desktop linux distribution { showdown } · history: slackware sponsor: novell package mgr: yast,...

{ Showdown }Desktop Linux Distribution

Jeff Osier-Mixon twitter @jefro.net

David Bailey

David Ball

Leffe60

*_* on Flickr

Arne List

Desktop Distribution Showcase

• Year of the Linux Desktop• A Look at Popular Desktop Distros• Ultra distro showdown challenge:

Comparing Three Popular Distros• Conclusion

Is 2008 the Year of the Linux Desktop? -- Joe Brockmeier, Nov 15, 2007

This is the Year of the Linux Desktop Breakout -- Jim Zemlin, Aug 28, 2008

2001: Year of the Linux Desktop? -- Maureen O’Gara, Jan 1, 2000

Linux breaks desktop barrier in 2004: Torvalds -- ComputerWorld, Jan 15, 2004

2006: The Year of the Linux Desktop? -- rogere, Mar 22, 2006

2000 Was the "Year of the GNU/Linux Desktop" for Me-- Terry Hancock, May 30, 2006

Whither YOLD?

Linux is:• friendly• works on tons of hardware• easy to install• comes with a ton of apps• FREE

Is the challenge gone?

http://www.sff.net/people/lucy-snyder

The Truth

• Desktop Linux is awesome, but it isn’t compellingly better for most users than popular proprietary operating systems

• Enterprise app lock-in wins• App (esp. office) interoperability wins• Marketing machines & product wins win• Free scares people• It doesn’t matter – WE love it

Semi-Embedded & “Tiny” Distros

• Puppy Linux• Angstrom• ArchOS• Poky• Ubuntu Mobile, Ubuntu Netbook Remix• Also, mobile platforms:

MeeGo, Android, OpenMoko(Maemo, Moblin,

A look at popular Linux desktop distributions

Jrod2@wc

What is Desktop Linux?

Nearly all come from:• Debian• Slackware• Red Hat

to a lesser extent:

• Gentoo• … DIYInfo thanks to distrowatch.com and http://futurist.se/gldt/

http://futurist.se/gldt/

Distribution Family Tree

Most Popular Desktop Distros

History: DebianSponsor: CanonicalPackage Mgr:

Apt / .debCurrent Vn: 10.04Est. Users: 12M+*

History: Red HatSponsor: Red HatPackage Mgr:

Yum / .rpmCurrent Vn: 13Est. Users:

“many millions”*

History: SlackwareSponsor: NovellPackage Mgr:

Yast, Zypp / .rpmCurrent Vn: 11.3Est. Users: 3M+*

*Chris Kenyon, Canonical VP, 4/10 * fedoraproject.org/wiki/Statistics * opensuse.org/openSUSE:Statistics

Just How Friendly Is Linux?

Philip Kromer

Showdown Rules

• Current publicly-available version:– Ubuntu 10.04– Fedora 13– OpenSUSE 11.3

• Judged on clock time (where appropriate), ease of use, and aesthetics

• Values converted to an overall rating• All judging done by me, except #7

Showdown Configuration

• Performed inside VirtualBox VM on host:– dual-core Pentium D 3.5GHz– 2GB RAM– Ubuntu 8.10 (Linux 2.6.27)

• VirtualBox VM:– 1GB RAM, 8MB VRAM– 20GB HDD– ACPI off, audio off, networking on

Showdown Outline

0. installation1. “time to live” – startup time, power-on to usable desktop 2. installing applications from repository or from download3. system configuration tools4. online help5. setting up new hardware (Epson scanner)6. setting up network services (Wi-Fi, Samba, NFS)7. one live activity at audience's request

#0: Installation

• Install from downloaded .iso imageinto virtual machine

• Begins with initial boot• Setup includes configuration steps,

partitioning & formatting, etc.• Install includes all steps up to restart• Post-install includes anything done after

subsequent boot & login

#0: Installation: Ubuntu

setup: 4minstall: 15m post-install: 2m

#0: Installation: Fedora

setup: 3m install: 18m post-install: 3m

#0: Installation: openSUSE

setup: 3m install: 20m post-install: 1m

#0: Installation: Results

Ubuntu 10.04

Clock time: 9/10setup: 4minstall: 15m post-install: 2m

Ease of use: 8/10Aesthetics: 7/10Notes: marketing,

downloads

Fedora 13

Clock time: 8/10setup: 3m install: 18m post-install: 3m

Ease of use: 8/10Aesthetics: 8/10Notes: solid & basic

openSUSE 11.3

Clock time: 7/10setup: 3m install: 20m post-install: 3m

Ease of use: 8/10Aesthetics: 9/10Notes: love the one-

screen approach

Score: 24/30 Score: 24/30 Score: 23/30

#1: Time to Live

• After installation & post-install• Boot-to-Login starts with power-on & BIOS

message, ends with login window• Does not include time typing password• Login-to-Desktop starts when password is

entered, ends with desktop available & mouse responsive, no hourglass icon

#1: Time to Live: Ubuntu

boot-to-login: 46s login-desktop: 15s

#1: Time to Live: Fedora


#1: Time to Live: openSUSE


#1: Time to Live: Results

Ubuntu 10.04

Clock time: 9/10boot-to-login: 46s

login-desktop: 15sEase of use: 9/10Aesthetics: 9/10Notes: simple login,

animated loading

Fedora 13

Clock time: 8/1049s boot-to-login18s login-desktop

Ease of use: 9/10Aesthetics: 9/10Notes: simple login,

animated loading

openSUSE 11.3

Clock time: 9/1042s boot-to-login21s login-desktop

Ease of use: 9/10Aesthetics: 9/10Notes: simple login,

animated loading


#2: Installing Applications

• Application: TwitUX (twitter client)• Location: official repository• Process: locate using graphical tools,

click install button• Find time measured from clicking package

manager to clicking install button• Install time measured from install button

to application readiness

#2: Installing Applications: Ubuntu

find time: 30sinstall time: 50s

#2: Installing Applications: Fedora


#2: Installing Applications: openSUSE


#2: Installing Applications: Results

Ubuntu 10.04

Clock time: 9/10find time: 30sinstall time: 50s

Ease of use: 9/10Aesthetics: 8/10Notes: rock simple if

I know what I’m looking for

Fedora 13

Clock time: 8/10 find time: 30sinstall time: 72s

Ease of use: 10/10Aesthetics: 8/10Notes: also ran it at

the end, nice touch

openSUSE 11.3

Clock time: 6/10 find time: 120sinstall time: 55s

Ease of use: 7/10Aesthetics: 7/10Notes: had to

convince it not to update everything


#3: System Configuration Tools

• Activity: install a network printer• Printer: HP LJ1100 on machine “pleiades”• Process: find printer admin tool, install

printer, print test page• Clock time: measured from first clicking

admin tool to test page queued

#3: System Configuration: Ubuntu

clock time: 4m

#3: System Configuration: Fedora

Clock time: 3m

#3: System Configuration: openSUSE

clock time: 3m

#3: System Configuration Tools: Results

Ubuntu 10.04

Clock time: 4m=7/10Ease of use: 8/10Aesthetics: 7/10Notes: long driver

search, too many driver options

Fedora 13

Clock time: 3m=8/10Ease of use: 6/10Aesthetics: 6/10Notes: asked for

root password 4 times, confusing & had to use IP address

openSUSE 11.3

Clock time: 3m=8/10Ease of use: 7/10Aesthetics: 6/10Notes: asked for

root password 3 times, confusing


#4: Online Help

• Search three types of help:– Included system help– Official web-based documentation– Community help

• Search online using the phrase distro help install network printer

• Rate by search time, helpfulness, aesthetics

#4: Online Help: Ubuntu

system help: 40sofficial docs: 50s, ancientcommunity: 99s

#4: Online Help: Fedora

system help: 40sofficial docs: 50scommunity: 99s

#4: Online Help: openSUSE

system help: 40sofficial docs: 50scommunity: 99s

#4: Online Help: Results

Ubuntu 10.04System Help: 24/30

Clock time: 6s=10/10Helpfulness: 9/10Aesthetics: 9/10

Official Docs: 19/30Clock time: 21s = 9/10Helpfulness: 4/10Aesthetics: 6/10

Community Help: 23/30Clock time: 40s=8/10Helpfulness: 7/10Aesthetics: 8/10

Fedora 13System Help: 15/30


Official Docs: 27/30Clock time: 23s=9/10Helpfulness: 9/10Aesthetics: 9/10


openSUSE 11.3System Help: 15/30


Official Docs: 27/30Clock time: 23s=9/10Helpfulness: 9/10Aesthetics: 9/10


Score: 66/90> 22/30 Score: 63/90> 21/30 Score: 63/90> 21/30

#5: Setting Up New Hardware

• Activity: install & use 4 year old scanner – Epson Perfection 3170 via USB

• Install xsane if required• Decline proprietary drivers• Setup time: software, driver• Scan time: launch software, preview, scan

#5: New Hardware: Ubuntu

setup time: 40sscan time: 0s

#5: New Hardware: Fedora


#5: New Hardware: openSUSE


#5: Setting Up New Hardware: Results

Ubuntu 10.04

Clock time: 4/10setup time: 6mscan time: N/A

Ease of use: 2/10Aesthetics: 1/10Notes: xsane in

repository, no driver offered

Fedora 13


Ease of use: 3/10Aesthetics: 1/10Notes: xsane easy

install, no driver offered

openSUSE 11.3


Ease of use: 5/10Aesthetics: 3/10Notes: xsane

already installed, proprietary driver required


#6: Setting Up Network Services

• Activate network services:– Wired ethernet– Wireless ethernet

(NOTE: used live CD on Thinkpad T43 laptop)– Samba file sharing

• Rated by setup time for each, ease of use, and aesthetics for setup process

#6: Network Services: Ubuntu

wired: 0swi-fi: 0sSamba: 2m

#6: Network Services: Fedora

wired: 0swi-fi: 0sSamba: 5m+

#6: Network Services: openSUSE

wired: 0swi-fi: 0sSamba: 2m

#6: Setting Up Network Services

Ubuntu 10.04

Clock time: 9/10wired: 0swi-fi: 0ssamba: 2m

Ease of use: 8/10Aesthetics: 9/10Notes: nice - prompt

to install samba, can’t without net

Fedora 13

Clock time: 6/10wired: 0swi-fi: 0ssamba: N/A

Ease of use: 6/10Aesthetics: 5/10Notes:

openSUSE 11.3

Clock time: 9/10wired: 0swi-fi: 0ssamba: 2m

Ease of use: 9/10Aesthetics: 10/10Notes: wow, many

network config options available


Yann Richard

#0: installation 24 24 23

#1: time to live 27 26 27

#2: installing applications 26 26 20

#3: system configuration 22 20 21

#4: online help 22 21 21

#5: new hardware 9 9 15

#6: network services 26 17 28

TOTAL SCORE 156 144 155

anyjazz65@Flickr

Jeffrey Osier-Mixon408 MR OSIER

[email protected]

http://www.jefro.net

Thank You!

desktop linux distribution { showdown } · history: slackware sponsor: novell package mgr: yast,...

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