Re: Fedora Core (was Xandros 2.0)

["Robert G. (Doc) Savage" <dsavage@peaknet.net>]

On Mon, 2004-03-08 at 09:19, mike808@users.sourceforge.net wrote:
> > Steve was asked to summarize his opinion on the list when he was given
> > the copy of Xandros.
> 
[snip]
> So, in keeping with that theme, here's my review of Fedora:
> 
> I can't recommend Fedora, because unlike Xandros, it didn't have any kind of 
> Windows integration (samba) pre-installed and integrated in a
> so-easy-your-mother-could-use-it way, nor Open Office, which I find easily
> replaces Microsoft's $129 Office product. Fedora isn't even worth the time it
> takes to download and burn your own CDs (for which you're supposed to use
> Windows and then Roxio's CD Creator or Nero -- odd, having to use Windows to
> make your own media for Linux, it's just *wrong*). Xandros, on the other hand,
> merely required me to pop in the CD, boot up, and it worked side by side with 
> my Windows partition, resized it for me, and installed in four clicks and 15
> minutes. The Fedora download is even more painful if your connection to the
> internet is a modem. Xandros' CDs, including a CD of applications, once again
> proves the adage of you get what you pay for in comparison to Fedora.

Geez, Mike. Why don't you tell us how you REALLY feel about Fedora :-) !

Not that Fedora needs me to speak up for it, but...

1. Pre-installed Samba. Why should this be pre-installed? What's the
difference between Samba, bind, apache, dhcpd, or any of the other major
server-type services. Note that I do not include sendmail in this
because it is used internally. For obvious reasons, VMware installs and
configures Samba. I can't think of any reason to assume a system will be
necessarily used to provide SMB file & print services.

2. Fedora doesn't include OpenOffice? Uhh... wanna check again?

3. You're supposed to use Roxio CD Creator or Nero to burn Fedora CDs?
Where does it say that? They'll work, sure, and they may be the best
tools available to newbies struggling to break away from Windows. For
those of us who have been Linux users since RHL v3.0.1, however,
cdrecord is the hands down tool of choice for burning ISOs to CD-Rs. My
'burn' custom script is one of a couple dozen I always copy to
/usr/local/bin. I make far fewer coasters with burn/cdrecord than with
Roxio.

4. I would hate to think my best choice in Linux distributions would be
one that prefers to install in a dual-boot configuration alongside
Windows. I put up with that dual-boot nonsense for years before cutting
the old umbilical completely. For the past three years my home has been
a Microsoft-free zone, except for one old laptop system that I use to
run Quicken and TurboTax. Any other Windows installations are all in
VMware virtual machines on Fedora hosts.

If you were to characterize Xandros as a good beginner's or transition
distribution, I'd probably agree with you 100%. But better than Fedora?
Not for anyone who's been a daily Linux user for more than a few months.

--Doc


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