A pox on Fedora and in their hat too

[David Bandel]

On Thu, 16 Dec 2004 21:20:07 -0800, Kevin O'Gorman <kogorman at gmail.com> wrote:
> Huh?  GRP?  I gotta read the FM some day.  Wozzat?  If it's
> something I gotta do, it won't happen -- too much difference
> between machines.
> 
> Why would it be any better than any else's binary distro?

All distros I know of (except Linux From Scratch) offer a binary
distro, even if for no more than the initial install.

What are the differences then between _any_ set of distros?
1.  All run the Linux kernel, but some like to patch it.  This
introduces differences (some good, some bad) for users.
2.  Installation is different, but since this is generally only
performed once on any given machine, not a big deal.
3.  System startup.  Almost all distros introduce differences here,
most minor with the majority using SysV style startup (obvious
difference, Slackware).  Differences include default runlevel, how X
is started, etc.
4.  Binary packages:  are they built to your liking (i.e., do they
have the options you'd choose to include)?  One obvious example is if
sendmail is built with milter.  If not, can you easily rebuild the
package?  When you upgrade, do they clobber your hand configs?
5.  Admin tools:  lots of different ones out there, some distro
specific (YAST), some not (Webmin), and of course there's always my
favorite, CLI w/ vi.  Do your tools clobber your hand configs and/or
misconfigure/reconfigure without your consent?
6.  Upgrade/maintenance tools:  how easy are they to use?  Can they be
easily scripted?  If scriptable, do they do the right thing if they
need admin input during the upgrade?

I won't be so smug as to even pretend to have used more different
distros than anyone else (wouldn't be true anyway).  But I've run
enough of them including having created a custom distro to know the
above pretty much sums up the differences (speak up if you can add to
the list).  And this list pretty much sums up what I evaluate in a
distro.  My top 3 to use are Debian (and derivatives like Knoppix),
Slackware, and Gentoo.  All radically different from each other in
many way, but satisfying my primary concerns which for me are:
1.  ease of upgrade
2.  binary packages configured to my liking and/or easily replaced
3.  good admin tools that don't clobber my hand configs
4.  vanilla kernel (I dislike the incompatibilities introduced with
custom kernels especially those of RH). If I need a special patch,
I'll put it on.

Ciao,

David A. Bandel
-- 
Focus on the dream, not the competition.
            - Nemesis Air Racing Team motto