Linux distro for Lazarus + FireBird

[sin_dragan]

Hi, I need advice from more experienced users. I'm planing to write small IS that would run on Linux. I need advice what Linux distribution is good for using Lazarus (latest stable) and Firebird?

I have limited knowledge about Linux, in the company I work we use Erp written in Java on Gentoo Linux with Postgress, I would like to use the same combination with Lazarus/Firebird.

I tried Ubuntu 13.04 and Linux Mint with Cinamon desktop and with Mint encountered problems, when I press Shift + F10, Cinamon crashes, when I try to open project file I get AV, then read that I should change gtk and it helped and similar things.

Which linux distribution good for production and which you would recommend to use in mass locations (100+ clients) for ordinary users.

Thx.

[exdatis]

I have an excellent experience with openSuSe

[sin_dragan]

Thx, is that for production? Do you also use Firebird?

[BigChimp]

From an outsider's point of view I'd choose Debian or RedHat Enterprise Linux/CentOS for the stability and especially management support (puppet/chef/openldap/virtualization support), and enterprise application support.

Perhaps/probably the latter due to larger use in companies.

(Yes, OpenSUSE is also an option but IIUC not as common in the business world).

Indeed avoid Ubuntu as it uses Unity which doesn't work well with Lazarus, and avoid lesser know distros (though they may be technically quite good or better than the major ones) due to lack of general knowledge/support.

However, I only have personal experience with Debian on a hobby scale so YMMV - and apart from Firebird on Debian, no experience with Firebird on the other distros.

[Leledumbo]

Anything with proper KDE support. This is one of the best DE that never gives problem to Lazarus. LXDE and XFCE might fall into the category as well. Personally I use Manjaro Linux with self installed KDE, previously I used Kubuntu but I have update problems because it's not a rolling release and fixes are available only in the next major release.

[exdatis]

Thx, is that for production? Do you also use Firebird?

Firebird and PostgreSQL, more then 10 years without any problem(+ VSFTPD ftp server)

p.s. More then 200 PC on local network

[d.ioannidis]

HI,

IMO one very good candidate is Debian with Xfce and no systemd ( for obvious reasons) . Xfce still uses the UI paradigm that the majority of the users are comfortable with and Debian as a distro is very stable with high quality packages.

I'm finding myself to be a little frustrated with the direction of the Linux community reg. the use of systemd so I'm trying to be on the safe side choosing the above setup for any future installation .

As for Free Pascal / Lazarus and FirebirdSQL versions you can go to https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/fpc, https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/lazarus and https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/firebird2.5 to see if the defaults are ok with you .

regards,

[BigChimp]

IMO one very good candidate is Debian with Xfce and no systemd ( for obvious reasons) . Xfce still uses the UI paradigm that the majority of the users are comfortable with and Debian as a distro is very stable with high quality packages.

I'm finding myself to be a little frustrated with the direction of the Linux community reg. the use of systemd so I'm trying to be on the safe side choosing the above setup for any future installation .

Agreed with you but isn't Debian moving to systemd anyway (at least as default - but that has implications for package support possibly not including other init systems) in new development versions? IIUC that leaves no major/enterprise distro without systemd...

[d.ioannidis]

I'm finding myself to be a little frustrated with the direction of the Linux community reg. the use of systemd so I'm trying to be on the safe side choosing the above setup for any future installation .

Agreed with you but isn't Debian moving to systemd anyway (at least as default - but that has implications for package support possibly not including other init systems) in new development versions? IIUC that leaves no major/enterprise distro without systemd...

I'm hopping that the LTS for squeeze ( https://wiki.debian.org/LTS ) will be a success so my wheezy system's can run systemd free for 4 more years. In that time I can only hope that a viable alternative will be emerge.

[d.ioannidis]

IMO one very good candidate is Debian with Xfce and no systemd ( for obvious reasons) . Xfce still uses the UI paradigm that the majority of the users are comfortable with and Debian as a distro is very stable with high quality packages.

I'm finding myself to be a little frustrated with the direction of the Linux community reg. the use of systemd so I'm trying to be on the safe side choosing the above setup for any future installation .

Agreed with you but isn't Debian moving to systemd anyway (at least as default - but that has implications for package support possibly not including other init systems) in new development versions? IIUC that leaves no major/enterprise distro without systemd...

FYI,  Just in time .... 

Debian Is Back To Discussing Init Systems, Freedom of Choice

Postby mmix » 2014-10-18 00:29
www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTgxNjM

    Ian Jackson called for a general resolution yesterday similar to what was proposed in March about preserving the freedom of choice of init systems. This isn't about trying to fight again over Upstart vs. systemd as the default init system but is about making sure Debian packages don't depend on a single init system.

[Fred vS]

Hello.

Do you have considered to use freeBSD ?
There is a good PC distro => http://www.pcbsd.org/

It works very well with Lazarus and seams to be more-secure for servers 

Fre;D

[BigChimp]

FYI,  Just in time .... 

Debian Is Back To Discussing Init Systems, Freedom of Choice
[...]

Yes, heard about that, but I don't think it has much chance to actually change anything. Just my opinion/crystal ball/guess.

[cdbc]

Hi
PcLinuxOs, very stable, lazarus and firebird runs like a charm 
...And it's a rolling release 
Regards Benny

[sin_dragan]

Hi, thank you all for your suggestions, yesterday I downloaded and installed Fireserver (CentOS modification for FireBird) dedicated Firebird server on Oracle VM virtual box.
In our company we use WMS system on Oracle Linux, so this is similar. I also tried Fedora (based on CentOS). Seeing the distro chart here http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Gldt1009.svg I'll try PcLinuxOS and OpenSuse. Should I avoid Gentoo as a begginer.

[BigChimp]

I would strongly suggest you use something that is close to CentOS/Oracle Linux as that is already used in your company.

3 reasons:
1. Others in the company can support you and you can learn to support the WMS server
2. Performing management tasks for servers/clients is easier with a common platform
3. CentOS is one of the most widely used distros in enterprises anyway, so chances of getting cheap/plentiful external support are much higher.