[Bradford] Alternative to Arch

[Bernard Czenkusz]

Regarding a server distribution, I would add Ubuntu Server - though I 
can't compare it to anything else, since I've not tried anything else 
for a long time. I like it since I use Mint for my laptop/desktop and 
Raspbian for Pi's, and as they're all Debian based they're all familiar.

It's not rolling release, but they have a Long-Term support version for 
stability.

Ubuntu are the authors of the LXD tools for managing LXC containers, so 
runs very well on their server. I can whip up multiple 'container 
servers' very easily, each for trying out different things, and then 
delete them equally easily, while keeping the base server relatively clean.

I have a (virtual) server at webparametrics.co.uk, from www.ovh.co.uk 
and have an NGINX web service on it that forwards calls to multiple LXC 
containers running within it. This allows me to run each container with 
its own postgresql/redis/web stuff without interfering with any of the 
others.

- On another topic to the rest of the group; you may remember I was 
trying to get a video of a Hedgehog some time ago using a Raspberry Pi. 
It gave a very poor image with just two infra red LED's, so I bought ten 
more, and set it up again.

I got the critter last night, and I've put the video up at 
webparametrics.co.uk, have a look, and I'll show some photo's of the 
setup at the next meet. The video is poor, but a lot better than the 
last one, you may need to view it in a darkened room! Even a dozen LED's 
aren't enough, it probably needs thirty or forty, however it does 
conclusively prove it is a hedgehog, and not a rat!

Cheers

    Bernard



On 26/05/2020 12:56, Moanin via Bradford wrote:
> Hi Folks,
>
> I've been trying Arch as a distro to run a server on. I've found it 
> excellent for all the standard stuff. But anything out of the ordinary 
> is almost freakish. There's and AUR - Arch User Repository - and each 
> time I've had to use it to date there has been a "security" problem 
> which has made the installation fail. Such as out of date GPG keys or 
> the "built" Zend engine not matching the "running" Zend engine.
>
> With two packages now needing AUR based PHP modules, for which PHP 
> breaks altogether or don't get used if the AUR is bypassed, I am now 
> looking for a stable distro which doesn't need a complete backup and 
> reinstall every few months. AUR can't match that although Arch itself 
> is the ideal solution for non-AUR purposes.
>
> The plan is to keep Arch on the current server and move those two 
> packages onto a couple of new VPSs running another distro.
>
> So, any recommendations please folks?
>
> TIA
>
> Mike
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> "Moanin" is a track wrtitten by Charles Mingus, first public recording 
> was on his album "Blues and Roots", 1959.
>