[Techtalk] Which distro?

[Andrea Landaker]

> My dilemma is 2 fold...I don't know how to update linux software, only
> install. Any suggestions? Yes, I'll _rtfm_ (hehehe),  but if anyone has any
> tips with this particular OS, I would be grateful!

So, for SuSE, yast2 should upgrade your packages to the current packages for 
your version (8.0 in this case).  Last I checked (about a year ago), you 
couldn't upgrade to the next version number using yast2.  

In general, to upgrade to the next version number, you download the ISO images 
for the version you want (or buy the CDs from the distro, or get them from 
http://www.cheapbytes.com/ or something), and then it's just like a regular 
install, except you choose "Upgrade".

> The second is, are there any other Linux recommendations that have easy
> software  updates? (I'm even considering FreeBSD.) I also need to know
> because whatever I decide to use at home I'm installing at work....yes, at
> long last I have the requested computer to convert into a database server
> (Yeah!) but it needs to be easy to maintain, update and secure...not asking
> much, am I?   ;-) The guy I'm working with on this is leaving it to my
> judgement so I really need to make a good decision here. He's never worked
> with linux and I would like it to be a "pleasurable linux experience" for
> him (and me!).

I have really enjoyed Mandrake for this very reason.  If you have a fast 
internet connection, getting updates is as easy as going into the Control 
Center, going to Software Management, Mandrake Update, and then clicking the 
packages you want to upgrade (it will tell you which ones are new and what 
has changed).  You could even set up a script to do this automatically with 
urpmi.  

Other distros probably have similar methods of updating; I just know that I 
had a bad experience with SuSE in this regard, but that was a year ago so 
perhaps things have changed.  :-)

-- 
Andrea Landaker
qirien at icecavern.net
http://www.icecavern.net/~qirien/