Linux Desktop Summit Re: [SGVLUG] Hello from San Diego

[Terry Hancock]

Dustin Laurence wrote:

>On Tue, Apr 25, 2006 at 09:43:35AM -0500, sean at seanodonnell.com wrote:
>  
>
>Slackware is basically irrelevant to discussions of the Linux desktop.
>It can be one, just like OpenBSD can be one, if you have the knowledge
>and like doing things yourself.  When people talk about "The Linux
>Desktop" they are talking about either
>
>(1) The Xandros/Linspire/Mepis style distro.  Mandriva may be in this
>category, not sure.  Aimed at individual Microsoft Windows users,
>essentially.
>
>(2) The Novell/Red Hat desktops, aimed at corporate deployments.
>
>(Yeah, they'd both probably fuss about the individual/corporate labels,
>but that is how I interpret their differences.)
>  
>
You missed Ubuntu (/Kubuntu/Edubuntu)!

Debian-based. Rapidly becoming a front-running desktop distro.
Certified by IBM as a platform (something usually done for
"commercial" distros like RH & Novell).  100% DFSG free, largely
community developed, but backed by a company.  Timed-releases
every six months, so it solves the eternally out-of-date problem of
Debian.  Led by a multi-millionaire who paid a ticket as
a space tourist, so it has snob-appeal, too. ;-)

Another interesting possibility for source-dist lovers, is something
I came across called "Lunar Linux".  Sounds interesting, as it
employs a source-based package-manager.  So it has a lot of the
advantages of (e.g.) Slackware, but it also has a package-management
system, sort of like Debian.

I suppose you can achieve the same thing using Debian source
packages, but I found it intriguing.  I'd certainly be considering it
if I had a need for a more higher-performance, smaller-footprint system.

As it is though, I'm quite happy with Debian.

Cheers,
Terry

-- 
Terry Hancock (hancock at AnansiSpaceworks.com)
Anansi Spaceworks http://www.AnansiSpaceworks.com