[wplug] comparing distros (was: iso small distros)

[Bill Moran]

Elwin Green wrote:
> However, I want to emphasize that that was my ONLY reason for choosing
> debian over slackware in this instance. Otherwise, I know next to nothing
> about the differences between them. Which leads to my next question: can
> anyone point me to an aricle, website, or book that offers detailed
> comparisons between distros? 
> 
> The key word there is "detailed". All that I've read so far comes down to
> statements like "distro x is easier to install," or "distro y is better for
> the enterprise." I'm looking for something that would say, "distro x uses
> runlevel 4 for a graphical login, and distro y uses runlevel 5," or "distro
> x and distro y both place xFree's config file in location abc, and distro z
> places it in location def." Or for that matter - something that would tell
> me the functional difference, if any,  between a deb and an rpm (and not
> just tell me that one format is debian's and the other is red hat's). 

I hate to be Mr. Negative, but I don't think you're going to find anything
like that. I sure never have.
Any time I've seen this question asked before, the answer has been "install
both and find out for yourself" which is an excellent method, but very time
consuming.
In the end, I think the only piece of advice I have for you is this:
If you do get around to installing multiple distros and doing a detailed
evaluation of the pluses and minuses of each compared to each other, it
would be a *huge* contribution to the Linux community if you documented
all this and made it available to other newbies.
Even better, would be to compile a web site that allowed everyone out there
who had experience with the various distros to submit information - thus
the resource could grow without you having to do all the work.

Hrmmm ... maybe I've just invented a project for myself ...

-- 
Bill Moran
Potential Technology
http://www.potentialtech.com