Which linux???

pLuhhmm

Well, I wanna start getting a hands on exp of linux for the whole "networking" thing

And I was wondering which Linux OS is the best/most used in careers. Or does it not matter @ all?

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KGhaleon

From what little I know, Ubuntu and Red hat are good for beginners.
BSDs(UNIX) for security.

Slowhand

For learning-purposes, you'll want to be familiar with the "basic three": Red Hat, Debian, and Slackware. A large number of distributions of Linux are based on the foundations you'll learn from these three flavors. Read up on each, and you'll begin to undestand the differences, especially when it comes to software installation and the layout of the filesystem.

In place of Red Hat's Enterprise Linux, you can use a 'clone' called CentOS, which is practically identical to Red Hat's enterprise product, save for the support-contract. Red Hat, themselves, also have a free version of their operating system, called Fedora, which is a very commonly used as the example-operating system for the Linux+ and LPI certifications.

I would highly recommend starting with these three, if you are serious about learning about Linux. SuSE, Ubuntu, and the like are excellent flavors of Linux, but they're "specialized" to such a degree that you may feel a little lost, and there are a lot of software-crutches to help you configure them, which may impede your learning. Much of what you'll find in these distros is based on one, or more, of the "basic three". Slackware, especially, is helpful for teaching you about 'bare-bones' Linux, as it has very little of the helper-software that Red Hat and Debian have.

If you're interested in Unix, the "Unix-like" operating systems are BSD and Solaris. My personal BSD of choice is FreeBSD, but there are plenty of other variants that a Google search will give you PLENTY of information on. Keep in mind, that while Linux and Unix are very much alike, there are enough differences to keep you scratching your head for a good, long time.

As for which is "more secure", "better for networking", "better for <blank> servers", that's a matter of opinion. A whole plethora of software is available bundled with just about every distro, and you can download whatever else you need to install into whatever flavor you choose. Some companies and communities will give you specific software pre-packaged and ready to go, based on what "version" you pick, but that's a matter of marketing and not technology. In the end, it's a matter of choice, either by you or the company you work for.

If you're curious about what else is out there, I can recommend the go-to place for information on Linux: DistroWatch. You can read reviews, download the various flavors, and post your own comments about them. I also recommend you check out the Linux-specific forums over at LinuxQuestions.org. They were very helpful in my early testing-of-the-waters, and there's a lot of information about particular releases, features, and quirks about hardware that you'll undoubtedly come across. It's a general discussion forum on the technology, as opposed to TechExams.net, which is geared towards certification and the IT industry. So, don't go disappearing on us, we want to hear about your progress and all the bucko bucks you're rolling in as you become an open-source guru.

dynamik

http://hehe2.net/linux-general/etymology-of-a-distro/
http://thelinuxnewbie.blogspot.com/2006/08/how-to-pick-linux-distro-distribution.html (xxx is bl0gspot - it's a legitimate site)
http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/
http://futurist.se/gldt/

jibbajabba

Hiya,

maybe this helps. I have written a tutorial once to install Centos as a webserver from source ...

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=266689

Including screenshots / videos etc.

JDMurray

dynamik wrote:

(xxx is bl0gspot - it's a legitimate site)

Bl0gspot Number One Malware Host

dynamik

Yea. I meant that particular blog is legit. I understand why the domain is filtered automatically.