What Linux distro are you using for your servers ?

13 pointsmhidalgo18 years ago44 comments

On HN

Just curious to see what the most popular linux os the ycombinator community is using to launch their sites.

robmnl 18y

Usually debian, security patches are regular. Cons: packages can be a bit old.

agranig 18y

Which might not be a problem for servers in most cases.

cperciva 18y

FreeBSD. (Ok, not a linux distribution, but it's an alternative to using a linux distribution.)

jsnx 18y

I would like to hear more about why you use it. I used to use FreeBSD for everything, but it's my understanding that the once significant differences in performance and stability between Linux and BSD no longer amount to anything. I switched to Gentoo (can not give up source builds!) two years ago.

rkts 18y

It typically has less to do with performance or stability than with ease of use. While Linux is piling on features, BSD focuses on clean design and quality of code and documentation. Linux is "do it now," BSD is "do it right."

jsnx 18y

I hate to press you on this point -- the wreckage of many a flame war has barely had time to grow moss -- but can you point to a specific feature? I assume you mean OS level features -- system calls and such.

rkts 18y

I don't understand your question. Do you mean you want an aspect of FreeBSD that's easier to use?

jsnx 18y

Sure.

rkts 18y

Hmm... well, BSD init is easier to use than SysV init. The ports system is also known for its simplicity. The source code is contained in a single CVS tree and the entire OS can be built with a few commands. The man pages and handbook are consistent and well written.

Much of the difference is subjective. FreeBSD feels coherently designed, whereas Linux is a patchwork of programs written by different people with different styles and philosophies.

I don't know a lot about Gentoo (most of my experience is with Debian and Slackware) but from what I understand, its purpose is to be as flexible as possible. That's a legitimate goal, but it seems to conflict with ease of use.

tx 18y

Ubuntu 6.06 LTS 64-bit. It is beyond me why so many people use non-LTS release of Ubuntu on their production servers.

bilbo 18y

What does LTS have to do with production? Unless you plan to leave your servers still for 7 years I don't see why you can't use the latest and greatest. It isn't as if LTS if the only one that gets patched, it just gets patched for the longest.

davidw 18y

To get up to date packages?

kirubakaran 18y

Debian Stable

RyanGWU82 18y

CentOS 4.4. (I'd upgrade to 5, but it's a huge pain on SliceHost at the moment.)

ivan 18y

Why is it pain?

gibsonf1 18y

Amazon EC2 Ubuntu 7.10 gutsy AMI built using code customized by Eric Hammond <ehammond@thinksome.com> For more information: http://ec2gutsy.notlong.com

ivankirigin 18y

Ubuntu 7.10 server

jmzachary 18y

Same here. Easy to admin and stable.

patrickg-zill 18y

Solaris whenever I can, CentOS5 otherwise. Solaris has excellent threading and some apps I run for customers therefore run better on Solaris.

eelinow 18y

Not linux.. FreeBSD

ojbyrne 18y

Debian

jbyers 18y

RHEL4, though the site's a few years old. Would do RHEL5 if it was today.