RE: [TCLUG:5603] RedHat 6 vs Caldera 2.2

["Neal Tovsen" <ntovsen@piper.hamline.edu>]

> I have never run Linux before and would like to install it on
> an extra HDD I
> have here.  I have been asking some people about what I
> should install and
> they all told me slackware, but it seems you guys aren't big
> slackware fans?

IMHO, slackware is an *excellent* distribution, but the reason for that is
because it is set up a little better for doing extreme customization of your
server/workstation.

For this very reason, slackware is inherently more difficult for a new Linux
user to pick up and use. I started out on slackware and was nearly fed-up
with Linux until I tried RedHat. RedHat (and Caldera, though I haven't used
it) is SO much easier to install and setup that I really wouldn't recommend
slackware to a new user unless you already have a bunch of experience on
other Unix platforms. I know several people (outside of this list) who use
slackware for commercial web servers because they can better fine-tune it to
their exact security and application specifications.

In a nutshell, they're all Linux and have the same capabilities, but RedHat
(and others) have chosen to build more user-friendly install and
configuration programs, which can bloat your installation somewhat
(acceptable to most people, and still way better than NT) and may compromise
the fine granularity of configuration capabilities that slackware provides.

Just my 2 cents.

Neal