Another Big Purge
I decided on another big purge.
My purges are grounded in simplifying my life and reducing maintenance.
Except this time the purge is not as big.
I was using Ubuntu MATE on my laptop and my VLAN-isolated HP refurb. I use Ubuntu MATE on the latter as a host operating system to Windows 7 and 10, accessing both Windows systems as virtual machines using raw disk access.
After a reasonable run with Xubuntu and Ubuntu MATE, I decided Ubuntu has too many paper cuts. I focused on finding a new desktop operating system.
I tested Salix Xfce 14.2. There are several quirks I do not prefer. They are nuisances only. Being derived from Slackware I found work-arounds and solutions for most of the quirks, but for now I did not want to bother. Salix is a distro with potential, but my lack of patience is just that — mine. I plan to again visit Salix if a MATE version appears.
After updating all systems in the house with Slackware 14.2 64-bit, I wiped both Salix and Ubuntu MATE from my primary systems. That included my laptop and virtual machines for testing. I had an Ubuntu MATE partition on my office desktop that I had not used since September. That was moved into the bit bucket too.
That left Ubuntu MATE on the seldom used HP refurb. I pondered a bit with what to replace Ubuntu MATE. There were three options: Slackware 14.2, CentOS 7, or let sleeping dogs lie.
I use CentOS 7 at work, although that usage is limited to LXC containers. Thus my feeble reasoning with using that distro. Using CentOS 7 at home could help with work skills.
I contemplated installing CentOS 7 on the laptop. I use the laptop at home and work. Having access at home to an operating system that is compatible with the work environment makes some sense. I could have that access with only the HP refurb, but installing on the laptop made more sense.
While the cobwebs tend to grow fast inside my mind, I had used CentOS 7 with MATE. That was one of the systems I purged in my previous big purge. Despite the growing cobwebs, I should be able to install the system and configure to my liking.
Using CentOS 7 means again using a systemd operating system. Something I prefer to avoid at home. I suppose life always has some inconveniences. Not to forget that CentOS 7 has its own quirks requiring work-arounds.
Did I want to go down this road? What I do at work is not a requirement for what I do at home with my computers.
I do not want to dual boot. I do not want to use CentOS as my primary operating system on any computer. My primary operating system on the laptop will remain Slackware.
Because one of the laptops at work uses Ubuntu Unity, I decided to keep Ubuntu MATE on the refurb. I seldom use the system but having quick access to an Ubuntu system helps with debugging and troubleshooting. Soon after deciding this, one of my co-workers had an issue with the laptop and we resolved the problem by having this availability.
I decided to have one CentOS 7 system, but not on the laptop or office desktop.
I would use CentOS 7 in a virtual machine for a specific project.
Posted: Category: Usability Tagged: CentOS, Salix, Slackware, Ubuntu
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