(This is part of the podcast discussion extension)

Distro Hopping


Link of the recording [ https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nixers...-04-16.mp3 ]



There are many Unix distributions available and it's fun to switch from one to another. What are the must knows when going back and forth between them, what are the frustrations, what tips would you give.

Show notes.
-----------
Intro music by sshbio - https://p.iotek.org/c56
Netbios - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetBIOS
Suicide linux - https://qntm.org/suicide
http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.kern...focus=1558
bcw driver violating GPL on openbsd mailing list - http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/bsd-gpl-st....html/feed
different pkg names with - `pkg_info -Q`
Nixers thread about switching from machine to machine - https://nixers.net/showthread.php?tid=1705
sshbio's dots - https://github.com/sshbio/dot/blob/master/bin/src
usb-creator - http://www.linuxliveusb.com/
https://arcetera.moe/git/pg/log.html
https://arcetera.moe/git/disputils/log.html
fyr's mpvc - https://github.com/wildefyr/mpvc
select-editor - http://man.he.net/man1/select-editor
arc default quest - http://pub.iotek.org/p/ncgt2LL.png

Those are Linux distributions, not Unix.

(23-05-2016, 04:48 AM)jkl Wrote: Those are Linux distributions, not Unix.

Did you listen to the podcast, which one are you talking about?

I mean, there's no such thing as "Unix distributions". "Linux distributions" ("distros") share the same kernel and a roughly similar userland. "Unix distributions" are entirely independent systems, no Unix is a distribution anymore. (1BSD was a distribution though, but things have changed since the development of the original Unix had stopped.)

I'm just a bit picky at times, sorry.

(23-05-2016, 06:40 AM)jkl Wrote: I mean, there's no such thing as "Unix distributions". "Linux distributions" ("distros") share the same kernel and a roughly similar userland. "Unix distributions" are entirely independent systems, no Unix is a distribution anymore. (1BSD was a distribution though, but things have changed since the development of the original Unix had stopped.)

I'm just a bit picky at times, sorry.

It's the same as "Unix flavors" which you might prefer.

(23-05-2016, 06:40 AM)jkl Wrote: I'm just a bit picky at times, sorry.

As many technically inclined people are, all good.

In the last week review I mentioned:

https://github.com/nixers-projects/ricerous for keeping track of what was installed.

List of supported hardware per OS:
You can list them on Linux using `menuconfig` when you choose what kind of support you want in your Linux kernel.
Also, there is support for the nvidia driver on openbsd, unlike what was said during the podcast.

You can find the list of supported driver for many distros, just search.

I don't distrohop much. But everytime I get to install a new machine, I consider all the existing distros (even those I ditched previously) in their current version and see which one would fit the best, and/or would be the funniest to use. This led me to use. I tend to go from simple to simpler everytime:

workstation:
ubuntu -> archlinux -> crux

notebook: (this is my testing machine!)
in no particular order:
archlinux -> not funny enough
void linux -> didn't like package building system
alpine linux -> musl limits usage too much (for UI use)
crux -> already installed elsewhere
openbsd -> couldn't boot
elementary -> too heavy
??? -> our very own distro!

server:
archlinux -> alpine -> openbsd

OpenBSD is simpler than what? :D

(27-05-2016, 09:30 AM)jkl Wrote: OpenBSD is simpler than what? :D

Than many Linux based systems. I use the term simpler for either "saner defaults", "less abstraction levels" and "easier to use". OpenBSD has both saner defaults and easiness of use than many Linux based systems.
When you get used to the configuration file format, and overall service management system, you can pretty much "guess" how tools you've never used will be used. I recently setup my first openbsd server with a bunch of services on it (http, git, bgp, gopher, nfs, and different VPN flavors) and it was really pleasant.

I was just wondering, given that OpenBSD obviously also failed to install. ;)

Then again, FreeBSD is probably the most simple BSD.

Well, I failed to install it on my notebook because it require a USB install. That's probably something I could have delt with, but I gave up pretty quickly. I'm not convinced by BSD as a desktop OS. FreeBSD is indeed the most "user-friendly" IMO. OpenBSD is more "admin-friendly"

I fired up VM to try out OpenBSD for the first time. So quick to install. Just running XFCE for now.

My next OS will be either one of these linuxes:
-crux
-alpine
-void

They all don't use systemd AFAIK. Or I might try OpenBSD.

But this will only happen if my hardware fails, and that may take a while.

(28-05-2016, 11:16 AM)pranomostro Wrote: But this will only happen if my hardware fails, and that may take a while.

Someone wise once said: "If it seems more clean, move out of your comfort zone, dammit!"

(29-05-2016, 10:55 AM)z3bra Wrote:

Quote:But this will only happen if my hardware fails, and that may take a while.

Someone wise once said: "If it seems more clean, move out of your comfort zone, dammit!"

"But it's so haard!"

I found it...Instead of using `menuconfig` to get the list of Linux supported hardwares you can check this handy link:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/hcl/index.php

Started linux with Mint, Ubuntu.
two and half year on Archlinux
Present: one and half year on Gentoo Since used this distro.
Btw I tried almost everything.

(02-06-2016, 09:22 AM)stephant Wrote: Btw I tried almost everything.

You have no idea what it means ;)

LOL I think you mind is filthy :P

Edit I almost tried every DISTROS. :)

How many distros is 'nearly every'?