Recommended Linux Distribution for Current Mandriva 2011.0 User

[Giles Orr]

On 2 May 2013 08:47, Thomas Milne <thomas.bruce.milne-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> On Tue, Apr 30, 2013 at 9:32 PM, Brad Fonseca <linuxbrad-bJEeYj9oJeDQT0dZR+AlfA at public.gmane.org> wrote:
>> I'm hoping the folks on this list might be able to help me with a
>> suggestion. I'm looking to move to a new Linux distribution.
>>
>> I have been using the Mandriva distribution for a number years since it
>> was called Mandrake and it was in version 8.0. Recently, I have been happily
>> using Mandriva 2011.0 ("Hydrogen"). I just discovered that the home user
>> version of Mandriva (Mandriva Powerpack 20xx) is no longer being supported
>> or updated (my update manager is no longer receiving updates) as it has
>> reached its end of life. In addition, Mandriva has taken the decision to
>> focus on their corporate products and are no longer producing a home
>> version.
>>
>> I have determined that there are a couple forks that have started since
>> the Open Mandriva (http://www.openmandriva.org), which just got started
>> earlier this year, and Mageia (http://www.mageia.org), which started in
>> September 2010 and has had two major releases.
>>
>> Now that you have the background, I have a few questions that I'm hoping
>> to have answered:
>>
>> 1. What is this group's opinion of either Open Mandriva or Mageia? Would
>> it make sense to move to one of these distributions seeing as they are forks
>> of a distribution I am very familiar with?
>>
>> 2. If I wanted to try a new distribution what is the recommendation of
>> this group? I would like a distribution that will be the least troublesome
>> (e.g. stable) and will support the most peripherals. I use Chrome as my
>> browser so I don't expect too much issue there. I'm a hobby coder so having
>> access to a decent set of IDEs would be nice, especially ones supporting
>> Python. I currently use Dr. Python as I like the interface and I'm really
>> just trying to practise things I'm learning in Python currently. Having an
>> IDE that would support other programming languages would be nice too. I'm
>> used to using a "Package Manager" to both update my system and add new
>> applications so I would prefer to use a distribution that provides this
>> feature
>>
>> Any suggestions would be very much appreciated. I know the discussion can
>> get quite heated when it comes to favoured distributions. I hoping that the
>> suggestions put forward will take into account my few requirements.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>
> I used to use Mandriva, many eons ago it seems now.
>
> I tried Ubuntu, but didn't like it. The whole 'release' thing was exactly
> what I hated about Mandriva. I wanted something, as you describe it, 'least
> troublesome'. There is only one that really exemplifies that description:
> Debian. In particular, Debian Unstable is really really great. Unstable, it
> really needs to be mentioned, does NOT refer to it's behaviour. Unstable
> means that the packages can change a lot, ie. there will sometimes be a lot
> of updates. Anyone who runs Debian can tell you, they literally never have
> the slightest problem with updates. I ran a Debian Unstable on my desktop
> for years and years and never had an issue (excluding the ones I caused
> myself of course, I am not an expert or anything).
>
> Debian. Seriously. It's the best. Not a fanboy, have nothing against any
> other distro or what they might want to achieve, but if you want zero
> trouble, Debian is the one.

I have to disagree with the recommendation for unstable.  My
experience with it suggested the name was reasonably apt (if you'll
pardon the unintended pun).  In only about six months of using it
(admittedly several years ago), I saw several programs break - as in,
unusable for days or weeks until a new version came along.  I was
without sound for a week and a half because a package was put into
unstable that didn't agree with my particular sound card.  Bug reports
were filed, fixes were made ...  Unless you want this type of
experience, I'd suggest that "testing" is a better compromise of
stability and reasonably-up-to-date.  If you're desperate to have the
very latest in some particular package I'd still suggest testing plus
learning about package pinning.  Mint-Debian has also sounded good and
probably more user-friendly, but I haven't tried it.

--
Giles
http://www.gilesorr.com/
gilesorr-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org
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