I need help.
I want to get away from Bill Gates and from one demo of Suse desktop,
Linux looks like a great alternative. I want to use my new system to
write programs and do web/internet stuff.
Can you help (no flack please)?

Here is the new hardware I have:
Asus Striker MB with 8 GB mem and Intel Core 2 quad Q6600 CPU.
3ware SATA controller with 4 - 500 GB SATA drives.
XFXforce GF7950 video card.
Acer AL2416M monitor
NEC Black 16X DVD+R Burner

Unit has NEVER been powered up and there is nothing on the hard
drives.

What I want on it:

* OS that will let me use it as a workstation and server (Pref 64
bit that can run 32 bit).
* Have Pearl, PHP, Python, Apachie webserver, MySQL, Java,
Ruby, C++, Ajax and more.
* Set up the hard drives Raid 1.
* Be the center of a VPN.
* have all the usual workstation stuff.


Been considering using one or a combination of these:

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop [
Open SUSE [ Whats the difference?
VMware Server
Ubuntu 7.10
Fudora
Samba
etc.


Being new to Linux and open source, very new, I would appreciate any
and all constructive recommendation on what to use and how to set it
up.
Other units are connected to a switch (Linksys ezxs88w) which include
WinXP (3), Win 98 (2) and Win a ME windows.

What would be the best configuration/setup?

Seen wrote:
>
> I need help.
> I want to get away from Bill Gates and from one demo of Suse desktop,
> Linux looks like a great alternative. I want to use my new system to
> write programs and do web/internet stuff.
> Can you help (no flack please)?
>
> Here is the new hardware I have:
> Asus Striker MB with 8 GB mem and Intel Core 2 quad Q6600 CPU.
> 3ware SATA controller with 4 - 500 GB SATA drives.
> XFXforce GF7950 video card.
> Acer AL2416M monitor
> NEC Black 16X DVD+R Burner
>
> Unit has NEVER been powered up and there is nothing on the hard
> drives.
>
> What I want on it:
>
> * OS that will let me use it as a workstation and server (Pref 64
> bit that can run 32 bit).
> * Have Pearl, PHP, Python, Apachie webserver, MySQL, Java,
> Ruby, C++, Ajax and more.
> * Set up the hard drives Raid 1.
> * Be the center of a VPN.
> * have all the usual workstation stuff.
>
>
> Been considering using one or a combination of these:
>
> SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
> SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop [
> Open SUSE [ Whats the difference?
> VMware Server
> Ubuntu 7.10
> Fudora
> Samba
> etc.
>
>
> Being new to Linux and open source, very new, I would appreciate any
> and all constructive recommendation on what to use and how to set it
> up.
> Other units are connected to a switch (Linksys ezxs88w) which include
> WinXP (3), Win 98 (2) and Win a ME windows.
>
> What would be the best configuration/setup?

Seen,


SLES is a server orientated distro with support contract
SLED a desktop orientated distro with support contract

Open SUSE general distro with no support contract, so if you need help
only newsgroups can give help, but Novell cannot be called or mailed.

VMware server is a product you install on Linux or Windows, to Linux it
is an application.

Ubuntu is also a distro with support, I have no experience with it so I
cannot tell you if it is good or not. It is a 'clone' of Debian so
asking on a Debian orientated group might give more detail.
Main difference is package management, rpm on RHEL, Fedora, SLES, SLED,
and OpenSUSE versus apt.

Fedora is a project that is supported/run by Red Hat. Fedora is like
OpenSuse a general distro and does not supply support contracts.

RHEL is Red Hat's distro group that comes with support contracts.

SAMBA is a fileserver and client, that makes it easier to exchange files
between different Operating Systems.


I have not used a workstation dedicated distro, so I cannot advise you
on the subject, can only name them.
There is a RHEL distro for Workstations part of the RHEL Desktop
group.
SLED should be a Workstation distro.

I only use SLES or RHEL Server and RHEL AP.


Kind regards,


Jan Gerrit Kootstra

Seen wrote:

>
>
> I need help.
> I want to get away from Bill Gates and from one demo of Suse desktop,
> Linux looks like a great alternative. I want to use my new system to
> write programs and do web/internet stuff.
> Can you help (no flack please)?
>
> Here is the new hardware I have:
> Asus Striker MB with 8 GB mem and Intel Core 2 quad Q6600 CPU.
> 3ware SATA controller with 4 - 500 GB SATA drives.
> XFXforce GF7950 video card.
> Acer AL2416M monitor
> NEC Black 16X DVD+R Burner
>
> Unit has NEVER been powered up and there is nothing on the hard
> drives.
>
> What I want on it:
>
> * OS that will let me use it as a workstation and server (Pref 64
> bit that can run 32 bit).
> * Have Pearl, PHP, Python, Apachie webserver, MySQL, Java,
> Ruby, C++, Ajax and more.
> * Set up the hard drives Raid 1.
> * Be the center of a VPN.
> * have all the usual workstation stuff.
>
>
> Been considering using one or a combination of these:
>
> SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
> SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop [
> Open SUSE [ Whats the difference?
> VMware Server
> Ubuntu 7.10
> Fudora
> Samba
> etc.
>
>
> Being new to Linux and open source, very new, I would appreciate any
> and all constructive recommendation on what to use and how to set it
> up.
> Other units are connected to a switch (Linksys ezxs88w) which include
> WinXP (3), Win 98 (2) and Win a ME windows.
>
> What would be the best configuration/setup?
I've been using openSUSE for the last 4 years after basically dumping all MS
software. I have an ASUS P4 motherboard which has been a hardware problem
off and on since I got it last Dec. I'm looking to dump it. The problems do
not appear to be related to openSUSE, there were a couple of issues with
acpi and shutdown but they have been fixed mostly.

I still keep an XP home on one of my old systems because of Turbo TAX, it is
the only application I have not found a replacement for. I do some web
development, run mysql databases and the normal office stuff. Use
openOffice for MS office replacement, publisher replace MS Publisher.

Hope this helps.

--
Russ
Registered Linux user #441463


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On 9 May, 00:06, Seen <serr...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> I need help.
> I want to get away from Bill Gates and from one demo of Suse desktop,
> Linux looks like a great alternative. I want to use my new system to
> write programs and do web/internet stuff.
> Can you help (no flack please)?
>
> Here is the new hardware I have:
> Asus Striker MB with 8 GB mem and Intel Core 2 quad Q6600 CPU.
> 3ware SATA controller with 4 - 500 GB SATA drives.
> XFXforce GF7950 video card.
> Acer AL2416M monitor
> NEC Black 16X DVD+R Burner
>
> Unit has NEVER been powered up and there is nothing on the hard
> drives.
>
> What I want on it:
>
> * OS that will let me use it as a workstation and server (Pref 64
> bit that can run 32 bit).
> * Have Pearl, PHP, Python, Apachie webserver, MySQL, Java,
> Ruby, C++, Ajax and more.
> * Set up the hard drives Raid 1.
> * Be the center of a VPN.
> * have all the usual workstation stuff.
>

It'd be hard to find a Linux distro not capable of all the above.

> Been considering using one or a combination of these:
>
> SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
> SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop [
> Open SUSE [ Whats the difference?

How much it costs and what support you get (lots/lots, some/some, none/
none - not counting advice from friends, family, user groups and
newsgroups)

> VMware Server
> Ubuntu 7.10
> Fudora

freudian typo?

Asking in a SuSE newsgroup, what answer do you expect?

There are 2 main players in the Unix desktop environment market (this
is a seperate thing from the distribution) - KDE and Gnome. Personally
I prefer KDE - so would recommend kubuntu (KDE optimized) over ubuntu.

AFAIK VMWare is not a linux distribution it justs proves a mechanism/
environment for starting virtual computers on your machine

Again based on personal preference, I'd put CentOS above Fedora.
Particularly if you want a desktop environment that pushed your
graphics card (lots of eye-candy effects) alongside KDE.

Currently I've got openSUSE running on my machine but am thinking of
trying something different as openSUSE does not get on with my new
hardware. CentOS and Kubuntu are on my list.

> Other units are connected to a switch (Linksys ezxs88w) which include
> WinXP (3), Win 98 (2) and Win a ME windows.
>
> What would be the best configuration/setup?

You could try a different Linux on each one

BTW a beter solution than a VPN would be to encapsulate services on a
per-service basis using stunnel (available for MSWin and *nix/Linux)
Failing that, openVPN. I'd steer clear of ipsec unless you have a lot
of time on your hands.

C.

I know top posting is bad - but

Thank all of you for the information you provided - this will make my
decision pretty easy. Really appreciate not getting screamed at like
I've seen in other posts. Refreshingly professional.
Again, many thanks and I'll probably be back asking questions.

Seen


On Fri, 9 May 2008 09:01:25 -0700 (PDT), "C.
(http://symcbean.blogspot.com/)" <colin.mckinnon@gmail.com> wrote:

>On 9 May, 00:06, Seen <serr...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>> I need help.
>> I want to get away from Bill Gates and from one demo of Suse desktop,
>> Linux looks like a great alternative. I want to use my new system to
>> write programs and do web/internet stuff.
>> Can you help (no flack please)?
>>
>> Here is the new hardware I have:
>> Asus Striker MB with 8 GB mem and Intel Core 2 quad Q6600 CPU.
>> 3ware SATA controller with 4 - 500 GB SATA drives.
>> XFXforce GF7950 video card.
>> Acer AL2416M monitor
>> NEC Black 16X DVD+R Burner
>>
>> Unit has NEVER been powered up and there is nothing on the hard
>> drives.
>>
>> What I want on it:
>>
>> * OS that will let me use it as a workstation and server (Pref 64
>> bit that can run 32 bit).
>> * Have Pearl, PHP, Python, Apachie webserver, MySQL, Java,
>> Ruby, C++, Ajax and more.
>> * Set up the hard drives Raid 1.
>> * Be the center of a VPN.
>> * have all the usual workstation stuff.
>>
>
>It'd be hard to find a Linux distro not capable of all the above.
>
>> Been considering using one or a combination of these:
>>
>> SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
>> SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop [
>> Open SUSE [ Whats the difference?
>
>How much it costs and what support you get (lots/lots, some/some, none/
>none - not counting advice from friends, family, user groups and
>newsgroups)
>
>> VMware Server
>> Ubuntu 7.10
>> Fudora
>
>freudian typo?
>
>Asking in a SuSE newsgroup, what answer do you expect?
>
>There are 2 main players in the Unix desktop environment market (this
>is a seperate thing from the distribution) - KDE and Gnome. Personally
>I prefer KDE - so would recommend kubuntu (KDE optimized) over ubuntu.
>
>AFAIK VMWare is not a linux distribution it justs proves a mechanism/
>environment for starting virtual computers on your machine
>
>Again based on personal preference, I'd put CentOS above Fedora.
>Particularly if you want a desktop environment that pushed your
>graphics card (lots of eye-candy effects) alongside KDE.
>
>Currently I've got openSUSE running on my machine but am thinking of
>trying something different as openSUSE does not get on with my new
>hardware. CentOS and Kubuntu are on my list.
>
>> Other units are connected to a switch (Linksys ezxs88w) which include
>> WinXP (3), Win 98 (2) and Win a ME windows.
>>
>> What would be the best configuration/setup?
>
>You could try a different Linux on each one
>
>BTW a beter solution than a VPN would be to encapsulate services on a
>per-service basis using stunnel (available for MSWin and *nix/Linux)
>Failing that, openVPN. I'd steer clear of ipsec unless you have a lot
>of time on your hands.
>
>C.