[wplug] [wplug-announce] The Open Pitt, Issue 13
Vance Kochenderfer
vkochend at nyx.net
Tue Jun 28 07:44:18 EDT 2005
PDF version: <http://www.wplug.org/top/wplug-top013.pdf>
THE OPEN PITT
What's cooking in Linux and Open Source in Western Pennsylvania
===========================================================================
Issue 13 June 2005 www.wplug.org
===========================================================================
In this issue:
So Many Distributions, So Little Time
May Roundup
From the Editors: One Year On
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coming Events
Jul. 9: General User Meeting, Topic: Comparing Linux/BSD Distributions.
10am to 2pm, 1507 Newell-Simon Hall, CMU
Jul. 16: Installfest. 10am to 5pm, 1507 Newell-Simon Hall, CMU
Aug. 7: 4th Annual WPLUG Open Source Picnic. 1pm to 7pm, Snyder Park,
Whitehall
The public is welcome at all events
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
So Many Distributions, So Little Time
by Beth Lynn Eicher
A distribution (or distro) is an Open Source operating system, Linux or
BSD, pre-packaged by a company or a project, or even by an individual.
Each one is different, with its own strengths and weaknesses.
Listing every Open Source distribution could consume the whole newsletter.
There is an entire web site at <http://distrowatch.com/> dedicated to
cataloging and tracking them. At press time, the DistroWatch database
contained 315 actively-maintained distributions of Linux and 10 BSD
distributions. A further 126 distributions are on the "waiting list,"
which means they have made a release, but haven't yet built up enough of a
track record to be included in the main list.
Which one you choose depends on your specific needs. Here are just a few
examples:
Novell's SUSE Linux offers a commercially-supported boxed solution with
gigabytes of desktop applications and games.
Your 12-year-old 486 PC can still do useful work with aLinux.
If you have something even older or more obscure like an Atari Falcon,
you may find that NetBSD will still run on it.
For a Linux you can literally carry in your pocket, Damn Small Linux
will boot from a USB memory stick.
FreeBSD is widely deployed as a high-reliability web server.
Wring every last drop of performance from your 64-bit CPU with Gentoo
Linux.
Xandros Linux can give you maximum Microsoft compatibility without
running Windows.
If management demands a system with a rock-solid product roadmap and a
support program aimed at corporate users, Red Hat Enterprise Linux may
fill the bill.
Fedora Core offers the latest and greatest Open Source software and
widespread community support.
There are many options like Ubuntu or SimplyMEPIS geared toward users
just getting started.
Need something tailored exactly to your situation? Linux From Scratch
can help if you're the build-it-yourself type.
Clearly, Open Source enthusiasts enjoy a variety of choice. But how does
one select a distribution? Even if you limit yourself to the "big-name"
distros like Fedora, Slackware, SUSE, Mandrake, Knoppix, Debian, Gentoo,
Ubuntu, Xandros, OpenBSD... you can still face what seems like a long, long
list of options.
You'll find many similarities among these choices since they are all rooted
in the Unix tradition. But as you compare one distro to another, you may
notice that the administration tools and the system file structure are
somewhat different. Each distributor makes philosophical decisions that
distinguish their distro from the others. Many distros are just a
different spin on another's approach, for example Ubuntu, MEPIS, Xandros,
Linspire, and Progeny are all derived from Debian.
Finding the best distribution for you can take some trial and error. There
is no perfect distro for every purpose. Some people have a favorite
distro, however this is often just a matter of taste. You can compare it
to ice cream. Over the course of your life, you may go to the ice cream
parlor hundreds of times. Each visit you may experiment with different
flavors, but over time you're likely to develop at least one favorite.
During the July 9th General Users Meeting, we will try to help you in the
search for your perfect distro by having several presentations on various
flavors, featuring Fedora, Mandrake, Knoppix, Gentoo, and FreeBSD. I hope
you will join us.
Beth Lynn Eicher is WPLUG's Chair.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
May Roundup
May 28 General User Meeting: Mark Dalrymple of Borkware gave a presentation
on the Subversion source code version control system. He covered some of
the basic concepts of source code control, and the different ways people
have approached the problem. After comparing Subversion to its predecessor
CVS, Mark went into the command syntax. He gave examples of checking out
files, committing changes, generating diffs, resolving conflicts, and
branching off from a main code trunk. A PDF copy of Mark's slides is
available for download at
<http://www.wplug.org/meetings/one-meeting?wp_meeting_id=3180>.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quick Tip
The _kill_ command isn't just for killing a process. It works by sending a
_signal_. Normally, it sends the TERM signal, which is a nice way of
asking the process to terminate. Other common ones are:
KILL The infamous "kill -9", it is a not-so-nice way of killing a
process and should be a last resort.
STOP Like pressing Ctrl-Z in command-line programs, this suspends a
process but does not kill it.
CONT Resumes a process suspended with STOP.
HUP Originally used to signal a remote connection loss (hangup), today
many daemons respond to it by re-reading their configuration files
and applying any changes.
See "man kill" for how to use signals or "man 7 signal" for a list of
signals and their meanings. A program's man page should explain how it
responds to various signals.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the Editors: One Year On
In some circles, the number thirteen is considered unlucky. But this
thirteenth issue of _The Open Pitt_ marks the beginning of its second year
of publication, which at least in our minds is cause for celebration.
Putting together a monthly newsletter has been at once easier and more
difficult than we anticipated a year ago. Like any volunteer effort, it
can be hard to find the spare time to get contributors, edit articles for
form and space, do the layout, and produce the final PDF and text versions.
But being a volunteer effort also gives it its magic--everyone's doing
their part for the love of it, not just to get a paycheck. And
fortunately, there's been plenty happening in the Open Source world to talk
about.
We can always use more articles, so contact us if you have an idea. No
previous writing experience is needed; we'll help you get your thoughts
down on paper.
What a Difference a Year Makes
It is interesting to look back a year to see how things have changed.
Fedora Core 2 had just been released, and was still establishing its
footing as a community-built distribution. "Ubuntu" was an obscure African
word unknown to the computer world. The very first versions of Linux for
the new AMD and Intel 64-bit x86 processors were released. Bitkeeper was
still being used for Linux kernel development. And the city of Munich
broke new ground by announcing its large-scale desktop deployment of Linux.
Of course, not everything has changed. Kernel hacker Alan Cox issued a
call back then to oppose software patents under consideration in the
European Union. While some procedural votes and amendments have been made
to the proposal, Open Source advocates are still trying to have it voted
down or at least made less egregious. A final decision looks to be some
time away. And of course SCO's lawsuits against IBM, AutoZone, and
DaimlerChrysler continue to grind on.
WPLUG Carries On
The past year has seen a busy schedule of events for WPLUG. In addition to
monthly General User Meetings, nearly every month has included a tutorial,
installfest, or other special event.
Topics have covered the whole spectrum: basic system administration,
security, kernel configuration, building and using RPMs, voice over IP,
Samba file sharing, and much more. Hopefully there's something of interest
to everyone; if not, be sure to let us know what you'd like to see.
On the Road Again
In addition to events here at home, WPLUG has made a large showing at a
number of activities elsewhere, with contingents going to ErieLUG's first
ever installfest, the Ohio LinuxFest in Columbus, and the Central
Pennsylvania LUG Security Conference near Harrisburg.
It's a great way to see what is new and exciting in the wider world of Open
Source. We'll try to keep you informed of these as they come up, so keep
your eye on the "Coming Events" section of _The Open Pitt_.
Into the Future
The coming year looks to be filled with just as much activity as the last.
Linux and Open Source are advancing at a rapid pace, and WPLUG doesn't
intend to be left behind. So keep reading, and come on out to any WPLUG
event which catches your interest. Our picnic coming up in August will
once again be filled with food, fun, and balloon animals.
As always, _The Open Pitt_ exists to serve you, the reader. If you have
something to contribute, want to comment on any of our articles, or simply
have a question, you can e-mail the editors at <top at wplug.org>. We look
forward to hearing from you!
===========================================================================
The Open Pitt is published by the Western Pennsylvania Linux Users Group
<http://www.wplug.org/top/>
Editors: Elwin Green, Vance Kochenderfer
Copyright 2005 Western Pennsylvania Linux Users Group. Any article in
this newsletter may be reprinted elsewhere in any medium, provided it is
not changed and attribution is given to the author and WPLUG.
_______________________________________________
wplug-announce mailing list
wplug-announce at wplug.org
http://www.wplug.org/mailman/listinfo/wplug-announce
More information about the wplug
mailing list