Which Linux version Should I get?

[MegaWorks]

I need Linux to work on my assignments for my Unix class, so I don't know which one to get there's so many versions that got me so confused. I will install Linux on Virtual PC 2004 to safe space.

Plz help!

 

[eigen]

Try one of these http://distrowatch.com/

Dude if you in a unix class, just pick any of them I am sure you could pick anyone up in a breeze.

 

[MegaWorks]

Thx eigen

 

[KoolDrew]

Alot of people here reccomend Debian. Gentoo is also a good one

 

[MegaWorks]

What I don't understand is which on of these is the best "i686 , i586, and i386"

 

[Nothinman]

Those are classes of processors, i386 is the lowest common denominator, i586 is Pentium class, i686 is Pentium-II and up class. But in the grand scheme of things it makes almost no difference unless you pick i686 and try to install it on an i386.

 

[MegaWorks]

So in my case I should get the i686 cause I have an Athlon XP 1700+ right?

 

[eigen]

Right

 

[n0cmonkey]

2.4 or 2.6.

 

[MegaWorks]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
2.4 or 2.6.

???? a link would help.

 

[Nothinman]

So in my case I should get the i686 cause I have an Athlon XP 1700+ right?

Like I said, for the most part it won't matter. i686 would be appropriate, but the others will work too.

???? a link would help.

n0c is being facetious because technically "Linux" is just the kernel, which is currently at 2.6.9. Different distributions are the whole package, including the Linux kernel, you're talking about, like say Fedora Core 2 or Debian 2.1.

 

[mope54]

I use gentoo. But if you just want to run some programs real quick, you might check out a livecd that lets you play in an environment without installing-- a la Knoppix or Kanotix.

 

[slpaulson]

I like gentoo, but you're going to have to spend at least a day installing it. But you'll probably learn a lot during the install.

Suse is pretty quick to install, and I like it.

 

[Hotlock]

Get Red Hat Linux 9, just DO NOT upgrade to kernal 2.6 A HUGE hole was found in it to allow hackers to shut down the server and possibly damage the equipment.

 

[drag]

Originally posted by: Hotlock
Get Red Hat Linux 9, just DO NOT upgrade to kernal 2.6 A HUGE hole was found in it to allow hackers to shut down the server and possibly damage the equipment.

Were your heard that? What kernel version?

Link???


I personally would avoid Redhat 9, it's obsolete and the only support you can find for it would be from the Fedora Legacy project (if you realy want it).

I'd try out Knoppix, if you like that you can install it on your harddrive. Otherwise Fedora, Mandrake, Suse will provide a quick means to get a full Linux system up and running, baring any hardware compatability issues (I usually only realy worry about nforce-based boards, a handfull of different types of wireless cards, and ATI video cards).


edit:

Found it, I think. It's a dos attack on the packet logging facilities of iptables in the Linux kernel. A specially crafted packet will cause it to crash.

Kernels 2.6.8 and newer are invunerable. Anybody with older kernels and are using Iptables-based firewalls (ie average linux software firewall), needs to upgrade to a 2.6.8.1 or newer version. (kernel is currently 2.6.9)

article:
http://www.techworld.com/opsys.../index.cfm?NewsID=2498

Secuna:
http://secunia.com/advisories/11202/


Saying it would allow attackers to damage the equiment is a vast overstatement and incorrect, if this is the hole you were talking about.

 

[Sunner]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
2.4 or 2.6.

Damn you!, I was just gonna post a "Waiting for the obligatory '2.6 or 2.4' post..." :|

 

[skene]

What're your goals for installing linux? I mean, are you doing it because you need to have a 'nix environment for your class or because you want to learn about how it works while taking the class?
If you just need a 'nix environment, and since you said you'll be running it in virtual pc, you might want to look into www.cygwin.com It gives you a lot of unix/linux abilities in windows and is REALLY easy to setup. I'd also recomend Mandrake, Fedora, or Ubuntu as an easy to install and use linux environment.
If you want to learn what's going on behind the sceens and have a lot of free time, give gentoo a try, but since you want to run it under windows, i think it'd be a waste of your time.

 

[HKSturboKID]

www.ubuntu.com is a very fast and simple install.

 

[yelo333]

I second what skene said about cygwin. It would be a lot easier to install, and both take less space, and run faster at that.