Re: What *nix do you recommend for a laptop?

[The Mighty Buzzard]

If you're a massochist: gentoo, If you're never going to compile anything yourself: ubuntu, If you're scared of choices and shell prompts: OSX, Otherwise: slackware

[revdiablo]

I don't mean to pick apart your post, because as a 10,000 ft overview it's not too bad. But what about Ubuntu precludes compiling things?

[Argel]

It's not that you cannot compile stuff under Ubuntu -- it's that you compile everything under Gentoo.

[jflevi]

Ubuntu, without a doubt; installs in less than 1 hour, works right out the box.
Lots of specific apps.
A tremendous community to support you.

I gave up on Gentoo ... I had to get that box running. However, Gentoo has probably more power, good if you have the time to tinker - sorry, optimize :-). You can try Ubuntu with the live CD, does not install anything on your disk.

Have fun !!!

[revdiablo]

Compare:

If you're never going to compile anything yourself: ubuntu

To:

It's not that you cannot compile stuff under Ubuntu

I think you're expressing a vastly different sentiment than the post I was replying to.

[DrHyde]

You were doing really well until "If you're scared of choices and shell prompts: OSX". It's not a case of being scared of choice and the shell, it's a case of having better things to do than spend hours getting everything working and then more hours fixing it when it randomly breaks, which has been the case every time I tried Linux on a laptop. Although really, any OS not written by excitable children would probably work just as well. When Apple piss me off sufficiently, maybe I'll try FreeBSD on a laptop.