Choosing a distribution

Scott (angrykeyboarder) geekboy at angrykeyboarder.com
Mon Nov 5 23:59:48 UTC 2007


Chris G spake thusly:
> I have been using Linux for many years, for the past two or three
> years I have been using Slackware but recently have been looking for
> something that's a bit easier to maintain and update.
> 
> I've been using Fedora 7 for the past month or two and it provides
> some of what I need but also has some disadvantages.

I'm curious. what are it's disadvantages?

> So, I'm thinking > about an Ubuntu distribution but would like to ask a few questions:-
> 
>     I need an apache server, an ssh server and (probably) MySQL.  Does
>     this mean I *have* to go for Ubuntu Server?

Nope. You can install Apache, SSH and MySQL (among thousands of other
programs) on any flavor of Ubuntu. The Server edition just makes it
easier from the getgo (LAMP option at setup).

>>     I don't use KDE, Gnome or Xfce (I did run Xfce for a while) but
>     fvwm2, is this easy to do on Ubuntu?



		$ sudo apt-get install fvwm



> 
>     I run Vmware to run a Windows XP guest, will this sit in Ubuntu
>     Server quite happily?

I'm doing it now. It works quite well.


> 
>     Does Ubuntu force me to use sudo or can I (as I do now) just
>     switch to root on the command line using 'su' and do root'ey
>     things that way?

It does initially but if you reeeealy must have "su" then it's very easy
to set up a root password.

	$ sudo passwd

After you've done that, you can "su" to your hearts content (or even log
in as root in a console or terminal).

Based on what you've described I'd suggest the server CD.   After you're
done that, install fvwm.  You'll also need to install X Window (the fvwm
package doesn't seem to depend on it for some odd reason) and a display
manager (e.g. xdm or gdm) along with fvwm  (i.e.: [sudo] apt-get install
fvwm xorg xdm).

Once you've done a command line install you can add anything from the
Ubuntu repositories that you want (even GNOME, KDE....).  Virtually any
package you've installed from the Fedora repositories is also available
in the Ubuntu repositories (and vice-versa).





-- 
            Scott
http://angrykeyboarder.com
I've never used an OS I didn't (dis)like.
©2007 angrykeyboarder™ & Elmer Fudd. All Wites Wesewved





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