Terry - Fedora Core wrote:
No this is not to rant against Fedora Core and praise Kubuntu. I like
both for different reasons and dislike both for different reasons.
Overall I like both far more than I dislike either. The dislikes are
really, really small in comparison to other OSs.
Both have a lot to offer anybody that takes the time to learn a little
and use them.
I tried Fedora Core and Kubuntu simply because the place where I got
the new computer preferred Kubuntu (but would not install) and the
place where I purchased the old computer used to use Fedora Core only
and now installs either Fedora Core or Kubuntu, the customer's decision.
What I really, really, really like about Fedora Core:
1. Everything is there - I first downloaded a Live CD (both Kubuntu
Gutsy and Fedora Core 8). Tried both. Fedora Core also has an
entire distribution on a DVD. Didn't even try to download the
multi-GB DVD so ordered from OSDisks (install and source DVDs).
With Kubuntu, no DVD is available that I could find, just the
Live CD. So while waiting for the Fedora DVD I installed Kubuntu
from the Live CD and spent about 2 weeks working with it and
getting it to the point hat I had downloaded nearly everything I
thought I needed.
With Fedora, that 2 to 3 week period was collapsed to a few days
installing from the DVD. Also, I am pretty sure from past
experience with FC 5, that very little will be needed to be
downloaded to supplement what I now have. That saves me hours
and days and a lot of frustration when I get a message that such
and such file is missing. What file? Where is it? What package
is it in? That last question can be a killer. Without a detailed
list of files in all packages, finding a specific file can be
arduous and time consuming. I am pretty sure that I have
circumvented that with the Fedora Core method and that I like a
LOT.
2. I can have BOTH Gnome and KDE and have them both from the
initial install (once I learned how to do that on the second
install - if the installation instructions would just state how
to do that :-) ). I prefer KDE for most of my work. However, I
find that I also like some of the features of Gnome. Being able
to use both by simply logging out and logging back in with the
other environment is easy and quick. A method of switching
without even logging out would be of tremendous value to me and
I bet to a lot of people. Not too sure if (K)Ubuntu can be made
to do the same thing. Every time I try Gnome and KDE, KDE just
feels like a more mature, more polished product. The little
things make the big difference - like being able to use the
middle and right mouse buttons to increase window size
vertically or horizontally separately. Also, when moving a
window to the side, under KDE it kind of stops and clicks into
the side of the desktop. I don't have to finagle with getting it
there. Little things like that make a big difference in
usability and are really noticed at first, but fade into the
background until you have to use Gnome (or even worse
Windows!!). Now I really don't hate Gnome, just that I prefer
KDE most of the time, both are really great desktop environments.
3. Other than the way that SELinux seems to have messed up things
until I set it to "permissive mode", almost everything in Fedora
Core 8 worked after the install (at least the second install
:-) ). There weren't any of those little gotcha's that such and
such isn't installed for that to work, install such and such a
package - see point 1 above. OK, I had some problems, but
nothing that hasn't worked out with a little intelligence.
4. It's a Linux distro - that counts for LOT.
What I don't like about Fedora Core: (this is really in comparison to
Kubuntu):
1. I spent a lot of money to get a really good h/w video, the
NVidia GeForce 8600 with lots of MB of onboard cache. Under
Kubuntu I used apt to download and install the NVidia
proprietary 3D drivers. I was informed of this right from the
get-go after installation and even assisted with a taskbar icon
for the proprietary driver and informed of it's proprietary
nature. Does the fact that it is proprietary bother me - not at
all - I spent a lot of money on their h/w so why not use it
fully with s/w they provide for me to do that. It is free as in
beer (well after having bought the h/w it is :-) ) ? Under
Fedora Core, I don't know if there is a way to do that. Ok,
principles are great, but being pragmatic works very, very well
also. Is this a tie-breaker between the two - certainly not.
Just one of those little niggles like the above difference
between KDE and Gnome.
2. The SELinux default install caused me a LOT of grief. Is there a
way to fix the problem? I have no idea. I know essentially
nothing about SELinux and no interest in devoting a lot of time
in learning enough to answer the question. At this point I am
only interested in learning whether I have to keep it
essentially turned off in permissive mode or can change
something to get it into enabled mode and not have lock my
computer down to the point that I cannot use it. Do other
distro's use SELinux or is Fedora Core the only one and how
essential is SELinux to the operation of my computer and it's
health and well being?? Don't know enough to answer.
Other than that I really cannot think of anything else yet after 3
days of installing and 1 partial day of use.
Terry
i use my F8 box for lots of things, and SE-Linux stays quiet. what sort
of errors are you getting?
