A Mac User's Opinion of Fedora Core 6

[aryayush]

A Mac User's Opinion of Fedora Core 6

by James R. Stoup
May 07, 2007

Years ago in college I started using Fedora Core 2 and was, to say the least, very unimpressed. Upgrading to Core 3 was better, but still painful. Since then I have used Cores 4, 5, and 6 and can say that they have improved drastically with each iteration. In fact, they have improved so much that for the past year I have used Fedora exclusively as my system at work. And while I still definitely prefer my Macs, I have come to appreciate my Fedora system. So, the following review isn’t meant to sway you from using your Mac, only to enlighten you to the fact that you can have quite a nice system using Fedora Core 6.

Before I get any further into this review let me make one thing very clear: using Fedora means using the command line. If this frightens you then please put the install disks down and back away slowly from your computer.

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Sigh! I'd actually thought I'd download Fedora now. But I guess I should just "put the install disks down and back away slowly from" my Mac.

[mediator]

Hmmm a good review!

That isn’t to say, though, that you should completely avoid using a terminal. Because even a rudimentary understanding of what it can do will save you lots of time in the long run. Don’t misunderstand me, I am a big proponent of the mouse, but some things are just easier in a terminal. Sorting files, batch changes, finding keywords, editing simple documents, etc. And remember, all of the commands that work in Fedora work in OS X too.

This was the thing that I was telling u earlier too that some things are easier via terminal! Another example is here. There r plenty of such examples and thats the power of terminal that u can save ur friend's a$$ in another part of globe if he just gives u access to his system. U can update his system, solve his graphics problems, solve all ur system related problem without even restarting which is very necessary from server point of view.

But one thing I can't understand is why is author giving so much stress on commandline? In my years of experience with fedora I just used commandline just for setting up repositories (which I cud have done via GUI too through root account) and for installing programs like limewire, java (which afaik have gui installations now) and installing softwares via yum which is way easier than GUI!

I haven't used the terminal for doing any other system administrator's task. One thing more, programming (i.e using run and compile commands) via terminal is just tooo easy. CLI only makes ur task quicker and ur computing more efficient.

Neways overall a nice review!

[aryayush]

Yeah, I posted it only because it was nice.

But yeah, I wouldn't stray any where near Linux as long as command line is required even for the smallest of tasks. I don't care whether it makes the job easier or not. I just don't want to see the Terminal.

What you say makes sense, that some things are better done via the CLI but it is certainly not my cup of tea.

[mediator]

I understand but u shud experience different flavours of tea just for the sake of trying different tastes and then give ur verdict. I too wasn't a terminal phreak, but now I do all my programming mostly from terminal. U shud try it. Learning is never a waste!

[kalpik]

Or, you can try Ubuntu Feisty.. I really cant think of where you would require a terminal on Feisty..

[amitava82]

Even i never liked terminal but as mediator said once you taste it, your opinion will change.. some jobs are so fast in terminal than in GUI. one of the best feature of linux terminal over DOS is that you dont need to remember whole command, just type first few letter and press tab and it will show all the possible commands.. same goes for file names

[Zeeshan Quireshi]

Originally Posted by amitava82

Even i never liked terminal but as mediator said once you taste it, your opinion will change.. some jobs are so fast in terminal than in GUI. one of the best feature of linux terminal over DOS is that you dont need to remember whole command, just type first few letter and press tab and it will show all the possible commands.. same goes for file names

oh yeah n then how does this Work in my Windows XP command line huh ?

also in Linux(ubuntu in my case) if there r more than one thing starting with the same characters then when u press the tab key , it gives a beep sound n doesn't complete the name , u then hv to type the name until it matches no more than one thing , whereas in XP command line if there r more than one thing matching then pressing tab will cycle through them , ain't that much easier

[kalpik]

^^ You can just press tab twice and linux will display all options..

[Zeeshan Quireshi]

Originally Posted by kalpik

^^ You can just press tab twice and linux will display all options..

well it does display the choices but it doesn't cycle through them , u still hv to type the name until it matches only 1 file .

[amitava82]

Sorry sure but in XP tab does not show available commands, I just tried n it does not show. in ubuntu u write few alphabets then press tab twice it will show all the available commands starting with those alphabets. BTW when i wrote "ch" in XP cmd it showed me "chikka"... where did chikka come from?

[Zeeshan Quireshi]

Originally Posted by amitava82

Sorry sure but in XP tab does not show available commands, I just tried n it does not show. in ubuntu u write few alphabets then press tab twice it will show all the available commands starting with those alphabets. BTW when i wrote "ch" in XP cmd it showed me "chikka"... where did chikka come from?

well mate XP shows the name of files n folders present in the current directory u press tab more times n it will cycle through all names tarting with the typed characters , same in linux but as in linux most commands are executable files n not embedded in shell therefore they show up too

[saurabh.sauron]

i started out with Core 5 and didnt like it then, coz I had just started out with linux, and i could not even do mundane tasks. now, i can manage quite a few tasks. I found Core 6 much easier to use and I keep on tinkering with it, and yes, the command line. somehow, i enjoy using the command line, rather than fearing from it.