[svlug] A Linux Vendor

[Andrew Wilcox]

On 22/02/2012 15:35, "Marc MERLIN" <marc_news at merlins.org> wrote:

>On Wed, Feb 22, 2012 at 12:26:22PM -0800, Norm Shapiro wrote:
>> I am in the market for a Linux based workstation, with Red Hat Linux
>> preinstalled. I've budgeted about $4000.00. Can anybody recommend a
>>vendor.
>
>The problem with RHEL is that they'll likely want money from you to send
>you
>updates.
>Fedora is free, but they do crazy stuff like systemd, which I'm not sure
>will fill you with joy (unless it just works and you can pretend it's not
>even there).

I haven't heard it called Red Hat Linux in quite a long time.  It's like
I'm back in 1998.  Anyway, Fedora has worked well on all the hardware I've
thrown at it, and I've thrown it some pretty strange things (like Marvell
wireless cards, yeugh).  It sings on my Intel i5, taking about 8 seconds
to boot up -- and I don't even have an SSD.

>In the end, I would recommend that you consider whatever the vendor has
>picked and recommends. If it's like VA Linux used to be, you'll probably
>be
>better off with that.
>
>As for vendors, sorry, I have no experience with any.

The whole fun of a new computer is specing the parts, assembling it
(though now its just screw-board-into-case, plug-psu-in-to-components, and
snap-connectors-in), installing the software, and then using your creation
for the next ten years while proudly exclaiming "I built that!"  For a
budget of 4,000$, you can easily get a 32- or even 48-core (64 depending
on what mobo vendor you go with and what clock speed you need) box with
ALL the memory, so long as you build it yourself.

With very little exception, anything that RHEL will run on, Fedora will
run on, so check the RHEL Web site at:
http://www.redhat.com/rhel/compatibility/hardware/ for compatible hardware.

If you have a more specific question, like "Will a SuperMicro XYZ board
with 8 Xeon E3-1220s work with RHEL?", we can probably help you find out
(or find a distro that it will work on).

Good luck in your hunt!


--Andrew