23 replies to this topic

[whatknows]

I was just wondering what people's concensus was about this. What is the best distro for a web server, and why? I have heard people rave about Debian's stability. What about others?

What about desktops? SuSE is looking really good these days, but I haven't anything other than SuSE, Mandrake, and Knopix. Suggestions?

[pr3dr49]

You probably would not want to use Knoppix for this, because it installs a host of software you will never need for a web server. When it comes to Linux, I would vote for Slackware. You might also want to reconsider your choice, and use OpenBSD, FreeBSD or NetBSD which all make excellent servers.

[BoSZ]

fedora

[hatebreed]

netBSD is best server...but if you dont have experience with it...nothing...
anyway, i recomend SLACKWARE for everything and everyone

[capeto]

F
E
D
O
R
A

[alperuzi]

Slackware
Debian
FreeBSD

are all good for servers

SuSE is awesome too, I had it running a server during the summer. Had to take it down cuz my brother wanted his computer back

[pbrugge]

I guess most distro's are good for it aslong as you use stable packages (so not the bleeding edge).

debian (woody that is)
slackware
redhat
gentoo

All good for server purphas imo A server does not need to have a gui so you can keep it nice and small (configuration can be done by console or webmin)

(btw bsd != linux)

non-linux and best for server imo (free that is)
freebsd

But the distro you use is not that important you can set all linux distros the way you want so to be honnoust there is not a reall best linux distro for webhosting imo. It all lays in your hands

I used, debian, slack, redhat and now I have gentoo as workstation aslong as you use stable packages you will be fine

[dawu]

NetBSD (favourite), OpenBSD, Solaris

[MSTR]

something that comes with a desktop enviroment!

[jamesdm]

The best distro for desktop and novice users is MAdrake cuase comes with a lot of software and drivers, usually u can use all the hardware in the PC (even winmodems) and came with a lot of utilities to configure the PC very nice.

[popac]

If you are redy for learning and have good internet connection try gentoo (by the way, I am waiting for it, should get it tomorow and instal it in a couple of years )

If don't try Slackware or Debian, for desktop I like Mandrake, but can't say that others are bad.

[Taupe]

I use Debian both for servers and desktop (sarge for the firsts, sid for the latters)

[björn]

well for desktop use i would recommend gentoo (stable packages) if you have already a little knowledge of linux or fedora if you are more of a beginner and simply want a nice-looking,stable system up and running.
you get very good support for gentoo under www.gentoo.org (i haven't had a problem that they couldn't solve so far or that wasn't already solved)

for servers i would recommend debian sarge. here you have quite stable system with a whole variety of software...

[DMA]

red hat is best for servers, and slackware is best for desktops. slackware has very little on its operating system so it runs very fast. red hat is good, but on the contrary unless you download it, you have to pay for it.

[linux]

I would say

For desktops

Windows XP for normal user
Fedora core 2 for smart users

On Server side

FreeBSD and OpenBSD are preffred ones otherwise RHEL AS is also good.

[puggmahone]

SUSE LINUX works for me http://www.suse.com/us/ It self installed and found all of my hardware and cable connection right away. After using it for a few hours it was clear that it was hands down better than what we have all been using up till the present time. It may take most folks a while to become weaned from old habits, but that time has come. Having seen and used lots and lots of systems and configurations, I would vote for Linux to take us into the future. With the next generation of chips, we will be seeing the OS being offered on the chip instead of on disk. The monopoly days are coming to an end. I started using computers when the IBM 360 was king. The only input was via punch cards. And if you can remember, we went to the moon with the 286 format computers.

[xboxrulz]

This is IN MY OPINION

Best Linux Distros for users (desktop, not server): SuSE Linux, Yoper
Best Linux Distros for Servers: Fedora, RedHat Linux, Turbo Linux
Worst Linux Distros for users (desktop): Slackware, Mandrake Linux, Turbo Linux
Worst Linux Distro for servers: Yoper

Best Desktop OS overall: Linux, Macintosh. SkyOS
Best Server OS overall: Linux, Windows
Worst Desktop OS overall: Windows
Worst Server OS overall: Macintosh, SkyOS

Best OS overall: Linux
Worst OS overall: Windows

xboxrulz

*EDIT: November 8, 2004: BSD IS A TYPE OF UNIX, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH LINUX!!!!*

[finaldesign]

what about redhat? by the way, debian is less vunerable to security issues but has no very much compatibility with hardware, I think... Redhad is my choice of linux distributions for small servers, and office servers...

[Deaths Aprentice]

SUSE Linux is best by far .
Fairly easy to configure , has everything you need , and is compatible with allmost any program you can think off.

Also , Fedora and Slackware are pretty good , but id go for SUSE .

[popac]

Somebody say that gentoo is best for beginers, but it is hardest linux, you must reed hundreeds of pages before you can install it. Like BSD, Gentoo have almost same way of upgradeing. All packages, portage etc are upgraded dayly on internet so you always have a neyest linux and neyest packages for it. Of course for something like that yuo need a stable network connection like servers have, but once you install gentoo you don't need to instal it ever again.... I think gentoo is best for servers becouse of it, and his stabilytu and speed. You can manualy optimize to get maximum performance so no eny linux can be faster and more stable. Of course, BSD systems are great for this, but they are not Linux, so ...
For biginers I recomend Rad Hat server, or even Slackware.

For desktop Gentoo & Slackware for experts and Mandrake or maybe SUSE for desktop.
Why gentoo, again becouse of speed and stability.
Why slackware, becouse of speed and easy way of installing on any pc.
Why Mandrake, becouse of good performance combined with nice lok and many packages, tools etc. that will help anybody that is just started with linux.
SUSE, well I don't like very much, but can't say it is bad. SUSE is for beginers and it is quite good.

[varalu]

whatknows, on Oct 10 2004, 02:00 PM, said:

I was just wondering what people's concensus was about this. What is the best distro for a web server, and why? I have heard people rave about Debian's stability. What about others?

What about desktops? SuSE is looking really good these days, but I haven't anything other than SuSE, Mandrake, and Knopix. Suggestions?

I do not think, you have to discuss servers and desktops separately. In linux, even desktops can be used for the purpose of a web server and It works quite fine. I have been working on such a set up, believe me, I have not faced any issues till Now. It also supports multiple simultaneous users and is quite stable. I you think you are facing some problems, you might have to install some extra packages, and that should solve the issue. As you know, you can get and install these extra packages very easily.

When it comes to distros, the core functionalities are the same... so , stability wise I will say, there will not be much difference.

Some of the best distributions I think are,
Debian - of Course...
Fedora - Here there is a company behind it and under active development... So, its very stable and the community is quite good.
SUSE - This is one of the distros that is getting more light these days, be it features or UI, these has some of the best ones in industry. - Again, Novell is behind this distribution. SO...
UBUNTU - Ubuntu is one of the best distributions and their community support is very good. I have seen so many people recommend UBUNTU. I would also personally recommend UBUNTU, because of the help available easily and have spent quite sometime on that.

Finally, it comes down to what you want to do with your machine, distribution to be precise.
There are specific distributions for different users/ uses. Say for example there is a educational verision from UBUNTU called EDUBUNTU.

[random truth]

Arch Linux is the best. If you can get through the complicated setup process.

Pacman is much faster than aptitude (apt-get) and compiles the source based on your computer and os options, instead of a generic binary.

Also Arch Linux will end up being the Fastest and Stablest distro on x86, AMD64 computers.

Lastly Arch Linux follows a rolling release cycle so you are always running the newest system.

[tinoymalayil]

From My Opinion Opensuse is the best Linux Operating System that other Fedora,Ubuntu,Mandrake etc..The Control Center Yast of OpenSuse is awesome.There are many functionalities we can seen helps to love opensuse very much..
But the Internet Configuration settings of OpenSuse is still different.
Do You how to use the .Net Framework with Opensuse by using the Open Source utility wine.?
If you please reply how to install wine in Opensuse and How to run the .Net Framework in Linux.

tinoymalayil, on Apr 22 2009, 02:48 AM, said:

From My Opinion Opensuse is the best Linux Operating System that other Fedora,Ubuntu,Mandrake etc..The Control Center Yast of OpenSuse is awesome.There are many functionalities we can seen helps to love opensuse very much..
But the Internet Configuration settings of OpenSuse is still different.
Do You know how to use the .Net Framework with Opensuse by using the Open Source utility wine.?
If you please reply how to install wine in Opensuse and How to run the .Net Framework in Linux.

Edited by tinoymalayil, 21 April 2009 - 09:20 PM.

[mahesh2k]

Some of my favorite distros : Ubuntu, Mepis, Mandriva, Fedora.

Mepis is one such distribution with easy learning curve, because of it's community support and loads of software shipped with it. Earlier they shifted to Ubuntu sources, but later they resumed back to debian. Mepis uses KDE as it's default window manager system. I find mepis much better in comparison to kubuntu, as it is loaded with more software than kubuntu.

Mandriva was my favorite until i started to use ubuntu to the max. I'm still using mandriva on vmware, though not updated much. and for fedora i can say it is preety good and community support is good as well.

My experience with Suse, Linspire is very limited. as i have very limited disk to add more virtual machines on vmware. so i'll test tehm if i get free disk space. Some of my friends use OpenSuse, and i heard evry positive things about that distro.