If Fedora did not exist, which distribution would you use?

[Hermes]

Just like the topic says, I'm curious to know that if Fedora, or Red Hat for that matter, did not exist which distribution do you think you would use?

Myself, I think I would use Slackware since it seems the most "hardcore." Although I like SuSe as well since it is so user-friendly.

[f_favila]

I would use SuSE or Mandrake. I'm currently using mac OS X Panther, which I think is the best nix out there. It has the benefits of Linux but with, in my opinion, a way better GUI. Let the flame wars beging. :)

[Ug]

Gentoo or Debian probably.

[rmenezes]

Slackware or Debian. :D

[Picomp314]

i didnt like mandrake a whole lot
so i guess Gentoo, Slackware, or Suse

[rmenezes]

For Brazilian users, the Kurumin is a very nice Distro:

http://guiadohardware.net/kurumin/

It's based in Gentoo Linux with a lot of graphical tools and software as qemu and others.

[imdeemvp]

i like Mandrake and CollegeLinux....but will get my hands dirty with Gentoo! i tried slackware 9.1 for few weeks only :D

[Jman]

Something Red Hattish, but I'm not sure what. Maybe Debian or SuSe.

[foolish]

hmm, I want something with gnome as default, easy tools for setup, an open community, free (as in both) and I want it to use rpm. Hmm. I'm lost.

[zylr]

my computer is old and slow, so:
currently: Fedora Core 2 with Fluxbox WM
on this computer: Debian with Fluxbox WM
if i had a nicer computer: gentoo with fluxbox WM
by the way, i like fluxbox :)

[s0lus]

I would probably be just sitting here with windows.......

Fedora is what finally gave me the motivation to change from ms...

what distro would i use....hmmmm.......

*sigh* I would probably would still be using windows while screaming "Why are u sooooo stupid!!!" and banging my head against some extremely dense object in my dorm room (ie. wall, bedpost, roommate, desk, door...etc) until I didnt have any brain cells left....

[ewdi]

the reason i switched from debian to fedora is because i like rpm in a way.
so if fedora werent here i wuld probably stick with the deb or freebsd

[sailor]

SuSe is the only other distro that impressed me...

[crackers]

I started with Slack, but I've gotten spoiled by RPM management, so it'd probably be Mandrake - although if there weren't a RH, there probably wouldn't have been a Mandrake. Ye gods! A quandry! :D

[imdeemvp]

RPM packages can really spoil any one :D

[Varkk]

probably SuSe as Novell recently sent me a free DVD pack containing 9.1pro , 8.1 and 8.2.

[ewdi]

did u get the server CD to boot? i cant seems to find any boot image on server 8

[earobinson111]

Debian SuSe

yet fedora is the first os that got me to compleatly remove windows and i feal so much more free. opensource is the best

[ghaefb]

Probably Debian or FreeBSD, something not user friendly :)

[kosmosik]

Gentoo or Debian. I can't leave without decent (comfortable) package management and they both have it with a lot of software aviable...

[sayonara]

You mean there's Linux without rpm?? Sounds..... involved!

I'd go with SUSE - firm believer in the whole KISS principle! Don't like KDE though, just get a kinda odd feeling from it. Gotta try fluxbox though.

[aditrus]

FreeBSD, Suse, Try Lycoris or Bayanihan (local distro)

[yaman]

probably SuSe

[pigpen]

SuSE probably... I'm pretty lazy and want the distro to facilitate the installation & configuration as much as possible.
2 things, though: First, the way SuSE handles configuration files kinda confuses me - I'm more comfortable with the way Fedora does it. Second thing is I'm worrying about where Novell's influence it going to take the distro... Maybe SuSE users will soon have to pay for their online updates - who knows?

[kosmosik]

pigpen it rather would be opposite to that. since Novell aquired SuSE this distro is much more open. Novell focuses now on selling services and they commercial (closed) software, they wan't to have extremly free (as in beer) Linux and build paid services around it...

[fjleal]

Definitely Slackware. Keeping an eye on FreeBSD.

And for those who can't live without rpm ;), you can get the sources from www.rpm.org (it's free software) and install it.

[owakroeger]

BSOM!! My first exposure to Linux was RH9, and only because I had seen references to RH more frequently as I poked around the web trying to decide where I would go after I left MS.
I'm just getting ready to try out Debian 3.0 on my other hd, and compare that with FC2. Which ever, I would never go back to the proprietary world.
owa

[ewdi]

kind a hard to move to propreitary after using linux for over 3 years and see how well it grow

[kosmosik]

Debian is very nice for server, for desktop use it is just too ancient...

[imdeemvp]

i was just trying to install gentoo last night and oh, boy :D

to many commands to get it going.....GUI is better!

[crackers]

Debian is very nice for server, for desktop use it is just too ancient...
One of the guys at work swears by Debian/unstable - but I'm firmly convinced that anyone going that route for a day-to-day workstation is certifiably crazy...

[Ned]

I'd take a look at Sun's Java desktop distro because I think if anyone is going to really crack the linux desktop market soon, it'll be Sun. Always good to be on a bandwaggon early ;)

But I can't really imagine life without Red Hat/Fedora :)

Ned

[Ug]

i was just trying to install gentoo last night and oh, boy :D

to many commands to get it going.....GUI is better!I thought you'd have trouble. ;)

[pigpen]

I thought you'd have trouble. ;)

I had trouble with Gen..., too. I don't see the point in _not_ having an easy install mechanism.
A GUI based installation is not a crime, is it? ;)

[i686]

I'd use Mandrake or most likely Gentoo if Fedora wasn't around..

i686

[kosmosik]

One of the guys at work swears by Debian/unstable - but I'm firmly convinced that anyone going that route for a day-to-day workstation is certifiably crazy...
he must be :) it is like 10x more downloads - updates, and it happens that one update breaks something, and then after another (say after two days) it is fixed, then another update breaks and so on :) for desktop it is unimaginamble, for server also :) it is like wake up in the morning and think "does my desktop still work or not?" :))

[friez]

gentoo for me my first distro was suse and i didn't like it because the crippled some of the software

[tr4nce]

Slackware or Gentoo... but in Gentoo there is a thing, is you are using a "old" computer, compiling EVERYTHING isn't the best option. Want to do use that application, you must compile this this and this, USE FLAGS really helps, but sometimes, things like ALSA get "unconnected" with the rest (like your desktop env), or Mplayer, in Gentoo i had the worse performance in all of this 3 years using linux, but in Fedora (or Slack) i got the best results.

Just my two cents :)

btw i'm new at this forum, so Hello Everybody!
pd: well 2 posts, almost new :D

[crackers]

I'd take a look at Sun's Java desktop distro because I think if anyone is going to really crack the linux desktop market soon, it'll be Sun.
Actually, my opinion (note I said opinion) is that it'll be Novell/SUSE that actually starts to make a dent. Seamless management with their Zen stuff across not only Linux-based servers, but MS-based and Linux-based desktops, etc. As an old-time Novell admin (3.1.2 was the last one I used), I'm glad to see Novell back!

And even though I'm biased towards Java, I really dislike the way Sun distorted the name "Java" for that desktop: it's very misleading. (And Sun wouldn't know a decent "dumb-user" desktop if it bit them - Solaris still uses CDE by default. YUCK!)

[fjleal]

I really dislike the way Sun distorted the name "Java" for that desktop: it's very misleading.
I noticed that. At first, I thought it'd be something like JDistro (http://www.jdistro.com), a full desktop created in Java. But it has nothing to do with that... :rolleyes:

[kastorff]

Well, I currently use Fedora Core 2, SuSE 9.1 Professional, and Xandros Desktop 2.0. So if FC2 didn't exist, I'd use SuSE or Xandros...

[sailor]

I also use Xandros on my third partition...but I don't think that I would use it since it is not progressing like other distros...it is nice for a windows to linux transition, but I think that it is a little restrictive for those who want to get into all that linux can do....
so still if there was no FC2 I would use SuSe

[mark]

As an old-time Novell admin (3.1.2 was the last one I used), I'm glad to see Novell back!You, too? I was 'CNEd' through 4.X before I was defrocked...for failure to follow their "upgrade path" for 5.X (i.e. charging me out the wazoo for alleged training & certification upgrades). Despite that, I've always respected Novell - and, from what I've seen, I'd probably be running SuZE if not Fedora...

[Ned]

And even though I'm biased towards Java, I really dislike the way Sun distorted the name "Java" for that desktop: it's very misleading. (And Sun wouldn't know a decent "dumb-user" desktop if it bit them - Solaris still uses CDE by default. YUCK!)

I agree crackers :)

Sun is certainly shifting some volume with that distro though. I've seen mention of deals in China, India, Germany, some banks, and even the UK government has recently signed a deal with them.

I've not used solaris, but have used IRIX on silicon graphics and the desktop there isn't exactly feature rich or intuative either.

Ned

[zulaica]

i love gnome. seeing as how just about every other distro is kde, i'd probably be forced to buy a mac... or roll my own distro. *shudder*

[Ned]

i love gnome. seeing as how just about every other distro is kde, i'd probably be forced to buy a mac... or roll my own distro. *shudder*

That's the great thing about linux - freedom of choice.

You could easily do a minimal install of any distro and then just install all the stuff you use/like from everything down to the package management system you use to your desktop environment :)

Ned

[zulaica]

very true, but that still requires quite a bit of effort.

to be completely honest, i've installed all sorts of distros and would probably have given up if i hadn't tried fc2. but that's just me. :-)

[Ned]

Sure, linux can be quite a bit of effort to get it just how you want it, but the modern distro's are improving all the time. But that's half the fun, and you learn stacks during the process :)

[AliOop]

I starting with Mandrake and moved on to SuSE and many others in between. If FC were not avalable I'd go with Slackware. As a matter of fact, I just installed it on my test box a week ago. Don't know what the hell I'm doing but it's been fun poking and proding. One thing I did noticed, it's fast. I feel like a newbie again. And like soneone in this post said, I lke Gnome and what ever distro I'd go to, it would have to have that.

As far a GUIs go: I hope using them isn't a sin. They sure make life easier. I don't subscribe to the notion that you can't be a real Linux fan if you use GUIs. Of course somethings are done easier and quicker with the CLI.

Just hope FC will be around for a long time.

[crackers]

Sun is certainly shifting some volume with that distro though. I've seen mention of deals in China, India, Germany, some banks, and even the UK government has recently signed a deal with them.
That doesn't mean it's a decent desktop, though. What those institutions have bought is a support contract for a particular set of (mostly) free software. They've got a "good enough" desktop for what that particular situation needs and Sun engineers at their beck and call.

But it also means those systems won't be running Windows... :D

[zulaica]

But that's half the fun, and you learn stacks during the process :)

very true, but sometimes i don't feel like learning. ;)

[Ug]

I get Broadband this Thursday, so i'm planning on doing a stage 1 Gentoo install for kicks. Which should be an interesting "learning experience".

[i1n2d3y4]

probably a mac

[Ned]

I get Broadband this Thursday, so i'm planning on doing a stage 1 Gentoo install for kicks. Which should be an interesting "learning experience".

Hurraaayyy :p

I remember the joy when broadband finally hit my little rural village a couple of months ago :)

Who are you choosing for an ISP if you don't mind me asking, and why?

I chose Freedom2surf and pay £22.50 per month for an unlimited 512Mb service. Nice thing is you get a fixed IP and no blocking of service ports plus they're not frightened of the L word :)

Ned

[Optimistic]

I experimented with a number of distros on my laptop over the past few weeks and finally settled on Slackware. It is great and much faster on that older machine than everything else I put on there (Fedora Core 2, Red Hat 9, Debian). So, if there was no Fedora Core (which I use on my Desktop), I would use Slackware.

Rpms are nice, but Slackware's pkgtool is very nice too. Plus, you can convert rpms to a Slackware-compatible file anyway (rpm2tgz).

[friez]

nice avatar Optimistic and zulaica :D

[zulaica]

*lol* thanks, friez. :D

actually, i've decided that i probably would roll my own lfs. i need the gatos drivers to watch tv on my radeon all-in-wonder agp and to use those i need xfree86. plus i love gnome, etc etc... so if there were no fedora i'd bite the bullet and get some real learn-time hours. i imagine i'll get to that someday, that is if don't upgrade my video card first. :p

[futhark]

Knoppix. The only thing that held me back trying it is the fact I'm too lazy to go buy 700MB CD's. :rolleyes:

[Optimistic]

Thanks friez, I made it with the GIMP when I was practicing with layers and animation.

[RedFedora]

It would come down to a toss between Suse or Mandrake. I used a Mandrake based
distro a few years back and found it very easy to use. On the other hand, Suse
seems to have a better (for me) setup.

Long live Fedora!

[santabruzer]

SuSE right now costs money or?

If there wasn't a fedora, i'd probably still use RH9 or SuSE *the full version that was lastly released*.

[xorp]

Suse of Mandrake.

[Ned]

SuSE right now costs money or?


Have a look here:

http://www.novell.com/community/linux/order.php

They're currently giving away this little bundle (3 DVDs) under the auspisis of the Linux Technical Resource Kit.

- SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9.0 (ISO Installation Images)
- SUSE LINUX 9.1 Professional (Bootable Installation DVD)
- Ximian Desktop 2.0 Evaluation (ISO Image)
- Ximian Red Carpet 2.0.2 Evaluation (ISO Image)
- Novell Linux Services 1.0 (ISO Image & NLS Companion CD)
- Novell GroupWise for Linux 6.5.1 - Server, Client & Messenger (ISO Images)
- and more...

Enjoy :)

Ned

[DonL]

I came from years of using Mandrake to Fedora 2. Never could make RedHat work with sound and video. Always found Mandrake friendlier. However, Fedora now does all that and doesn't constantly make you feel guilty for not joining a club.
I've tried to use pure Debian, and like the idea, but never could get around the install. I have used some Debian based distros like Morphix and Mepis that are easy to install and use the apt-get package management tool, which is as good as RPM in my opinion.
So, with no Fedora, it would probably be Morphix or something like that for me.

[WebWind]

Mandrake or SuSE.
I hope that I will do not need it. :)

[Shadow Skill]

I would probably just use windows.. Or Knoppix Debian needs to understand that I do NOT want to know the exact dimensions of my monitor in order to make debian work for me. I can't fathom why there is not a graphical installer for Debian, I felt like there was plenty of support for things on Debian and the package management is the best I have ever seen. Also knowing what I know now (Thanks to the users here mostly.) I think I could get things up and running pretty much the way I want using Debian or Knoppix.

[imdeemvp]

by now i would probably master slackware and mandrake.....i would be a mandrake man :D but for the moment i am keeping my fedora on....;)

[muckraker]

I'd have to roll my own (LFS, once I get some learning behind me), although I'm taking a look at some of the Slack-based distros such as College or Vector. Of course I'm keeping Fluxbox. But yes, kinda spoiled by those RPMs (especially through yum and apt-get).

[Paul_Vandenberg]

Mandrake is my second choice.

[sailor]

Suse is giving away Suse 9.1 personal edition...there is a installable cd iso located here
http://www.suse.com/us/private/download/ftp/personal_iso_int.html
.... once installed you configure to Yast to use the Suse repositories where you can get all the missing stuff...

[Erebus]

I would probably be using Debian or Slack. Although knowing me I might have just left the box running RH9 until they stopped updating and them watched it until someone hacked it and blew it up. After that I would have probably just pulled the plug or maybe bought XP Pro and contributed to the delinquency of MicroShaft.

[DarkMasterMatt]

I'd just use Windows XP again. Or maybe Suse 9.1.

[wolf1925]

Just like the topic says, I'm curious to know that if Fedora, or Red Hat for that matter, did not exist which distribution do you think you would use?

Myself, I think I would use Slackware since it seems the most "hardcore." Although I like SuSe as well since it is so user-friendly.
Mandrake10!

[Lovechild]

I don't know - Ubuntu most likely. Sadly there are very few good Linux distro offerings that have as strong a commitment to GNOME as Fedora and I really don't want to use a distro where GNOME is strapped on without the same amount of polish as KDE or whatever the distro favors or comes in an ancient version that's plain broken (like SuSE's GNOME which is just horrible).

[DevHead]

Though I'm still a newbie to Linux, I've already been spoiled by RPM. I'd probably choose one that also has it. On that note, which distribution(s) has that built in?

[zen]

I would use Debian.

[imdeemvp]

or we all be using Red Hat 10 or something :D

[kilrex]

For me, it would be either another RedHat / RedHat-like distribution or Debian because I have absolutely fallen in love with APT-GET - couldn't live without that ;).

kilrex

[imdeemvp]

kilrex,

redhat like, well it will be mandrake. that's where mdk came from :eek:

[sayeeth]

I would use Mandrake, since I was on that before my friend converted me to Fedora, now I cant make do without it! :D

[GreyGeek]

SUSE Pro, KNOPPIX (a Debian derivative!), or Mandrake... in that order.

[Lovechild]

Ubuntu or Arch Linux I think