Hi,
I wanted to test some software I work with on Arch Linux to see how it runs on this bleeding edge rolling Linux distribution. So I did an Arch install which was a bit more complicated than I’m used to but didn’t take much time. It was fun have the latest (but not greatest I found out) of everything from desktop environment through kernel to applications. But I soon ran into trouble. To be able to run the software I was testing I needed older versions of a couple of libraries. Not old, just a little older than bleeding edge and had to fiddle around being able to install those. I got it working and started testing the application. While doing this I used the computer like I normally do. I connected to my network and needed an HP printer to work. That was not easy! There were all these little problems I am not used to have to deal with on Linux these days. And since I was actually working I simply didn’t have time for that kind of thing anymore. Gone are the days where I spent my weekends on getting printing and wireless to work on Linux. These days I just need it to work. Now. right now!
I started looking at Arch forums for solutions and if I did this that and the other I might get things to work. The Arch Wiki is also an incredible source of information if you have the time to read it. The geek in me was interested in the challenge, but I had work to do and simply couldn’t spend it on this.
As soon as I had confirmed that the software was testing ran and worked on Arch I was back on Ubuntu GNOME which is my platform of choice. And I must say it was a relief. No thrill, no bleeding edge, but nothing I needed to fix, chat about or read forum threads to figure out. I guess my point is that Arch Linux is a fun distribution, but it requires your attention and a lot of what I do not have these days, time! It was exciting working on a rolling distribution with updates almost every day and a new kernel a few minutes after Linus has released it. But for work, no go. However, I am pleased to notice that there are Linux flavors out there that you can install and get work done on in 30 minutes. It all just works. Even printers and scanner are detected and set up in seconds and it’s easy to connect to networks directly from the file manager.
So if you are a Linux thrill seeker go Arch. If you, like me, need work done something like Ubuntu or Mint is the way to go. At least based on my recent experience. I know that there are many who would disagree with me, but so be it. I’m sure that if I spent time on it I could live with Arch, but I’m just not into that kind of thing anymore.
The same experience here but with different distros. I can tinker [i]after[/i] the work is done, but work comes first and for that it has to “just work”. In the end I stuck to Mint for the cases where I needed Linux …
I used Mint for many years and it also has this solid feel and just works. Are there other distros that as solid in this regard as Mint and the *buntus?
Lots are, a few are not. Though for work you may also want one that comes with tech support.
I mean, RHEL and SuSE are both specifically marketed for business and come with tech support, though CentOS (a free version of RHEL) is obviously going to be as solid but without tech support. And openSUSE – slightly less stable than the commercial version – is still pretty good.
On the other hand, I’d avoid something like Sidux (based on Debian Sid – the unstable version of Debian).
I currently use Mageia, prior to that I used Mandriva and even Mandrake back to 7.0 (back in 2000), I have rarely had issues with the stable builds of any of those which were not based on my antiquated hardware at the time. (I do have to say “stable builds” though – I was a “crash tester” for Mandrake before they became Mandriva so I’ve had more than my share of crashes overall.)