Want linux for offline development.

ColeLIS

I'm looking to add linux to a laptop (about a year old) but want to also keep the windows 7. Considering a partition.

My primary code language is php... any release suggestions?

GrouchoMarxist

ColeLIS wrote:

I'm looking to add linux to a laptop (about a year old) but want to also keep the windows 7. Considering a partition.
My primary code language is php... any release suggestions?

If you are interested in trying out Linux without deleting Windows 7 from your hard drive, I would recommend running a distribution as a virtual operating system. I usually use VirtualBox for running Windows applications which do not run as smoothly in Wine.

In terms of your first distribution, I found Ubuntu to be an excellent "sandbox" system for exploring the differences and similarities between Windows and *NIX based systems.

atreyu

If you are in "evaluation" mode, try out the Live versions of various Linux distros, most of them have one these days. When you're happy w/one, then you can get into installing, partitioning, etc.

I know that Fedora has a ton of PHP-related packages available via YUM. I'm sure Ubuntu is the same...

mfillpot

You can easily install PHP on any linux based distro,so I recommend trying LiveCDs as atreyu stated to try them out, then once you find a distro you like you can shrink the windows partition and install the new distro, then once it is installed just install apache httpd and php.

saqman2060

Any linux OS will support php. As Atreyu said, test multiple LiveCDs, and see which one suites you best. Ubuntu based distros have a very easy install manager that will allow you to dual boot with a previous OS.