Sidux 2008.04 Pontos released

[Collins Richey]

On Wed, Dec 24, 2008 at 7:59 AM, Rick <rwbowers at gmail.com> wrote:

> I'm looking to install a new linux server and am looking for a distribution
> to run.
>
> Sidux is a new name to me. Is this yet another linux distribution? Where
> does it fall in the Debian/slackware/RedHat camps? What are it's noteworthy
> benefits?
>

1. It's somewhat unlikely that you would choose Sidux/Sid for a new
server. It's leading edge, and there's a lot of maintenance. OTOH, a
few Sidux types prefer it even for servers because you get the
security kernel/other fixes and the latest fixes for
apache/php/mysql/etc. rapdily. The Sequence in Debian is

experimental - true bleeding edge (feeds to sid)
sid - leading edge (feeds to testing)
testing (feeds after a freeze to a new stable)
stable (security/bug fixes only)

2. As noted in the urls, Sidux is Sid -the permanent Debian unstable
distro. Despite that moniker, the Sidux early adopters render it quite
stable. It's really un-stable (not Debian stable) rather than unstable
(prone to be unreliable). At cutover points (soon after a new stable
is released, and one of those is coming soon), Sidux/sid may be
unstable in the second sense, but the early adopters whip it into
shape quickly.

3. Sid is one of the few distros (Debian testing, Gentoo, and (maybe)
PCLinuxOS) that provides rolling updates - install once, upgrade
forever. That makes it, for my purposes, the ideal home system. My
system always has the latest fixes and features that have undergone
some level of testing in experimental.

4. Unlike most Debian and RedHat distros, Sidux is a KDE-centric
distro. The Sidux developers have deprecated Gnome because they prefer
KDE and because they believe Gnome to be quite unstable (in the second
sense above) in sid. You can run Gnome in iduxd, but the developers
won't provide the same level of support as for KDE.

5. Sidux provides a livecd and installation path for sid (installation
can take as little as 3 minutes to a USB stick!). Sidux also provides
a superb kernel developer and a superb filter for the rough edges of
sid software. This comes at a cost - lots of upgrades. Typically there
is a kernel upgrade and a hundred or more fixes weekly. You should
never let more than 2 months elapse between upgrades, or breakage may
occur.

6. Like Debian and many other distros, Sidux prefers non-proprietary
software. That being said, Sidux provides excellent procedures for
maintaining the binary blobs (ATI, nVidia, mplayer, codecs, etc.) that
are necessary (IMO) to make Linux a more pleasant experience.

7. Sidux has one quirk that is unique among distros that I have
encountered. The forums, etc. are based in Germany, and Germany has
quirky (I prefer idiotic) laws that prevent discussion on a website of
software products that enable the playing of DVDs. You can discuss
things like mplayer and codecs on the Sidux IRC channel, but any
reference to such matters in the forums will be suppressed.

-- 
Collins Richey
     If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries
     of tomorrow, you have no today to be thankful for.