Linux experts needed

[gore]

SUSE
Slackware


SUSE:

Installation

Configuration

Locking down

Pretty much anything



Slackware:

Installation

.... ah just ask




Both:


Package Management

Desktop

Laptops

Servers

Workstations

Media centers (Using them for Music and Movies)

Use for day to day tasks like Checking Email, Web surfing, Chatting, IRC, IM, Home use, Office use.

[spazzmatrix]

Thanks Trevoke i'll have to bookmark that site.

See learn something new everyday.

Secondly

Catch I guess you didn't make it clear.

The subject of the paper is an investigative report on why I don't think Linux meets my, rather typical needs. Is it because Linux just isn't capable, is it because the functionality is so diverse that it is hard to navigate, or is it because I am just uneducated? (hopefully this will help outline trouble areas for other people trying to consider the switch to linux)

Sounds to me like your paper is on why YOU don't think linux is capable for YOUR needs. All we are saying is linux is capable and giving you some reasons why. A good paper looks at both sides not just one, even a paper on why something doesn't work usually highlights a few points that it does work for.

[catch]

Sounds to me like your paper is on why YOU don't think linux is capable for YOUR needs. All we are saying is linux is capable and giving you some reasons why. A good paper looks at both sides not just one, even a paper on why something doesn't work usually highlights a few points that it does work for.

Sorta... the question falls to does the system have the capacity or is there some other reason why I don't know how to make it meet my requirements.?
I am just researching why I think Linux won't meet my requirements and how accurate that thinking is... there aren't two sides to cover.

cheers,

catch

[catch]

So far...

15 out of 50 decided that they were not expert enouh
27 out of 35 have answered the first question
1 out of 27 have answered the second question
0 out of 1 have answered the third question
0 out of 0 have answered the fourth
0 out of 0 have answered th fifth and last question

The really interesting thing is the diversity of the answers, it doesn't seem that there are no widely accepted methods of doing what i asked in the first question. Many users have cited development/research level solutions, but stating that these shouldn't be trusted in professional environments, others mention these solutions as being just fine. Lastly some just stated that my requirements are wrong... always an interesting aproach.

This conflicting data already has me seeing why I think Linux doesn't meet my needs. Conflicting information leaves me clueless as to who or what I should trust and as a security professional, I always go with the lowest appraisal. That way at least I'll error on the safe side.

All that side... one expert told me that what I was asking isn't even theoretically possible given the structure of Linux and that is why all the solutions never make it out of the research phase. He had some interesting alternative solutions that I will address in the paper.

Thanks again to everyone that is contributing. Don't worry, once I get all the answers from each question, I'll post them... let you all see if you can come to an agreement.

cheers,

catch

[jinxy]

it doesn't seem that there are no widely accepted methods of doing what i asked in the first question.

Well the beauty of Linux is, you have the ability to make it do what ever you want. You just have to have the ability. I have not got that ability, though I would like it.

[gore]

You haven't sent the third one to me yet. I just sent you the second answer.

For the whole not accepted methods thing, I think that may have a but to do with the fact Linux isn't made to make you do one thing to achieve any given job. I mean just common things you'd do each day have probably 70 ways of doing them everything form Perl scripts to bash scripts to doing commands by hand.

[LEFTYGUNZ]

SORRY ONLY KNOW A LITTLE ABOUT KNOPPIX 4.0 BUT ITS VERY SIMILAR

[Trevoke]

catch : yup. That's exactly the issue with GNU/Linux, as well as one of its strengths : it's very, very diversified.

[ech0]

Name: ech0
Tittle: linux enthusiast
Distros: Redhat 6,7,8,9, Suse, Slackware, FC, Centos (bit) SuSE (little less) SMOOTHWALL (hehe)
Server Side XP: DNS, Apache, MySQL/PG-SQL, Samba (as PDC/BDC), OpenMozix (clustering), Nessus
Home XP: Video/mp3/chat (irc[bitchx/ircii/xchat],email[pine,kmail,evolution]IM[gaim,kopete]) games with wine/winex, web stuff nvu, Window managers (IceWM,Blackbox,fluxbox, enlightenment,others)other stuff I cant think of.
Something to prove?: No.
Wants to help?: Yes.

[IKnowNot]

Exactly why I didn't respond initially ( even though I'm no expert).

You set it up to fail from the start.

Let's see the questions

... on why I don't think Linux meets my, rather typical needs.

( emphasis added ):

1)

Is it because Linux just isn't capable, ...

2)

... the functionality is so diverse that it is hard to navigate, ...

3)

... or is it because I am just uneducated? (hopefully this will help outline trouble areas for other people trying to consider the switch to linux)

( Sorry, missed the fourth and fifth )

If your needs are typical as you say, then linux can meet those needs if you care to, and put in the effort ( like any OS ), depending on the needs.

example: If you just need a desktop ( with no further restrictions ) do a default install of FC4, SUSE, or the like using the default workstation installation. If you need a server, IBID. If you want them a little more secured, you will have to do a custom install, and yes, you will, like any other OS, know what you are doing.

If your needs are specialized ( need certification of the OS as an example ) then the question(s) don't apply, they are not "typical" as such, although they may be in your environment.

Examples of what you meant as "typical" may have helped clarify the questions. And may have helped others in answering your questions.