[wplug] Preparing for distro Upgrade

Bill Moran wmoran at potentialtech.com
Sun Jun 27 18:36:49 EDT 2004


Brandon Kuczenski <brandon at 301south.net> wrote:

> I've been running RH9 as a server for a O(1) person system for about a 
> year.  It represents my first foray into Linux.  Now that I've learned a 
> lot, I'd like to start over with a new distribution and a faster computer.  
> I want to make use of the package management better, I want to automate 
> tasks with crond, backup my /etc files with version control and stuff like 
> that, and generally become a better administrator.
> 
> I'm interested in getting the "essential" open-source administrator 
> experience, and so I am thinking of running Debian.  It has also occurred 
> to me to try something like FreeBSD.... since this is a server and I won't 
> be doing any multimedia/web browsing/bang-flash/other user-interfacey type 
> things with it.
> 
> So.... Question 1: Linux or BSD?  And whichever one I choose, should I 
> burn the isos myself for the InstallFest on July 10? Or will they likely 
> be there already?

Boy, that's a loaded question ... you're liable to start a flame war!

Being a well-known BSD advocated, I'm going to run on the assumption that
I can express my opinion here without getting flamed to death ;)

I think you should use FreeBSD (did you see that coming?)  Especially in
a server environment.  In my experience, FreeBSD has better NFS services
as well as better overall performance in a server environment than Linux.

I'm also a big fan of FreeBSD's source-based upgrade and package system.
If anyone out there hasn't tried out the new portupgrade and portaudit
systems yet, install them and be impressed.  I just upgraded everything
on my system automagically (it took about 24 hours ... I've got a LOT
installed, but it was totally unattended)  It's almost as nice as
Debian's package management.

While I firmly believe that FreeBSD makes a great workstation (I use it
as one myself) I do agree that it takes a bit of knowledge to get it to
that point.  Unlike most Linux distros that have a workstation profile
that installs a ready-to-use desktop environment, FreeBSD (more or less)
requires you to manually install and configure all the stuff you need
for a desktop.

Anyway, I'll try to remember to bring my FreeBSD CDs to the installfest
(I have both 5.2.1 and 4.10 here) but a reminder close to the time
wouldn't hurt ...

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



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