[Sussex] OK - recommend me a distribution, please...

[John Crowhurst]

> Now, I'm going to make this more complex, and set some constraints...
> Thus making the question different from "which is your favourite
> distribution" :-)
>
> So, here we go:
>
> - Must run on Compaq Proliant
> - Must be installable from floppy + net connection (ie - NOT require a
> CD) - Must be compatable with Magic Carpet
> - Must run Nessus
> - Must NOT require too much in Linux expertise
> - Must not take more than a couple of hours to install
>
> Anyone saying "Gentoo" based on the last two requirements is unlikely to
> find a rewarding career in consultancy :-)

I'd say Slackware, but version 8.0 or 7.X, simply because the rootdisks
are now too big on 8.1 for a two floppy boot. Its very easy to upgrade to
8.1 at a later date, simply by downloading packages as you need them.

Slackware can be installed over NFS.

Its also easy to install, with a text based interface.

If you just want a basic system up and running, with the bare minimum
features and no GUI: install disk packs A, D, K, [L] and N (A=base tools,
D=Development, K=Kernel source, L=Libraries - Slackware 8.1, N=Network),
and be selective with what you install.

What is Magic Carpet?

Is Nessus the security scanner? If you compile it with:
# ./configure --without-gtk
it will create a command line version.

What kind of proliant are you looking to install on?

Some Compaq systems require a special partition to be written to the hard
drive for diagnostics. This is something to be aware of, as it won't let
you configure the hardware properly without it. I've seen RedHat delete
this partition, and the computer forget what drives it has, or what
processors its running. This is simply a quirk with the Compaq
architecture.

-- 
John