[mythtv-users] Backend OS - opinions on Archlinux

tortise tortise at paradise.net.nz
Thu Jan 10 05:04:07 UTC 2013


On 10/01/2013 5:23 p.m., Nick Rout wrote:
>
>
> On Thu, Jan 10, 2013 at 5:12 PM, tortise <tortise at paradise.net.nz
> <mailto:tortise at paradise.net.nz>> wrote:
>
>     On 10/01/2013 4:58 p.m., Nick Rout wrote:
>
>         OK well having read this thread again, and noting the input of
>         several
>         frequent and respected posters, I am no closer to a decision :(
>
>         Whatever OS I choose I'll be getting a SSD for the OS (including
>         mysql
>         databases) and changing OSes will be simpler without any media
>         at all on
>         the SSD. My current system has a 750G drive as / and it has a
>         number of
>         movies and all my music on it. That disk will be freed up in this
>         process and become a data only disk.
>
>         The SSD will also mean I can keep the existing system as reserve
>         in the
>         meantime - I may even see if I can move the data off it, shrink
>         it down
>         to size and make a new data partition.
>
>
>     Thanks to the posters the choice seems simple enough:
>
>     Either you do updates every 2 or so years when you choose (mythbuntu)
>
>     or you do updates when arch linux chooses for you.
>
>     I prefer the former.
>
>
> So you never update your packages in ubuntu? What about security updates?
>
> arch will only update when you ask it to, like ubuntu. The difference
> seems to be that ubuntu keeps pretty much the same version of a package
> for the lifetime of that ubuntu release. Therefore you are unlikely to
> face config changes (unless the security issue is in ubuntu's config file)
>
>
> arch will take you to new versions of, eg, apache, and that's where your
> config might change significantly. But you won't need to face a major
> "strip the hard drive and reinstall afresh" that comes with ubuntu.
>
> still a tricky choice for me...
>

Sorry Nick for being ambiguous, sure I frequently do the (minor) 
mythbuntu updates, (and nvidia and vlc where one can) they've not been a 
problem for a very long time.  If there's a reboot likely (e.g. new 
kernal) then I'll do that when it suits me (read everyone else in the 
house!)

I thought we were talking about major upgrades from LTS to the next LTS, 
I agree its a shame 10.04 does not support the more recent mythtv 
versions however I understand there are significant architecture issues 
which are beyond me, so I'll have to upgrade, but I can do it when I 
want to in the next few months, whereas I understand arch might not be 
so patient in allowing me to choose when that might be.

I suppose if one copied the HDD (OS/DB partition that is) before 
upgrading Arch then if it fell to custard then rolling back (swapping 
the drive - or partition?) might work as an interim measure for some 
WAF....and would then avoid the mythbuntu LTS upgrades.  Most of us 
probably do this (given many of us run "WAF production environments") 
with a new OS install of *buntu also? I will anyway.  From the posts I 
get the feeling this will be more often than every two years where a 
bundle of time might be demanded to jigger things....  I expect your 
matrimonials may not be generous with sharing your time when custard is 
served up...

FWIW I think its a good question you ask.  Was there any special reason 
you did not ask about Gentoo as a third option?


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