[plug] The same old argument RH vs. Whatever

[Kai]

Not sure if you're aware, Red hat 7.1 comes with most network and daemon
services turned off by default.
I got that info from here:
http://www.lsl.com.au/reference/redhat-71-GPL-note.php?lslsid=dc6e8979fab13fe20f2859566e363d05&referer=

I have only ever played with Caldera, Red Hat and Mandrake so I can't
give any real opinion....just my $0.02 worth

/Kai

Simon Scott wrote:
> 
>         Quite simple really: Debian for servers, Mandrake (or maybe RH) for
> desktops.... Desktop is more a case of personal taste tho (I use Mandrake).
> For servers, if you live in the real world, use Debian. If you have so much
> free time you dont know what to do with yourself, use Slackware.
> 
>         The problem with other distros for servers (esp. RH) is that it
> installs too much by default, and most of it is activated. So you may
> install RH onto your server for the purpose of serving http, and before you
> know it you have sendmail and a whole heaps of other deamons listening on
> ports. A bunch of removes and playing with ipchains later and you have a
> servicable unit.
> 
>         The other bad thing about RH is that it is what most people use (for
> whatever reason) and therefore I would imagine that 3I337 HaCXoRs would keep
> a keen eye on the RH errata list. So you gotta be pretty keen to keep it up
> to date. Debian is just "apt-get update;apt-get upgrade" and thats all she
> wrote. Put it in a cron script to run every week and you never need worry
> about it again.
> 
>         The bad things about Debian - it can be a little confusing at first,
> esp if you come from a RH/RPM background. Some of the packages arent the
> absolute newest (obviously security risks take precendence). But once you
> install you have a *really* bare linux setup and can apt-get to your hearts
> content to install what you want. Dont use dselect tho, it blows.
> 
>         Oh, this raises an interesting question for everyone: I use
> rp-pppoe, and supposedly the newest version has major bug fixes as well as
> the ability to negotiate MTU values with clients (so you dont have to set
> the MTU on every client - hard on a G4 :). But the version on the Debian
> servers is the older version. I actually spoke to the package maintainer
> about it, and he sent me the newest deb.... but how do I apt-get install a
> package sitting in my home dir?
> 
>         Ive been waiting for him to upload this thing but it doesnt appear
> to be a priority in his life.
> 
>         Another thing: for a long time Ive thought that Linux suffers from
> the one thing that makes it so strong: the huge list of apps/daemons etc
> that are provided with the distro. It bugs me a little that every distro is
> trying to be all things to all men. I mean, hell, who would install Mandrake
> on a server? Youd have to be nuts!
> 
>         I think there may be a market for a linux distro, perhaps based on
> Mandrake, where all the crud is removed and after a full install you are
> left with a functioning desktop and a few nice apps. Forget ftpd, apache,
> bind, sendmail, dhcpd, 43 different shells, 143 different languages, kernel
> source, samba (or maybe install just the client)  etc. But, it seems, noone
> is doing this, or are doing it badly. I dont mean it to be a linux distro
> for 'newbies', but I guess it would be useful as a distro you could quickly
> setup for your mum....