|
Reading an old article from DesdeLinux, I thought it could be interesting to share with you a list of what in my opinion are the the best distributions GNU / Linux «rolling release«.
Don't you know what a "rolling release" distro is? Pass and find out. |
What are "rolling release" distributions?
To understand a bit about what Rolling Release is about, let's take Ubuntu as an example (which obviously doesn't have this feature). Ubuntu has a new version release every 6 months. In that period of time, there is a marathon update of new packages for the later version, and therefore we can present three problems:
- We have to change the repositories every 6 months.
- Installing or updating on the version already installed can cause errors or present problems.
- Packages from the previous version are quickly becoming outdated.
That is why it is always recommended to do a clean installation, from scratch, although in general the most affected are users with versionitis syndrome.
This is precisely what rolling release distributions solve. Let's take Archlinux as an example. A user installs Archlinux for the first time and will not need to reinstall when a new version is released unless there is a very serious problem with the system. Once you install all the packages you need, as they are updated with new versions, you will only have to update them from the repositories, including the system packages such as the Kernel.
Advantages
- You will always have the most up-to-date software (which obviously implies that you will have more "polished" software, with fewer bugs, with more and better functionalities, etc.).
- It is not necessary to reinstall the system to have the new packages. This is especially useful on Linux since many distributions release new versions every 6 months (which is a very short time).
Disadvantages
- The system may be more unstable because, although you have the latest version of all packages, for that same reason they are the least tested versions (especially when interacting with others).
- If the distribution does not release updates followed by the installation .iso, you will have to update a greater number of packages at the end of the distro installation.
The best rolling release distributions
Pure rolling releases, as you see below, are basically derived from 2 distros: Arch and Gentoo.
Arch Linux, very recognized, with tremendous popularity and acceptance among its user community, it is possibly the one that updates its packages to the latest version the fastest.
Arch bang, based on Arch and with a visual style inspired by Crunchbang (another distro based on Debian and that is very light since it uses Openbox).
Parable, try to provide a completely free version of Arch Linux. This is one of the distros recommended by the Free Software Foundation (FSF).
Gentoo, a distro that is difficult to install and is slowly losing acceptance, why? Maybe it's a bit run down.
Sabayon Linux, is clear from Gentoo but with a slightly more pleasant atmosphere.
ForesightLinux, is a rPath-based distro (which has been discontinued). The Conary package management system only updates those specific files in packages that need to be updated, in contrast to other formats, such as RPM and Deb, which download entire packages.
The best "pseudo rolling release" distributions
The "pseudo-rolling release" distros are those that are based on a parent distribution that is not rolling release but that, after applying some changes, can appear that they are. In this section, they are almost all derived from Debian, using the Debian Testing repositories:
Linux Mint Debian Edition, better known as LMDE, is a distribution based on Debian Testing that has the visual aspect of Linux Mint (GNOME 2, MATE / Cinnamon or XFCE).
Aptoside, formerly known as sidux, is a distribution based on Debian Testing.
antiX, is a Linux distribution, fast, light and easy to install, based on Debian Testing and Mepis.
openSUSEIt is not by default a rolling release distribution but by using the Tumbleweed repositories instead of the default ones, it may seem so.
Source: Desde Linux & COM-SL & Elijah Brasa
The best rolling release distributions
How are you going to forget Debian «Testing»: '(And they don't mention it in the list ...?
Gentoo sloppy ?, I think the focus of the distro is not to be friendly with the user, but to provide all the tools to do what you want
Totally agree, portage is excellent.
Archlinux is the one that has adapted to my liking, although recently I struggled because it did not let me turn off the system, restart or being a super console user but it is the payment for having a distro of that style, but despite that I feel comfortable. You also lacked the debian sid, all that is there although hey will have total chaos hahaha with that version.
What about Manjaro?
Excellent article, it is very helpful!
Conary / Rpath isn't discontinued. Foresight isn't based on Rpath, only uses conary.
Latest conary was released 2 weeks ago
http://blogs.conary.com
please get the facts right.
Yes and No.
It's like carrying Debian sid.
But I prefer tumbleweed repos, they are more stable.
mmm weird your problem.
I have been using Arch + KDE for 1 year and without problems. Also used with Gnome 3 but I didn't like it.
Cinnamon is a beauty.
Also, I don't consider Debian sid a rolling rather an LTS.
Great article.
I have always liked the Rolling Releases.
1) File
2) OpenSuse (tumbleweed)
http://blogs.conary.com/index.php/conarynews -> Last conary update by rpath: June 4th. Distrowach and these distros don't get along.
As far as I know, aptosid is based on two branches Testing and Sid can be seen in the first paragraph of the aptosid manual (http://manual.aptosid.com/es/welcome-es.htm). And I've been with it for a year, you just have to follow the instructions and be careful in the dist-upgrade by visiting the aptosid alert Forums, they have you there and keep you informed of the problems you may encounter when upgrading. It has been very stable for me and with the programming almost up to date.
regards
Slackware ?!
Slackware?!, Slackware?!, Slackware?!, Slackware?!, Slackware?!, Slackware?!, Slackware ?!
I have to object about the instability, I have not suffered any major mishap because arch is rolling release, rather, thanks to arch now I only use linux, because I suffered from versionitis 2 years ago, jumping from distro to distro, version in version, thanks to arch I was able to establish myself as a "full" linux user, and the best thing, since I installed arch almost 2 years ago, I have not had to reinstall anything at all 😛 greetings!
That's what it says on the Distrowatch page that you recommended us to read so much.
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=rpath
You should warn them that it's wrong. 🙂
Cheers! Paul.
The one I use is PCLinuxOS
Chakra is only partially rolling… not quite. There is a certain core of packages that are not rolling.
On the English Wikipedia page they explain it well: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_release
Cheers! Paul.
openSUSE tumbleweed, of course. But openSUSE factory is also not rolling release?
I agree..OpenSUSE rocks! ; P
I installed antiX on my Asus EeePC not for being pseudo-rolling, but for its lightness (it is one of the few distros that can be installed on the 4GB of its solid unit); now, however, I am getting used to the convenience of not having to reinstall. As it is based on Debian, it is very comfortable for those of us who are used to Ubuntu.
I always wanted to have a distro like that. but one has to bank to have unstable soft.
It would be nice if each distro launches a "rolling repository", for example in Ubuntu / Mint, so that one that has a stable version can have some updated daily software. For example, having the browser out of date because we use an "LTS" (it happened to me when I use Ubuntu 8.04 LTS: D) does not make "sense" because it just becomes vulnerable and / or outdated. This is the case with other communications and / or office software, which would be nice to be updated, without "patching the sources.lst" with lines from third-party repositories and / or from the same distro but different version. I think what I say can be done with the existing repos, but to avoid compatibility conflicts it is better than this bank by the same distro;).
Yes I admit that I am reliable to update and / or install hahaha: D: D, but I always wanted to have a hybrid distro that takes the best of a Rolling Release and an LTS. Half complicated, right?
What you comment can be done with Gentoo since it allows mixing both stable and unstable packages by modifying the file package.keywords. In my case I prefer to use stable packages except when:
* I want to have the program up to date (at the moment I only do it with Firefox and QuiteRSS).
* The stable version is very old (as it happens with Metasploit, Wine and some other programs).
* There are no stable versions or the program is not even in the official tree (Skype and "Frets On Fire" respectively).
* The unstable version works better than the stable one (it is rare that something like this happens but it happened to me with MenuLibre; when I installed the stable version I couldn't open it but when I tried the unstable one it worked perfectly).
To check what i say here you can search for the programs mentioned above.
And to manage third-party repositories (in Gentoo they are called overlays) there is layman. Just type in a console "sudo layman -a repository_name" and then install any program from it as usual.
LMDE is the worst distribution I have ever tried. I came to it looking for a friendly rolling release and it has been a fiasco. Updates take a long time to arrive and when they do arrive they still contain many errors that render the graphical environment unusable.
Very interesting article, we are going to test a couple of these distros.
and what about chakra ??????
For me (being that I suffer from versionitis) there is nothing better than Archlinux, since being a programming novice I like to always have gcc and other libraries updated as well as configuring it to my liking and having only what I need and want.
Debian Testing is not rolling, it is half rolling, just like Chakra
It is true! I was missing Debian Testing !! 🙂
Where have they left chakra linux? which is among the 15 most popular distros
The problem I see for those of us who are just starting out is that these rolling need a lot of knowledge and for those of us who came and grew up with W $ it is somewhat complicated as in my case, I tried to install Arch and Sabanyon and it made a mess, and about LMDE it has a lot I failed, I stayed with LinuxMint 14 KDE although I also liked Pear Linux, ROSA and Fuduntu (for netbook) a lot.
Thank you for your sympathy. Apparently it's wrong on Wikipedia too: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foresight_Linux
Anyway, we already corrected the error.
Cheers! Paul.
IT IS NOT DISCONTINUED !!!!!!! I am a user of the distro and I have my updates and my support in the forum !!!
Hello? Debian-based Foresight ?????? If you put distributions at least inform yourself in distrowatch about them, it is based on rpatch linux and it is not pseudo rolling it is pure rolling.
More serious!
Thank you. Excellent data and excellent article, as usual 🙂
Forget ANTERGOS (the one I use on all my computers), based on Arch but with a very simple graphical installer in the style of Debian derivatives that I no longer want to remember. If you try it, you keep it, yes: To taste the colors!
very bad article, you don't know what you're saying. are little tested? As far as I know there is usually a stable, testing and unstable branch in the same distro, and on top of that you don't mention Manjaro. Antergos, Kaos ... NI PUTA IDEA !!