David,
Let me say again, I prefer Debian over all server distributions. I prefer apt over all package management systems. I prefer Ubuntu for most (if not all) desktop environments (or debian). When setting up a Centos box I do add repositories for a wider variety of packages and newer versions. I Hate RHEL for any environment. I hate RHEL because, in comparison to Centos, Debian and Ubuntu, the RHEL community is crap. There is very little community support for RHEL while the community support for CentOS, Debian and Ubuntu is FAR superior. The RHEL repositories have fewer packages and the RHEL package versions make Centos look cutting edge. Ubuntu v.s. CentOS: With respect to servers, Ubuntu changes a bit with every alphanumeric animal creation; Ubuntu Server can be like a box of chocolates. Moving from one version to the next can be a pain. As I have said a few time on the list and in IRC, my main reason for choosing CentOS over Ubuntu for a "production" server environment is because a lot of developers design their software, code, web apps, etc... on RHEL/CentOS/Fedora and their apps have not been the easiest to port over to Ubuntu. Moving these kinds of apps over to Ubuntu server usually requires a bunch of linking and/or custom configurations. Porting to Debian is a bit easier. Debian's file system has been more traditionally organized over the years while Canonical has been known to move(or link) things to different places with each version. Centos is the same or better with each version while with Ubuntu server, you never know what you are going to get. Porting something written in CentOS over to Debian tends to be easier then from CentOS to Ubuntu. Ubuntu Server is getting better. Canonical seems to be honing in on what Ubuntu server will be like long term. Ubuntu server has come along way since 6.06 and Canonical is taking enterprise computing on better with each version. For a test server, a simple web server, or a low traffic server limited to a few customers or employees, Ubuntu server makes sense; it is easy to set up, fast, stable and preferable over CentOS. I say basic web servers because depending on what applications you decide to run and what platforms these applications are originally written for, you might get stuck porting these apps to Ubuntu server, where the only help by developers, if any, will be "this app is not test on Ubuntu". For 75 or more servers in a server room doing crucial tasks, requiring uptime, security updates, running apps written by different institutions or companies around the world, I find Centos to be a better choice over Ubuntu server. In the large scale environments, CentOS is easier to run and maintain IMO (over Ubuntu). I suspect that much of the hassle surrounding Ubuntu and CentOS is solved if everyone would just use Debian :-). In the math department we use Debian for servers, Ubuntu for Desktops and Window$ for coasters (or footstools). Chris... On Fri, Jun 4, 2010 at 10:30 AM, David Kaiser <dkai...@cdk.com> wrote: > Hi Chris, > > I'm well aware that there are repository and package management systems > for both the .rpm and .deb based distributions. I'm not trying to > start an apt vs. yum argument. In fact I'm not trying to start any > argument at all, I'm just looking for well-explained reasoning behind > distro recommendations. > > What I'm trying to do is find an answer to my question of why people > recommend CentOS over Ubuntu for a server distribution. > > If I were to setup a server, just to stand up a web application, (100% > LAMP stack type use) and I want to use Ubuntu server to host the "AMP" > part (Apache/PHP/MySQL)... why would anyone recommend not to use Ubuntu > Server for this? > > So far, I haven't seen anyone list any actual technical reasons. (Jeff > did mention KDE, but that's just from a desktop perspective and won't > affect a standard server install.) > > > DK > > On 6/4/2010, "Chris Thomas" <cwt...@yahoo.com> wrote: > >>Yes, RHEL/Centos comes with an old version of PHP. So what? There is an easy >>solution. You guys act like there is no repository system and you are stuck >>with >>what you initially have on the box. Add a repo. I suggest not adding any ole' >>repo., but the Zend repo. Install Zend Server and you will always have the >>latest version of PHP 5.3. >>http://files.zend.com/help/Zend-Server-5-Community-Edition/zend-server.htm#rpm_installation.htm >> . I know there are a lot of RHEL/Centos haters out there. Please do not >>start an apt vs. yum argument. >> >> >>Chris >> >> >> >> >>________________________________ >>From: Trevor Benedict <mre...@gmail.com> >>To: SoCal LUG Users List <linuxusers@socallinux.org> >>Sent: Fri, June 4, 2010 1:11:27 AM >>Subject: Re: [LinuxUsers] Trying to get focused on the PHP programming >>butneed help with the following >> >>One of my main beefs with binary server distro's is how out of date they are. >>CentOS 5.5, brand new: >> >>php 5.1.6 released: >>24 Aug 2006 >>mysql 5.0.7 released: 28 January 2009 >>apache 2.2.3 released: 28 July 2006 >> >>There is a point of being stable, and then there is just out... of... date... >> >>Shows current stable, and what comes with the distro. >>http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=centos >>http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=ubuntu >>http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=debian >> >>-- Trevor >> >> >> >> ) > _______________________________________________ > LinuxUsers mailing list > LinuxUsers@socallinux.org > http://socallinux.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/linuxusers > -- "As we open our newspapers or watch our television screens, we seem to be continually assaulted by the fruits of Mankind's stupidity." -Roger Penrose _______________________________________________ LinuxUsers mailing list LinuxUsers@socallinux.org http://socallinux.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/linuxusers
