[conspire] ...and Linux (was: eats Sat.)

[Rick Moen]

Some folks might have noticed that I got the CABAL distributions 
CD/DVD collection back pretty much up to date, one or two meetings
ago, including (i386 and x86_64):

FreeBSD 7.1
Ubuntu/Kubuntu/Xubuntu "Hardy Heron" 8.04.1, various images
Sidux 2008-03 "Ourea"

This is in addition to the cumulative stuff from before, e.g., I _do_
have Fedora 9, I'm pretty sure.


In preparation for tomorrow's shindig, I've downloaded some more:


Ubuntu/Kubuntu/Xubuntu "Intrepid Ibex" 8.10 release candidate
Mandriva Linux Free 2009 
Puppy Linux 4.1
SimplyMEPIS pre-8.0 (7.9.90-beta)
DamnSmallLinux 4.4
LinuxMint 5, regular and Fluxbox editions
CentOS 5.2

It's always a bit tough to guess what attendees are going to want, 
and few bother to give me clues a couple of days before the meeting
(hint, hint!), but I try to hit the majors.  Some distros are
theoretically popular but nobody ever seems to borrow them, e.g., I've
burned many discs of OpenSUSE and nobody seems interested (nor in SUSE
Linux Enterprise Server or Desktop, either).

There's an OpenSUSE 11.1 beta out, but I haven't pulled it down for lack
of demonstrated interest (not even in non-betas).

Other nominally very popular distros that CABAL people seem uninterested
in, generally:  PCLinuxOS, Sabayon, Dreamlinux, PC-BSD....  Again, I'm
likely to download these infrequently if at all, unless/until people
ask.



As an experiment, I'm going to put in a word for LinuxMint:  This is 
a _very_ desktop-oriented one-CD variant form of *buntu -- being
available in GNOME, GNOME Lite, KDE, Xfce, and Fluxbox versions -- that
"provides a more complete out-of-the-box experience by including browser
plugins, media codecs, support for DVD playback, Java and other
components. It also adds a custom desktop and menus, several unique
configuration tools, and a web-based package installation interface."

Current release is LinuxMint 5, completely compatible (as usual) with
the current *buntu release, 8.04.* "hardy heron".  I've grabbed the 
standard GNOME edition (i586 and x86_64) and Fluxbox edition (i586).

So, are you looking for a good, full-featured desktop distribution
with all the multimedia stuff?  Try LinuxMint.  Want that but with a
less heavyweight desktop environment?  Try LinuxMint w/Fluxbox.


I'll have a CD/DVD burner hooked up, so all of the collection is
available for people to duplicate for their own purposes.


Expected soon:

*buntu 8.10 "Intrepid Ibex", scheduled for Oct. 30.
Debian 5.0 "Lenny":  As they say, "when it's ready".
PCLinuxOS 2009
Fedora 10
OpenBSD 4.4
openSUSE 11.1