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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- It's a Linux distro - that counts for LOT.
What I don't like about Fedora Core: (this is really in comparison to
Kubuntu):
- 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.
- 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
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