Red hat vs SuSE

[sohummisra]

i'm planning to install one of the above linux distros (from the aug03 and aug04 digit mags). red hat 9 and SuSE 9.1. maybe mandrake 9.1 if yall suggest it.

what i want to know is which is the best choice for me (a complete linux newbie) in terms of ease of use, installation and () uninstallation. i'm leaning towards suse 9.1 as its the latest one (as well as only one CD), what do you think?

thanks.

[devianthulk]

The thinks that u are talking bout

ease of use, installation and uninstallation.

is nothing but what newbies do.
So it doesnt really matter what linux distro u use......
unless ur into Kernel and Shell programming etc etc.

[Kl@w-24]

Use a live Linux distro like Slax to see if u r comfortable with Linux (no point risking ur hard disk just to experiment). If u r, then go for SuSE.

[EinSTeiN]

Susue is grt for newbies. I think redhat is for advanced users.
Any way, I'm using ELX linux on my pc. And its one of the easisest to use.

[tuxfan]

Don't install Red Hat 9, later versions have already come. Red Hat 10 is called Fedora Core 1. Core 2 is out as well.

I have not installed any version other than Red Hat 9 and PCQ Linux 2004 (based on Fedora Core 1). So not qualified to comment on the comparison. But PCQ Linux is really good and I like it. Now I have it installed on 3 machines and it works great!!

[sohummisra]

okay i'll guess i'll go for SuSE 9.1 since its the latest. i tried a live cd already....knoppix and was pretty comfortable with it. I just have one question, in case the modem is not detected (which it wasn't with knoppix) because the driver is not there, how do i install it?

i have a linux driver for my modem on hand so that's not a problem. thanks in advance.

[Prashray]

SuSE 9.1 is good.

[khandu]

I think RH Fedora core 2 or 3 will be good.. u have a hell of a support for it..

i would recommend that... well every1 has their own opinion..

[sohummisra]

thanks i think i'll go for suse because i don't have the net power to download an iso (or multiple ones for that matter). i may be getting a new comp and then i'll see about it.

[tuxfan]

khandu said:

I think RH Fedora core 2 or 3 will be good.. u have a hell of a support for it..

Very much true. There are books available for Red Hat/Fedora. I haven't seen any so far for Suse

sohummisra said:

thanks i think i'll go for suse because i don't have the net power to download an iso (or multiple ones for that matter).

You don't need to download it. Since you are in Mumbai, you can get 3 CDs and come to me, I will copy and give them to you within 30 minutes. Or still better, contact PCQuest from their site and they will send you a copy of March 2004 issue with PCQ Linux 2004 (based on Fedora Core 1). Both the issue and their distro are very good and it will cost you only Rs. 125.

[EinSTeiN]

Tuxfan Can you send me the Redhat linux cds?

[BONZI]

With suse installation is easy but after installation it is problematic. I dont know about 9 but with 8 I had a lot problem with hardware detection and software installation.

[BONZI]

BTW I recommend PCQ Linux

[it_waaznt_me]

I installed RH9 today ..Seems okay ..But it didint recognised my modem ..so cant access internet from it ..Also I feel it is very tough adapting to it ..
Btw ..I played it for some 2 hrs and still cant figure out how to mount my fat32 drives ...
...

[BONZI]

@it_waaznt_me
Go here:
http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/view...648&highlight=

[khandu]

Originally Posted by it_waaznt_me

I installed RH9 today ..Seems okay ..But it didint recognised my modem ..so cant access internet from it ..Also I feel it is very tough adapting to it ..
Btw ..I played it for some 2 hrs and still cant figure out how to mount my fat32 drives ...
...

which modem is it ??

try mount -t vfat /dev/hda0 ( the hda number) /mnt/drive

here hda0 should be the hard disk number defined by linux and /mnt/drive should be a valid folder.. u can give anything here.. any path.. ur wish

[Moin]

Originally Posted by it_waaznt_me

I played it for some 2 hrs and still cant figure out how to mount my fat32 drives ...
...

Hey it_waaznt_me, what you can do to mount these partitions is that login as the root, go to the / folder and then to /mnt. Here create a folder and name it as "Windows" or something as you like. Then find out the physical address of the fat32 partition you would like to mount which might be somthin like /dev/hda1 if your HD is the primary master and the partition is the first active visible partition(generally C:\ in Windows). You might find all these addresses from the utility "Hardware Browser" easily.
Then to mount it, open the terminal window and type mount -t vfat /dev/hda1 /mnt/Windows
Remember that this will mount the partition only until your PC is powered ON. To avoid this and automatically mount it on startup, find the file "fstab" in the /etc folder and then add this line to it >> /dev/hda1 /mnt/Windows vfat auto,umask=0 0 0 and save it.
Now you will have the partition mounted automatically whenever you boot into Linux.
And if you want to access this partition from the desktop then right-click on the desktop and create a new hard-disk. In the properties of the link you just created,select the hardware tab. Select the appropriate mount point from the drop-down combo and click OK. You are done...

[Moin]

Originally Posted by khandu

which modem is it ??

I have a Conexant SoftK56 Data,Fax,Voice,Speakerphone PCI internal modem. Where can I find the drivers? I use RedHat 9.0 .

[khandu]

u can get driver for it @ http://www.linuxant.com/

i have used that modem be4.. easy to install.. get the driver there.

[khandu]

but thats a free version of the driver.. max speed will be 14.4 kbps.. not worth it.. the site says to buy the full version..

[sohummisra]

wow they're trying to stop people from switching to linux. maybe microsoft is paying them or something.

[tuxfan]

EinSTeiN said:

Tuxfan Can you send me the Redhat linux cds?

Sure I can, but tell me exactly where between the heaven and hell are you placed . What do you want from the following?
1. Red Hat 9 (3 CDs)
2. PCQ Linux 2004 (3 CDs, based on Fedora Core 1)

BONZI said:

BTW I recommend PCQ Linux

I too recommend the same thing and if that is what you want, contact PCQuest directly. Find out their contact info form http://www.pcquest.com and they will send you the magazine issue of March 2004 with CDs. That would be better for you too. I can't give you the magazine issue. I can only give CDs.

[prathapml]

From among what you have, SuSE is best.

RedHat 9 is HORRIBLY old, and nothing is well-done on it (relative to today) - that is 1.5 years old and 2 releases have come after it.
Mandrake 9.1 is pretty old as well - v10 is the latest. Both Fedora Core 2, and Mandrake 10 are freely downloadable - Enjoy!

[tuxfan]

RedHat 9 is HORRIBLY old

I agree. Fedora Core 1 and Core 2 could have been Red Hat 10 and 11. But Red Hat made some policy decisions and now it is named as Fedora. So don't install Red Hat 9, but if you are interested in the products from the same stable, go for Fedora.