[Greebo]

Right - I'm gonna be gettin a new computer soon - so I was thinking of making this hunk of junk a testing platform for coding and suchlikes.
However I was considering putting Unix or Linux or something on it to test it out, and, if it's good, stick on my main new computer.
Anyone used either before?
What's the distinction?
Are they stable?
Are they better than windows (probably a silly question)?
etc???

Anyone point me in a direction please?

_________________
Most evil admin around.
Offical Ville songwriter.
"Captain Smart Ass"

[Pornstar]

Ok I will take this in sections. For testing purposes its great to try everything.

Unix.
1. The only copies you can get for free and is Intel base is FreeBSD and Solairs 7. I don't know if Solaris is still available for free download or not. You can either download FreeBSD or by a BSD Bible book that usually comes with a free version(This version is usually one Ver. behind what is on the Website.). Both are excellent products and based of the AT&T flavor of UNIX. I would recommend BSD just because of the ease of obtaining.

Linux.
Much like Unix(considered a scaled down version of Unix) execpt for small odd commands and different way of doing somethings. Most Linux flavors come fully loaded with Web server, DNS Server,and Email server. This is great for learning various things. The Free Linux marathon is all but over. Red Hat and others are starting to charge for their products. They are still cheap execpt if you want the server editions.

There is still some challenges to using Unix and Linux on a workstation environment. Ex. drivers, must of the time you will have to write your own drivers. Suggestion research the various flavors that you are going to try out and find what hardware is already have written drivers. FreeBSD does have great support for most products out there.

Windows.
If you asked me Unix or Windows last year i would say Unix, but with Windows2000 MS has made great strides in providing an equal reliable product and incorporating some great Unix like features, such as making changes on the fly instead of rebooting 50,000 times. Windows is much easier to use and has far greater support for hardware and software.

Bottom Line.
try FreeBSD, Red Hat or Caldera - it will be a challenge and hey isn't that what everything is about. Also I would use Win2000 or XP for your main system because of ease of use and familiar use of the Windows product. There is nothing like being fustrated because you don't know Unix good enough yet and you find yourself not able to do anything, thats why I suggest keeping to MS for your main system. One more thing I could go on forever. MS Windows newer and newer versions are RESOURCE HOGS. Need googles of memory and haas of CPU to run it and Appls. To compare a MS station with PII-300MHZ with 128MB RAM is to UNIX station with Pentuim 100MHZ with 16MB. Unix is more effiecnt in use of memory and other hardware. The great thing about Unix, especially FreeBSD is you can go grab that old 486 out of your dads closet and throw BSD on it and it will work like a charm.One more thing. MS has problems with viruses and worms. Unix passes on viruses(is not affected), but can be affected by Worms.

Sorry for the long post I will post some books that are very good and accurate tomorrow after work.

[ This Message was edited by: Pornstar on 2001-10-10 02:49 ]

[ This Message was edited by: Pornstar on 2001-10-10 02:51 ]

[Mortem-TPF-]

Hey greebs I just got done installing Mandrake linux 8.1 It seems very cool, It comes with support for g++ (C++ compiler) many terminals including everybodys' favorite "vi"
It also came with support for php mySQL and Perl. Linux has come long ways, I had it installed like 3 years ago but I gave up after i tried to code my own drivers
Mandrake is a free download at http://www.mandrake.com
BTW Red Hat Sucks

[Greebo]

Thanks for the info, guys - I think, for convenience I'll get win2k for the new computers and at least try some version of linux on the old one.

I'll probably get pissed off with it or something

_________________
Most evil admin around.
Offical Ville songwriter.
"Captain Smart Ass"