 03:30 AM

Ok, Ive found one :
http://69.57.139.67/~hugh/linux-mirrors/mepis/

But now the big question is , whats the difference between the memphis and memphis pro versions??? (the pro seems to be newer)

CGameProgrammer

640

February 27, 2005 04:45 AM

Hehe, it's Mepis, not Memphis.

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