Linux DVD distros and distro advice.

[babs]

I'm looking for a new distro to play with, having experimented with Mandrake, Slackware and Red Hat in the past, but there's a couple of things to take into consideration.

I want the best of both worlds (like so many others), I love using CLI for some reason, always have, so lots of play with that would be good, but I do like linux as a desktop now.

The problems I always seem to come up against is the size of the installs I make. I always end up including just about all of the compilers, as I like downloading src files and building my own (or more usually because the rpms available don't like my install), stick on a few desktop environments, openoffice etc and I have an install bigger than my windows install. I don't mind that per sé, but it means I download 3-5 cds per distro.

From a bit of searching it seems very few are available as a dvd iso yet. Debian do a 'build your own' with jigdo (or wtf it's called), but that doesn't work under windows. I've seen some scripts to build isos from the redhat cd isos too, but just a pre-done dvd iso would be great.

So really, if anyone knows of a good one, please let me know. Also advice for a good distro to get under the hood of would be appreciated. I tried slackware (but failed to get X to run properly), and have looked at build your own linux quite a few times but am scared of the potential mess I could make

 

[Will]

*scratches head*

I'm not totally sure what you mean here. Personally, I always do an install by FTP off a pair of floppies, and just get everything fresh.

FreeBSD is the way and the light.

 

[babs]

I'll tackle BSD once I get linux down. We have a new linux box for database serving here at work and it would be useful.

What I was really after was advice on distro given my opinions above, and I wanted to know if anyone knows of a DVD iso for some of the multi cd distros.

 

[Will]

I'm not the best person to advise you about linux installs. I've used Gentoo myself, again with an FTP based install.

A handy link for you would be Distrowatch.

 

[babs]

Been there, was having a bit of a nose just today in fact.

 

[Will]

Gentoo might suit you. It uses a portage system, which is similar to BSD's ports system. This lets you install a system from one CD, then download exactly what you want to.

The downside with Gentoo is that you compile everything. It can takes hours/days to install.

 

[Athan]

Debian can do the 'minimal install from CD or floppies then the rest from the net' too, easily, really easily. The minimal CDs are typically around 30MB image size.

http://www.debian.org/CD/netinst/

-Ath

 

[Shovel]

Gentoo might suit you. It uses a portage system, which is similar to BSD's ports system. This lets you install a system from one CD, then download exactly what you want to.

The downside with Gentoo is that you compile everything. It can takes hours/days to install.

If you've got Linux compile experience I'd recommend Gentoo I've actually got stuck on compiling a working kernel - which is rather laughable seeing as I got everything else compiled (bootstrap and all) without any problems. I'm a bit of a Linux n00b really, but the Gentoo documentation makes it sound like a piece of piss really You just need some kernel knowledge (and luck) I think.

Additionally: Portage is the greatest thing ever. It makes installing from source easier than installing a windows programme. You still have to configure, of course, but in so far as actually getting it onto your system goes, it's incredible.

 

[babs]

Thanks, I'll have a look.

The thing was, I wanted a DVD so I could install on machines which had poop net connections or none at all. I'll keep hunting....

 

[Will]

Getting a bit nerdy, but you could try this.

 

[sibanac]

You could download the whole SuSE 9.0 tree, burn it to a cd and use a boot floppy to start the install

 

[TriGGer]

Gentoo would probably be your best bet by the sounds of it, and you dont have to compile everything, as there are packages on the cd if you prefer. Its also quite enjoyable to build a system up this way. Ive run Mandrake on my Desktop since 7.2, but im now starting to sway towards Gentoo more and more.