[TriLUG] Server: Debian or Mandrake?

[Michael Alan Dorman]

"Tarus Balog" <tarus at sortova.com> writes:
> Suggestions?

Either system can perform the functions you want.

At the same time, one of the things that has disappointed me with the
RedHat systems I am maintaining---and which may or may not apply to
Mandrake, I admit---is how hard it seems to be able to keep them up to
date, and the uncertainty about whether upgrades across major versions
are advisable.

When I consider that I have production Debian systems whose installs
are nearly four years old yet are running the latest stable release
(even on Debian's often glacial release schedule, that's two major
version upgrades done remotely).  I have an old Digital Multia that I
would expect (if I turned it on for the first time in five years) to
be able to upgrade to the latest release without any problem.

I suppose I would also worry about this given Mandrake's financial
instability; I would worry about having to re-do everything some time
down the road---but then I may just have a different perspective, as I
maintain a lot of machines at remote sites that have to stay secure
and up-to-date with as little effort and console interaction as
possible.

Mike
-- 
They say Confucious does his crossword with a pen -- Tori Amos