Re: [expert] Mandrake as a Server?

[Mark Berry]

The problem is that there is that Mandrake is really optimized for '586+ Computers'.    When you put linux on something like a Alpha, all of the code needs to be recompiled on an Alpha. I don't know of any cross-cpu support for Mandrake, but I could be wrong.   I have used Redhat and Mandrake for a while now, I do use Redhat on our production server because its more of a name.. than anything.  (Our CTO has not heard the buz-wuzz anything about Mandrake in the press, therefore he feels we need to stick with a name brand such as Redhat.)   BUT, I -have- used Mandrake as a server here and it is just as compitant as Redhat.  In some cases I feel that the performance is better because all the binaries under the hood have been built on a 586cpu. There should be no reason, other than political, to use Mandrake on a server.   Linux == Linux ...   Mandrake/Redhat/Suse/etc all uses the same Kernel tree. :)  Don't feel just because one claims to be great as a desktop machine.. comming pre-configured..etc, it doesn't work as a server. (Though, I feel that some distros are more convinient as a desktop because of the packaged software..   ) Mandrake does a great job on keeping up with what is the latest-and-greatest on the desktop. The only thing that has frustrated me, I have not seen Netscape 4.7 on the update mirrors..   (COMMON GUYS.. RedHat has it! :) With exception of Netscape, I believe that Mandrake is the most responsive in desktop support.  They have a great update utility for 'Newbiew' to easily update there system... etc.   One more quick note:  On any -serious- production server, I have not seen to this point a distro that does a GREAT job of setting up everything, for the most part I always find myself cleaning out the component spacific RPMS and reinstalling with Tarballs to make sure I know what is going into the system..  (I primarily use Apache/PHP/MySQL/etc..).  When it comes down to that path, hell..  Even FreeBSD is about the same process.   Cheers!   .mark   Mark Holloway wrote: Ok, this is going to sound lame, but since I was using OpenVMS for a while I'm not totally up on Linux..so if someone could fill me in that would be great.. I installed Mandrake on my PII/300 and it works great.  On the Mandrake home page it says the Mandrake distro is the most "user friendly" Linux and is a great workstation.  However, if this is Red Hat under the hood then why can't Mandrake be pushed for a server as well?  Installing Apache, QPopper, or whatever else isn't hard and I think Mandrake would make an ideal box in that repect...any thoughts?  If Mandrake was on Alpha that would be even better..as the new Compaq Alpha machines are screaming fast!  The SpecFPU on a 21264/600mhz Alpha is triple a Pentium III.  You can get a Compaq Alpha 21264/2MB Cache SCSI server running Linux for less than $4k.  Throw Mandrake on their and you'd have a super-fast server! Mark