[OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] Straw poll: preferred Linux distributions for VMWare images?

[Dan Scott]

Hello:

I have built a VMWare image of Evergreen based on Gentoo Linux that's
currently in testing with a few people to ensure that all is well in
the base image (as documented at
http://open-ils.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=installing_prerequisites_on_gentoo)

I know someone else (Paul) is working on an Ubuntu (6.06 Dapper
Drake)-based VMWare image.

Assuming that I or other people find the time to work on some more
VMWare images and flesh out install documentation, what Linux
distributions would you be most interested in having install
documentation for and access to VMWare images?

I've created a quick list of likely distributions below. I've pointed
to the latest stable  (or soon to be stable) versions because
Evergreen has some pretty leading edge requirements. I left commercial
distributions off the list because we probably wouldn't be able to
redistribute the images, and I for one don't have access to the
commercial distros. I've also left off non-Linux operating systems
because reports from Solaris and *BSD so far suggest that's more of a
porting effort for Evergreen than simply an install.

Feel free to recommend other distros if you have a preference.

* CentOS 5 (server distribution built from the source RPMs for Red Hat
Enterprise Linux 5, minus any copyrighted images or text)
* Debian 4.0 "Etch" (latest stable release of Debian, same distro used
by GPLS PINES)
* Fedora Core 7 (community distro sponsored by Red Hat that eventually
feeds into RHEL, FC 6 seems to be used by a number of people on the
list, but FC 7 is due at the end of May)
* Ubuntu 7.04 "Feisty" (final release due any day now, almost a year
newer than 6.06 Dapper)
* OpenSUSE 10.2 (community distribution by Novell that eventually
feeds into SUSE Linux Enterprise Server)

Note that I *don't* want this to turn into a distro vs. distro
flamewar, I just think getting a quick poll of your preferred Linux
distributions for a VMWare image would be helpful in prioritizing some
volunteer work. Of course, volunteer work means that even if 200
people voted for a particular distro, if we don't have the required
skills or interest in that distro then there's still no guarantee that
anyone will put in the effort towards that distro. :)

Dan Scott
Laurentian University