On Thu, 2004-12-16 at 13:11 -0800, C.M. Connelly wrote:

"JGG" == Jesús García González jesus@ceinpet.cupet.cu "JRW" == Jacob Robert Wilkins jrw@nplus1.net

JGG> What are the disadvantages (if any) of using CentOS as a
JGG> desktop (as it is seen more like a server oriented distro
JGG> being a clone of RHEL)

JRW> It makes a decent desktop.  Make sure you add in Dag's
JRW> repository,

Hmm. We run CentOS 3 as a desktop OS here in a couple of labs and on faculty labs with no real complaints. I do have a bunch of additional packages that I build and install, but most of those are TeX related (newer teTeX from Fedora, gv, AUC-TeX, kile, etc.).

Now, *I* build and run Garnome on my workstation, but most users are reasonably happy with the standard interface. I do also give them XMMS, but only faculty have disk space available for music files (and there aren't any encoders). And we have a newer Mozilla, Firefox, Acrobat Reader, and so forth, as well as MATLAB, Maple, and other math software.

It definitely works for us.

Claire

I don't want to discourage one from using Centos for a workstation, but you may want to at least run dual/triple/quad boot and drive a distro(s) geared for the workstation/desktop as well. If your objective is to just run a work station and are not looking for all the toys, than Centos is for you. If you want to live on the edge, have all the latest and greatest, than leave 10-15 gig on the drive for the latest Fedora release. I personally prefer to live on the edge on my two machines I do most of my work on, it seems to minimize my learning curve going forward, and also helps the community in general, but that is me, and you are you.

Ted