Entries Tagged 'Linux Distributions' ↓

I was going to switch to LXDE on the Dell Inspiron 8100 laptop, but clicked the update option in a state of exhaustion. The result was a clean update for openSUSE 11.2 to openSUSE 11.3, but I still have the KDE desktop. Do I restart with a fresh install to get the  LXDE desktop, or just work with KDE?

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While I was playing with PCLinuxOS LXDE this morning, I ran across this really cool site for choosing a Linux Distribution. The test is fast, and the results are interesting. When I selected RPM as the preferred package format, it recommended openSUSE 11.3 as a best fit. I took the test again, and changed the package format to DEB, Linux Mint 9 was recommended. For the followers of my blog, you know that my number #1 choice is openSUSE followed by Linux Mint 9. Go ahead and take the test, and see what it recommends for you.

Instead of writing two separate posts, I am consolidating my notes into a single post. Besides, the install is identical, as it is just a matter of desktop selection during the install process. Testing various distributions on a multi-boot machine has its problems, and there are always a few gotchas with every distribution. If every thing was perfect, I wouldn’t need to write about it.

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The search for the perfect kernel scheduler is like searching for the Holy Grail. Linux 2.6 started with the O(1) scheduler, which solved a lot of issues for real-time processes. However, it didn’t scale to large NUMA (non-uniform memory access) machines. The Linux kernel can scale to 4096 processors. Not all the processors have to share the same bus architecture and memory. Rather, a machine could consist of multiple 16 to 24 processor systems connected by a high-speed bus. This is the world of NUMA, as each system has its own memory that can be shared with other systems. The Completely Fair Scheduler (CFS) scaled to large NUMA machines, but created problems with systems that had less than 16 cores. CFS also scales well to the high core count of new GPUs (Graphic Processing Unit), which can also run non-graphical processes. For mobile devices with less than 16 cores, it creates problems with heating.

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After installing PCLinuxOS Xfce, I was ready for the GRUB configuration issues. One experiment, however, forced me to install it twice. Although similar to PCLinuxOS Xfce, PCLinuxOS LXDE also different. I am not just referring to the memory footprint. How does it compare to PCLinuxOS Xfce?

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Since the HP laptop used for this test only has a 30 gigabyte disk, I split the space used by Fedora 13 between PCLinuxOS Xfce and PCLinuxOS LXDE. With only 512 megabytes of memory, lighter weight desktops are a plus. Besides, this was a chance to compare Xfce and LXDE from one Linux community. This is my first round with PCLinuxOS, so my comments do not reference any previous versions.

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Linux Mint 9 is my favorite Ubuntu derivative, but still is not my favorite Linux distro. OpenSuse still holds the number 1 spot, but Linux Mint is getting closer to being number 1. After all the problems with Fedora 13, it was a pleasure to install something that worked.

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I installed Fedora 13 on Friday the 13th. Friday the 13th as unlucky day may be a myth, but my experience with Fedora 13 was not.

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Mandriva 2010 has a vastly improved install script. The install provided a choice between KDE and Gnome desktops. I went with Gnome, as KDE and older machines have a stormy relationship. After the initial boot, there were several problems.

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openSUSE still has the best install script. After dealing with a minor screen resolution issue, the install completed without a hitch. After the reboot, openSUSE ran without problems. However, I did learn one very important lesson.

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