Linux for freebsd admins

[Giorgos Keramidas]

On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 07:29:35 -0400, "Ian Lord" <mailing-lists at msdi.ca> wrote:
> Hi,
> I am not trying to start a war linux vs freebsd or a long thread
> on which distribution is best. Just trying to get a quick answer here.
>
> I am an inconditional to freebsd and I love it. Unfortunately I have
> an application that doesn't support freebsd and only run on linux. I
> tried to run it for a week under freebsd and it doesn't work.
>
> I have to install a linux machine and don't know which distribution to
> take.
>
> I tried debian ubuntu and fedora and didn't like them.
>
> I want:
>
> - A basic install (not 900 packages installed by default

I don't want to disappoint you, but if by `basic install' you mean
something like the FreeBSD base system, welcome to Linux hell.  There is
no such thing as a `base system'.  Every Linux distribution is merely a
collection of packages.

> - No gui, I like my flashing cursor

Both Debian and Ubuntu Linux can do that.  I regularly install non-gui
versions of Ubuntu and Debian for my own Linux related work.

> - an equivalent of ports. I want to easily compile my ports I don't
> like prebuilt package. Want to retrieve them by cvs.
>
> - an equivalent to portupgrade.

If you want to compile everything from sources, then Gentoo may be `good
enough'.  I personally dislike Gentoo, but if prebuilt packages are out
of the question it may be the best choice for you.

Having said that, there are ways to compile Debian packages from
source.  The Debian web site has an excellent guide about all the quirks
and tricks you can use to build using `apt-source' and the APT packaging
system is actually very very good at integrating your own custom-built
source versions with the rest of the system.

- Giorgos