I tried installing 3 different Linux distros (Fedora Core2, Gentoo 2004.2, and Mandrake 10.0) with limited success. Driver issues were a challenge with Fedora and Mandrake, and the gui installs left me really wondering just what I was ultimately getting. I love the idea of Gentoo and enjoyed trying a stage 1 install but ran into either eth0 configuration issues (Linux doesn't play well with my nvidia motherboards, I am thinking) or errors during emerge system (e.g., Java). It seems crazy that I have to look through the driver library and guess which driver to modprobe. Forcedeth didn't work, btw. I put the most time into Gentoo and felt I learned a fair bit from their excellent documentation. All of my gentoo errors were documented by others, and some had workarounds -- others I never found anything that worked.
Although I never finished a Gentoo install, I did get Fedora nd Mandrake working. Video drivers and X issues were the final hurdles. Still, the process was anything but simple in some ways and too simple in others. In the end I didn't feel like I had robust installs of Linux with the features I wanted. And how in the heck does one figure out all the things one needs for a Linux install? I want a lean install (just what I need and no more), but feel like I am choosing too many options because I can't fully figure out just what everything does. (might need a and b and c and ...).
Fedora and Mandrake were installed on an XP2100+/epox 8rda+/GeoForce 5500 box. I tried Gentoo on that box and on an A64 3200+/epox 8kda3j/GeoForce 6800 box.
I am making a commitment to learn Linux (beyond my ability to use 50 or so commands) and want to have a functional, up-to-date, and robust distro. I think I would like a distro that has the customizatin/optimization features of Gentoo (but working) and the latest, greatest features of Mandrake. Am I dreaming? Do I simply need to get back in the trenches and work through my install/setup issues?
Although I never finished a Gentoo install, I did get Fedora nd Mandrake working. Video drivers and X issues were the final hurdles. Still, the process was anything but simple in some ways and too simple in others. In the end I didn't feel like I had robust installs of Linux with the features I wanted. And how in the heck does one figure out all the things one needs for a Linux install? I want a lean install (just what I need and no more), but feel like I am choosing too many options because I can't fully figure out just what everything does. (might need a and b and c and ...).
Fedora and Mandrake were installed on an XP2100+/epox 8rda+/GeoForce 5500 box. I tried Gentoo on that box and on an A64 3200+/epox 8kda3j/GeoForce 6800 box.
I am making a commitment to learn Linux (beyond my ability to use 50 or so commands) and want to have a functional, up-to-date, and robust distro. I think I would like a distro that has the customizatin/optimization features of Gentoo (but working) and the latest, greatest features of Mandrake. Am I dreaming? Do I simply need to get back in the trenches and work through my install/setup issues?