Jonathan Hutchins wrote:
I mean to try Debian, but am reluctant to rely on source code packages without a package manangement system. It's not clear to me that you can do a complete debian install and stay within the apt system. Can you?
I think you criss-crossed Slackware with Debian.
Debian has a full package management system with a full installer that will even auto probe hardware and partion for you. It also installs some binary kernels stuff for you and configures X. (This is the new installer I'm talking about.) The Debian package management system (apt) is the one to which all others are compared.
Slackware has a small package management system that uses simple tar.gz files. I have never run Slackware; in our LUG, atleast Wade Wassenburg does.
Debian has my vote for the best reliable to flexible ratio in a distribution -- but not the prettiest.
The other-mentioned SuSE Enterprise Linux Server 9 has some wonderful GUI tools and it has 5 years of upgrade protection but its plagued by the standard released-based restrictions. We're trying to run terminal servers off of it and are faced with the prospect of building and maintaining RPM's in the long term ourselves. (Not fun.)