Fedora VS Mandrake VS SUSE

[beezlebubsbum]

I have recently aquired all of these distros and decided to give them a try. This is what I found:

Mandrake Community Edition 10.0 (4 CD Edition)

Pros:
* MP3 support, java, and flash and DVD support out of the box, no hunting for codecs.
* Rather bold attempt at including the latest and greatest of the packages.
* THe DRAKE menu items are great for beginners.
* Good inclusion of Window Managers, also the addition of extra themes and icons were great to see.
* Mandrake galaxy 2 and 1 theme for gnome and kde

Cons:
* Trouble installing the Nvidia 6111 driver.
* Where is Juk and other mulitmedia programs?
* A little unstable, and glitchy. Some programs just closed with no explanation.
* Encountered an error with the install at the very end. When I tried to configure my network, it spat the dummy and rebooted the computer. I then had to reinstall everything because the system hadn't been configured yet.

================================

Fedora Core 2:

Pros:
* Easy installation
* Relatively bug free, when compared with Mandrake
* 100% free
* Some of Redhat's management programs are great and easy to use.
* Good hardware support
* Nvidia drivers installed without a hitch
* Uses Xorg instead of XFree86

Cons:
* No mpeg support, no java, no flash, nothing!!!
* Limited amount of packages. I installed over 5gbs worth, and I was left wondering where it all went!
* Dependence on GNOME 2.4 as the default WM
* Man I hate the bluecurve theme!!!
* Stupidly patched kernel prevents a lot of programs from running, unless you are prepared to do a bit of hacking.


===================


Suse Pro 9.1

Pros:
* Huge range of programs that are available. I did the full 11.8 gb install and I am sure that there is no other linux program out there :lol:
* YAST was a dream to use for the install, and it was helpful after with configuration.
* Java, flash, mp3 support out of the box.
* Nvidia drivers 6111 installed without a hitch.
* No problems were encountered with any programs. I haven't had it crash as of yet.

Cons:
* No DVD support!!!
* A lot of useless packages too. Some of the window managers have different names, but they are the same darn WM!
* Some problems with the VIA AC97 audio.



In conclusion, although these systems are good, the best was SUSE 9.1 Pro. I thought Mandrake was good as well, but I was frustrated that I couldn't install my Nvidia drivers. I also felt that it could have had more packages. Fedora was the worst of the lot. Although it seemed pretty stable, it was useless because there was nothing to do. THere were hardly any programs, and it was pretty hard to install some new ones because it has plenty of libraries missing. However, I liked how it used Xorg, the other distros should have thought of that too.

[salparadise]

Have you tried Ubuntu yet????

I've used Suse 9/9.1 (never did like that woman), Fedora - (lovely for a day or two then falls apart) & Mandrake (most stable of all but a bit boring) and none of them comes close to Ubuntu.
Based on Debian, with Gnome 2.8 as default desktop and nigh on 14,000 packages available online.
Has a live cd so you can try without commiting yourself.

[Fatal Error]

Yep, salparadise is correct. Ubuntu is the one if you are looking for something that works, now, out-of-the-box.

http://www.ubuntulinux.org/ They have extended the free CD offer. Sign up and get a copy for each platform you use. PC, PPC, Solaris, more? Also try the live CD.

[jro]

Nice, thanks for the heads up Fatal. I just ordered some CD's. I will try to type up a review once I get them.

[Uranus]

* A lot of useless packages too. Some of the window managers have different names, but they are the same darn WM!

Nice to have the pro's and cons all together, good post. Only about the different WM's - let me guess, FluxBox/BlackBox/Waimea? :P
Sam

[Fatal Error]

Jro said:

I will try to type up a review once I get them.

I'll bet you use Ubuntu to write that review!

[imported_Shambhu]

As long as you aren't on dialup, Mandrake should not be used without this fantastic tool: http://easyurpmi.zarb.org/

After you install Mandrake, make sure you have urpmi installed (I think it is pretty standard) and then go to that site and use it to update your urpmi configuration. Add the plf (Penguin Liberation Front) repostory if you want extended codecs and such. The site takes all of the pain (not that there was too much) out of urpmi setup.

After that, if you're browsing Sourceforge or somewhere and if you see something you like (call if 'frood'), you just type $> urpmi fr and then hit tab and see what is listed. If you see 'frood', and you probably will, you're in luck. Complete the command and watch it go. It will prompt you about downloading necessary packages or inserting your install media and take care of the rest. Absolutely terrific. The one downside that I can see is that you are just trusting the repositories blindly.

-S

[comtux]

Sorry to say but no thanks im a slacker for life hail slackware hail slackware hail slackware

[beezlebubsbum]

I just tried this awesome distro called kanotix. It is a version of knoppix that is optimised for hd installs. Everything on it is great. From the default install, you are able to rip cds, surf the net with firefox, one click install nvidia drivers, play divx content (yes, XINE comes with the divx codec preinstalled!!!), and heaps of other things that I can't think of right now. But anyway, I recommend that to anyone that wants to have the APT-GET, but can't be bothered with Debian's installation process.

[Fatal Error]

Thanx for that beezlebubsbum, going to DL that today.