By Ded Ryzing: In Part 2 of “Order From Chaos: Choosing A Linux Distribution” We went through a brief comparison of the 4 main Linux branches against the following criteria; Ease of use, Primary use, Support and Future maintenance. In Part 3 we will look at criteria #5, Personal preference.

“What gives?”, you ask? You’re probably thinking that personal preference could be the only criteria one needs. While it may be true, it is important that personal preference be tempered by wisdom and guidance. When buying a car you will inevitably buy the one that is the most comfortable to drive, is the right color and comes with the right options…but this all, or should, comes after comparing different brands, models and packages. This is the same thing. Fact is I, nor anyone else, can tell you what to use just as I can’t tell you what car you’ll like, what TV shows will interest you or what entre you’ll like at the local “greasy spoon”. What can tell you is personal initiative.

The best thing you can do is to just do. Take what you have learned, download a few distros that piqued your interest and try them. Many of the major distros offer non-destructive means of trying them before you make the final decision.

My personal Top Picks; Arch Linux for server and workstation use and DreamLinux for desktops / notebooks.  I have recently discovered these distros and they have impressed me immensely.  Arch is somewhat of a minimalist distro in the same vein as a Slackware, but the Arch Way results in a super stable system that rocks along at top speed.

DreamLinux, based on the Debian Testing branch offers cutting edge features and great performance, which is enhanced by the default XFCE desktop environment (which looks fantastic).

Other top picks (in no particular order):

1. Ubuntu (desktop) – Arguably the best distro for new Linux users. There’s good reason why it is the most popular distribution out there right now. The fact it supports so many platforms, like 64-bit Intel, is a bonus.
2. Debian (server) – Debian GNU/Linux is the grand daddy and an excellent choice for a home server. Though not as “cutting edge” as Ubuntu, it is rock solid and easy to maintain.
3. Linux Mint (laptop) – Another Debian derivative (you know I love the Debian branch). Linux Mint has great hardware detection and isn’t hampered with the “only open source software” philosophy that Ubuntu has out of the box. This makes it a great choice for laptops, especially for new users.
4. OpenSuSE (desktop) – Great choice for general use. Hardware detection is great and it gives you a complete suite of apps…perhaps too many right from the get go. With the backing of Novell, support is also great.
5. Fedora Core (desktop) – As good as OpenSuSE or Ubuntu. Like OpenSuSE it uses RPM packages and is why I personally give the nod to Ubuntu.
6. Slackware (server or desktop) – Because almost everything is compiled from source code, it is more optimized for your particular hardware. Result is normally a blazing fast, stable system. Great all around solution for experienced users who really want to get into the “guts” of their system.
7. CentOS (server) – Red Hat Enterprise based and designed for the data center. Easy to use, well maintained and supported…a great choice for small business or corporate servers.

The world of Linux can be a fun and fascinating place. It is filled with fantastic creatures, odd beasts and unique characters. There’s something for everyone and the deeper you go down the “rabbit hole” the more interesting things can be.

For more information:
Wikipedia Links: “List of Linux Distributions”, “Debian Linux”, “Red Hat Linux”, “Gentoo Linux”, “Slackware Linux”
Related Links: “Distribution Watch”, “Linux.com”
Distro Sites: “Debian”, “Ubuntu”, “Fedora Core”, “Red Hat”, “Open SuSE”, “Gentoo”, “Sabayon”, “Slackware”, “Linux Mint”

Tags: Linux, Choosing a Linux distribution, Debian, Ubuntu, Red Hat, Fedora, Gentoo, Sabayon, Slackware, FreeBSD, UNIX

By Ded Ryzing: Making the switch from Microsoft Windows or Apple’s OS X to Linux can be a daunting proposition for most people. There are a lot of negative myths, half truths and misinformation out there that scare many people off. Fortunately there are several ways to experiment with, and get to know, Linux that will not change your system as it is now.

Method 1 – LiveCD
The easiest way to try Linux without making the full commitment is via LiveCDs. Many Linux distributions make available a LiveCD version of their product. A LiveCD is a bootable CD that boots your computer into a fully functional Linux environment, including applications and network access. The entire system runs off the CD and does not touch your hard drive. Once done, you remove the CD and reboot your system normally.

To create a LiveCD, download the appropriate ISO image from your distribution of choice and use your CD burning application to create the disc. That’s it…no muss, no fuss.

Method 2 – Virtualization
The next step up the ladder in complexity is virtualization…think of it as a computer inside a computer. Installing and running Linux in a virtual machine within your regular Operating System. There are several Virtual Machine hosts available such as VMware and VirtualBox. Both are great but I prefer VirtualBox from Sun Microsystems for it’s simplicity.

Once you install the Virtual host, you use it to create and install a virtual Linux install that runs within your Windows or OS X environment like any other application. Doing so does install Linux to your hard drive but it is isolated from the rest of your system. It can also be removed easily without damaging your host OS. Do note that you still need to download the Linux install CDs as virtual hosts do not provide this as part of their package.

Method 3 – Wubi
The third method of painlessly trying Linux is Wubi. This is an Ubuntu specific product that is more or less a mix of virtualization and dual-booting. In a nutshell Wubi is an application that you run within Windows that will install Ubuntu (or Kubuntu or Xubuntu) to dual-boot on your system without the need to worry about partitioning your hard drive. It uses existing free space on your drive. To remove it, if so desired, you just deinstall Wubi from Window’s Add/Remove Programs.

Limitations
While all three methods work well, there are certain limitations with each. For example, with the LiveCD method, nothing is saved to your hard drive. Any files you create or changes you make will be lost when you reboot.

With the virtualization method, you can save data and make changes which will save. However, because it is running within Windows or OS X, it will use up system resources and may affect performance on weaker computers. You can also run into certain issues with Linux detecting and installing drivers for the virtual “hardware” of the host.

Finally, with Wubi, though the closest to a full fledged dual boot or native install, you are limited to a Linux install of 30GB max…though in most situations this is plenty.

Conclusion
Linux need not be the scary beast. It can be fun and educational. It also does not mean you need to give up the Operating Systems you know and tolerate. In the world of Linux all are friends and we know how to play with others.

Tags: Linux, Wubi, VirtualBox, Sun Microsystems, Sun, VMware, virtualization

By Ded Ryzing: How much swap space should you set aside? This is a good question and one that seems not to have an answer. You’ll see it debated all over the Internet with many varying opinions on what is correct. How much is a matter of preference and experience, but most importantly, it’s a matter of system use.

I don’t profess to have the definitive answer, but here is a breakdown of what I’ve found works for me.

These are general guidelines and the actual use of the system should be taken into account when allocating space. For example, a system used for intensive graphics rendering would benefit from swap space signifigantly larger than that listed..

It should also be noted that if you find your system is using swap space frequently, you may want to consider increasing the amount of physical RAM. RAM is cheap these days and your system performance will benefit greatly.

Finally, if you have multiple hard drives in your system, you may want to consider spreading your swap space over all drives. This will also help increase system performance as it will accomodate simultaneous disk reads/writes.

Tags: Linux, Swap space, Security

By Ded Ryzing: The other night I stopped in on a uStream broadcast / chat I used to frequent (not so much any more) to see what was shaking. This stream from the boys at PCMech.com normally focuses on PC and Mac hardware/software…although the focus on this evening seemed to be on Twitter…yeah, I didn’t get it either. Anyways, eventually they started discussing Linux. I knew it would likely turn into negative ranting against the OS, and sure enough, it did.

This is ok though. These are also the same folks who claim that Linux needs corporate backing to succeed, claiming that Linux only has a paltry 1% of desktop market share. As I alluded to in a comment to their post, that statement depends a lot on your definition of success.

If your definition of success is taking advantage of the masses to make boat loads of cash…then yes, Linux is not successful. If, however, your definition of success is the building of a powerfull, secure and stable OS, and a strong and loyal following comprised of individuals who CHOOSE to use your OS and enjoy the freedom and flexibility the OS allows them, then I would say that Linux is the most successful OS on the planet.

Warm fuzzies, I know…so let’s look at some numbers. I read recently that estimated PC shipments for 2008, globally, will be around 290 million. At their 1% usage claims, this means 2.9 million will end up running Linux. That’s 2.9 million who CHOOSE to run Linux…success? It gets better though. W3Schools publishes stats from their web server logs about who is visiting their site. I like these stats because the site is vendor neutral and not geared towards any particular platform.

According to W3Schools, Linux is only marginally behind Mac OS in terms of usage globally…not just Mac OS X, but all versions combined. Does this equate to success for Linux or failure for Mac OS?

What people have to keep in mind is that in the vast majority of cases, each and every Linux install is because someone made the decision to use it. It was not the default or standard OS installed when they bought the machine. Why is this important? Well, truth is that the overwhelming majority of computer users use the OS that came pre-installed because they do not know any different. For Linux to gain this level of acceptance with zero marketing, relying on it’s own merit, seems like success to me. Oh, and let’s not forget that this is on the desktop…in the data center things are even more amazing.

Tags: Linux, Choosing Linux

By Ded Ryzing: In Part 1 of “Order From Chaos: Choosing A Linux Distribution” we took a look at the different Linux family branches. In Part 2 we will define some criteria to apply to these branches when deciding on a distro to use.

For me, there are 5 criteria to take into consideration:

Ease of use - At the end of the day a Linux distro needs to be used. Software needs to be installed, patches applied, things changed, configured and tweaked. How easy a distro makes this for you should be a major consideration. This includes actual installation. Ignoring this criteria will lead to many tears and late nights in the future.

Primary use - Some distros are designed to be better at certain things than others. Whether it be for desktop use, servers, network appliances, whatever. Knowing what your primary use will be goes a long ways in helping you choose.

Support availability - Let’s face it, in the world of Linux, it is inevitable that questions will arise. How a distro handles support for it’s products is important. There are many generic Linux help resources available but in all honesty, distros have become so different that it is typically best to go to the source for answers.

Future maintenance - It seems that everyone and their dog want to create a Linux distro. Most start strong and fade away rather quickly. Some never really get off the ground. Will the distro you choose actually be around in 6 months? A year? 5 years? How actively is it being developed?

Criteria Applied

1. The Debian Tree:
   A) Ease of use – Debian based systems are among the easiest to install and use on a day to day basis. Ubuntu and Linux Mint can be installed, literally, with only a few mouse clicks and basic user information. Add to this the “best-of-breed” dpkg and APT packaging team, and you get a distro that is very easy to use and maintain.
   B) Primary use – Like all branches, there is something for everyone. You have eBox or Gibraltar for routers/firewalls or NAS/PDCs, G2Linux for Industrial automation, DeMuDi for multimedia production or the popular general purpose distros like Ubuntu, Linux Mint and Debian itself.
   C) Support – In general, the wider used flavors offer the best support. Top dog being Ubuntu. They want you to use their products and do whatever they can to make it as enjoyable of an experience as they can. Debian, itself, has great community support, as does Linux Mint.
   D) Future maintenance – Debian has been around for a long time and shows no signs of disappearing. Ubuntu has huge backing as well and should be around for the long term as well,
2. The Red Hat Tree
   A) Ease of use – For the most part Red Hat, Fedora, SuSE and the rest of it’s branch are very easy to install and configure. The RPM package manager works OK but I have had issues with it and “dependency hell”…issues I have yet to experience with dpkg or APT.
   B) Primary use – Again, there’s something for everyone. CentOS claims to be compatible with Red Hat Enterprise without any proprietary tools, EnGarde for server use, ClarkConnect for routers/firewalls and the popular general purpose distros like Fedora Core, SuSE and PCLinuxOS.
   C) Support – The big players in this tree, like SuSE and Fedora Core, have great support with SuSE having the backing of Novell. Other flavors within this tree may be limited to a smaller core group of distro developers.
   D) Future maintenance – The RPM package manager isn’t going anywhere. Unless something drastically changes in the world of Linux there will always be RPM based systems. Which flavors survive is always a debate. For general use, you’ll likely be safe with the large distros.
3. The Gentoo Tree
   A) Ease of use – In all honesty, I am not very familiar with this tree. From what experience I do have, I will say that Gentoo is geared towards the “power user” and those who take a keen interest in how Linux works.  Having worked with FreeBSD Ports, I will say that Gentoo’s Portage packaging system is likely very good and this feature alone makes this tree worth looking at.
   B) Primary use – Being a relatively young family, the diversity of child distros is not as great as the other branches. It is interesting to note, however, that there is a flavor designed for the Microsoft Xbox (Gentoox). In general, the all-purpose distros like Gentoo itself and Sabayon will make a good choice for desktop use.
   C) Support – Again, not having a lot of experience with this family, I can only speculate that support for the major distros is adequate.
   D) Future maintenance – Lacking the long heritage of the other branches, only time will tell what the future will be for this family. With it’s Portage system, though, I would venture to guess that Gentoo and Sabayon will be with us for a long time. They have caught on and have reached that critical mass of community members.
4. The Slackware Tree
   A) Ease of use – Slackware and “ease of use” are terms that usually do not go together. Of all the Linux families, Slackware’s is arguably the most difficult to install, configure and maintain. With it’s focus on performance and stability over easiness, the Slackware tree is probably best suited for more experienced Linux users.
   B) Primary use – Most distros within this family are general purpose. Vector and ZenWalk (in addition to Slackware itself) are good choices for intermediate to advanced users. Other distros of note are Austrumi, which will fit on a 50mb bootable business card CD-Rom and Topologilinux which is designed to be run from within Windows.
   C) Support – Because these distros don’t have the backing of large amounts of funding, support is usually limited to community maintained forms. This is another reason why this family is perhaps better suited towards more advanced users.
   D) Future maintenance – Slackware itself is the oldest still maintained distro. I would say that it is here for the long term. Other distros in this family, it’s hard to say. This is a great branch to the Linux tree, but with people wanting “easy” more and more, the spread of these distros will likely decrease to a small group of dedicated, hardcore users.

These are the main branches within the Linux “family”.  This is, by no means however, the whole story.  On top of the above mentioned, you will also find a smattering of other Distros that are unique unto themselves and do not fit within the 4 main branches.  An example of this is Arch Linux.

Now, for the quick out there, you may recall that I said there are 5 criteria one should use when choosing a distribution, yet I only mentioned 4 above. The fifth one is the most relevant, and I will leave that to Part 3, where I will also do a quick wrap up.

Tags: Linux, Choosing a Linux distribution, Debian, Ubuntu, Red Hat, Fedora, Gentoo, Sabayon, Slackware, FreeBSD, UNIX