[ale] Debian 3.0 as a server platform?

[Jim Popovitch]

On Wed, 2005-06-01 at 23:06 -0500, ChangingLINKS.com wrote:
> On Wednesday June 01 2005 19:41, Jim Popovitch wrote:
> > Debian stable as a server is tops-down the best (and most
> > widely supported) choice,
> >
> > -Jim P.
> 
> Really? "Most widely" supported?

Based on timeliness of security bug/patch fixes that are tested and
released.

> Tops-down "the best" including FreeBSD and other distros?
>
> Why?

Based on hardware platforms supported.  I don't keep track of all the
Debian hardware support, but it currently includes at least: i486 ia64
PowerPC ARM MIPS and Sparc.  For true stability I would choose CP/M, but
that introduces other issues. ;-)

> I'm not attacking, it's just that I have never heard anyone make those claims, 
> and would like to know more. Where can I go get the "support?"

Debian support comes in multiple ways.  Email support is available
through no less than 50+ mailing lists.  Look under "Support" here:
http://www.debian.org/sitemap

> (Are you speaking along the lines of sticking with "stable"?)

Yes, from a server only usage.

> For those "Debian Defenders" out there, it would be positive if they could 
> point out features Debian has that CAN'T be found with other distros.

1) Flexibility.  I can use my own kernel without any problems.  Using
dselect I have access to more packages, and auto installation (including
dependencies), than I would have with having to hunt and find an rpm,
then download it and hope there is no dependencies.  2) Package
"--purge" option which removes EVERYTHING ever installed by a package,
thereby making installing and un-installing nice and painless
(no .rpmsave, .rpmnew, .rpmwashere, etc files).

> Also, I don't know where to get the information, but it would. also be good if 
> the Debian Defenders could list case studies of organizations using Debian.

That's the problem with Debian, it is not really recognized as a
commercial distro, so most companies shy away from it.  However, Debian
is a very very very well structured entity and does have excellent legal
and technical representation.

-Jim P.