Linux World / Network World 2006

[Colin McGregor]

--- Lennart Sorensen <lsorense-1wCw9BSqJbv44Nm34jS7GywD8/FfD2ys at public.gmane.org>
wrote:
> On Wed, Oct 19, 2005 at 06:24:37PM -0400, Colin
> McGregor wrote:
> > Agreed the choice of speaker(s)/panelist will be
> key
> > here. In my case on any given day at home I will
> be
> > running:
> > 
> > - Coyote Linux (fantastic router, rotten
> everything
> > else).
> 
> I like all my systems being compatible and
> consistent.  So I stick to
> Debian for everything.

While an argument can be made for keeping things
consistant, I prefer a varied enviroment for several
reasons. In the case of Coyote, it will run happily
off a single floppy, dispensing with the bother (and
potential for failure) of a hard drive.

In my office enviroment I am currently dealing with a
mix of Windows (ugh!), FreeBSD boxes and an old RedHat
box. I don't know what I will run into at the next
workplace (some place I hope to move to soon, if
anyone is looking for a system admin. (or knows of
someone looking) e-mail me)), but I do know that for
learning purposes I DON'T want everything the same at
home.

> > - Debian (good general purpose desktop, excellent
> > server).
> > - Knoppix (great for solving some problems).
> 
> Great for having linux anywhere (almost) you want
> it.

Agreed, and for cleaning up problems sometimes created
by other OSs.

> > - Fedora Core 4 (very good general purpose
> desktop). 
> 
> I got tired of redhat's buggy releases, so I haven't
> looked at FC, and
> probably won't ever.

I was NOT thrilled with the way Red Hat transitioned
to Fedora Core (not that I can totaly blame Red Hat, I
gather they were loosing money on the likes of RedHat
9, and hey they have to make enough to eat...). I used
to be a BIG Red Hat fan, but that mishandled
transition got me to move my main Linux box to Debian.
Still, as a training tool I keep my 2nd oldest Linux
PC running FC4 (the oldest PC runs Coyote :-) )...

> > Debian has it's place, but would not be my pick
> for a
> > router (Coyote!), and if I had a box that was in
> > trouble I would not want to try to rescue the box
> with
> > Debian (Knoppix).
> 
> Well I certainly use it for routers.  Works rather
> well for that in my
> opinion.

I am sure Debian can/does do a very satisfactory job
as a router, but in my books Coyote is a
cheaper/better solution.

Colin McGregor
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