Crunch time: Debian, Libranet or FC1?

[Chong Yu Meng]

Hi Michael,

I installed FC1 and configured it as a web server for production use. A 
few things to note:

1. If you're going to us php with the Zend Optimizer -- don't ! There is 
a problem with the zlib package that comes with Fedora (and even RH9, or 
so I hear), which will cause seg faults on Apache with the Zend 
Optimizer installed. You can install the older zlib package, but you 
won't be able to upgrade a lot of things if you do that.

2. If you're using Java, you will need to use the latest 1.4 versions 
from IBM or Sun. I heard that there were problems with the early 1.4 
versions from Sun -- can't verify because I use only IBM, which runs 
fine -- if you use 1.4.1 or better.

3. If you need sound, don't upgrade to the latest kernel update, or 
you'll be sorry ! My FC1 development system at home now has no sound, 
since the latest upgrade. Thankfully, I don't need it.

4. If you're trying to install FC1 from the CD ROM and having the 
installer bomb out on you (happens to hardware with certain Intel chips 
inside -- affects my Celeron system), you will need to add a switch at 
the beginning of the install (unfortunately, I can't remember what it is 
-- nocddma or something like that)

Anyway, my impressions of FC1 were generally good. Sure, there were some 
niggling problems, but I found it to be actually less buggy than 
previous RH versions. Of course, it could also be that I am becoming a 
lot more familiar with Linux. You might want to wait for FC2 to come out 
for several reasons :
- 2.6 kernel
- X.org windowing system
- Security-Enhanced Linux (SELinux)

There are also problems with the previous Test release, because of SELinux.

I know all this sounds really bad for Fedora, but, the good news is that 
a lot of people are using it and fixing problems almost every day. So, 
you're not alone, and a solution can come by really quick. I like FC1 a 
lot !

Regards,
pascal chong




Michael Hipp wrote:

> I need to build a new server for a client. Primary app for now will 
> just be Samba but later PostgreSQL. Hardware will be a P4 with dual 
> SCSI mirrored. This client is smallish, but they would be out of 
> business in no time if this system doesn't "just run".
>
> Until now, I always just used the latest version of RHL for a server 
> distro, but that is all changed. Please offer me your opinions and any 
> pros/cons you can think of...
>
> - I'm by far more familiar with Red Hat than anything else.
>
> - The stability of Debian is legendary. But some of the software is 
> ancient and I don't know how stable the unstable repository is. And 
> security updates are generally unavailable for unstable.
>
> - Libranet is a jewel, but it is not intended as a server distro.
>
> - FC1 is easy, familiar and up to date; but would I be crazy to use it 
> for a production server (even a small one)?
>
> - Do I just need to bite the bullet and learn Debian?
>
> - Is there any good reason to continue to think of Debian as an 
> intimidating/difficult distro?
>
> {Here's some unscientific data ... Went down to Books-A-Million in 
> Little Rock. The book rack for "Operating Systems" had (16) items that 
> mention Red Hat right in the title and several others that are based 
> on Red Hat but don't say so in the title, (2) items that have SUSE in 
> the title and (1) about Debian. Is staying with the "leader" still the 
> best choice?}
>
> Opinions please ...
>
> Thanks,
> Michael
>
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>

-- 
"Wise men are instructed by reason; men of less understanding, by
experience; the most ignorant, by necessity; the beasts, by nature." 
		-- Marcus Tullius Cicero
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| Pascal Chong                                                   |
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