Topic: What flavor of Linux should I load?

[beakersloco]

I dont have a lot of experience using linux . I have loaded mandrake in the past ..mostly just used it as a websurfing machine.

I think I want to set linux box mostly will use the system for use as a game server, used as a desktop system(websurfing and office apps if needed) and  (cant run one of my favorite games on sme because of some old files that would need to be updated) also want to setup some of the same stuff that runs on sme (webmail ,webserver ,firewall etc.) Just for the learning experience at this point but eventually might migrate away from SME to a full version of linux. There are so many out thier what flavor of linux do you guy/girls recommend I try?
(will be loaded on a 566mzh celeron with 256mb ram)

I also expect that the experience will make me more likely to try stuff on my sme server.

[dmac]

Have you tried the new SME version 7 for your game machine?

[beakersloco]

Nope I have not just recently loaded 6.0.1 on a test box to play around with before reloading my "production" box and found that some of the libary files are too old for me to load the main games I play right now (mods of Halflife ,Day of defeat and Counterstrike).

Plus I forgot to add that I want something that can also be used as a normal desktop if I need it(webbrowsing and office apps)

[MSmith]

Why not download several & try them out?  You could try CentOS, Fedora Core 4, Ubuntu and Mepis, just to name a few.  If you want to go hard-core you could try Debian, Slackware or even Sorcerer.

[boss_hog]

Hey beakersloco,
since you are just looking for opinions, here is my thoughts!

For my number 2 desktop machine(my laptop), I have been using CentOS 4.x since it was released. Of course this is also to help in the testing of SME7 stuff.

Before the CentOS, Fedora was my preferred O/S. My history as a RedHat user is pretty long which makes for a comfortable familiarity.

My testing of Linux O/S'es included all of the popular main stream distros MDK, Gentoo, Redmond, Licoris etc. before settling into Redhat. I would also suggest to try some of the *BSD variants.

You really need to just start installing systems, take the hit in "time lost" to gain your own expertise and find out which flavor you flow best with.
Good luck and have fun.
Joe

[Tib]

I've tried a few out .... Mepis, Redhat, Fedora, Mandrake ... but I always seem to go back to Suse.

I run Suse 10 now ... the free ver ... and find it great  ... I surf do photography stuff watch movies play songs, play games ... yes that is windows games etc.

I don't even use windows any more.

Everyone has the preferred flavour ... I guess it depends on how much background work you what to do as some are easier to use than others.

Regards,

Tib

[dmac]

Tib,

play games ... yes that is windows games etc.

How are you able to do this?  Need to get rid of Windows at Home, but the kids need/want to play their Windows games.

Thanks,

Darin

[djhomeless]

For the Desktop I use Xandros Linux, which is based off of Debian. I find Xandros incredibly easy to use, and has built in support for some Windows applications via Crossover Office.

If your card is nvidia-based, you'll probably find that it works out of the box using the default video drivers. I play RTCW natively on the box and get really tight gameplay and low FPS (even lower than when I played on a Windows host).

Another thing I like about Xandros is that is has excellent device support (such as USB disks and wifi cards).

Anyway, the best thing for me is that is passed the wife test with flying colours. Our SME server is our house file and web server, but Xandros powers our desktops.

Geoffrey

[dmac]

djhomeless

I have been using Xandros as well, was part of the beta team for BE3.0.  

But still have problems with running Windows games.  Even under Crossover office, most Windows games don't work. (kids are playing Warcraft and Age of empires).  Even with the inclusion of DirectX components, some games still like to access the hardware directly.  Most Microsoft games (age of empires) are the worst culprits.  They even want admin access to play!

Tib had indicated he was playing Windows games and that infromation or how he has managed, what games he has used would be useful.

Regards,

Darin

[Tib]

Ok here is what I use

Crossover Office .... for office type apps ... I don't use Office at all though.

Cedega ... for Games ... I'm running Guild wars on there atm ... I have in the past run TFC, warcraft and a few others.
The online help the Cedage team have is great.

Now instead of Microsoft office use Open Office V2

I use Kaffeine to watch all my dvd's avi etc ... you have to treak it a bit to be able to watch these though.

Firefox for web surfing ... Thunderbird for e-mails

And just to put a twist to it I use all these progs on a 64 bit system ... 32 bit systems are supported a lot better.

so as you can see I have no need for windows ... maybe I have to crank the windows machine up for the odd programs I can't find for linux but I can't think of one atm.

Also I found that a lot of distros failed to run on a 64 bit system with out failures or some adjusting and if at all but Suse never let me down .... Just ran the first time.

Regards,

Tib.

[duncan]

If you have a hankering to punish yourself - you can always go the Slack.