[Lilux-help] FreeBSD, compile from source and Distributions

[Mike Pressel]

I started with Slackware in the 94 time frame as well.  At that point I could 
install a  dual boot windows 4 workgroups and a complete linux system 
including X on a 1GB hard drive.  At the time I had no idea of what I was 
doing with the system, but was happy as could be that I didn't have to run 
down to the Sun Lab to work on my projects.  Unfortunately, that means I 
can't speak for Slackware :(

Around1998 I gave Corel Linux a try.  It was painfully SLOW on my system 
(Pentium 60).

In 2000 I started using SuSE.  After 2 months of using it, I deleted my 
windows partition and haven't looked back.  I very much like SuSE because 
things simply work.  I only rarely encounter problems with the default 
settings, but a solution is usually available in the SuSE Support Database or 
on one of their message boards.  Simply put, SuSE has very good (free) 
support.  The problem with SuSE is that if you want to do something your way 
instead of SuSE's way, than your nice integrated system starts falling apart.  
I think SuSE is a system for people who don't care how it works, just that it 
works.

I've tinkered with Mandrake off and on for several years now, but have never 
done more than just tinker with it.  One of my colleagues at work swears by 
it.  But he is French, so he may be a bit biased towards a French 
distribution :)

I've also built a Linux from Scratch system.  Short story: Pain in the ass, 
takes a huge amount of time, but you learn a lot.

Last month, I installed Gentoo on my work laptop and now I'm hooked.  Portage 
is a great packaging system and it is well documented.  Contrary to what's 
been said, there are binary packages available for selected packages in 
Gentoo.  Try using the --usepkgonly option with emerge.  Large things like 
KDE and Gnome generally have something available for them.  What I personally 
like about Gentoo is that it forces me to learn a bit more about how my linux 
system works.  Like Slackware, it is updated very quickly and there is a huge 
database of packages available.  My only gripe with Gentoo is that a 
broadband connection is absolutely necessary, otherwise things break on you.  

Bottom line:  Gentoo if you want to learn a lot about your system and you have 
a broadband connection, SuSE if you don't want to tinker with your system 
very much.  

Mike