Meetings

Flavors of Linux

Richard Hinton

Tuesday, May 26, 7:00-9:00 pm
College of DuPage Room SRC-1024

Abstract

A comparison of two flavors of Linux, RedHat and SuSE, will be presented. Their strengths and weaknesses will be discussed.

Basically all versions of Linux use the same kernels, and in that sense they are identical. Each distributor likes to emphasize the great features of their particular product. RedHat for instance claims an easy way to update, install, and modify over a number of machines simultaneously. SuSE like to talk about their ability to adapt to almost any peripheral with so many drivers and such. Caldera tells us about their WABI, a Windows emulator for Linux. Debian is interested entirely in GNU and has directed their product that way. Each product has little differences depending upon your likes and dislikes.

Speaker Bio

Richard Hinton has been building or programming computers since 1985. He has programmed in higher level languages such as SAS and SPSS on a variety of PC's and mainframes operating systems such as MVS, CMS, NOS, Primos, VMS, and Unix. He got started with Linux while chatting with Craig Burley (developer of GNU Fortran) when he was in town several years ago. He belongs to three Linux/Unix user groups: UniForum Chicago, CLUG, and Luni (out of Argonne Laboratory).

Currently, he is a school psychologist and part-time statistical programmer at a local university who has used Windows, DOS, OS-2, DR DOS, Windows 95, and finally Linux in two of its flavors. He also works with graduate students in developing the statistical portions of their thesis and dissertation projects.

Getting to the meeting

The next meeting of UniForum Chicago will be from 7:00 pm to 9:00 PM on Tuesday, May 26, 1998 at the College of DuPage. The address of the meeting facility is:

        College of DuPage
        Building SRC, Rm 1024
        22nd and Lambert
        Glen Ellyn, IL 60137-6599

Take 355 to Butterfield Rd (Rt 56). Butterfield West to Lambert Rd. Lambert Rd North to first right after College Road. Park in lots 7 or 8 and walk to SRC building. Room 1024 is on the first floor of the SRC building, near the entrance.

All UniForum Chicago general meetings are open to the public free of charge.

Contact Michael Potter at (630) 960-0133 x615 for additional information.