I agree with using a supported platform as stated in many comments throughout this post. Since you're not running a server farm, you're not going to really benefit from the use of apt-get for updates.
With SUSE, you can run YaST remotely from a terminal window and perform your on-line updates. You can choose from doing them manually or automatically.
Also, considering IBM put $50 million in the Novell purchase of SUSE, it may even be the safest bet for a supported platform
Mainly,
When I not in front of a computer, I read Fortune and This Old House. I used to subscribe to Wired, but realized that it sucked. I typically don't read technical magazines, I get all the technical info I could ever want while working. For any tech related articles, I usually refer to the websites slashdot.org, washingtonpost.com and osnews.com. With the explosion of the web, there's a ton of great articles out there without ever subscribing.
Being an app developer, I typically live by the rule, leave work at work. Somedays, I may get in 10-12 hours, but still I don't take it home with me.
"The fact that Computer Science is a MATHEMATICAL SCIENCE seems to elude most people who'd rather worry about how good of programmers they are than about knowing how the hell things work."
I must agree with the above statement. It takes good logic skills to program effectively. Pretty much the stuff you learn in HS Algebra and Algebra II. Programming is about taking a problem, and providing the solution. You know what the end result should be, you just need to get there.
In my various years, I've seen two types of programmers, 1) those that know and 2) those that understand. Those that can, do; those that can't, do helpdesk.
You gain knowledge from the classroom, pretty much the basics. You learn how things work, and most of all, how to manipulate code, rather than developing your own solution.
Understanding comes beyond the classroom. Hundreds of hours of reading articles, books, and then applying what you learned.
Slashdot Mirror
I agree with using a supported platform as stated in many comments throughout this post. Since you're not running a server farm, you're not going to really benefit from the use of apt-get for updates.
With SUSE, you can run YaST remotely from a terminal window and perform your on-line updates. You can choose from doing them manually or automatically.
Also, considering IBM put $50 million in the Novell purchase of SUSE, it may even be the safest bet for a supported platform
Mainly, When I not in front of a computer, I read Fortune and This Old House. I used to subscribe to Wired, but realized that it sucked. I typically don't read technical magazines, I get all the technical info I could ever want while working. For any tech related articles, I usually refer to the websites slashdot.org, washingtonpost.com and osnews.com. With the explosion of the web, there's a ton of great articles out there without ever subscribing. Being an app developer, I typically live by the rule, leave work at work. Somedays, I may get in 10-12 hours, but still I don't take it home with me.
"The fact that Computer Science is a MATHEMATICAL SCIENCE seems to elude most people who'd rather worry about how good of programmers they are than about knowing how the hell things work." I must agree with the above statement. It takes good logic skills to program effectively. Pretty much the stuff you learn in HS Algebra and Algebra II. Programming is about taking a problem, and providing the solution. You know what the end result should be, you just need to get there. In my various years, I've seen two types of programmers, 1) those that know and 2) those that understand. Those that can, do; those that can't, do helpdesk. You gain knowledge from the classroom, pretty much the basics. You learn how things work, and most of all, how to manipulate code, rather than developing your own solution. Understanding comes beyond the classroom. Hundreds of hours of reading articles, books, and then applying what you learned.