# What LINUX system do you prefer, and why?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [October 16, 2002, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439 "2002-10-16T02:01:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2002, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439/1 "2002-10-16T02:01:44Z")
I’m using RED HAT Linux 8.0, but I’m having trouble getting SAMBA set up and I’ve heard other LINUX systems work better with SAMBA.
What LINUX systems do you like, and why?
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### Author:  [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2002, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439/2 "2002-10-16T02:38:10Z")
I like Red Hat. It has a big user base, so it’s easy to find solutions for distribution-specific problems. It installed without a problem, and software is often distributed in versions labeled with the Red Hat distribution which has the compatible libraries installed by default. Helpful to someone who is a lazy sys admin.
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### Author:  [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2002, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439/3 "2002-10-16T05:51:13Z")
I use redhat 7.2 and don’t really plan to upgrade it any time soon. I use redhat just because it’s what I learned on, and I’m used to the setup.
Soon I’m going to install debian and suse on my other machines just to learn something new and break me of the complacency. 🙂
Depending on what you need, I’m pretty decent at configging samba, so IM me if you’re stuck. Maybe we can put our heads together on it. My IM is in my profile.
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### Author:  [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2002, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439/4 "2002-10-16T07:45:43Z")
Debian.
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### Author:  [@Skip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skip)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2002, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439/5 "2002-10-16T10:37:27Z")
I use Mandrake 8.2 at work but at home (on my trusty 486) I’m still running Slackware 3.2!
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### Author:  [@pestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pestie)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2002, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439/6 "2002-10-16T17:54:23Z")
I use Red Hat. I switched to it from Slackware years ago and haven’t looked back. I use it mostly because it’s what I’m used to, but I also like the fact that it’s so well-supported and has a broad user base, making it fairly easy to resolve problems when they crop up. I’ve thought about switching to Debian, if for no other reason than I hear apt-get is much cooler than RPM, but Debian’s distros don’t tend to have all the cutting-edge features Red Hat does, because Debian issues new releases so infrequently. Also, they’re militant about what is and isn’t “free” software, and I’m not so zealous about it. I want features and don’t care much about the particulars of the licenses involved.
As for Red Hat being problematic with Samba, the two aren’t really related. Samba’s a totally independent software package (although it comes with Red Hat), and if you configure it by hand, by editing the config files with a text editor, it shouldn’t matter what distro it’s running on. Some of Red Hat’s other features (firewall settings, GUI configuration tools, etc.) may interfere with Samba’s operation under certain circumstances, but if you stick to doing things by hand you shouldn’t have any problems.
I’ve heard people complain that editing text files is too difficult. Not to be elitist, but I don’t think anyone who can’t configure things by editing text files should be calling themselves a UNIX/Linux administrator. GUI configuration tools are fine for casual desktop users, but a serious power user/admin needs to be able to edit config files by hand. Well, unless we’re talking about Sendmail… 😉
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### Author:  [@unixrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unixrat)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2002, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439/7 "2002-10-17T04:09:16Z")
Slackware. For a number of reasons, mostly because I want the system to leave me the hell alone. 8^)
I also met Patrick Volkerding and where he goes, I will follow.
For the record, it doesn’t really matter what distro you are using with Samba. Dimes to dollars says that you are trying to access the share with a Windows box and there’s a disconnect somewhere. Encrypted passwords? Domain Master Whatchamacallit?
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### Author:  [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2002, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439/8 "2002-10-17T11:41:00Z")
Redhat at work and SuSE 7.3 Professional at home. I chose SuSE because it is ‘locally grown’ in Europe. Getting the USB ADSL modem was a bit of a struggle, but now it does everything I need.
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### Author:  [@Dibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dibbler)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2002, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439/9 "2002-10-18T07:04:02Z")
I learned the basics on Red Hat and Mandrake, but I use Debian now. I like their focus on stability, and I don’t really need the absolute latest software. They do separate the “free” and “non-free” software, but you can still apt-get both if you like. I don’t think they’re militant, just aware of licensing issues.
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### Author:  [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2002, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439/10 "2002-10-18T14:12:50Z")
Thanks for the info folks, FYI I did previously make GQ thread about my SAMBA problems here:
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=139287](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=139287)
If anyone’s bored and feels like looking at my smb.conf file, it’s in that thread.
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### Author:  [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2002, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439/11 "2002-10-18T15:21:45Z")
My workstation uses Slackware 8.0 and my laptop has Mandrake 9.0. My workstation is basically only used for number crunching and as an ftp, ssh server. Slackware is great for a quick stable system. I used to have Slack on my laptop too, but got tired of all the scripts (I know, heathen!) and installing any new hardware was always a pain. Mandrake is slower, but is great to be able to install new apps and hardware with just a couple of clicks in drakconf.
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### Author:  [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2002, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439/12 "2002-10-19T00:19:32Z")
As someone who uses Linux as a user only (my SO does all the real root/admin stuff, although I can apt-get things myself hehe) I am using Debian and I like it. It isnt all candy-decorated like WInXP is, and although Bluecurve looks nice, its still kind of the same look. I don’t know why, but I like the “stiffer” look of Debian. I assume you don’t HAVE to use Bluecurve if you don’t want to, and I know other RedHat versions don’t have it, and other Linux versions too, but…well, I don’t know. I’m finally beginning to get used to using this OS, and I like the look of this one 🙂 I only use it for email and internet, really. I still have Win98 for when I have to use Excel or a chemsketch program, although StarOffice is getting better with graphs, and my SO found a decent chem drawing program…I am totally babbling…🙂
So yeah. That’s what I have to say. hehe
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### Author:  [@Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Some_Guy)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2002, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439/13 "2002-10-19T01:00:17Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by unixrat \*
> \*\*Slackware. For a number of reasons, mostly because I want the system to leave me the hell alone. 8^)
> \*\*
Yes. And yes.
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### Author:  [@tourbot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tourbot)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2002, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439/14 "2002-10-19T02:48:04Z")
Add a yes and yes from me too.
And as for…
> [@](#):
>
> it’s easy to find solutions for distribution-specific problems
…For me part of the appeal of linux is to avoid distribution-specific anything.
(Although pkgtool is **the best** installer on any linux distribution.)
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### Author:  [@tourbot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tourbot)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2002, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439/15 "2002-10-19T03:01:15Z")
Add a yes and yes from me too.
And as for…
> [@](#):
>
> it’s easy to find solutions for distribution-specific problems
…For me part of the appeal of linux is to avoid distribution-specific anything.
(Although pkgtool is **the best** installer on any linux distribution.)
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### Author:  [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2002, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439/16 "2002-10-20T08:04:28Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Joe\_Cool \*
> **I use redhat 7.2 and don’t really plan to upgrade it any time soon. I use redhat just because it’s what I learned on, and I’m used to the setup.**
You and me both, except that I’m with Red Hat 7.1. I actually have a Red Hat 6.3 distro lying around but I’ve never made it install on my desktop machine. It would probably work on my old laptop (i586), but I already have 7.1 on it and I’m not going to step backwards for no good reason.
> [@](#):
>
> **Soon I’m going to install debian and suse on my other machines just to learn something new and break me of the complacency. 🙂**
On my next machine (pure homebrew, straight out of parts bought from catalogs and bargain stores), I plan to install either Debian, Slackware, or maybe SuSE. I’m undecided, but it won’t be another Red Hat box. 🙂
> [@](#):
>
> \*\*Depending on what you need, I’m pretty decent at configging samba, so IM me if you’re stuck. Maybe we can put our heads together on it. My IM is in my profile. \*\*
I, too, am willing to help. Ask in GQ and I’ll be there.
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### Author:  [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2002, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-linux-system-do-you-prefer-and-why/132439/17 "2002-10-20T19:38:34Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Derleth \*
> \*\*I, too, am willing to help. Ask in GQ and I’ll be there. \*\*
Thanks **Derleth** , I had previously opened a GQ thread here: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=139287](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=139287)
There have been several suggestions made that I haven’t been able to try yet (because I’m out of town) such as making a very small and simple smb.conf conf file, but feel free to make any more suggestions you might think of. The more the better!