Not Sure what Type of Linux Distribution to get

Post » Wed Aug 25, 2010 5:54 pm

I plan on installing one of Linux's distributions but I don't know which one to get. I want to get one that specializes in programming with computer languages. Is there a specific Linux distribution that specializes in programming with computer languages or are they all good for that?
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Lawrence Armijo
 
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Post » Thu Aug 26, 2010 2:31 am

Really there is no distro that is more programming friendly than other distros. However, if you're really into programming (and a bit masochist) you could give Gentoo a go. You'll be seeing the CLI in a whole new light. :P

But really, no distro is better than any other in terms of programming ability, in my experience. Find one that you like - you could start with Debian, perhaps.
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Dagan Wilkin
 
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Post » Thu Aug 26, 2010 1:04 am

The only thing that really distinguishes distros as far as programming is concerned would be what IDEs, compilers, and libraries available in the repos (and what version for those packages). If you don't want to build the packages for your favorite program yourself, just make sure it's in the repo/is readily installable.

That said: AVOID GNOME 3 LIKE THE PLAGUE IF YOU WANT TO GET WORK DONE. (Note: I am not attacking GNOME outright here. If you want GNOME, stick with 2.3x until the GNOME foundation allows you to do multiple things at once without twisting your wrist)
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Chris Guerin
 
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Post » Thu Aug 26, 2010 3:39 am

Arch might be a good option. Takes work to get it set up, but that does teach you about how everything fits together, and makes the system relatively lightweight (because the only things that get installed are the things you choose to install). Main reasons, though, are that it has a lot of software in its repositories, they avoid tweaking their packages, and being rolling-release means that you can stay completely up to date without having to do re-installs every X months.
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Esther Fernandez
 
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Post » Wed Aug 25, 2010 11:17 pm

Another vote for Arch here. Although programming-wise there's little difference between distributions, Arch gives you a really clean, minimal core and allows you to set up the rest however you like, while still having huge amounts of software in its repositories. I've switched from Ubuntu to Arch a few months ago and have nothing but praise for it.

Also, DEFRON is right about Gnome 3. For all its prettiness, the usability is horrible.
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Emily Graham
 
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