Which Linux distribution should I use?

Linux distribution is a coherent collection of free software with the Linux kernel (operating system) at its center.

The differences between the various Linux distributions ("distros") are minor: the installation program, choice of the bundled tools/applications, arrangement of a few things on the hard drive (most of Linux is still at the same, standard hard drive location in all distributions). Whichever distribution you decide to install, you will end up with essentially the same Linux.

We mostly use "Red Hat Linux" (also called RedHat or RH) and Mandrake (sometimes called MDK) for the following reasons:
(1) They are both very popular (both an advantage for a newbie and a testimony to their quality).
(2) They are both general-purpose distributions.
(3) They both come with relatively easy setup programs.
(4) Both Mandrake and RedHat contributions to Linux are "open software" (this means that all the software written by the packaging corporations and included on the distribution CDs is licensed under the General Public License, GPL, so that it can be legally copied, given away, reused, etc.).
(5) Both Mandrake and RedHat can be obtained very cheaply or free if you don't care for commercial support.  This is a consequence of (4).
(6) Mandrake is based on RedHat, so both are very similar. Software packages for RedHat typically work on Mandrake (and vice versa) without problems. However, Mandrake makes a much nicer desktop than RedHat, and requires Pentium processor on default (RH will run on a i386).

In short, as a newbie, you can safely bet on "RedHat" or "Mandrake" unless you like something else or have specialized needs, or your environment suggests using something else (e.g., if you have an experienced guru nearby, or a bunch of friends who are using Linux, you may want to use the same distribution - makes getting help a whole lot easier).

The most recent distributions we recommend (May 2001) is RedHat 7.1 or Mandrake 8.0. These are excellent distributions.  Be sure to specify the most recent version if ordering your software from a dealer--many dealers like to clear their inventory by sending you an older version (this applies not only to Linux). Generally, development under Linux is fast, and you don't want to waste your time with older distributions. The authors of this guide have no connection to RedHat,  Mandrake (or any other Linux distributor) whatsoever.

Our recommendation of Mandrake and RedHat for newbies does not mean that other distributions don't offer benefits or unique features which may surpass Mandrake or RedHat in specific areas. We do believe that we benefited from exposure to a different distribution because it helped us understand Linux better.

We tried Debian and we liked it very much.  It was probably as easy as RedHat, but Debian seems less common (hence, being newbies, we picked up RedHat).  The great benefit of Debian is that it is 100% non-commercial (put together by volunteer hackers, the true Linux way) and it probably most strictly adheres to Linux standards (it probably sets the standards too). Another benefit is that Debian crams on their numerous distribution CDs thousands of tools and applications--easily much more than any other distribution. All these tools/apps are nicely "packaged" (for ease of installation) and tested for compatibility.  This makes Debian distro look monumental, safe, conservative, and always slightly outdated. So yes, we would not have a problem recommending Debian as a great general-purpose Linux distribution.

Corel has been working on their own Linux distribution apparently geared towards a nice and easy platform to run the Corel suite of office applications: WordPerfect wordprocessor, QuattroPro spreadsheet, Corel Presentations, Paradox database, CorelDraw artist package....  The Corel Linux is based on the Debian distribution. So if you think about using Corel in the future, picking Debian may be your smart choice now. There is an uncertainty about commercial viablity of the Corel corporation, so I wouldn't put all my eggs in the Corel basket. RedHat, Mandrake or Debian seem rock solid in comparison with the young and shaky Corel offering.

Slackware seems to be favorite among "cutting-edge hackers" who like being close to the operating system and hardware--we did not use it so this is hearsay. We would have trouble recommending Slackware for Linux newbies. Says Bill Staehle: "The real 'reason' for a newbie to avoid Slackware is that it is much more command line oriented, and lacks some of the 'cutsie slick and drool' tools that the other distributions have."

S.u.S.E distribution is very popular in Europe. It surely looks German--a solid, general-purpose distro with an easy setup and an excellent reputation. We couldn't find cheap Suse CDs though.

Caldera is another, well-known and respected distribution. It is said to be aiming at corporate users--it is said to have the most fancy installation program, and a set of advanced (and pricy) remote configuration tools. In Aug.2000, Caldera purchased SCO Unix (the original UNIX, including the UNIX trademark) which gives them an even more "corporate" look in my eyes. Caldera does not seem to be putting too much of their work back into the Linux community either.

There are "localized" versions of Linux for specific countries or languages (Korean, Chinese, Japanese... )--they likely contain on default all the hacks and docs (documentation) that the users in these countries want to see. Says Bill Staehle:  "You may want to mention the Conectiva Linux distribution, loosely based on RH from Brazil. As such, it is in Portugese, and is also available in Spanish. Try: http://www.conectiva.com.br/".  I heard several good things about Conectiva, so if Portugese or Spanish was my language, I would probably give it a try.

There are also "special purpose" distributions, e.g.  the "real-time" editions of Linux (might be useful if you are in for automation, robotics, fast speed data acquisition, etc.), very small distros (if you like the idea of running Linux from a single floppy which can be useful for system security or recovery), Linux for embedded systems (if you wanted to customize Linux as a small "special purpose" device, which could be good for the next-generation stereo, MP3 player, palm computer, or a fancy cellular phone), parallel computing and clustering systems (might be great if you plan to do your own weather forecasting :-) or at least nuclear explosion simulations :p ), etc. Here the differences will be larger, but these distributions are not meant to be "general purpose". As a newbie, you likely don't want to start with any of these, although you might be tempted to. (They surely show Linux strength and viability--Linux runs on toys, even a wrist watch, as well as computer clusters that make the currently fastest systems in the world.)

The distribution you need is of course specific to the hardware platform you have. This means that for your PC hardware containing an Intel 386 processor, or Intel 486, or Intel Pentium, or Intel 586, or Intel 686, or Cyrix, or K6, or similar, you need the binary distribution called "Intel"  or "386" or x86.  [Unless you are prepared to start with your own compilation of the Linux source code, which is not typical for a newbie :-)] . This happens because there are binary distributions for other hardware platforms too: PowerPC, Alpha, Apple, IBM mainframe, "Intel StrongARM", Transmeta, and perhaps a dozen more--you don't want to get those binaries for your PC clone; they surely will not work on a PC machine with an "Intel" processor inside.

In short, although newbies get confused with the multiple Linux distributions, there are reasons to have different distros. They should be viewed as a Linux strength rather than weakness. Linux is simply filling all application and hardware platform niches.

This guide concentrates on RedHat and Mandrake for the PC (Intel) platform. Many of the answers will work fine on other distributions or platforms, but we did not try them.

What are the Linux hardware requirements?

"Out-of-box" Linux will run on a 386SX-based PC with 8 MB of memory, but such a low-end computer is practical for text-only applications  (no X-window).  A 486 with 16 MB memory and 600 MB free (unpartitioned) hard drives will just do for work under X-windows but don't expect it to fly.  My 586-90 MHz with 64 MB of memory flies under Linux. My Pentium-2 233 MHz with 64 MB of memory is a complete pleasure with an almost instantaneous response even when running many large applications concurrently.  My 486-33 MHz with 8 MB memory and 1 GB hard drive has too little memory to run adequately stand-alone under GUI, but is useful in my home network environment (a 486-class machine also performs just adequately stand-alone if it has at least 16 MB of memory).  My old portable 386-SX-20 MHz Toshiba with 9 MB memory and 120 MB hard drive runs "legacy applications" under MS Windows 3.11 and it connects to our Linux home network and is thus still useful.  We tried Debian Linux on this Toshiba too, and it runs fine in text mode. (Pls note that Mandrake requires a Pentium processor.)

If you are willing to jump a few extra hoops, you should be able to install and run Linux on as little as 4 MB of memory, but this is probably not worth the effort for the general purpose home Linux machine.  I would say:  get at least 16 MB of memory, and if possible 32 or 64 MB --more memory can make a difference in performance when running several large GUI applications concurrently.  Memory is cheap these days.

Networking is where Linux really shines, so consider getting 10-base-T Ethernet cards--they are not very expensive and will be perfect to connect your two or more home computers together.  Also, look around for old Ethernet cards which MS Windows deems obsolete--they can be bought for a really low price and they will work great under Linux. To connect just two computers, a cross-over cable for direct Ethernet-card to Ethernet-card connection is sufficient ("networking for the poor"). To connect more than 2 computers together, you need a hub (~US$30 to US$80) and normal (not cross-over) cables. (If you have extra Ethernet cards,  you may also consider installing more than 1 Ethernet card on a computer, use direct connections using the cross-over cables, and save the expense of a hub. But it adds a configuration complexity to your system.  The  10-base-T system uses "giant phone" (RJ45)-type connectors and all machines are connected to one box (called the hub). The hub has an extra connection (called "uplink") which you will use if you ever have a permanent connection to the outside world.

Here is another suggestion on setting up a different kind of network, an older type, which uses coaxial cables. For this, no hub is necessary. Because this networking scheme is older, it can be assembled using cards and parts that are sometimes available for free:

(edited for space) From: John.Edwards@brunel.ac.uk  Subject: Linux Guide-a suggestion

Hi. Many older 10Mbps network cards (and some newer ones as well) have a BNC  connector and you can usually pick up old co-axial cabling when companies upgrade to UTP. Add a T piece for each machine and a 50-ohm terminator at each end (about 1 pound or $1.50 each) and you have a home network that will happily support more machines than you probably have room for. And most importantly--no expensive hub (or cheap hub that can cause trouble). There are other advantages to co-ax as well, it's tougher to break and more resistant to noise from other equipment.

Disadvantages: There is a limit of 185 metres per network segment of thin co-ax, 30 machines per network, and you're stuck at 10Mbps, but I don't see any small home network needing more than that. Also if one cable goes down then the whole network stops, this shouldn't happen often unless someone unplugs a cable section. You can disconnect the T piece from a PC without harming the rest though.

Quick diagram, T for a T piece and Term for a terminator:

Term-T-----T-----T-----T-Term
     |     |     |     |
     PC    PC    PC    PC

The various parts connect together using BNC connectors similar to a TV & video connector but with a bayonet that secures the two sockets together.

For more details see the /usr/doc/HOWTO/Ethernet-HOWTO

The most straight forward and modern, however, is to get 10-base-T ethernet cards for your computers and a hub to connect them.