Project: Linux Howtos

Choosing a Linux Distro

By Suresh Ramasubramanian <suresh+freeos@kcircle.com>
Posted: ( 2001-03-07 04:50:09 EST by )
Heard a lot about Linux, want to adopt it but don't know how? No sweat. For all Linux newbies, here's an article that talks of not only the different kinds of distributions available, but also about how to go about choosing one that is ideal for you. And all this in a simple and lucid manner, sans tech jargons.

You have made up your mind to install Linux. The question then is where can you get Linux. And once you figure that out, you realize that there's no such thing as a single `Linux' - there are dozens of varieties (distributions) of Linux. That leads to another question -- How does one choose from the many `Linux_distro_' (common jargon for distribution) available in the market?
This is somewhat like asking "How does one choose a car?" You ought to know a few basic things about Linux, just like "engine", "mileage" and "dashboard gadgets" are essential to choosing a car. Discussing these can go deep into geek-land. So, to keep it simple, let's compare a Linux distro to a car.

Kernel

The kernel is as important to Linux as an engine is to a car. It runs your Linux; doing stuff like helping other programs access your hardware, sharing your computer's processor between various programs and other such. Just like a car's engine, the Linux kernel keeps getting better with new additions like new security features, support for more hardware and hence more bang for your buck. Excellent, considering that the kernel (like Linux) comes absolutely free.
So when you pick a distribution, go for one that offers you a comparatively recent kernel. Though kernel 2.4.1 is out, most current versions of various Linux distributions will give you some version of 2.2.16 or 2.2.17. Don't install any distro that has an older kernel. If you do, upgrade the kernel immediately.

Operating system programs

We compare these to the chassis, gears and transmission in a car. Without them, the engine (or the kernel) wouldn't be of any use to you. These OS level programs (various servers which handle your mail, web and other services, the "LILO" bootloader, etc.) harness the power of the kernel for you.

User level programs

Now that you have all that you need for a basic car (steering wheel, gears, engine, etc etc), you need to find stuff which will give you a great comfortable ride, like white-wall tyres, comfortable leather upholstery on the seats and such. In the case of Linux, stuff like browsers (from the text-based lynx to graphical ones like Netscape/Konqueror), mail user agents (pine, mutt, Netscape), word processors (Star Office, Abiword), text editors (vi, pico, emacs) etc.

Window managers

A window manager is somewhat like the dashboard and steering wheel of your car. If you want something fancy, with lots of point and click and a windows style "WYSIWYG" (What You See Is What You Get) interface, then go for Gnome or KDE (which will make you feel at home if you just shifted from Windows or MacOS). Of course, if KDE and Gnome are a bit too heavy for your computer, you can switch to something lighter like IceWM, Blackbox etc. Your Linux CD will have several window managers available, and all of them are available for download off the Net.

A hardcore Linux junkie will prefer a powerful engine and transmission to a fancy interface and stick to the "command line" shell prompt. In the shell, you get things done by typing all sorts of (at first) obscure looking commands like cat, grep, rm, sed, awk, all with several dozen options each. It's your choice of course, but we warn you that the sheer power you experience using the shell prompt is somewhat addictive.

Back to "Distros"

Continuing the same "Linux is a car" note, we don't suppose you'd want to build a car yourself by buying an engine, a transmission, a chassis, nuts, bolts, a welding torch etc. etc ... you'd rather go to a few car dealers, check out the make and model you like and write a check. Here too, plenty of makes and models are available. The more famous ones are Red Hat, Mandrake, SuSE, Caldera, Slackware and Debian. Okay, so they are numerous. Don't fret, choosing from them is not so difficult.

First, see what you need in your distro. Ask yourself a few questions. Do you want it easy to install and packed with all kinds of programs to make maintenance easy? Do you want all the latest and greatest user software (lots of it)? If so, we would recommend Mandrake (http://www.Linux-mandrake.com). It's just like Red Hat (my second choice in this case), but has a far better user interface and configuration options. Mandrake is basically an enhanced and `prettied up' Red Hat. If you can get Caldera (http://www.caldera.com), try it.

If, on the other hand, you want a server, you will need something which is secure and stable and which is not vulnerable to being broken into by hackers. Red Hat Linux (in a default install) is extremely vulnerable to being hacked, and needs a custom configuration (plus a lot of downloaded upgrades), before it is suitable for deployment as a server. Debian and Slackware are much better in that they give you a reasonably secure install (which is extremely easy to customize and "harden", i.e. increase security).

There is extensive documentation for the major Linux distro's (and better still, lots of personal experiences narrated by users) out there on the Web. www.google.com will find a lot of it for you. Here's a brief comparison of the major Linux'.

Red Hat: It's pretty simple and easy to install. It is easily available, as several magazines (PC Quest and Chip, for example) have been distributing it in their CDs for the past few years. Also it has an easy but reputedly buggy config tool called Linuxconf.

Mandrake: As we said, it's a much prettier version of Red Hat - snazzy interface, easy install, and the full version comes bundled with recent versions of several excellent software. Lots of "drakes" help you with your config like, HardDrake, UserDrake etc.

Caldera: Extremely easy to install, configure and use (perhaps, easier than Mandrake), it makes an ideal desktop machine.

SuSE: This is a full-featured Linux (comes with a staggering amount of software, has an easy install/config app. called YaST). Highly recommended for both server and desktop use. Plus, as one of the SuSE members is closely associated with the XFree86 project, even the most obscure video cards (such as the infamous SiS 6215c) are supported in SuSE.

Slackware: This is simple and stripped down Linux at its purest. Shorn of all frills, is extremely user friendly, but (as the old joke goes), is very picky about choosing its friends. Slackware 7.1 has got quite a recent kernel and software versions though. Once you get to know it, it becomes a whole lot more user friendly. SuSE has its roots in Slackware, but is considerably more user friendly.

Debian: It's stated goal is "Free Software", as per the goals of the GNU project (http://www.gnu.org). So its correct name is Debian GNU/Linux. Extremely powerful, its package management system (apt-get, dselect) and other features make it easy for you to upgrade your system. Debian's stated belief in free software also means that you won't get any commercial software in Debian, whereas the commercial versions (full, multiple CD packs) of other distributions include a lot of commercial software.

Conclusion

Now you can select Linux according to your requirement. This is the beauty of Linux. There are so many various kinds available that you can be sure to find one to suit your needs.

For a far more detailed article, try the Linux distribution howto by Eric S Raymond at http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO/Distribution-HOWTO
(Yes, he's the same "ESR" who wrote the fetchmail POP client and maintains the Jargon file. Take a look at http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr for more).

Other articles by Suresh Ramasubramanian

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