Mark Hahn wrote:
[...]
but I ask again: what are the reasons one might prefer using debian?
really, I'm not criticizing it - I really would like to know why it
would matter whether someone (such as ClusterVisionOS (tm)) would use
debian or another distro.
Hello, Mark.
I've been on a well trodden path from trying out the 'free' version of
Scyld under RH6.2, then using openMosix under all versions of RH up to
RH9, Fedora up to core2, then Debian Sarge and now Ubuntu 6.06.1 LTS
with an upgrade to 8.04.1 LTS imminent.
As I see it, this has been a developmental journey and also a learning
experiencefor me. As others on this thread have admitted, I'm not blind
to the ideological objectives of Debian. However, I'm now using a very
good commerically supported version of Linux with the what is widely
acknowledged to be the largest user and developer community.
It's my own experience of trying to do my work under RH/Fedora that's
put me off these distro's and I see a BIG divide between 'real' HPC
communities using BIG iron, and small Beowulf clusters like mine. I've
got to admit that Tim Cutts did influence my decision to try out Debian
(thanks, Tim!). I also use the (UK) NERC's Bio-Linux binary deb's and I
was also influenced by their decision to change from RH to Debian for
Bio-Linux. I can see that other communities use RH for similar reasons,
though I should mention that our Beowulf spends a lot of time running
quantum chemistry simulations (GAMESS etc.).
I've pout up an Ubuntu blue-print for 'biobuntu', which consolidates the
work I'm doing on several projects:
https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/biobuntu
I am, of course, familiar with 'other' Biolinuxen and rpm repositories
of bioinformatics software:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BioLinux
Having tried out many of these alternatives, I remain convinced that
NEBC's Bio-Linux is most appropriate for my work. In particular, the
level of support in the form of documentation and training courses
provided by NEBC is very good. This means I don't have to reinvent the
wheel - Always a good point for any Beowulf-related activity :-)
Tony.
--
Dr. A.J.Travis, | mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Rowett Research Institute, | http://www.rri.sari.ac.uk/~ajt
Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, | phone:+44 (0)1224 712751
Aberdeen AB21 9SB, Scotland, UK. | fax:+44 (0)1224 716687
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