A blog about random things and sometimes about my work translating and developing KDE and anything
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Which 64-bit distro?
Probably this week i'm buying a new PC with the dual core 64-bit AMD Processor. Any suggestion of which 64-bit distro is better?
38 comments:
Anonymous
said...
NetBSD =) Or if you want to go with linux, at least ubuntu seems good to go. Gentoo has problems with multilib, but that might have been only on Gentoo/FreeBSD
Gentoo! Since it is source based then it has the most packages availible for amd64. I found the shortage of the packages when I tried other distros and ended up compiling it myself anyways.
Gentoo!!! I just installed it in my recently homemade Athlon64 and it rocks...
But take a look at their docs first. A lot of configuration is made differently from other distributions (even if I prefer their way, this must be a problem for some people)
The feedback I have from people having Amd64 processors is that you only have 4 Linux distro's doing the job: Debian, (k)ubuntu, Fedora and Gentoo. From those four, Debian an (K)ubuntu are the ones with a good packages support for that arch. Now, to choose between Debian or (K)ubuntu is up to you, since the decision left isn't arch-dependant anymore.
I would also have to say Gentoo, but I am biased as I am a developer for Gentoo and most of my systems are amd64. I have an X2 processor that works great, and I am not aware of any multilib issues we have. I have a couple of workstations (one X2), a Turion based laptop and a web server all running amd64 Gentoo Linux.
My reasons: 1. source based-ness makes it less likely that packages haven't been "built" for the arch. 2. gentoo forums are a good resource for the less common problems that can crop up with a less mainstream arch. 3. these new machines are fast enough to make compiling everythin not so bad ;-)
For KDE and Gentoo people there's also http://developer.berlios.de/projects/genkdesvn/ which provides you with an easy way to get KDE SVN code installed.
I don't have a suggestion for which distro, but I highly encourage you to buy from a Linux-friendly vendor, one that sells computers with Linux pre-installed. That way you don't have to worry about getting a W$ refund.
Here's a list of vendors selling desktops and workstations pre-intalled with GNU/Linux:
Another Gentoo vote. I used to use slackware (and still do on my laptop), but since I bought an intel 64 processor I installed gentoo. The "hard" work was the one afternoon I used to install and configure the system. While doing that I learn everything about gentoo there was to learn (for a user I suppose). Sinds then I've been updating the system once a week. Or like today because I know kde 3.5.1 has been released. Rock solid, all the packages I need (student, so things like latex, kile, java, vpn, etc... just have to work). And a good x86 mode to fall back, like when to install flash and things like that. As an added bonus, while this is an 64 bit system, it is not amd, so I was able to optimize it specific for my processor. This is no problem for you, but yeah, it counts.
Definetly Gentoo. Since with Gentoo you are actualy building the distribution yourself the way you want it (and need it) how could any other be better?
Kubuntu. I've noticed lots of Gentoo votes. As an ex-Gentoo user, I can say that it's not worth it. You must compile just about everything you install, and for VERY little benefit and much disappointment. Here's a list of the pluses and the minuses of both. Kubuntu has an installer, Gentoo doesn't (except for one in alpha version) Gentoo makes it easier to make your system exactly fit your hardware Kubuntu works out of the box Gentoo has a few more packages than Kubuntu in its repositories Kubuntu and Ubuntu are identical except for WM's, and therefore any app compiled to work in Ubuntu works in Kubuntu. Kubuntu uses .debs And finally, Kubuntu automates SO much more. Gentoo requires CONSTANT attention.
I vote Gentoo also, I've never had a better linux experience than when I've been running Gentoo. Sure, it may not automate away absolutely everything, but it does what you need it to, and allows you to have the system YOU want rather than the system the packagers have given you.
> And finally, Kubuntu > automates SO much more. > Gentoo requires CONSTANT > attention.
ALL distros need constant attention if you want to keep things up to date, but if you set things up how you want, they require almost no attention at all.
I've used kubuntu, but the problem I find is that I always want something that isn't available in the maintained packages. Then, you have to search for other apt repositories.. then when you add it (which is not easy btw) and try to install, then you run into dependency problems. Try compiling anything from source? Well, have fun adding all of the *-dev packages.
Gentoo has a SINGLE, centralized repository, so dependency hell is virtually gone. Even if not, compiling and installing something manually (which you WILL do in linux) requires no extra work.
Perdona l'off-topic: l'enllaç a "kpdf" que tens a la columna de la dreta (just a sota del profile de blogger) està malament. Posa "http://kDpf.kde.org" en comptes de "http://kpdf.kde.org".
I'll be the lone weirdo here... I'm running an AMD Athlon 64 3200+ with SuSE 10.0. Overall I've been very happy, but lately I've been getting frustrated at the lack of quickly updated packages. Also, it defaults to putting 32bit libs in /lib/ and 64bit in /lib64/ which seems to throw some things off, looking for primary libs in the 32bit dir, not realizing there's another dir to explore. Let's hear some more arguments for (k)ubuntu! I'm curious about it!
I'm no programmer and it's doing ok for a free system which should be SE, loads of applications, programs and updates with yumex.
Nvidia works out very good, games work, and Glide is still supported too. Only thing is how to get the TV-out/S-video to work.
I have used the SuSE gmbh version too, SuSE has a nice look, only the totally free version like the mandrake lacks support, at least for me at that time.
I'd vote for Fedora. It has quite a lot of support behind it, an organized development scheme and for (at least) the last 2 revisions was a fully-capable x86_64 distro: they build everything they can for x86_64 and also provide i386 packages of things like OpenOffice. You can also freely grab i386 packages from the neighbouring i386-based release of Fedora Core. Gentoo is "source-based"? So is Fedora. Just get the SRPMs and rebuild your own RPMs right on your machine.
I don't know about gentoo, but ubuntu is fast enough for me and has almost same packages for amd64 than for i386. Furthermore there is a very interesting entry at ubuntuformums.org about how to setup a 32bit chroot (eventhough most of 32bit software runs out of the box).
I've been running my personal workstation at home on an AMD64 box with Suse. I installed 9.3 about 18 months ago from a boxed set. Went without a hitch. I later seamlessly upgraded to a downloaded version of 10.0.
I have two more systems running MythTV on Fedora Core 4 on AMD64 hardware. These run the MythTV application well; but the installation and updating is more a little more work. In addition I've experienced problems with X86_64 and 386 library dependency conflicts.
I've read above one comment stating that "Gentoo is gerally considered to have the best amd64 support."
I've researched comparisons on the web and the very few I've found lean to Ubuntu and Debian, so I'd say the above statement is probably unique to the Gentoo community, and not at all true of the Linux community at large.
That being said, I've used both 5.10 and 6.06, Ubuntu and Kubuntu, on my skt 754 athlon 64 3700+ in a DFI mobo with hitachi sata hdd, nec dual-layer dvd burner, asus combo drive, multi-card reader, ati x700 graphics and 1G corsair ram flawlessly for over a year now. It has been stable as a rock. multimedia support has been no problem. All KDE apps work fine. Java has worked fine. The only exception has been flash, but there is a way around that installing minimal 32-bit support libs from existing repos without having to chroot (even though that is an obvious option). The support forums are outstanding. There's a reason this distro has garnered so much attention, even being so much younger than Gentoo.
To address one other complaint about KUbuntu in these replies, there is absolutely no truth to the statement that adding repositories is difficult in KUbuntu. The fact is, it is no more difficult that adding repositories to any debian-based distro. This statement shows a lack of very basic knowledge and experience with apt-get.
Also, just like other debian-based distros, if it's not in the repos, you can likely find and download the pre-compiled app you want, and use dpkg -i (for .deb) or alien (for rpm, suse, etc.) to install.
Having used all three, I can say gentoo is sigificantly better than Kubuntu 64 or Fedora for things like flash, codecs, skype, opera, and java. in other words, everything you want.
38 comments:
NetBSD =) Or if you want to go with linux, at least ubuntu seems good to go. Gentoo has problems with multilib, but that might have been only on Gentoo/FreeBSD
Gotta go with kubuntu.
Gentoo! Since it is source based then it has the most packages availible for amd64. I found the shortage of the packages when I tried other distros and ended up compiling it myself anyways.
Gentoo!!! I just installed it in my recently homemade Athlon64 and it rocks...
But take a look at their docs first. A lot of configuration is made differently from other distributions (even if I prefer their way, this must be a problem for some people)
replace the "should" by "can" in my previous comment please... :-)
Gentoo is very solid as 64-bit distro and is very easy to maintain
The feedback I have from people having Amd64 processors is that you only have 4 Linux distro's doing the job: Debian, (k)ubuntu, Fedora and Gentoo. From those four, Debian an (K)ubuntu are the ones with a good packages support for that arch. Now, to choose between Debian or (K)ubuntu is up to you, since the decision left isn't arch-dependant anymore.
freebsd or (if you must use linux) gentoo
Mandriva 64bits works fine here and you can easily install i586 package along side the x86_64 without the need of chroot.
gentoo, definatly ;-)
Kubuntu - I'm waiting for my Turion64 laptop and I'm going to install it on the lap ASAP.
I would also have to say Gentoo, but I am biased as I am a developer for Gentoo and most of my systems are amd64. I have an X2 processor that works great, and I am not aware of any multilib issues we have. I have a couple of workstations (one X2), a Turion based laptop and a web server all running amd64 Gentoo Linux.
Another vote for gentoo.
My reasons: 1. source based-ness makes it less likely that packages haven't been "built" for the arch. 2. gentoo forums are a good resource for the less common problems that can crop up with a less mainstream arch. 3. these new machines are fast enough to make compiling everythin not so bad ;-)
Gentoo is gerally considered to have the best amd64 support.
And it's easy to add your own packages for things that aren't available.
I recommend Gentoo also.
with emerge --sync as a cron job and in combination with eix it is a killer :P
For KDE and Gentoo people there's also http://developer.berlios.de/projects/genkdesvn/ which provides you with an easy way to get KDE SVN code installed.
answer is simple...
gentoo:P
I don't have a suggestion for which distro, but I highly encourage you to buy from a Linux-friendly vendor, one that sells computers with Linux pre-installed. That way you don't have to worry about getting a W$ refund.
Here's a list of vendors selling desktops and workstations pre-intalled with GNU/Linux:
http://UseFree.org/buying#desktops
Gentoo. Deffinetly. I've been using it for over one year now and it works great!(64bit version)
Another Gentoo vote. I used to use slackware (and still do on my laptop), but since I bought an intel 64 processor I installed gentoo.
The "hard" work was the one afternoon I used to install and configure the system. While doing that I learn everything about gentoo there was to learn (for a user I suppose). Sinds then I've been updating the system once a week. Or like today because I know kde 3.5.1 has been released. Rock solid, all the packages I need (student, so things like latex, kile, java, vpn, etc... just have to work). And a good x86 mode to fall back, like when to install flash and things like that.
As an added bonus, while this is an 64 bit system, it is not amd, so I was able to optimize it specific for my processor. This is no problem for you, but yeah, it counts.
Regards,
Definetly Gentoo. Since with Gentoo you are actualy building the distribution yourself the way you want it (and need it) how could any other be better?
Kubuntu.
I've noticed lots of Gentoo votes. As an ex-Gentoo user, I can say that it's not worth it. You must compile just about everything you install, and for VERY little benefit and much disappointment.
Here's a list of the pluses and the minuses of both.
Kubuntu has an installer, Gentoo doesn't (except for one in alpha version)
Gentoo makes it easier to make your system exactly fit your hardware
Kubuntu works out of the box
Gentoo has a few more packages than Kubuntu in its repositories
Kubuntu and Ubuntu are identical except for WM's, and therefore any app compiled to work in Ubuntu works in Kubuntu.
Kubuntu uses .debs
And finally, Kubuntu automates SO much more. Gentoo requires CONSTANT attention.
I vote Gentoo also, I've never had a better linux experience than when I've been running Gentoo. Sure, it may not automate away absolutely everything, but it does what you need it to, and allows you to have the system YOU want rather than the system the packagers have given you.
> And finally, Kubuntu
> automates SO much more.
> Gentoo requires CONSTANT
> attention.
ALL distros need constant attention if you want to keep things up to date, but if you set things up how you want, they require almost no attention at all.
Sorry to go against the grain, but I have a dual Opteron system running Fedora Core 4 with help of nrpms, it is doing just fine.
Another gentoo vote here.
I've used kubuntu, but the problem I find is that I always want something that isn't available in the maintained packages. Then, you have to search for other apt repositories.. then when you add it (which is not easy btw) and try to install, then you run into dependency problems. Try compiling anything from source? Well, have fun adding all of the *-dev packages.
Gentoo has a SINGLE, centralized repository, so dependency hell is virtually gone. Even if not, compiling and installing something manually (which you WILL do in linux) requires no extra work.
Cheers!
Curtis.
Perdona l'off-topic: l'enllaç a "kpdf" que tens a la columna de la dreta (just a sota del profile de blogger) està malament. Posa "http://kDpf.kde.org" en comptes de "http://kpdf.kde.org".
"Try compiling anything from source? Well, have fun adding all of the *-dev packages."
Bullshit.
sudo apt-get install build-essential
and there, you're done.
For example I've built many apps like MythTV, Amarok, Gaim, iFolder etc on ubuntu/kubuntu.
Nemas Problemas.
I'll be the lone weirdo here... I'm running an AMD Athlon 64 3200+ with SuSE 10.0.
Overall I've been very happy, but lately I've been getting frustrated at the lack of quickly updated packages. Also, it defaults to putting 32bit libs in /lib/ and 64bit in /lib64/ which seems to throw some things off, looking for primary libs in the 32bit dir, not realizing there's another dir to explore.
Let's hear some more arguments for (k)ubuntu! I'm curious about it!
Gentoo! It's robustness and ease of maintainance is well worth the trials of installing.
Besides, the best part of Gentoo is definitely it's Community!
http://forums.gentoo.org/
I have Fedora working on 64 bit amd
I'm no programmer and it's doing ok for a free system which should be SE, loads of applications, programs and updates with yumex.
Nvidia works out very good, games work, and Glide is still supported too. Only thing is how to get the TV-out/S-video to work.
I have used the SuSE gmbh version too, SuSE has a nice look, only the totally free version like the mandrake lacks support, at least for me at that time.
Fedora is ok for me at this time.
I'd vote for Fedora. It has quite a lot of support behind it, an organized development scheme and for (at least) the last 2 revisions was a fully-capable x86_64 distro: they build everything they can for x86_64 and also provide i386 packages of things like OpenOffice. You can also freely grab i386 packages from the neighbouring i386-based release of Fedora Core. Gentoo is "source-based"? So is Fedora. Just get the SRPMs and rebuild your own RPMs right on your machine.
Gentoo :)
ubuntu (or kubuntu).
I'm very happy with ubuntu in my AMD64.
I don't know about gentoo, but ubuntu is fast enough for me and has almost same packages for amd64 than for i386. Furthermore there is a very interesting entry at ubuntuformums.org about how to setup a 32bit chroot (eventhough most of 32bit software runs out of the box).
I've been running my personal workstation at home on an AMD64 box with Suse. I installed 9.3 about 18 months ago from a boxed set. Went without a hitch. I later seamlessly upgraded to a downloaded version of 10.0.
I have two more systems running MythTV on Fedora Core 4 on AMD64 hardware. These run the MythTV application well; but the installation and updating is more a little more work. In addition I've experienced problems with X86_64 and 386 library dependency conflicts.
(K)Ubuntu
I've read above one comment stating that "Gentoo is gerally considered to have the best amd64 support."
I've researched comparisons on the web and the very few I've found lean to Ubuntu and Debian, so I'd say the above statement is probably unique to the Gentoo community, and not at all true of the Linux community at large.
That being said, I've used both 5.10 and 6.06, Ubuntu and Kubuntu, on my skt 754 athlon 64 3700+ in a DFI mobo with hitachi sata hdd, nec dual-layer dvd burner, asus combo drive, multi-card reader, ati x700 graphics and 1G corsair ram flawlessly for over a year now. It has been stable as a rock. multimedia support has been no problem. All KDE apps work fine. Java has worked fine. The only exception has been flash, but there is a way around that installing minimal 32-bit support libs from existing repos without having to chroot (even though that is an obvious option). The support forums are outstanding. There's a reason this distro has garnered so much attention, even being so much younger than Gentoo.
To address one other complaint about KUbuntu in these replies, there is absolutely no truth to the statement that adding repositories is difficult in KUbuntu. The fact is, it is no more difficult that adding repositories to any debian-based distro. This statement shows a lack of very basic knowledge and experience with apt-get.
Also, just like other debian-based distros, if it's not in the repos, you can likely find and download the pre-compiled app you want, and use dpkg -i (for .deb) or alien (for rpm, suse, etc.) to install.
Having used all three, I can say gentoo is sigificantly better than Kubuntu 64 or Fedora for things like flash, codecs, skype, opera, and java. in other words, everything you want.
there is always Arch64 (www.archlinux.org)...
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