Taking the plunge

spicy ahi

Finally taking the plunge. Bought a new computer so that I could install linux and attempt to live windows-free as I go. My game plan is to run linux as my daily driver on this laptop and try to learn everything I plan on pursuing this year (linux+, MCSA, eJPT, as well as learning python programming in perpetuity) on that linux platform. That being said, anyone have any opinions as to what I should use as my core linux version? I have 2 good friends, both RHSA's and they're split between CentOS and Fedora. I've also seen a lot about Ubuntu and OpenSuse mentioned both here and via el googel. Any stong opinions out there as to the best daily driver linux?

si20

My personal opinion is that Ubuntu is the best "daily driver". Why? Because it has a lot of support. Things work easily. For example, if you want to install Keepass? Use the software centre. Want to use skype? Download a debian file/use the software centre. I've found CentOS is a pain in the backside when it comes to installing software. You have to use workarounds and scripts to get basic things done.

I'm using Robb Tracey's book for learning the Linux+ and his cd comes with an OpenSUSE vm. OpenSUSE seems ok. To be honest, it's probably good to go with CentOS and Ubuntu. CentOS uses the yellowdog (YUM) package manager and Ubuntu uses (APT-GET). So if you understand how to use both, you'll be good to go.

varelg

Linux as a daily driver?! May the Force be with you!
As far as prep for Linux exams, stick with CentOS but have Ubuntu on the bench as a substitute player. Dual-boot between those two recommended. Ubuntu because Debian (and Linux+ being that distro-neutral cert wants you to know both Red Hat and Debian way of things done on the system). And CentOS because above-mentioned distro neutrality of Linux+ and because you'll later want to go for not-so-distro-neutral certs of the RH line of certs. Provided you still want to stick with Linux. CentOS is server-oriented distro so another reason to stick with CentOS. You want to administer Linux, right?
As far as Linux as a daily driver, if I wasn't preparing for RH certs, after trying Linux on both virtual and hardware installations I would ditch it and never would look back. As a desktop OS it is still terribly immature, painfully untested, common consumer hardware only partially supported, user base tiny and fractioned. Random breakage from updates with questionable usability. Having said all of this, I am writing from my CentOS 7 laptop. What a demagogue right? But I've seen desktop Linux in action...

si20

varelg wrote: »

if I wasn't preparing for RH certs, after trying Linux on both virtual and hardware installations I would ditch it and never would look back. As a desktop OS it is still terribly immature, painfully untested, common consumer hardware only partially supported, user base tiny and fractioned. Random breakage from updates with questionable usability. Having said all of this, I am writing from my CentOS 7 laptop. What a demagogue right? But I've seen desktop Linux in action...

This is what annoys me about Linux. I would switch to linux today as my main rig if there was more support. Finding drivers and attempting to install them can be the stuff of nightmares..

spicy ahi

Thanks for the advice. I've actually got a pretty funny story. I decided to go with CentOS 7 because as you mentioned varelg, it'd put me in line to move on to RH certs if I'm inclined to do so. Anyway, you're not lying about the difficulties! I was trying to create a USB bootable but dd and the myriad of bootloader creators I tried didn't work. So I resigned myself to burn a live DVD. So I grab a disc and pop the drive open... well, that's what I was expecting to happen. Only my shiny brand new laptop DVD drive is broken. Booooooo. So looks like I'm making a trip out to Costco today to swap laptops. So I guess in this case CentOS helped me?

DoubleNNs

You should be able to make a bootable CentOS7 USB drive using dd. I've made plenty in the past.
For just short of a year I used CentOS7 as my daily driver on a laptop. I didn't really have much issues with it, other than getting my trackpad to function how I wanted. But I admittedly didn't do too much outside of studying that year.

varelg

Your live DVD boot didn't work, that would be a chance for you to exercise network boot. It's kind of a test to what you know about networks and if you get it working, chance to see an area where Linux shines.

spicy ahi

DoubleNNs wrote: »

You should be able to make a bootable CentOS7 USB drive using dd. I've made plenty in the past.
For just short of a year I used CentOS7 as my daily driver on a laptop. I didn't really have much issues with it, other than getting my trackpad to function how I wanted. But I admittedly didn't do too much outside of studying that year.

I actually meant to type ddwin. That and all the others I tried (unetbootin and linuxliveusb among them) didn't work correctly. I actually wanted to try out the disc to see if perhaps the download had somehow corrupted despite passing the check. I'll probably try it again once I get it working, this time using dd to create the disc in CentOS. Unless there's something similar to dd in Windows that you know of? I'm also doubting I'll be able to use it 100% of the time. But if I can conduct all of my studies exclusively in linux, that'll be enough of a win for me. We'll see how things go.

varelg wrote: »

Your live DVD boot didn't work, that would be a chance for you to exercise network boot. It's kind of a test to what you know about networks and if you get it working, chance to see an area where Linux shines.

This is true. Of course, I also could not validate holding on to a brand new laptop with broken hardware. So I'll have to take that challenge on with a fully functional laptop. I will jot down your suggestion and keep it on my to do list however. Thanks!