Hello, and good evening. I am running an Ubuntu 10.04 Long Term Support (LTS) release. I've been on Ubuntu since their 7.10 (year/month) release. I am no where near being any sort of power-user, sys admin, or developer. I also do not need bleeding edge technology. The web, email, OpenOffice, and audio CD is all I need. Sure, PDF viewer, too. I had DVD working once, now they just slow down and stop.
I put CentOS on a mini-ITX box I had; I put many releases on just to play. I did get flash and java installed; DVD never worked. The box meet with a demise, alas. However, the upcoming Ubuntu Unity desktop is a deal breaker for me. I want file menus and clean desktops - no friggin icons or links. I can even USE a terminal for simple things like more, cp, mv, even updating/upgrading. I am no troubleshooter, however.
The LXDE Ubuntu (lubuntu) seems to be what I need, but, in your opinion, for a STABLE release for a minimal user like me, would Debian Stable or CentOS be better? (I bought a refurb PC and want another distro.)
I don't think I even want to try Fedora and I don't know why.....
Thank you. I apologize for any impertinence.
Marti
[SOLVED] Frank, honest opinion to an enternal noob on stability
[SOLVED] Frank, honest opinion to an enternal noob on stabil
LXDE, if you prefer it, is not, as far as I know, available in CentOS, and might be difficult for the inexperienced user to install.
However, if the old Ubuntu Gnome desktop worked well for you, that's what you'll get in CentOS 6.
As to which will be more stable, they should both be pretty decent in that respect. I think that Ubuntu will have more packages readily available, though the vast majority should also be
available in CentOS when you start adding a few of the extra repos.
I would say, judging from things I've heard from friends, that an Ubuntu update, even with the LTS, is more likely to break something, but, such breakage is also rare.
I think Ubuntu makes it a bit easier to get multimedia going, and so on. My impression (not personal experience from much use, but just impression from what various people have said) is that even though Ubuntu's LTS is LTS, it's also still aimed in many ways at the desktop user, whereas CentOS aims to be as close as possible to RedHat, which is more aimed at the enterprise, therefore, less concerned about things like flash and other multimedia programs.
Still, with just a little bit of effort, it's quite easy to get that stuff working in CentOS too.
I'm going to, as you say you're a minimal user, vote for Ubuntu LTS in this case, simply because I think you are more likely able to get a typical home user installation without having to do much reading.
I will say, though, that if you don't mind doing a bit of research--and it really is only a bit--you can get a very nice CentOS desktop, and it will be even less likely to break than Ubuntu's LTS. (Though I don't think LTS is all that likely to break either.)
However, if the old Ubuntu Gnome desktop worked well for you, that's what you'll get in CentOS 6.
As to which will be more stable, they should both be pretty decent in that respect. I think that Ubuntu will have more packages readily available, though the vast majority should also be
available in CentOS when you start adding a few of the extra repos.
I would say, judging from things I've heard from friends, that an Ubuntu update, even with the LTS, is more likely to break something, but, such breakage is also rare.
I think Ubuntu makes it a bit easier to get multimedia going, and so on. My impression (not personal experience from much use, but just impression from what various people have said) is that even though Ubuntu's LTS is LTS, it's also still aimed in many ways at the desktop user, whereas CentOS aims to be as close as possible to RedHat, which is more aimed at the enterprise, therefore, less concerned about things like flash and other multimedia programs.
Still, with just a little bit of effort, it's quite easy to get that stuff working in CentOS too.
I'm going to, as you say you're a minimal user, vote for Ubuntu LTS in this case, simply because I think you are more likely able to get a typical home user installation without having to do much reading.
I will say, though, that if you don't mind doing a bit of research--and it really is only a bit--you can get a very nice CentOS desktop, and it will be even less likely to break than Ubuntu's LTS. (Though I don't think LTS is all that likely to break either.)
Re: Frank, honest opinion to an enternal noob on stability
Funny you should mention LXDE. I have, in fact, already added that to my installation. I am trying it out, OR Openbox window manger (which runs under LXDE anyway). I do think it will be the replacement when I upgrade to the 12.04 LTS release on my main box.
I have never had an Ubuntu update/upgrade break anything. A repo for midori web browser, not in by default, broke another app, but I somehow got rid of that repo and the other app (the GUI package manager, no less) working again.
I still think I'll try CentOS on that refurb box. I know I could never run Slackware, so CentOS would be my "achievement".
Thank you again.
Marti
I have never had an Ubuntu update/upgrade break anything. A repo for midori web browser, not in by default, broke another app, but I somehow got rid of that repo and the other app (the GUI package manager, no less) working again.
I still think I'll try CentOS on that refurb box. I know I could never run Slackware, so CentOS would be my "achievement".
Thank you again.
Marti
Re: Frank, honest opinion to an enternal noob on stability
I only mentioned LXDE because you did. I like openbox, it's what I usually use. (You can also change LXDE's window manager to fluxbox if preferred, or anything else, I imagine.
I have a page that gives some basic openbox config file shortcuts, if you're at all interested, at http://home.roadrunner.com/~computertaijutsu/fluxopen.html
I have a page that gives some basic openbox config file shortcuts, if you're at all interested, at http://home.roadrunner.com/~computertaijutsu/fluxopen.html
Re: [SOLVED] Frank, honest opinion to an enternal noob on stability
I am probably missing it, but I cannot figure out how to mark this as solved. If you can, scottro, please do so.
I really DID get flash and jdk-plugin installed. The TipsAndTricks from the Wiki on flash was not the same for 6.0, but after the repo I just used the Gnome GUI to install the package. The CLI failed on that one.
The java plugin worked JUST like to HowTo.
I will wait to do multimedia LATER, like this weekend.
Marti
I really DID get flash and jdk-plugin installed. The TipsAndTricks from the Wiki on flash was not the same for 6.0, but after the repo I just used the Gnome GUI to install the package. The CLI failed on that one.
The java plugin worked JUST like to HowTo.
I will wait to do multimedia LATER, like this weekend.
Marti