[Nottingham] What distro?

[Michael Erskine]

On Tuesday 23 May 2006 19:07, Jim wrote:
> My colleague at work is thinking about 'making the switch' :)
<snip criteria/>
> Recommendations, chaps?

Jim, 

Like ALL distos AND all other operating systems, support for restricted 
formats will either have to be added yourself (usually at zero cost and 
minimal effort) or if it IS included it will be paid for in the sticker price 
(if the distro wishes to remain legal).

I don't know of any distro that meets your _exact_ criteria out of the box. If 
there is such a distro then it must be a "one size fits all" distro, and 
anybody knows that "one size fits all" equates to BIG!

All the major distros meet your criteria _if_ you or you friend are willing to 
update the system after initial install. You _DO_ want to make use of the 
security updates that your distro provides don't you? So why not just install 
the additional parts you need for MP3 support while you're at it? You want to 
run NetBeans? Want a JDK/JRE? You won't find them on any 
freely-redistributable distro (one that you can just hand to your friend 
without breaking some law or other) -- you have to download install that 
software yourself. Now that's not the fault of any of the distro producers: 
that's the fault of the restrictive licensing of Sun. You may find this 
software on a commercial distro but it will have been paid for either with 
money or freedom. You can't just give a copy of a commercial distro to a 
friend -- read the small print. Buyer beware!

Like others have pointed out, it isn't difficult to install additional 
components to make YOUR Linux install just right. The package management 
tools for most Linux distributions make the world of Windows software 
installation look absolutely pathetic -- and let's face it, this is where 
your friend is coming from. 

BTW: does Windows support MP3 out of the box? I thought WMP required an 
additional download -- it certainly did in W2K but, I agree, that was ages 
ago! Windows comes with a JRE but woe betide any poor fool who attempts to 
use it! Are we comparing apples to apples here? My recommendation: choose ANY 
reasonably popular distro, read the FAQs and make it work for YOU.

Regards,
Michael Erskine.

-- 
Love thy neighbor, tune thy piano.

		
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