Mandrake, Fedora, Suse, Xandros?

[somerandomdude]

I just came from distrowatch.com. I went through all the reviews and brought it down to four options: Mandrake, Fedora Core, SUSE, or Xandros. I am a fairly experienced Windows user (I'm pretty confident hacking the registry), and have been since I was old enough to know what one was. I mostly use my computer for e-mail, surfing Slashdot, taking online classes through NetMeeting, listening to music through my iPod, plaing RTS games like Age of Empires, and I'm trying to learn some programming, in particular, Python. I have major problem with anything that's even the slightest bit "immoral" (which is why I hate Micro$oft with every bone in my body). I need a system that is stable as anything, not extremely complicated, even though I consider myself a quick learner, and easy to install alongside Windows for that rare occasion in which I'll need it. It needs to be highly customizable, and I need to be able to easily install scads of programs (I'm a download junkie). It has to work with the rest of my family's home network, all running Windows (two with 98, and one XP home), and connect to our DSL modem. Most importantly, it has to be free. What's your suggestion?

[CoffeeMan]

Fedora, Mandrake, and SuSE are all very easy to use, but because you are a download junkie, you probably don't want these, because they are all based on a package management system called RPM. RPM stands for Redhat Package Manager, and it is the most pathetic excuse for a package manager, in my experience with all of those distros, I have never had good luck with rpm. The best way to go is a Debian based distribution, like Xandros, KNOPPIX, MEPIS, Ubuntu, Libranet, or just Debian. The reason you will probably like these is because they are based on a package manager called dpkg. APT is the Advanced Package Tool. It works far better than rpm. It actually resolves dependency problems, rpm doesn't. Your choice.

[Calipso]

Im not sure, and feel free to correct me on this, but I believe Fedora Core uses Yum, which resolves dependencies for you. I think you can also set up apt-get in fedora if Im not mistaken. However, I have personally never used Fedora so I do not know how well these tools work. Im not sure about Suse but I would imagine Yast would resolve dependencies as well but that is just my assumption. I do use Mandrake and I know that URPMI resolves dependencies when downloading software. I have never used Debian(yet) and therefore don't know how well these systems compare to the Debian apt-get, but from my personal experience, URPMI works well.

I do have one thing to say about the original distros that you mentioned. You said that it has to be free, so I would say that automatically eliminates Xandros. If Im not mistaken, they do not offer a free download of the operating system.

[somerandomdude]

In response to CoffeeMan: I have heard of Ubuntu, but don't know much about it other than that it's Linux. :) And as for Debian, according to distrowatch.com, is very hard to install, and the stable version is, 90% of the time, out of date. So, I might try Xandros, which brings me to respond to Calipso: Once again, according to distrowatch.com, Xandros is available for free in "a limited Open Circulation Edition for personal use only".

Thanks for your help!

[Calipso]

Xandros is available for free in "a limited Open Circulation Edition for personal use only".

hmm....I didnt know that. I guess try it out, and see how limited it actually is. Maybe it will be ok for your needs.
Just remember to have fun with whichever you choose :).

[Calipso]

oh one more thing.
This is just my curiousity.
Since Xandros is based on Debian, wouldnt the packages for Xandros be just as out of date as Debian??
Or maybe Xandros provides their own package sources.

[EnigmaOne]

Might try SimplyMEPIS.

That one is looking better and better to me these days, 'though Fedora isn't bad. Calipso hit it on the nose, BTW.