[Solar-medios] 9 razones a tomar en cuenta al elegir una distro

[Gerardo Diaz]

interesante

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=334

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#2: Package management

This is one of those areas where people begin to leap up on their
soapboxes. RPM vs. Apt vs. dpkg vs. urpmi. Some would say that they
are all fundamentally the same: Each has a command-line tool as well
as a GUI front end, and each has a configurable repository system that
can be edited by hand (via text editor) or through the GUI front end.
I will argue (not that I have become a Ubuntu convert) that the Apt
system is much better as a package management system. I say this
because RPM has a tendency to be unable to resolve dependencies, as
well as to muck up a system over time. But for the average user, the
biggest (and probably most crucial) difference lies in the GUI front
ends. Between managers like Synaptic and GnoRPM, there is no
comparison. Even after nearly 10 years of working with Linux, I have
never found a stable front end for RPM. Apt front ends, on the other
hand, have enjoyed stability for a long time.

So if you prefer one package management system over another, your
choice will already be narrowed down. Of course, it can get a little
murky with crossovers, like apt-rpm. But if you want Apt, you will be
using a Debian-based system. If you want RPM, you will be using a Red
Hat/Fedora-based distribution (or, in the case of urpmi, Mandriva.)
#3: Directory hierarchy

This is one of those issues that has always befuddled me. There should
be a standard that all distributions stick to. But as it stands, there
is not. Take the init system (the initialization system). In
Fedora-based systems, you will find this in /etc/rc.d/init.d. In
Debian-based systems, you will find this in /etc/init.d. Even the
Linux Standards Base does not define where the initialization system
should lie. But you will still have your own personal standard. When
moving from Fedora to Ubuntu, it took me a while to keep from typing
/etc/rc.d/init.d/mysql start and typing /etc/init.d/mysql start. If
you're used to one, either stick with it or anticipate a few "command
not found" errors.
#4. Desktop environment

Although you can install your desktop of choice, some users just want
to install the OS and go. In that case, you will want to make sure you
choose a distribution that focuses on the desktop environment you
like. If you want GNOME, go with Fedora. You can check out this
listing of distributions shipping with GNOME as the default. If you
want KDE, check out this listing of distributions shipping KDE as the
default. Of course, you are not limited to either GNOME or KDE. My
preference is for Enlightenment. Some distributions ship with
Enlightenment as the default, such as Elive and gOS.

Even though it's possible to install the desktop of your choice, it's
not always as simple as it might seem. If you don't want to spend time
resolving dependencies or figuring out what repository to add to
install KDE4, go with a distribution that ships your preferred desktop
by default.
#5: Security

Linux is a much more secure OS than most, although not all
distributions are equally secure. In fact, there are distributions
aimed primarily at security, such as Trustix, which claims to be the
most secure of all Linux distributions. But truth be told, the most
secure Linux distribution is the one that is properly configured. But
if you want security "out of the box," the short list of distributions
would include Trustix, Engarde Linux, and Bastille Linux.
#6: Intended use

Let's face it: We don't all use our computers for the same thing. Some
need multimedia. Some need servers. Some need development. Some need a
simple workstation to write and surf the Web. And there are Linux
distributions for every need. Need a headless server? Give Ubuntu
Server Edition <http://www.ubuntu.com/products/whatisubuntu/serveredition>
a try. Is multimedia your game? If so, take a look at StartCom
Multimedia Edition. If you're an average user (office suite, e-mail,
Web), you can go with any of the distributions.
#7: Hardware

This one is tricky. As I said earlier, your hardware will sometimes
dictate what drivers you will use. But it goes beyond that. There are
distributions that are known for their hardware friendliness. For
instance, PCLinuxOS is one of the best choices for overall hardware
detection and setup (as well as being one of the simplest to install).
For wireless, your best choices are Ubuntu, Mepis, and SuSE.
#8: Laptop use

Another tricky spot. On top of having to deal with wireless and
graphics (see #7), you also have to hope that your laptop will support
hibernation. This is one of the rougher spots for modern Linux.
Getting a laptop to suspend or hibernate is a matter of hoping your
particular laptop will play well with your distribution. Your best bet
is to simply Google your make and model of laptop along with "linux
suspend" to find out which distribution is best suited for your
machine.

Wireless on your laptop will be an interesting journey. But here's a
good tip to help you out: Forget tools like Exalt and go directly to
WICD. This tool is much better at handling various forms of wireless
authentication.
#9: Installation

If you are really considering Linux, you know you have two choices:
Find a vendor that will sell you a machine with a pre-installed
distribution or install a distribution yourself. If you have never
installed an operating system, don't fret; it's not hard. It will take
some time, but rest assured that all modern Linux distributions (with
the rare exception) are point-and-click GUI installations. And Linux
one-ups its competition by giving you the Live CD. You can pop it into
the machine, boot from it, and give Linux a try without having to
install anything. A Live CD instance of Linux will run considerably
slower than the installed version (and that will depend upon how much
RAM your machine has), but you can get a good idea how well it is
going to react to your hardware (and how you are going to react to the
OS).

I would like to say that one distribution's installation routine is
better than another (to help you weed out possible hurdles in your
adoption of Linux). But that is not so much the case now. Personally,
I prefer the installations of Ubuntu (in its many incarnations) and
Fedora to any other. I find their installations to be far more
intuitive and user friendly.

If installation isn't your game, just find a vendor that sells Linux
pre-installed. You can go to online dealers like Hewlett Packard,
Dell, Zonbu, Everex, and many others. This will keep you from having
to dance around distributions to figure out which will support your
hardware.
#10: Community

This aspect is a bit esoteric, but it should be addressed. Linux is
more than an operating system. Linux, akin to Apple, is a community.
Linux is about freedom and its communities embrace that — some more
than others. So if community (feeling like you belong to something
special) is important to you, Ubuntu is the distribution for you. If
not, you could go with the more enterprise-level Red Hat, where you'll
enjoy a more traditional model of both customer service and support.

Which brings up a related issue: Support. Along with Linux comes many
forms of support. Each distribution has its own mailing list, where
you can enjoy hundreds (or thousands) of users who range from every
level of experience. If you're a DIY kind of person, this type of
support will be right up your alley. And it's free! If you're not the
DIY type, you should stick with SuSE (which benefits from Novell's
backing) or Red Hat, where you can buy a solid support package for
your installations. If you do opt for the more community-drive
distribution, you'll be in good hands. On many occasions I have
enjoyed speaking directly to the developer(s) of the application in
question. Finding such a communication line with, say, a Mosoft or an
Apple wouldn't be so easy. With Linux — you never know. You might wind
up chatting up the Linux kernel with Linux creator Linus Torvalds
himself. I have a few times.

So there you have it. Ten things to consider when choosing a Linux
distribution. But ultimately, it all boils down to choice. And that's
where Linux really shines. With Linux, you can choose on nearly every
level. You aren't locked down to any one thing.

-- 
Gerardo Díaz
email: gerardo.diaz at gmail.com
blog: http://QueHacemosConLasPilas.WordPress.com