Debain or Gentoo? For best driver support

[dman7777777]

I want to get back into Lunix. A year ago I tried Gentoo 2007.0 but I had driver issues. I see now a newer version has yet to be released. So, I am thinking about Debain because it's my second favorite Linux and they just had a recent release in Dec. I prefer Gentoo though, but I don't want to pull out my hair trying to get the right drivers for my laptop. Am I better off with Debian?

 

[thedaver]

dman,
I would suggest that Ubuntu might be a nice test distro for you to check on supported drivers. It's Deb based.

As always, Fedora (now v 8 or 9) tends to dance on the bleeding edge, but it's RedHat heritage may annoy a Debian fan.

D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting

http://www.dermanagement.com/

 

[dman7777777]

naw, i don't want to use ubuntu... to me it's a weak version of debian. i much rather use debian that that. i don't know....i think gentoo is looseing it's support and that's why it's takeing longer for it's release.

 

[thedaver]

GEntoo doesn't come up very often on these boards.

Ubuntu is not "weak" in my opinion. It's the very same heritage as Debian, but considerable effort has been added to provide GUI and a security model that supports a n00b.

My thinking in recommending it was your concern about drivers.

Debian has historically been on the slower side of the curve in adopting new technologies/drivers. My opinion is that the Ubuntu project does a little more work in getting those drivers into the system earlier - and they update their distribution overall more often.

Therefore, Ubuntu in runlevel 3 with server packages installed is potentially an "improved Debian" server using different sources for packages.

I wouldn't dismiss Ubuntu Server without a little hands-on investigation.

Enjoy.

D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting

http://www.dermanagement.com/

 

[IRudebwoy]

What pieces of hardware were(are) you having issues with? I've been using gentoo since 2005.0 and it's works like a charm. The only issues I've run across is using the binary drivers for either an ATI or nVidia video card. I tend to sway toward ATI and the opensource drivers. Granted I run pretty common hardware and nothing too exotic.

I'm currently looking for a laptop. Maybe an HP Pavilion tx1000 and plan on putting gentoo (or opensuse 10.3) on it. I expect problems with the touchscreen, webcam, remote control, quick nav buttons and a whole lot more. I don't know if I wanna deal with that right now. Still looking tho'.

My problems with gentoo have been at my own hand. Luckily I've been able to repair my systems without starting over or losing data.

1) Not recompiling to toolchain with every major update to a component.
2) Emerging unstable ebuilds to my stable(ish) system and wondering why it won't work.
3) Not understanding the tools available in gentoo and portage to repair my system.

#emerge system

The reason I love gentoo is for the simple fact that it allows me to build my system my way. I have a choice over almost every aspect when building my system. The closest I've come to that kind of choice with an OS was building a BSD system. I like opensuse for canned systems but if I want to put some love into my system I choose gentoo.

 

[stefanwagner]

Here is a place which collects information of linux on laptops:

http://www.linux-on-laptops.com/

Maybe you find some experiences with your model.

To my understanding, hardwaresupport should be nearly the same, not depending on the distribution, beside the fact, that a newer kernel might support new hardware.

Distributions don't write their own drivers, do they?
And keep them secret?


don't visit my homepage:

http://home.arcor.de/hirnstrom/bewerbung

 

[thedaver]

Stefan, my only experience with driver variances has been what they might include as compiled into the kernel, available as a module, available as proprietary drivers. The stripped down distros tend to forgo making some capabilities available in the interest of savings disk/ram.

D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting

http://www.dermanagement.com/

 

[stefanwagner]

du -sh /lib/modules/2.6.15-29-686/
59M     /lib/modules/2.6.15-29-686/

About 60 MB - on my xubuntu-6.06.
Not too much to be saved.

ls -l -h /boot/ | grep 29 | grep 686
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 260K 2007-09-24 19:59 abi-2.6.15-29-686
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  69K 2007-09-24 19:23 config-2.6.15-29-686
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 5,6M 2007-12-18 16:55 initrd.img-2.6.15-29-686
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 720K 2007-09-24 19:59 System.map-2.6.15-29-686
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 1,5M 2007-09-24 19:59 vmlinuz-2.6.15-29-686

Not that big, too.

don't visit my homepage:

http://home.arcor.de/hirnstrom/bewerbung