Impressions so far with FC 8 and Kubuntu Gutsy

[Brian Chadwick]

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?